30 PLAYS IN 30 DAYS: Play #18 "The Good Doctor" by Neil Simon

 

I have decided for the month of September to read 30 plays in 30 days. It is my belief that, if possible, a play should be read in one sitting to get a better inherent sense of the dramatic arc. Each day, I will write a short post here about the play of the day.

Play #18

The Good Doctor by Neil Simon

Neil Simon hardly needs an introduction, as he is perhaps the most prolific Broadway play hitmaker of the last eighty years or so, starting with Come Blow Your Horn in 1961. Mr. Simon died in 2018 at the age of 91, over thirty plays, 20 screenplays, and dozens of television sketches and teleplays to his credit. I can also not stress enough how every student of playwriting, or any kind of writing in general, should read his memoir Rewrites, which follows his early years of learning how to write for the stage and all the work that goes into crafting a play. His second memoir, The Play Goes On, is also a valuable look at his life, though not as heavily focused on the craft of writing. Simon won a Pulitzer for his play Lost In Yonkers, and as well as a handful of Tonys, a Golden Globe, and many other awards along the way. 

Despite some of the critical honors and his unprecedented (and never duplicated) success as an American playwright, Simon was never taken as seriously as many of his contemporaries, as though his prolific nature and the fact he was writing comedies somehow meant he was pandering to audiences, or not a craftsman worth the admiration of say, a Pinter (Pinter actually loved The Odd Couple) or a Tennessee Williams. Underestimating Simon's importance and artistry is a mistake, I think. While he had some stinkers (what writer hasn't?), the truth is, he was solid at structure, creating human characters people related to, and, as his career progressed, someone who wasn't afraid of having real pain in his comedies. Famed actress and acting teacher Uta Hagen compared his comedies to the works of Anton Chekhov.

And that's the perfect segue to talk about The Good Doctor, Neil Simon's play that is a love letter to the master, Chekhov himself. The play features "The Writer" (played by the late, great Christopher Plummer) in the original Broadway production), a stand-in for Chekhov, who talks about his love for/compulsion for writing, as he introduces sketches based on Chekhov short stories, with scenes called "The Sneeze," "The Governess", "Surgery," "Too Late For Happiness," "The Seduction," "The Drowned Man," "The Audition," "A Defenseless Creature", and "The Arrangement."  It is a bright, breezy, fun read, with Simon clearly showing much love and care to the source material and its writer, a kind of "pupil appreciation for the master" sort of piece. I can imagine audiences having a great time, so long as they don't mind watching a collection of scenes as opposed to one longer piece. I daresay this would be fun to act in as well. 

While I enjoyed reading it, it is lighter fare, even for Simon. Each scene builds to a kind of punchline and little more, and while Simon is skillful in tying them together with the character of "The Writer," the play does feel a little disjointed.  

But it is good old fashioned entertainment, nonetheless.

The Good Doctor ran for 203 performances in 1973 at the Eugene O'Neill Theater, and was nominated for Four Tonys, with Frances Sternhagen winning one for Best Featured Actress in a play. 

GREAT QUOTES FROM GREAT PLAYWRIGHTS

 

Because Playwrights Are Potently Quote-able

If you are like me, you are a man who needs a shave sitting at his computer wondering how to eke out a living as a playwright in the small town of Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, during a pandemic. 

Or, another way that you may be like me, is that you like quotes. For me, quotes can be inspiring, funny, strange, or at the very least, diverting. Since many of my heroes are famous playwrights, I like to look quotes from playwrights, so I figured, why not share some of my favorites?  If you're like me, you'll like them. 

I personally wish I could always remember and feel the truth of this great quote from the amazing Suzan Lori-Parks:

"Each moment is perfect and heaven-sent, in that each moment holds the seed for growth."  

Nice, right?

Tony Kushner, the genius behind Angels in America, among several others once said, "As a playwright, you are a torturer of actors and of the audience as well. You inflict things on people."

Noel Coward believed "Work is much more fun than fun," while Neil Simon reminded us that "If no one ever took risks, Michaelangelo would have painted the Sistine floor."

George Bernard Shaw gave us this advice:  "Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are the window through which you must see the world," as Lynn Nottage encouraged us to "Replace judgement with curiosity." 

"Things are beautiful if you love them," said Jean Anouilh, and I can't argue with that. I also can't argue with Arthur Miller when he said, "Betrayal is the only truth that sticks."

And absolutely no one should be able to argue with Edward Bond: "The human mind is a dramatic structure in itself and our society is absolutely saturated with drama."

Theresa Rebeck said, "I write a lot because, if I don't, I start to panic, and I calm down when I write," feelings I often share. 

Samuel Beckett is often quoted as a proponent of failure, which is its own kind of encouragement: "Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." Edward Albee must have been a fan of this quote (he was definitely a fan of Beckett), as he said, "If you're willing to fail interestingly, you tend to succeed interestingly."

Another favorite of mine from the Theatre of the Absurd, Eugène Ionesco, said, "Ideologies separate us. Dreams and anguish bring us together."  And he wasn't just talking about rhinoceroses, either. 

Lanford Wilson warned that "Nobody's safe around a writer," and he was probably right. 

Perhaps the best way to end this batch of quotes are with this short quote from Harold Pinter (another favorite of mine). I have often found it inspiring on bad writing days, and I hope you all will, too:

"Good writing excites me, and makes life worth living."

How Covid-19 Made an Effect On This Playwright

 

The Virus that Stopped the World

I have a confession to make right up front: 

I take care of my parents who are both of advanced years. Since having this responsibility, I have found myself becoming more and more afraid of germs, even before pandemic. When directing plays during the Maine fall and winter, I made it clear to my cast that if they felt sick, they should stay home. I had bottles of hand sanitizer everywhere, especially near me. 

You can imaging that the pandemic only exacerbated these feelings within me, and, to be frank, I have been dealing with what is called illness anxiety, or, what some might call being a hypochondriac. Because of this, when I tell you that I believe safety should always come first, you can believe I mean it. I have known three people who lost their lives to the virus, and many others who were quite ill but fortunately recovered.  

I want to make it clear that this post is not a post against the lockdowns that occurred and the activities that were cancelled for public health and safety. I am pro-science and pro-safety all the way.

But I did want to write a post to let people know how the pandemic made an impact on my playwriting career, as a workman playwright who depends on royalties from schools and community theaters. 

I think you can guess the answer:

Obviously, my productions went down. Drastically. Performances were (again, understandably) cancelled. All in all, I would say I experienced easily a 60% drop. And that hurts one financially. But what hurt even more, was that I felt I had at last published a play that could be a holiday hit for me, certainly the biggest hit I would have had up until this point in my writing career.  The play is called A Wicked Christmas Carol (it is published by Playscripts, Inc., and you can order it by CLICKING HERE). Watching theater disappear just as I had a play that I thought could really go somewhere was devastating to me. It is not easy to have a hit when you're in my market. 

