The Little Dog is Not Happy About Chicago's Prudishness- Page 2

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 12:47am

What's the Broadway playwrights union?

Yeah, I don't know if I buy that not doing nudity violates anything, unless they got something in writing.

[commasplice]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 3:07am

"I'm not sure about how stage directions would play into that though, as just about every director in the world (that I've worked with anyway) sees written stage directions more as "guidelines" than rules, unless it's something really important, like, "they take their clothes off and are both naked." Essential stage directions like this are a different case I would think, but where do you draw the line?"

I thought that the reason for stage directions was that the playwright wanted something to be done a certain way, and thus, they took the time to detail it in the text. Some playwrights and playwrights' estates get extremely upset when you diverge from the way the play has been written (I know the Beckett estate, for example, is very particular about productions following the text to the letter, and has shut down productions for breaking with the stage directions and thus breaking the terms of their contract -- when Fiona Shaw did Footfalls in London in 1994, for example, her costume did not match the stage directions' description and her movements also were contrary to what Beckett had written, and the Beckett estate cancelled a planned European tour [thanks, Wall Sreeet Journal!]).

Posted: 2/6/08 at 8:12am

So let's talk about Hair- haven't we all seen productions that do not do the nudity?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 9:35am

Well, that's kind what I was thinking, Joe. I've done Hair twice and the nudity (which I did) was never compulsory.

When I did Angels in America the script says "He drops his pants. He is nude." It was something I'd agreed to when I was cast so it wasn't an issue, but it was my understanding I would have still had the part even if hadn't said I'd bare it all.

I reread the blurb and this line sticks out to me:

Beane has chosen to allow everything to to proceed as was—but apparently wanted his naked chagrin made public.

I kind of suspect it's more like Beane had no choice but allow everything to proceed and now he's just being a spiteful baby by making it public.

I understand a writer trying to protect his work, but professional theatre is filled with mixed messages about this sort of thing (witness any number of revivals that completey shred a musical's original book and we all ooh and ahh over it). How do we know what's sacrosanct and what's not?

The theatre was obviously acting in what they thought was good faith, since they invited him to the play.

I'm still inclined to believe what jbdc says. I think this was out of Beane's hands.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 9:48am

I'm all for male full frontal nudity, but I saw THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED three times on Broadway, and every time I saw it I felt that the full frontal nudity was gratuitous and not necessary.

Diane walks in on them starting to take their clothes off to have sex. They're making out and start to remove their clothes, and she walks right in.

The scene works whether or not you see penises.

[mortgageguy79]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 12:44pm

Penis or no penis, it is a great show!

HOWEVER, in t his case, I have to agree with the author, it makes the show make A LOT more sense if they nakedness (is that even a word) is included in the show. Diane's lines are lost if they keep their undies on. But, regional threater seems to like to keep the clothing on. However, I know Chicago's Balliwick is doing a rip off of Naked Boys Singing called Naked Lads Singing and from what my friends say they have NO problem being naked! HA! Maybe About Face needs to check in and stop making my hometown look like a bunch of prudes! HA!

Although from my friends in the Chicago theater scene tell me, Eric Rosen is a douche, so it really isn't shocking....

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 12:53pm

I wonder if maybe the Center on Halsted had some say in this? Some venues don't allow nudity on stage.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 5:43pm

Playbill has an article about this up now.

Beane said, "If he had come to me and said, 'I made a huge mistake and didn't tell the actors at the audition [about the nude scene],' I think we could have worked something out."

Well, they DID work something out. I'm sorry, but I think Beane is just unahppy he didn't get to see some dick.

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/114892.html
Updated On: 2/6/08 at 05:43 PM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 5:50pm

Nudity is important and integral to every play. I get easily bored without songs.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 5:51pm

That's unfortunate.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 5:54pm

On the upside I had nothing but raves for Take Me Out.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 6:07pm

Production Photos
(from AboutFace Theater)

The Poster



All pictures are legit!











Updated On: 2/6/08 at 06:07 PM

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 6:13pm

So, have I been in violation of copyright/usage rights everytime my script says "crosses SR" and I go SL?

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 6:31pm

I guess, in a way, yes. But, I have the same question. I've worked with a lot of directors who simply ignore any and all stage directions and make up their own. Updated On: 2/6/08 at 06:31 PM

[Brick]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 6:55pm

Queer Theatre just took a huge step backwards. Thanks Beane.

[secondcity]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 8:05pm

You are so clueless and wrong Distintive Baritone, you can see video footage of Greg Kotis on the stage at the mercury theater in Chicago doing the promos for Carol Fox publicITty on CLTV which is the chicago local entertainment channel. Hello?!!

Stop spreading crap about stuff you know nothing of. The writers helped mount the chicago production and the following link clearly spells out who's side there are on.

http://www.dramatistsguild.com/about_statements_urinetown.aspx

the director is f-ing thanked by the Kotis and Hollmann publically.

They writers are on the director and Chicago creative teams side and they did not sue the Chicago team, Rando and Caraffa tried to sue. YOU ARE SO CLUELESS!! Get your facts straight!!

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 2/7/08 at 12:07pm

Just to differentiate between "production" stage directions that end up in a published (Sam French) script and "writer's" stage directions, which affect he plot. "Crosses stage left" is a stage manager's note that makes it into the published script, based on the original production. "They stand naked face to face" or "He drops his pants and is naked" is a PLAYWRITE'S direction that he feels is integral to the plot. No playwright expects a director to follow every little "cross left and sits" direction because THEY DID NOT WRITE THAT.

Regardless, the director of this production ASKED FIRST, was told NO and then did it anyway! Not cool.

[robbiej]

Posted: 2/7/08 at 12:42pm

They asked Beane to cut the nudity, he said NO and they did it anyway.

TFB, folks. You would have been better off not asking.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 2/7/08 at 12:52pm

As they say, it is easier to get forgiveness than permission.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 2/7/08 at 12:55pm

Oh, I missed that they asked and he said no. It was stupid of them to invite him, wasn't it?

It still doesn't sound like the nudity is essential, though.

[Mischief]

Posted: 2/7/08 at 2:26pm

This karma payback is long overdue for the megalomaniac puppet master stage director known as Eric Rosen.

[robbiej]

Posted: 2/7/08 at 2:33pm

I don't know. I think if Beane believes the nudity is essential and impactful to the moment in the show, who are we to argue?

I rarely think that nudity is essential. But I believe it is always impactful. If an author believes that a moment's impact is weakened by the removal of nudity, then I believe he's got every right to complain. ESPECIALLY if he's already voiced the opinion and it was disregarded.

Posted: 2/7/08 at 6:03pm

Well if box office is any judge, obviously, it's the weiner that sells the tickets- this show DID NOT sell well here.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 2/8/08 at 12:45am

Do any About Face shows sell well?

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 2/8/08 at 2:35am

JoeKv99, the nudity in Hair isn't written in the script. It was a directorial choice in the original production, and because it's so infamous many productions add it in.

~Steven