Midtown Theatre Festival ..a few words for you and the critics

[zelda]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 1:54pm

Critics and Reviews. It is unfortunate the many of the critics who have reviewed the most recent MITF have not themselves encountered the festival and its disorganization first hand.

To be a critic one must be aware of the circumstances surrounding any given venue particularly in this setting. Festival situations can be quite treacherous and more so when you are dealing with any "below average" festival.
Directors, producers and actors anticipate adjustments in festival situations and work to accommodate them, however there is a point where accommodation becomes annoyance and down right unprofessional.
Reviewers should always be cautious of reviewing festival situations unless they are themselves well acquainted with the "situation at hand”.

Having said that, those critics who were hard on the performances and or direction of any given piece should be made aware of their folly in judgment and in tandem a stern critique of the 2005 Mid Town Theatre festival is forthcoming.

From the inside of the festival it is clear that intent, pure to art is there, however it is not pure to standards and practice of executing with strong and steady hand and with the understanding of event management.

Flaws encountered in this year’s festival include (and these are only a few)

A.) repeated attempts to attempt to get a specific ground plan of the theatre and seating layout- with no final answer prior to dress rehearsal ( no one could verify full proscenium or L shape)
B) lighting plot being change with no prior notice, including hook up, hanging, and gel selection.
C.) not having the promised two CD players and never having the second one replaced.
D.) inaccessible green room and appropriate facilities for changing and prepping make up.
E.) inability to shift show to show without a great deal of back up and mess (including garbage and beer bottles in the theatre)
F.) Inability to coordinate the audience by scheduling two shows in very close quarters to close together and inviting chaos, confusion and the unneeded stress
G.) Inability of the staff to understand the needs of each production and to manage them without impeding on the other shows.
H.) killing actors and audience with no reasonable air-conditioning


As I have said before the intent here is a noble one, but nobility does not come with carte blanche to be unorganized and foolishly ill-prepared.

IF MITF is to survive and continue it should give the above mentioned point considerable thought.

In addition the critics who were so vocal about their opinions should take a moment to think through what circumstances have surrounded this festival and remember also the MITF is working to be good theatre and so are the Individual companies.

For those critics such as the ones from Backstage and Talkin Broadway. You should understand the circumstances and not be as nasty as you were. You are being spiteful just to be spiteful and out of step with this festivals goals.

Everyone should pass this on.

[zelda]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 3:29pm

everyone should read this