As you must know if you are theater folks reading this, many wonderful groups did their best to keep the spirit of live theater alive using Zoom technology. That is one way I maintained some royalty payments at all!  In fact, a theater group in London did a Zoom production of A Wicked Christmas Carol (did I mention you could order the play by CLICKING HERE). I thought this was an ambitious undertaking---the play is a solid 2 hours long, which isn't necessarily easy to maintain on Zoom. But, this wonderful group really made something special and unique from it, using the medium in creative ways. And certainly one major positive from the entire situation is the fact that this Maine-based playwright who never could have afforded to travel to London to watch the production, was able to watch it live streaming, which was by far the highlight of my Christmas season. 

I suppose I could wind up being divisive here, but it is my blog these are my feelings: 

If we want live theater to come back, we've got to bring it back safely. That means cast members who are old enough, should be vaccinated. And there is nothing wrong with a theater telling the public that audience members must show proof of vaccination, and still wear masks. With the Delta Variant, we can't be too careful. This is how Broadway is proceeding, and I believe it is the smart way to proceed. There should also be some kind of air replacement system that keeps air circulating in the theater. Ventilation is important.

Again, this isn't about politics, or about being divisive, it is about public health and having the things we love once more, and helping artists like me to make a living again. Please get vaccinated and please mask up, so that when Christmas rolls around we don't have another outbreak, forcing all of the Christmas productions to be cancelled. 

And speaking of Christmas productions, I know of a great Christmas play. You can learn more about it by CLICKING HERE. 

Please keep theater alive moving forward by being safe. Overcautious, even. Because as lovely as Zoom can be, we all know it is not quite the same thing as being there in theater experiencing it all together. 

Let's make that happen. 

INTERVIEW WITH PLAYWRIGHTS DOUGLAS E. HUGHES AND MARCIA KASH!

 

Marcia Kash and Douglas E. Hughes, a great comedic playwrighting duo!

Note: This interview first appeared in Lakewood Theater's program for their production of Mr. Hughes and Ms. Kash's play, Something Fishy.

BACKSTORY WITH BOBBY KENISTON

Something Fishy, by Douglas E. Hughes and Marcia (pronounced Mar-see-a) Kash, premiered at the Lighthouse Festival in Ontario, Canada, in 2016. Regular audience members of Lakewood Theater are no strangers to the works of Mr. Hughes and Ms. Kash--- we have produced two of their most famous titles, Who's Under Where?, a farce about love, marriage and lingerie, and Too Many Cooks, a delicious tale about cooking, gangsters and mistaken identity, to huge laughs and thunderous applause.

The writing team graciously took the time to answer a few of my questions. Their answers--- which came separately--- demonstrate just how wonderful a collaboration they have shared over the years.

BOBBY KENISTON: There is no doubt that during every election season, one can't help but find Something Fishy in the air, no matter what side of the political spectrum one finds themselves. What do you think makes politics and politicians a topic that is so ripe for farce and lampooning? Is comedy the great unifier?

DOUGLAS HUGHES: Good question! One of the central themes of Something Fishy is that politics, to a very large extent, is theatre; and as recent events have clearly indicated, that theatre can often tip over into farce. Hence the setting for the piece.

MARCIA KASH: I think comedy most definitely is the great unifier- as long as everyone can laugh at themselves as much as the other guy. Politics and politicians are perfect for farce as they, like characters in farce, are constantly caught in the spotlight, changing the story (the spin) and trying to say/do the "thing" that will win the day- whether or not it is true.

BOBBY: You began your collaboration in the early 1990s with Who's Under Where? and have since written a total of six plays together, with your latest, Deadline, having a professional reading at the Purple Rose Theater. At the risk of asking a question you might be sick of, how did you become writing partners, and what makes the collaboration work after all this time?

MARCIA: We became writing partners accidentally. I moved back to Toronto after some years away, with a half-written first draft of Who's, and reconnected with Doug, who was a friend, at the time he was embarking on a writing career. I asked him if he wanted to help me finish it and - bingo. We scored! The collaboration works because we share a similar work ethic, enjoy creating complicated plots and twists- and when we're not annoying each other, we make each other laugh.

DOUGLAS: Another excellent question, one that allows me to share one of my favourite stories about our collaboration. We were sitting side by side at my computer one day, bickering at each other about something we were working on at the time, when Marce suddenly looked up and said, "You know, this relationship is exactly like a marriage," to which I responded, "Yeah--without any sex." Marce shot back, "Like I said--it's exactly like a marriage." As flip as that remark may have been at the time, there's a lot of truth in it. Like any intimate relationship, a collaboration such as ours requires a lot of work in order for it to be successful; and fortunately, we've both been willing to put in the necessary work over the years. A fair degree of autonomy in a relationship is also a healthy thing, and we've always had that. Both of us have worked on many solo projects as writers, as well as working with other people. I guess you could call our "marriage" an open one.

BOBBY: Comedy seems to lend itself to the art of collaboration--- Moss and Hart come to mind, of course, or other Lakewood favorites Billy Van Zand and Jane Milmore. Does having a partner to bounce ideas off of lend itself to comedy more so than other genres? Like musicians riffing, seeing what works?

DOUGLAS: Absolutely! One of the most common questions we get from other writers is, "How on Earth do you manage to write with a partner?", to which I usually ask, "How do you not?" There are lots of comic playwrights, of course, who are perfectly happy to work on their own, and thrive doing so--Norm Foster being an obvious example (although Norm's been known to collaborate as well from time to time); but you're absolutely right. When you're writing comedy, it's a great help to have someone else there to bounce ideas off of. I think Marce and I have different strengths as writers--strengths that complement one another--and as such, our working together means that the finished product can often exceed the sum of its parts.

MARCIA: Totally. In our case we began our careers as actors and were very comfortable collaborating. Unlike our pal Norm Foster, we need to bounce our humour off one another. Norm has a facility for one-liners that we have to work very hard at!

BOBBY: Your plays have had over 200 productions all over the world and been translated into six languages. You even visited Shanghai to see a production of your farce A Party to Murder. [Interviewer's note: I am about to be very embarrassed to have called this play a farce] I imagine it must be quite a thrill to see your work find such wide and diverse audiences! How was the trip to Shanghai, and how does comedy, or farce in particular, cross the language barrier?

