Award Winning Playwright Almost Slaps a Theatre Patron (and what that apparently says about our theatre) — Page 13

bwaybelter is like the Shirley Phelps of BWW. No point in arguing with them or applying logic and reason. Best not to feed the troll at all.

I wish we had an editorial from the white woman in question. She hardly sounds like the stereotypically cranky matinee lady, considering she actually confronted the group discussing her behavior at intermission or after the show. ("I'm the woman you are talking about."

If we had the white lady's account, I suspect we might learn that from her view, the "award-winning playwright" wasn't responding to the actual show with the rest of the patrons, she was responding loudly in an attempt to create the theatrical experience she thought the play should provide. And in the process, the playwright was making herself the star of the event.

This is mere speculation on my part, obviously. But the white woman's assertiveness suggests to me she is not a casual theatergoer.

Sorry, I just.....Broadway Belter you're an idiot... had to say it.

Agreed, broadwaybelter is a delusional mess.

Seriously? You suck dude

Please read and think about what it being said. Thank you.

"

The third principle is that no individual, regardless of their stance on these issues, deserves to be singled out for harassment and threats. Unfortunately, we’re seeing an increase in aggressively hostile rhetoric directed toward people of color who take a stand on these issues. There is a place for respectful disagreement and thoughtful debate—we need more conversation that leads to action, not less. But when debate is replaced by a parade of online insults from strangers, it’s clear we’ve crossed the line from debate to hate—and our community should not be willing to tolerate these deliberate attempts to silence and threaten artists of color. We oppose all attempts to silence and diminish these artists who have bravely taken a stand for equity and the rights of playwrights. We stand with Lloyd, Katori, and all advocates for racial justice."

Who was trying to silence an artist? One woman asked a noisey audience member to keep it down. The loud woman happened to be an artist but that is of no consequence. She was audience member first.

@A Director is referring to a quote from Lloyd Suh who issued a statement after the controversy over the casting of his play Jesus in India at Clarion University. While that quote more directly applies to artists of color specifically, it definitely applies in this instance, too. Rather than say "Wow. I'm exhibiting some unfavorable behavior. I should change that", white people tend to default to, "AAAAH!! I'M NOT RACIST. OMGOMGOMGOMG. I'M GOING TO DO WHATEVER I WANT BECAUSE I KNOW I'M NOT RACIST. I'M NOT RACIST, RIGHT? IT'S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT RACE. I HAVE A BLACK FRIEND". Maybe, just maybe, if someone is calling you out on abhorrent behavior, they have a good reason. I'm not here to blindly point fingers at people and call them bad names (though, admittedly, some have deserved it). If you continue to post ill-informed information about audience behavior and race in theater, I will call you out on it. And if all you have to say is "BRO ur n idiot", then you best continue to practice your supremacy outside the realm of this thread.

It's amazing how not a single person sided with the playwright. Then again, this board and thread is comprised of almost entirely white people....

What do you say to audience members who enjoy other enthusiastic audience behavior? Are they in the wrong? Actors will make it known to stage management if an audience member is being rowdy or disruptive. It seems as if all of the additional comments to this thread have not attempted to consider the side of Ms. Morisseau whatsoever. It seems that everyone has labeled her as a loud, black freeloader that needs to shut the **** up and be grateful that she got a free ticket. And this is why audiences in theaters across the country and the world will remain mostly white.

Updated On: 1/9/16 at 12:01 AM

Are you, Broadwaybelter, a person of color?

Totally agree with you on this one Kad!

Where does a broke playwright whose offered a FREE ticket get the right to complain about a woman who gave her the ticket in the first place? People are entitled to relative quiet enjoyment of a show. It seems this playwright has given her broke self a sense of entitlement that is unwarranted

Here's link to an excellent article about Dominique Morisseau.

http://www.americantheatre.org/2016/01/04/dominique-morisseau-is-telling-the-story-of-her-people/

broadwaybelter said: "@Gypsy @Matt Rogers @RippedMan: I thought you might be interested in attending this event coming up. It seems up your alley:

http://www.wcvb.com/news/donald-trumps-campaign-issues-20000-tickets-for-1400-rally-seats/37297322

"

What at the hell are you dragging me into this for? And for the record, I think Trump is one of the biggest assholes on earth.