After 25 Years, The Curtain Closes On "Theatre Talk"
After 25 Years, The Curtain Closes On "Theatre Talk"
#1After 25 Years, The Curtain Closes On "Theatre Talk"
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. : (
"Noel [Coward] and I were in Paris once. Adjoining rooms, of course. One night, I felt mischievous, so I knocked on Noel's door, and he asked, 'Who is it?' I lowered my voice and said 'Hotel detective. Have you got a gentleman in your room?' He answered, 'Just a minute, I'll ask him.'" (Beatrice Lillie)
Updated On: 9/16/18 at 06:06 PM
#2After 25 Years, The Curtain Closes On "Theatre Talk"
Posted: 9/16/18 at 6:12pmUgh I loved Theater Talk. Wonder if they'll bring it back in another way.
Caption: Every so often there was a rare moment of perfect balance when I soared above him.
#3After 25 Years, The Curtain Closes On "Theatre Talk"
Posted: 9/16/18 at 6:18pmBOOOO
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#4After 25 Years, The Curtain Closes On "Theatre Talk"
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!!
#5After 25 Years, The Curtain Closes On "Theatre Talk"
Posted: 9/16/18 at 6:48pmUgh. I hope Patrick, Michael, Jesse, and Elizabeth can still come together every now and then to discuss the season. Loved this show....
My father (AIDS)
My sister (AIDS)
My uncle and my cousin and her best friend (AIDS, AIDS, AIDS)
The gays and the straights
And the white and the spades
#6After 25 Years, The Curtain Closes On "Theatre Talk"
Posted: 9/16/18 at 6:52pmSo the interim Executive Director did not Feel comfortable giving them a birth at CUNY-TV. I am wondering why.
Just give the world Love. - S. Wonder
#7After 25 Years, The Curtain Closes On "Theatre Talk"
Posted: 9/16/18 at 6:53pmLiked it better without Michael.
#8After 25 Years, The Curtain Closes On "Theatre Talk"
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.
#9After 25 Years, The Curtain Closes On "Theatre Talk"
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.
"Noel [Coward] and I were in Paris once. Adjoining rooms, of course. One night, I felt mischievous, so I knocked on Noel's door, and he asked, 'Who is it?' I lowered my voice and said 'Hotel detective. Have you got a gentleman in your room?' He answered, 'Just a minute, I'll ask him.'" (Beatrice Lillie)
#10After 25 Years, The Curtain Closes On "Theatre Talk"
Posted: 9/16/18 at 7:17pmEssential viewing! Sad to see it go. Hope the talents land their next adventure soon.
#11After 25 Years, The Curtain Closes On "Theatre Talk"
Posted: 9/16/18 at 7:42pmHave a pair of episodes on VHS from 1995 having to do with Victor/Victoria. Need to see if I can find those...
zainmax
Broadway Star Joined: 1/12/17
#12After 25 Years, The Curtain Closes On "Theatre Talk"
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.
#13After 25 Years, The Curtain Closes On "Theatre Talk"
Posted: 9/16/18 at 8:07pmOh 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
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/10/04
#14After 25 Years, The Curtain Closes On "Theatre Talk"
Posted: 9/16/18 at 8:27pm
im sure its 96 viewers are just devastated by this news.
#15After 25 Years, The Curtain Closes On "Theatre Talk"
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
Understudy Joined: 7/18/05
#16After 25 Years, The Curtain Closes On "Theatre Talk"
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
Understudy Joined: 7/18/05
SueH-D
Swing Joined: 9/16/18
#18After 25 Years, The Curtain Closes On "Theatre Talk"
Posted: 9/16/18 at 9:44pm
Thank you, Thomas. The one with the little skulls is definitely my favorite.
BroadwayMan5
Featured Actor Joined: 7/30/15
#19After 25 Years, The Curtain Closes On "Theatre Talk"
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
#20After 25 Years, The Curtain Closes On "Theatre Talk"
Posted: 9/17/18 at 9:57am
This really bums me out. I loved watching Theatre Tallk, particularly the season previews and wrap-ups.
"Oh look at the time, three more intelligent plays just closed and THE ADDAMS FAMILY made another million dollars" -Jackie Hoffman, Broadway.com Audience Awards
jacobsnchz14
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/13/06
#21After 25 Years, The Curtain Closes On "Theatre Talk"
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
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/19/05
#22After 25 Years, The Curtain Closes On "Theatre Talk"
Posted: 9/17/18 at 10:38am
I was wondering the same thing, why can they produce on Youtube or something?
SomethingPeculiar
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/15/14
#23After 25 Years, The Curtain Closes On "Theatre Talk"
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.)
#24After 25 Years, The Curtain Closes On "Theatre Talk"
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.
"Hey little girls, look at all the men in shiny shirts and no wives!" - Jackie Hoffman, Xanadu, 19 Feb 2008
roccos
Swing Joined: 11/28/18
#25After 25 Years, The Curtain Closes On "Theatre Talk"
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
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