MARCIA: I believe we are translated into 8 languages now... A Party to Murder isn't a farce, it is a murder mystery. The Shanghai trip, however, WAS a farce. I broke my knee on the first day and so our adventures there had a very unusual element added in. The experience of seeing the show from a wheelchair, in Mandarin, was one I will never forget! The audiences there are very young, very tech savvy and very interested in Western culture. The production and reactions were so different from what we are used to seeing.

DOUGLAS: One of my greatest joys has been having had the opportunity to see a number of productions of our plays in different languages and different cultures--I've seen our work done in French in Québec, in Polish in Warsaw, and now, in Shanghai and Shenzhen in Mandarin. I should point out, though, that the play in China was actually a murder mystery, not a farce--although our visit to Shanghai was such an adventure that our first instinct was to sit down and write a farce about it (that idea's on the back burner for the time being). What was interesting about seeing our some of our plays in Québec and Poland was that both cultures have a deep understanding of the genre of farce, and as such, appeared to enjoy the plays on a level that I hadn't quite seen in the many productions I'd attended in English Canada. That's not to say the English-speaking audience didn't enjoy it; it was more my sense that, despite the fact that the francophone and Polish audiences were seeing translations, the plays were set in a language that they instinctually understood.

BOBBY: You both have worked as actors, and Marcia as a director (even directing Doug in a few productions). How do these other roles influence your work as playwrights?

DOUGLAS: I think the best answer I can offer is this: Marce and I were both actors when we first started working together as playwrights. So, when we got to a part in the writing where we weren't sure whether or not a moment or a bit of business was going to work, we'd simply get up and do it. I think being actors also had something to do with our comfort level when it came to collaborating as writers. Rehearsing and performing a play is an inherently collaborative process, one we were completely at home with; so, writing together just seemed a logical extension of that.

MARCIA: Oh, it all informs everything. When we work together we have a very useful shorthand.

BOBBY: And finally: As we all know, we are living in a very strange time when it comes to theater. Lakewood has managed to open at limited capacity, as Maine has remained relatively safe during the pandemic. Many theaters are struggling, and I know that as a playwright myself, it certainly makes an impact. How do you think theater will move forward during these strange times, and prove itself to be as essential as we all know it is? What do you think of theater companies using platforms like Zoom to present live performances online?

DOUGLAS: I really hesitate to predict where things are going to go, but I'll say this much: I think that, in the short term, live theatre is going to go through an extended period of upheaval. How extended that period is will be a direct result of the state of the pandemic. However, the desire to experience interactive, live performances of all kinds is an innately human trait, and in the long run, I think it's that need for a collective, communal experience that will eventually lead us back to the theatre (and the music hall, the opera, the ballet, etc.) once again.

MARCIA: I look forward to the time when theatres can reopen to full capacity and programming but I think it will take quite some time. Currently our industry is devastated and the future looks very gloomy. I appreciate all the online programming that theatre folk are putting out- but personally I can only handle so much. I miss the "liveness" of theatre. It's just not the same watching on a screen at home. I do think that many good things will come out of this time and on a personal note, I am hopeful that our plays will still be relevant and appealing to theatres and audiences when this is all over.

You can learn more about Douglas E. Hughes and Marcia Kash by visiting their websites:

Douglas E Hughes | Actor / Playwright / Novelist

Website for Marcia Kash

INTERVIEW WITH PLAYWRIGHT LESLIE KIMBELL, author of FOUR OLD BROADS

 

Leslie Kimbell, successful playwright!

Note:  This interview first appeared in Lakewood Theater's program for their production of Ms. Kimbell's play, Four Old Broads.

BACKSTORY WITH BOBBY KENISTON

Though probably the last thing the world needs is another Zoom meeting, I am happy to report that this oh-so-necessary pandemic technology has made it much easier for me to reach out and actually talk to people like Leslie Kimbell, the author of tonight’s entertainment, Four Old Broads. And what a pleasure it was to talk shop with this playwright who is just as funny and charming as her work! After sharing a mutual relief that THEATER IS BACK and a brief discussion about how Zoom has changed the standards of formality for online meetings (who needs pants when you only see the top half?), I talked with Leslie about what inspires her work, and the joys that come with writing plays and watching them come to life.

Leslie wanted to write ever since she was in high school. Born in Tennessee and now living in Georgia, she has had a long career in acting, burlesque, and directing, all disciplines she says have enriched and inspired her writing, giving her a sense of the big picture and what is playable on stage. In 2015, she was on a lunch outing when her friend and mentor Billie made an “off-color joke” that tickled her enough to jot it down on a napkin. And while this joke did not make it into the play you are about to watch, it proved to be the seed of inspiration that Leslie needed to start her playwriting journey, reminding her of the sass and spunk of the real “old broads” in her life. And just like that, she was off to the races, eager for time at her computer to bring her story to life, excited when her two boys left for school giving her precious distraction-free writing sessions, and always on the lookout for any spare moment to keep working on her play.

“You can you use the word obsessed,” Leslie told me with a laugh.

The first draft of Four Old Broads was roughly two hours and forty-five minutes long. The “get the story out, throw everything in” draft, as she calls it, an important part of the process for any writer. After a reading of the play with some theater friends, Leslie could hear what her story needed, and what could be tucked away for use elsewhere.

“Too bad we couldn’t have an evening of deleted scenes and additional footage like on DVDs,” I joked. Fortunately, Leslie had the better idea of incorporating some of the material into the sequel, Four Old Broads on the High Seas, including the “off-color” joke from the napkin!

When I asked if she set out to write a play with juicy parts for women, since women audition more for community theater than men but seem to have fewer roles for them, her answer surprised me in the way we are often surprised by the things that should be obvious. “Actually, I wanted to write a play for seniors,” she told me. “You never see plays that are about seniors.” And, indeed, since Four Old Broads has been published, she has received letters from a number of senior community theater actors, thanking her for writing a play that gives them such fun characters to perform, and a story that is all about them.

Not every baseball player hits a home run their first time at bat, and not every playwright knocks it out of the park with her first play. But Leslie Kimbell is not every playwright. Since Four Old Broads premiered in 2017, it has been published by Samuel French (now Concord Theatricals) and performed all over the world. The publication Carolina Curtain Call even favorably compared it to The Golden Girls, a favorite of mine that Leslie had never seen until after she wrote the play and heard the comparison!

But despite this success, Leslie is a playwright who is grounded in gratitude for her collaborators and her audiences. When I asked her what it was like the opening of night of Four Old Broads, which had its world premiere at Winder-Barrow Community Theatre, a place that she loves and has worked with often, Leslie told me the question gave her goosebumps and was “...going to make me cry.” And indeed, she did get choked up as she talked about sitting in the audience, her loved ones on each side of her, watching the actors bring her play and characters to life. As the audience laughed at the lines she had put down on the page months ago while sitting alone at her computer screen, tears of joy and appreciation streamed down her face.

