After 25 Years, The Curtain Closes On "Theatre Talk"

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 9/16/18 at 6:06pm

Oh no, this is sad news indeed.  https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/16/theater/theater-talk-cuny-tv-susan-haskins.html?smid=tw-nytimesarts&smtyp=cur      It's last show aired in July.  : (

Updated On: 9/16/18 at 06:06 PM

[Valentina3]

Posted: 9/16/18 at 6:12pm

Ugh I loved Theater Talk. Wonder if they'll bring it back in another way.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 9/16/18 at 6:18pm

BOOOO

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/16/18 at 6:27pm

I will miss this show so much. I loved the critics forums and looked forward to them each year. However, I appreciate that Susan Haskins wanted to keep it about the art. Thank you 25 years of great discussions, Susan!!

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 9/16/18 at 6:48pm

Ugh. I hope Patrick, Michael, Jesse, and Elizabeth can still come together every now and then to discuss the season. Loved this show....

[uncageg]

Posted: 9/16/18 at 6:52pm

So the interim Executive Director did not Feel comfortable giving them a birth at CUNY-TV. I am wondering why.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 9/16/18 at 6:53pm

Liked it better without Michael.

[Wee Thomas2]

Posted: 9/16/18 at 6:55pm

I shall miss Susan's two sweaters, the brown and black one and the one with the little skulls.

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 9/16/18 at 6:58pm

This is a statement from Susan Haskins:   (from the Theatre Talk Facebook Page)

A STATEMENT FROM SUSAN HASKINS follows:

On Thursday, I voted in the New York State primary and after I scanned my ballot, Brian, the poll watcher, asked me when Theater Talk was coming back in the fall. “It’s not,” I told him and I realized that I just broke the story that I had yet to share with almost anyone else.

As many already know, we left our longtime studio, CUNY TV, at the end of last season. The new Interim Executive Director there no longer felt comfortable giving our independent production a berth at CUNY TV without taking over editorial and creative control. That didn’t work for us, so we moved on.

Over the past few months, my co-Executive Producer Steve Doloff and I looked for a producing partnership elsewhere that offered us both great production services we could afford and that essential creative and editorial control. Nothing we explored fit the bill.

However, as the summer progressed, I realized that I could also step back from doing a weekly program and instead take advantage of Theater Talk Productions’ archive. We have amassed a remarkable twenty-six and a half years of conversations with theater greats and the time has come to focus on doing something more special with them beyond making them available on YouTube at www.theatertalk.org.

It has been my privilege to create the weekly Theater Talk for so long, including 22 years on Thirteen/WNET and 11 seasons nationally distributed by Executive Program Services in a producing partnership with CUNY TV. People tell me that the series made a difference and I like to think that is true. (Also, it was an honor to be nominated for three NY Emmys over the last four years and to win one in 2017 as the “Best Interview/Discussion Show.&rdquo

We are grateful to all who supported us both with their funds and others with just caring so much about the program. I’d like to extend special appreciation to director/actor Stephen Ahern who made it possible for Michael Riedel and I to begin this work in the first place on public access television back in 1993.

My thanks also goes to all my other cohosts: Jesse Green, Elisabeth Vincentelli and Jason Zinoman of The New York Times, Michael Musto of NewNowNext, Adam Feldman of TimeOut New York, actor Julie Halston, Donna Hanover of Arts in The City, playwright/producer Warren Leight, Jan Simpson of BroadwayRadio, as well as Gordon Cox of Variety and Nancy Giles of CBS News Sunday Morning. Theater Talk succeeded because of the intelligence and wit they brought to the series all these years (as well as the glorious efforts of our production crew at CUNY TV).

Working in the theater is a labor of love. I am lucky (to quote the musical [title of show])to have been and still be “Part of It All.”


Thank you,
Susan

PS “The Best of Theater Talk” will continue on WNET/WLIW through the last week of October.

[BalconyClub]

Posted: 9/16/18 at 7:17pm

Essential viewing! Sad to see it go. Hope the talents land their next adventure soon.

[markypoo]

Posted: 9/16/18 at 7:42pm

Have a pair of episodes on VHS from 1995 having to do with Victor/Victoria. Need to see if I can find those...

[zainmax]

Posted: 9/16/18 at 7:50pm

Wee Thomas2 said: "I shall miss Susan's two sweaters, the brown and black one and the one with the little skulls."

I'm laughing.

[EthelMae]

Posted: 9/16/18 at 8:07pm

Oh my God, with a million different outlets, someone must be able to pick this show up. With Reidel or without, we need a weekly show about the theatre.

[massofmen]

Posted: 9/16/18 at 8:27pm

im sure its 96 viewers are just devastated by this news. 

[haterobics]

Posted: 9/16/18 at 9:17pm

massofmen said: "im sure its 96 viewers are just devastated by this news."

Nearly 8000 subscribers on YouTube alone...

[pippin423]

Posted: 9/16/18 at 9:37pm

NY1’s On Stage will have to do unless someone resurrects Theatre Talk. I really liked Susan Haskins and the inspiring guests she had on.

[pippin423]

Posted: 9/16/18 at 9:37pm

Updated On: 9/16/18 at 09:37 PM

[SueH-D]

Posted: 9/16/18 at 9:44pm

Thank you, Thomas. The one with the little skulls is definitely my favorite.

[BroadwayMan5]

Posted: 9/16/18 at 10:05pm

I'm really sad about this. I especially enjoyed the fall/spring previews and Tony predictions editions with the array of critics

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 9/17/18 at 9:57am

This really bums me out. I loved watching Theatre Tallk, particularly the season previews and wrap-ups.  

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 9/17/18 at 10:18am

Not to sound demeaning or condescending, but if Broadway.com can produce daily and weekly episodes of their series, surely someone can help find Theater Talk a new home. Even if it were in the smallest possible way by being a podcast or something. I looked forward to these, especially the season previews, wrap-ups, and the Tony-related episodes.

[Tag]

Posted: 9/17/18 at 10:38am

I was wondering the same thing, why can they produce on Youtube or something?

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 9/17/18 at 10:42am

I'm sad to see this go, but Riedel's presence was essential to the show. He could be obnoxious or worse on occasion, but usually he behaved himself, and most importantly he knew how to drive the conversation. Haskins and her talented co-hosts could not do that this past year. (And it's especially hard when there are 3-4 guests + 2 cohosts...that's a lot of people trying to talk during a 20-minute time period.)

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 9/17/18 at 10:48am

God, if all we have left is The Frank DiLella Show Starring Frank DiLella, we're screwed.

Suggesting YouTube or Broadway.com take on their show omits a key factor: those are both revenue-based. Broadway.com produces content solely to drive business to their ticket-selling arm. And producing on YouTube, they'd have to take on advertising to produce the show or put it on that YouTube Red, unless they find a benefactor willing to put up the cost. YouTube might be a better fit, but they'd have to justify the cost when who knows who'd be willing to take that on.

[roccos]

Posted: 11/28/18 at 7:36pm

everythingtaboo said: "God, if all we have left is The Frank DiLella Show Starring Frank DiLella, we're screwed.

 

I agree