Stick Fly - First Preview- Page 3

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 5:06pm

I'm certainly not suggesting that adamgreer; to me this is no different than the communal experience people have when they go to a horror film in a crowded theatre.

I think most in this thread are taking these comments, and the experience of this play as something other than what they perceive to be 'acceptable' Broadway etiquette way too seriously.

If I were to see a 19th century melodrama on Broadway, a certain audience reaction would be expected. My point, and I think perhaps that of some of the others here is that part of the enjoyment of this particular play is, as Whizzer said correctly, that is is written, directed and acted to elicit a verbal response from their audience. Perhaps this response is rooted in 'black' culture, but if anything it is being slightly racist, as a white man, to say that the audiences for STICK FLY should adhere to a highbrow white audience behavior at a show because it is what you perceive to be 'correct' etiquette for any and all audiences seeing a show in a Broadway theatre,

To infer that this kind of play and/or this kind of audience behavior is somehow dishonoring the sanctity of Broadway is just silly.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I am certainly not suggesting that the 'white folk' go and laugh at the cultural experience of black audience enjoying a play. I am suggesting that audiences may they be white, black, red or white go and have fun (and join in yourself with the verbal responses if you want to) because that is part of what I believe to be the intended response for this particular play.

In my opinion of course.
Updated On: 11/23/11 at 05:06 PM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 5:25pm

What makes Stick Fly different from say, Fences or Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, two other recent revivals where this was an issue. When it happened at those plays, criticism here on BWW was near unanimous. Both of those plays contain "shocking" reveals that brought on visceral reactions from their mostly black audiences. What makes them any different from Stick Fly? Because we perceive August Wilson and Tenessee Williams to be more worthy of a quiet, rapt audience than Lydia Diamond? For the record, I'm not in any way suggesting Diamond (or her play) is on their level...it isn't.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 5:35pm

I personally think the issue or race and theatre audience reaction is fascinating and worth of a dissertation; I think most on this board were disturbed by the audience response during CAT and FENCES because they (and they being mostly white) perceived those responses to be disrespectful of the material as viewed through what they consider to be 'correct' (i.e traditionally white) audience reactions to those playwrights.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 5:57pm

I agree with you on both points. I think I'm just still trying to wrap my head around the outrage over it during those plays, but not for this particular play.

It's fascinating to me.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 6:59pm

This discussion is very interesting.

I was not intending to make racist remarks either. Michael Bennett's horror movie analogy is a good one. Or the Rocky Horror Show (perhaps when it first came out). Or going to see Valley of the Dolls at the Chelsea Classics.

When I saw The Mountaintop earlier this season the audience was, in general, very quiet. As far as Cat is concerned Debbie Allen directed that for the laughs and vocal responses, and I guess you could argue the acting and direction of Fences was in a similar vein, though to a lesser extent.

When Stick Fly had lines like, "When he gives you an orgasm think of me and it will be the most intense pleasure you've ever felt in your life," how is a normal person supposed to respond! It's easy to just say, "it's a black thing," but it's not. I was participating in the vocalization too, but not out of mocking. It was because I was so wrapped up in the experience and felt it was the appropriate way to respond to what was happening onstage.

As far as charging $100 for a "Ricki Lake" episode, what Broadway show is actually worth $100? Lysistrata Jones? [title of show]? Venus in Fur? Thurgood?

Speaking of [tos] talk about vocal audiences there! Much "worse" than any "Black" show I've seen on Broadway, or off. Part of the [tos] experience was the crazy crowd. The first preview and final performance were insane, and some of my favorite theater memories. Is [tos] intrinsically worth $100? Maybe not, but were those performances? You bet.

Why do so many people like go to final performances, or even first previews? The communal aspect.

Stick Fly happens to be a "Black" show but the communal aspect transcends race, or at least it did for me.

[egghumor]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 9:33pm

Well put, Whizzer!