Leslie Kimbell understands that a playwright’s work is only fully complete when it is watched and enjoyed by an audience. We thank each and every one of you in the audience today for helping complete the work of this talented and generous playwright with your laughter and your applause.

If you would like to learn more about Leslie Kimbell and her work (like her new comedy with heart, Packing Up Polly, which premiered in April), please visit her website, www.lesliekimbell.com

A Great New Play For The Holidays: How and Why I Wrote "A Wicked Christmas Carol"

Cheyenne Sandau as the Wicked Witch and Elisa Schine as Glinda in "A Wicked Christmas Carol" at the Center Theatre

Greetings everyone, and welcome to Theater is a Sport, my much neglected blog about community and school theater.  Today I wanted to write about my latest published play, A Wicked Christmas Carol, a full-length holiday play that makes me proud.  It is a play that takes the world of Charles Dickens classic story and sets in L. Frank Baum's magical world of Oz.  In my play, the Wicked Witch of the West serves as the Scrooge-type character, and, true to the structure of Dickens, is visited by spirits to send her on a path toward redemption.  The difference is, these spirits are all beloved characters from the Oz books.

This idea had rolled around in my head for a few years.  I don't have many Christmas or other holiday plays published, and was brainstorming ideas for possibilities.  I cannot recall exactly how I first thought of the idea as the Wicked Witch of the West as a Scrooge-like character, but when I did, it was fun to imagine other Oz characters in different roles--- naturally, the Wicked Witch of the East could make a perfect Jacob Marley, I thought, only, instead of bearing heavy chains, she would be laden with pieces of the house that fell on her... that was an image that really stuck out in my mind.

Cheyenne Sandau as the Wicked Witch of the West, and Michelle Fisk as the Ghost of the Wicked Witch of the East in Center Theatre's production of "A Wicked Christmas Carol"

 Despite having this idea for some time, I didn't really act on it, even though I thought it was an idea that could pan out and work successfully.  I was busy working on other plays.  Still, this idea would bubble up every now and then, and I found myself almost looking for an excuse to sit down and write it.  And one day, I had a meeting with Patrick Myers, the Executive Director of the Center Theatre in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, about a completely unrelated topic, but I asked in passing if they knew what they were doing for their Christmas play.  This was in late May, if I recall.  He told me that they were once again going to go with "A Christmas Carol," though something in his tone suggested to me that maybe he wasn't thrilled with the decision, so I said, "You know, I've been meaning to pitch you an idea about a new adaptation 'A Christmas Carol' but it would be set in Oz, with the Wicked Witch of the West as the Scrooge."  Patrick liked the idea, said he would pass it along to the group who pick out the plays.  I went home from that meeting and began to write a synopsis and story treatment for the play.  I sent it along to Patrick, and told him I could have pages for them to read by July. And so, my excuse to write it was alive!

Cheyenne Sandau as the Wicked Witch of the West and Laney Reardon as Tip/Ozma in Center Theatre's Production of "A Wicked Christmas Carol"

I thought "A Wicked Christmas Carol" was a clever title, and people seemed to agree.  I immediately went back and started reading Baum's fourteen Oz books, paying special attention to the first book, of course, the only one in which the Wicked Witch of the West appears.  I wanted to make sure everything in my play was based on Baum's work, as those are the works that are in the public domain.  Though I admire Gregory Maguire's "Wicked" books, and the Broadway musical adaptation, I certainly didn't want to be sued for using their work in any way.  The same is true for the MGM classic, "The Wizard of Oz."  Which is why, in my play, you will find the details are taken directly from Baum:  no ruby slippers, for example, but Silver Shoes.  In my play, The Wicked Witch of the West (who has no other name in the book) is named Lina, though no one calls her this anymore.  It was a name she gave herself in her youth, after the great Fairy Queen Lurline.

I should note that if you have never read Baum's fourteen Oz books, I cannot recommend them enough.  They are a true joy, and it was such a journey getting to live in them for a time.  I hope to revisit my citizenship in Oz at some point.

The challenge when adapting not one, but two very famous pieces of literature is to be find the balance of being true to the source material, but also being true to your own voice.  I set about writing by going to my local library every day with my laptop, my notebook with all of my notes from Baum's Oz books, and a pair of headphones (when I am in a public place, I can only write if I have some way of blocking out the sounds of the rest of the world--- in this case, I was listening to "focus" binaural beats music).  I enjoy writing in the library.  When I take breaks, I can wander through the shelves at all of the other books that started by someone sitting down with an idea.

Will Stecher as Jemkiph, Axel Carlson as Wee Willie, and Cheyenne Sandau as The Wicked Witch of the West in Center Theatre's production of "A Wicked Christmas Carol"

The Center Theatre, similar to most community theaters I have had the pleasure of working with, likes to have large casts for their holiday plays, including children.  Fortunately, this story and setting lends itself to having many characters.

And one of the things I am most proud of?  The fact that the play, like the world of Oz, is populated by so many strong female characters.  Outside of the Wizard in the Emerald City, the power structure of Oz is very female-centered:  The Good Witches rule the North and South, the "Bad" Witches rule the East and West.  And of course, after the Wizard is exposed as the humbug he is, and after a brief rule under the Scarecrow, even the Emerald City is ruled by it's rightful heir, Princess Ozma.

While I love "A Christmas Carol", I have always found it somewhat unfair that some of the biggest and most complex iconic roles are for men.  I cannot even begin to describe how it felt to watch the scene where the Wicked Witch of the West is haunted by the Wicked Witch of the East, based on the infamous Scrooge and Marley scene, and to see these terrific actresses in my production get the opportunity to play this new version of such a classic moment.  I honestly got goosebumps.

Lee Wilber, Cary Libby and Dan Sharrow as the Ghosts of Christmas Present, Cheyenne Sandau as the Wicked Witch of the West, Will Stecher as Jemkiph and Kathleen Reardon as Joslyn Soforth

Clearly, I could go on about this at great length--- this one was kind of my baby.  Getting to write then immediately get to watch it stand on its legs is a dream come true for any playwright.  The cast I assembled were all so into the journey we were taking, and worked so very hard.  Not enough can be said about the volunteer actors who make community theater possible, who donate so much of their time and energy because they love to perform and to be a part of something magical.  Watching them bring my script to life stands among the proudest moments of my career as a playwright and director.

Elora Kares as The Ghost of Christmas Future, Cheyenne Sandau as the Wicked Witch of the West, Jasper Makowski, Will Stecher, Kathleen Reardon, and Abby Kemp as the Soforth family

Though my intention on this blog has never been to just plug my work (that's only a side intention!), this time around I can't help myself.  I wrote this play in mind to be accessible for community and school theaters of any budget, for the setting to be simple (the original production worked well with simple settings and projections as back drops for different locations), and to involve a diverse group of actors.  I was truly touched and grateful by the reception the play had in its initial production, and am truly honored that it has been published by Playscripts, Inc., one of the finest publishers of plays today for so many different markets.  If you would like to learn more about the play, and even read a sample, you can CLICK HERE

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and a big thanks to everyone who helped me along the way with "A Wicked Christmas Carol."  You all hold a special place in my heart.

Now let's try and make this a holiday classic, what do you say?

Bad Morning: Bobby Keniston Talks More About Rejection

Greetings, and welcome to Theater is a Sport.  I am your host, Bobby Keniston, and I keep this little part of the internet to write about theater.  As always, feel free to comment below if you agree with me, or think I'm full of poo.

Today's post is a bit more personal than usual--- I tend to like to act like an instructor of sorts, give out tips and advice, but, today, well, I've had the wind knocked out of my sails for a little bit.  I'll be fine, of course, I'm used to it, but, for the moment, I'd rather just write and see what happens.

I've talked about rejection before, but it bears repeating for anyone who is interested in pursuing theater, acting, and writing as a livelihood, or even just as a hobby.  You are going to face a great deal of rejection, and you have to learn to deal with that and not let it knock you all over the place.  At least, don't let it knock you all over the place for too long.

So this morning, I check my email, and, lo and behold, there is a nice rejection note from a nice company for a play I recently submitted.  It is a company I have other plays published with, and a good relationship with--- I like them a whole lot, love how they handle my plays, and am grateful for the work they do getting my plays productions all around the country.  I like the company so much, I gave them an exclusive first look at this new play, when, usually, I submit to a few companies at the same time.

Okay, so I should be used to rejection by now, shouldn't I?  I've been in the business long enough, and have certainly been rejected plenty of times.  Yet this rejection has hit me harder than many others, and I am trying to figure out why.

You see, usually, the second I get a rejection notice, the first thing I do is submit the play to another company.  It's good for the soul.  So I did that very thing this morning.  I went to another company I love, who have an online submission form.  I uploaded the play, filled in all the information, revised my synopsis to make sure it was as good as could be, spent a good half hour making sure everything was as it should be, and when I pressed the button to submit, and error occurred, telling me to try again later.  So, I don't really have that feeling of satisfaction yet, the feeling of moving on and trying again after my rejection.  I'm not going to let a computer error keep me from submitting to this second company, of course, but I just can't fill it all out again at this moment.  I don't have the energy.

So here I am, thinking about my rejection.

It's natural, and, indeed okay to feel bad about being rejected.  In fact, it's not easy to feel good about it.  It's all right to think, but not to wallow, and so, hopefully, this blog post will help me move things in the right direction.

So why is this one bothering me so much?  Here are some thoughts:

1.  I haven't had a play rejected in a while.  My submission numbers have been down this year, and every play I have submitted has been accepted.

2.  I really thought this company was going to accept this play.  Which, I guess goes to show, you shouldn't be overconfident about such things.  I just thought this particular company would think itself a good home for this particular script.  Alas, that is not my decision to make, and, nor should it be.  This is a fine company that knows what it is doing, and, if they don't think they can sell this particular script, then they made the right decision.  Again, their rejection letter was kind, and very mindful of the fact that I am currently one of their writers.  I shouldn't have assumed they would like this one as much as some of the others I have with them already.  (Of course, it's not necessarily a matter of "liking" the script, but whether they feel its right for their catalog--- two very different things)

3.  Many of the plays I write are accepted without a prior production, so I've never really seen them on their feet.  This show, however, I produced with my hometown theater as part of an evening of one acts.  I directed the play, had a great cast, and I saw fist hand how well audiences responded to the play.  So much laughter and cheering!  People loved it!  I've never had such positive feedback for a play I've written and directed!  And my hometown doesn't necessarily get excited about theater all that often.  I know the script is easy to produce, has witty dialogue, but is also poignant--- I've heard the laughs and seen the other emotional impacts of it--- so, I guess, what I'm saying is, I know that the play PLAYS and PLAYS WELL.

4.  Because it was so successful in production, perhaps I was riding high on the script as a surefire win.  It's easy to do so when you see how much an audience loves it.  It's like you've got proof that it should be a "hit", because your individual production was a hit.  But the page and the stage are two different things.

So, yeah, I'll get over this, and fairly quickly, but I am going to allow myself to feel upset about it for a while.

Perhaps that will make it all the more sweeter when the script does find a home.


To Learn More about my published plays, CLICK HERE, OR HERE, OR HERE, OR HERE!

I've started a new blog where I am writing a short story every day for a whole year!  Each story will be between 100-250 words.  Please check it out!  (I've had too much rejection for one day).  
CLICK HERE to read my new blog!

My Favorite Dream: Writing With Love and Zest

Greetings, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Theater is a Sport, back after spring break.  My name is Bobby Keniston, and this is my own little piece of the internet where I talk about whatever's on my mind in the realm of theater.

Recently, I've been re-reading a great deal of Ray Bradbury and watching old interviews with him on YouTube.  What stands out most about this prolific writer (who not only wrote novels and short stories, but many plays and screenplays as well) is his incredible zest for writing and for life, and how he constantly used one to fuel the other.  To him, writing was inspired play, and he kept the words "Don't Think" taped above his typewriter to remind himself the importance of trusting his intuition and subconscious.

For those who are not familiar with Ray Bradbury, he was the great mind behind such books as Fahrenheit 451, The Martian Chronicles, Dandelion Wine, The Halloween Tree, Something Wicked This Way Comes, and over 300 published short stories.  He wrote a number of plays, one of my favorites being The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit, and wrote the screenplay for John Huston's classic film adaptation of Moby Dick.

Here's the man himself, Mr. Ray Bradbury

I have been trying to write like Mr. Bradbury lately.  No, I don't mean by copying his style or his themes or plot ideas--- I mean, I have been trying to reconnect with the youthful sense of play in an attempt to write with zest again.

It's not always easy.  Writing can be difficult.  It's frustrating when the words won't come, when a sentence or a line of dialogue doesn't read the way you want it to, when you simply can't seem to communicate your thoughts, or when the tank seems completely empty, devoid of any ideas one could possibly care about.  

When this happens, one could do worse than to follow those two words of advice taped up on Mr. Bradbury's desk:  DON'T THINK.

While writing certainly flexes intellectual muscles, it is truly at its most rewarding when it is an emotionally engaging experience.  When the play or story you want to write comes flying out, and you laugh, love, and cry along with it.  If you have this investment, it is a safe bet that an audience may as well.  

When you're deep in the act of creation on a first draft, it is often beneficial to surf the tidal waves of inspiration and intuition, even if they seem dangerous.  Especially if they seem dangerous.  Too much thinking can kill a project before it has started to live.  Don't let that happen.  Remember, your brain is always there to switch back on for the act of rewriting.  

I can't tell you how many times I have to tell my mind to shut up (even now, writing this blog post, I've had to shush it more than once).  Every now and then, I close my eyes, take some deep breaths, and invite my characters to talk to me.  I visualize them, ask them questions.  They don't often steer me wrong.  Ray Bradbury once said that there is no need for writer's block, so long as you are willing to listen to your characters and your subconscious mind.  The more I read his work, the more I believe he is right.

So each day, for a few weeks now, I approach my notebook or computer, not with a sense of worry about what may come out today, but with a joyful anticipation of what I am going to create.  I am recapturing the "play" in "playwright".  

And I thank you, Ray Bradbury, for the inspiration.  

REMEMBER:  WHEN IN DOUBT, JUST STOP THINKING!  Breath, relax, and tell the story that needs to be told.

To learn more about my plays, CLICK HERE,  OR HERE, OR HERE, OR FINALLY HERE.

I've started a new blog!  I am writing a story a day for a year!  Each story will be between 100-250 words!  If you would like to read and follow, you can do so by CLICKING HERE.  

Ten Minute Plays With Two Characters for Youth and High School Groups

Greetings everyone, and welcome to Theater is a Sport.  My name is Bobby Keniston, and this is my blog where I talk about all things having to do with theater.

Today, since it's Friday, and I have nothing better to do, I thought I would indulge in a little self-promotion.  When I first started getting my plays published in 2010, a whole new world was opened up to me by my editor at Brooklyn Publishers.  He encouraged me to write ten minute plays, duets for two characters, monologues for a single actor or actress, and skits involving 3 or more performers.  I had never focused on writing ten minute plays before, but there is a definite market for them.  It's relatively easy and cheap to produce an evening of ten minute plays and offer a great deal of variety for the audience.  And, of course, there are speech and forensic teams at high schools all across the country that are looking for ten minute monologues and duets.

So I began to write some ten minute plays.  At first, it was quite a challenge, as my mind seems to always stretch to half hour one acts or full-length stories, but, once I started getting the hang of it, I really began to enjoy writing these short, self-contained plays, and consider many of them to contain some of my best writing.

Below are a list of some of my ten minute works, followed by a little description.  I have decided to share only the duets today, as they tend to be my most popular ten minute works, and are all suitable for either productions or forensic competitions.  Please click on the title to learn more about each play, or to even order it if you're of the mind.

BIG BAD WOLF GETS BUSTED!
When the Big Bad Wolf meets Little Red Riding Hood on the way to her grandmother's house, he gets a whole lot more than he bargained for!  This ten minute duet is a twisted take on a classic story, perfect for middle schools and high schools.

COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT
Jeffrey Butter just wants to return his cell phone.  Unfortunately, the Returns Department is run by a very bizarre young woman named Helen, who insists on calling in the "Complaint Department".  But, hey, complaining is good for the soul, right?  Another duet.

CONFESSIONS OF THE EIGHTH DWARF:  A BEHIND THE FAIRY TALE EXCLUSIVE!
In this ten minute play, the eighth dwarf, known as Conspiracy Dwarf, is on the popular talk show, Behind the Fairy Tale.  He plans to tell the TRUE story of Snow White!

DEATH AND PEZ
This is one of my most popular ten minute duets.  Reggie is a hard-working high school student, and is busy studying when Death knocks on his door.  The Grim Reaper (or "Necessary Reaper" as he likes to be called), teaches Reggie a little lesson about living life to the fullest, while Reggie tries to bargain for his life with his Pez collection.

END OF THE MOVIE
At 17, Derek has had enough.  He plans to leap off the railroad trestle in his hometown.  That's when he meets Kelly, an unorthodox Angel-in-Training.  Here's a testimonial from Gail Wagner, who directed the play for the Reedy Point Players:  "Another winner from Bobby Keniston!  This play won our theatre One Act Festival and was awarded an Ensemble award at the state level"  By the way, this is my most widely produced ten minute duet.

A FORGETFUL REMEMBRANCE
Colin and Mya, an elderly couple, sit on a park bench, reminiscing about their married life together. While Colin is forgetful about many things, there is no doubt about the love he has for his wife.  This is another popular ten minute duet of mine.  Here's a testimonial from Laura L. Abuhl, director for Trinity Christian School:  "This piece is touching, emotion, and yet full of hope.  Thank you, Bobby, for writing it."

Well, that's all for today.  Some time I'll do another blog post about my ten minute monologues and my ten minute pieces with three or more characters.  Feels right to focus just on the duets today.

Thank you for reading and considering my work.  I hope you have a great weekend!

As always, please feel free to comment below...

Playwriting Contests and the Myth of Exposure

WINNER!!!!!!!

That's a nice feeling, isn't it? To be a winner.  Whether it's $20 from a scratch off or first prize in a pie-eating contest, it feels nice to win something.  

For playwrights, it is an especially nice feeling, since, to be honest, we tend to lose so often. The writer isn't really the top of the food chain, unless you already have a name like Mamet, Albee, or Kushner.  

Oh, boy.  I almost hesitate to write this post, because I know plenty of folks will disagree with me. But hey, no one's forcing me to share my thoughts on a public platform, right?  So, if you read this post and disagree with me, feel free to post in the comments below (I ask only that you keep it clean, as this is intended to be an educational blog).

Every year, playwrights all over the world enter playwriting contests, hoping against hope that, unlike the slush pile of submissions at theaters and producers' offices, their play will have a chance to stand out and even to win.  And we all need a win now and again.  And after all, if you're paying an entry (reader's) fee, you know you work is going to be read and thoughtfully considered, right?

Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

I used to enter a great deal of playwriting contests, but I don't anymore.  The biggest reason is that I can't afford to.  Seriously.  Even some of the smaller entry fees ($10 or $15) add up, if you're entering a whole bunch of them.  And I have found that the prizes offered are just not secure enough for me or my checking account to take the risk.  

Before I offend anyone, let me first say that there are number of great playwriting contests out there which offer a great deal to a playwright, and are definitely worth considering submitting to.  There are theaters that are genuinely looking for new and upcoming talent, and exciting, fresh plays, and hold these contests in the hopes of discovering an unheard voice in the business. I salute these contests.  

Many playwriting contests, however, are simply fundraisers for the theater or group that is holding it. There is nothing wrong with this. There are plenty of worse fundraisers for a theater to have than one which offers a chance for an unproduced playwright to get their moment in the spotlight.  And I will be the first to admit that theaters need all the fundraising they can get, and, in order to keep theater solvent and relevant in our society, theaters, especially regional, little and community theaters, need to keep their doors open.  

But not to the extent where artists and writers are disrespected and, quite frankly, cheated.  

There was a contest I used to enter for a college theater company, that offered a first prize of $1,000.00 and a production, and offered a second prize of $500, and a third of $250, with possible productions for the runner ups.  I found this to be a contest worth entering, though I never won, and the reading fee was $25. I imagine this contest was flooded with submissions, as the prizes were pretty impressive, and the college was a moderately famous one with a well-known theater program. I encourage playwrights to enter such contests, I really do.

More and more, as I look through the list of playwriting contests I find on Reddit and other places, I see theaters offering a contest with a reading fee, where the prize is a production of  the winning play. If you look closely at some of these contests guidelines, they reserve the right not to select a winner, even.  But, if you do win, your play is produced at their theater, and you gain exposure for your play! Isn't that great?  And, now, you can add an "AWARDS/HONORS" section to your resume!  But does it say that you will receive any royalties from this prize-winning production?

I'm really not trying to be flip or sarcastic here, I promise.  The one award I have ever won through my playwriting, is, in fact, listed proudly on my resume, and, is included in cover letters for submissions to theaters and producers.  As I said before, we all need a win from time to time. However, what playwrights should also want, all of the time, is for their work and career to be treated like any other profession, and to be compensated accordingly.  I'm not saying a playwriting contest is only worth entering if the grand prize is $1000 or even $500.  What I'm saying is, in order to be a professional playwright, you need to be treated like a professional playwright and be paid for your work. It's not unreasonable to expect this. 

But what about exposure, you may ask?  Yes, playwrights need exposure for their work, this is true. And, yes, perhaps there are some circumstances where giving your work away for free in exchange for exposure for you play could be wise. If your play is going to be produced in an Off-Broadway venue, or a regional theater with a great reputation, reviewed by the New York Times and other major publications, then, yeah, that may just be a contest worth submitting to for no financial recompense. However, it is my belief that major venues are actually the types of places, by and large, that respect their artists enough to pay them what they deserve.

But any exposure is good exposure, right?  I mean, it doesn't have to be a huge venue to make it worthwhile.

I don't know.  Yes, it is good for playwrights to be produced.  I won't deny that. We all want to see our work performed, or at least know our work is being performed.  And yes, we should all support the little and community theaters across the country.

Still, it is my firm belief that we should support the arts only to the extent that an arts organization supports artists. Why should writers work for free when no one else is expected to?  Why should I support an arts organization that doesn't support my work, or value it enough to write a check for it? Is this organization really worth supporting, if they pay a professional in the industry with simply "exposure"?

My answer is no.  You can't claim to be a supporter of the arts if you're not supporting artists.  I repeat myself only because I believe this strongly.  

Unfortunately, it looks like I am in the minority.  Plenty of theaters receive enough submissions to such contests, because there are so many playwrights who are willing to exchange their work for exposure. Again, I understand this.  It's like submitting your short story to a literary journal that pays you in complimentary copies.  Hey, at least your work is out there, right?  And playwrights face so much rejection, an inherent desperation can grow inside, a need to see their work on a stage, a need to be validated, to be good enough. Only, unlike literary journals, there's no way to gauge what the "circulation" or audience size your production is going to be exposed to.  And, honestly, chances are, no one with any clout in the industry is going to be watching, who will then call you up and say, "Hey, I saw a production of your play at the So-and-So community theater... let's take it Broadway!"

I think my major problem with playwrights giving their work away for free is that, I feel, in some ways,  it strips away the validity of playwriting as a career, as work that is created to make a living. It gives a craft and art form that I take very seriously the scent of a pursuit followed by a an eternal hobbyist, one who is happy enough to sit at the kids' table and have their report card hung on the fridge with a "good job" magnet. Playwrights who are willing to give their work away for free devalues all playwrights who want to make a living. Personally, I think my work is worth more than a bumper sticker for my parents car that reads "PROUD PARENT OF A PRODUCED (BUT STONY BROKE) PLAYWRIGHT". 

So often, playwrights bemoan the state of affairs in the industry, how impossible it feels to get ahead, to make a living doing what we love to do. Perhaps the beginning of change comes with playwrights, en masse, believing in their work enough to expect payment.  At least something.  Say no too much and you'll starve, but they gotta give us something. Look at the reality of giving away your work to a contest, and even paying to give it away, and ask, Does this really validate my pursuit as an artist? Does this really make me feel like a winner?

If it does, go for it.  However, I would recommend to any playwright to save the money they would spend on contest entry fees this year, and instead, put that money into producing your play yourself. Make friends at local community theater, see if they'll let you use the space for a 50/50 split at the door. Get your actor buddies to help you out.  I promise you, more than likely, the experience will be just as valuable as winning a small contest somewhere.  You'll get to see your work live, in front of an audience, and you'll have more control over how it's presented.  You may not make a profit, but even if you break even or lose a few bucks, the experience will be worth it (I can say this, because it always has been for me).  Invite every newspaper in the surrounding areas to review it.  Create your own press kit. Blast it all over social media.  Make audience feedback cards, the works.  Doing this makes the production all about your play, and not about a theater's fundraiser.  And you get the joy of knowing you were proactive, and the final result is that your play had a production and you can see what works and what doesn't.  This is your work.  Don't wait for "them" to discover it and give it "exposure".  Expose yourself.  (Okay, that doesn't sound quite right...)

Again, I'm not saying do away with contests altogether.  Just read the fine print.  Make sure it is a contest that respects you.  Because if it doesn't, it's not a contest worthy of your respect or your work.  

Writing With a Message: How and Why I Wrote "The Re-Programming of Jeremy"

The Poster from St. Paul's School's Production of my play, "The Re-Programming of Jeremy"

So, once upon a time, I wrote this play...

Actually, if you're familiar with this blog, you know I've written a number of plays.  I rarely shut about it.  In fact, in the interest of self-promotion, I will occasionally write things like "You can learn more about my plays by clicking HERE or HERE or HERE," and, of course, please feel free to do so if you're of the mind.  However, you can click on all of those links and check out all of those pages, and even though you'll learn about many of the plays, you won't learn about the play I'm going to talk about today.  This one, The Re-Programming of Jeremy remains unpublished.

But unpublished does not mean without a life of its own.

I wrote The Re-Programming of Jeremy, in its original form, back in 2010, at a rather feverish pace. The play is about a gay teen named Jeremy, who has killed himself after bullying at school and home, and then being sent to a "straight camp," that was designed to "re-program" him, cure him of his homosexuality.  The play is a series of monologues told by Jeremy's friends, family, a teacher, and the woman who ran the straight camp he was sent to.  In the first draft, Jeremy appeared only once, near the end of the play, and gave the longest monologue of all, about tolerance and acceptance.

I wrote the play in two writing sessions, at the Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft, ME. There was company at my house, and a lot going on, which made it difficult to write, and I had this burning idea I had to get down, so I brought my computer to the library and wrote fast.  The play has gone through a number of drafts since that day in 2010, but it a good deal of what I wrote over those two days still remains.

I suppose the question is, why did I feel it was so important for me to get this story down on paper? Here's the thing--- every time I heard a news story about a gay teen who committed suicide, my heart would break.  Whenever I heard a news story about a gay teen who was being bullied and ostracized, my heart would break.  Whenever I heard a news story about a so-called religious group picketing a funeral of a homosexual, not only would my heart break, I would become so angry and disgusted that people could be so cruel in the name of God.  You see, I do identify myself as a Christian, and I think Christians who spew hate speak are not really Christians at all.  Certainly they have the right not to agree with a certain type of lifestyle, no matter how much I disagree with them, but how does hate solve anything?

I had been thinking for a number of years about writing a play that deals with the subject, but every time I did, it was a piece that was attacking the issue from a very angry, overly satirical way, a way that was just as political as it was sarcastic.  A painfully dark comedy type of play.  And while I enjoy a play like that, and have written others about different subjects in that vein, that style didn't feel right to me inside for the story I wanted to tell.

I knew I wanted it to be a HUMAN story first and foremost, where the characters weren't exaggerated.  I knew I wanted the play to transcend the idea of politics, or, at least, blend the political and the personal.  And, of course, I didn't just want to be writing "with a message".  Yes, all playwrights have something to say, and all playwrights, because they are human beings, have thoughts, opinions, and issues they hold very dear.  But to attack a play just from an issue is a tricky proposition, and, at times, an empty one.  Political theater is great, and can make a difference.  It's been around since theater began.  But, if you don't have characters you can relate to, a strong story, and genuine humanity, then you are not serving any message you may be trying to impart.

I was thinking about my idea one day, when suddenly, I just knew I wanted a character to be named Jeremy, and that Jeremy didn't want to be re-programmed.  I have a female friend from college who's name is Jeremy, though she's always been called Mimi. I think that's why the name Jeremy was so strong for me, even though the character is male.  Just having the name for the character made him real to me, a human being, especially since he was named after someone who has always been a great friend to me.  And so I began to imagine Jeremy.  I didn't want him to be flamboyant, or stereotypical, but just a normal teenager with fears, joys, and hopes like any other.  But also knowing he was "different" from the norm.  And then I began to imagine his family, and how is mother wanted to understand him, but couldn't, and how is father tried so hard to love his son, but had his own demons he couldn't conquer.  And it just sort of spread from there.

There's a play I've always liked a great deal called The Incident at San Bajo by Brad Korbesmeyer.  It is a long one act that won the Heidemann Award from the Actors Theatre of Louisville.  It tells the story of a man who tried selling an elixir to residents of a trailer park.  Turns out, this man then poisoned the water of the park, and what he was selling was the antidote.  Only seven people bought it from him.  These seven people tell the story in a series of monologues.  It's a great show, captivating, and I had the chance to direct it once with a high school group.  I love how the show has a documentary feel to it, described by its publisher as a 60 Minutes segment.  The actors answer unheard questions, and tell their story.  They are in different locations, represented by different areas of the stage, and are very different types of people.

I thought this aesthetic would serve the story I wanted to tell very well.  So I decided to give it that same "documentary" type feel in my script.  When Jeremy, who is dead when the play begins, finally does appear, he is somewhat otherworldly, a complete break from the documentary, which had an effect I thought would prove to be powerful.

By writing the play as a series of monologues, it allowed me to get deeply inside each of the characters.  Now, I've never been a teenage girl, or a jock, or a gay teen for that matter, but every character, in some way, came alive for me in some way.  Even the Rev., who's views on homosexuality were the complete opposite of mine.  I found myself digging deep for the humanity of each and every one of them.  Trying to understand their beliefs and opinions, even though it was difficult at times.  And by doing so, not only do I feel the play has a strong message for audiences, the act of writing reinforced a strong message to me--- we are all people.  And though sometimes people are capable of being cruel, even without knowing they are being cruel, they are still people. It is so easy to lose sight of such things when we focus strictly on the political side of an issue.

Even though Jeremy has never been published, it remains one of my favorites of my scripts, and contains some of the best writing I have ever done.

I have a great deal more to say about The Re-Programming of Jeremy--- the initial production, which I self-produced, the wonderful people who believed in the show and helped make it stronger, and how, even now, I am working towards getting the script into as many hands and venues as possible--- but all of this will be reserved for tomorrow's blog post.  So if your curious to learn more about it,  and how it's been rewritten after different productions, and how it's changed over the years, come back tomorrow and read PART TWO of my discussion on the play.

(CLICK HERE to read part two)

And if you are a producer, or teacher, or community theater director who might be interested in reading the show and producing it, drop me a message at theater.is.a.sport@gmail.com.  The licensing rates are very negotiable and fair, and I have seen first hand how audiences react to the piece (which I'll discuss tomorrow).

Until next time--- remember, it's great to write with a message, but make sure the message comes packaged with deep characters and a good story.  And don't be afraid to let your writing teach you something along the way--- it's a great feeling.

THE TRUTH ABOUT MAKING MONEY WRITING PLAYS FOR THE AMATEUR THEATER MARKET or PLEASE DON'T RIP OFF PLAYWRIGHTS

WRITING PLAYS = $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Whoa!  Slow down.  As much as I would love to have you believe that I can teach you how to earn fat stacks of cash by writing plays, I really can't.  I'd like to, honest.  But first, I would have to be proficient in making fat stacks of cash by writing plays, and, though I'm happy and grateful for all the successes I have achieved, I do not make a living writing plays.

Welcome to Theater is a Sport.  My name is Bobby Keniston, and this is my little piece of the internet that I use to write about theater.  Thanks for stopping by.

Today I want to talk about writing plays for the amateur market (schools, community theaters, etc.), and the truth about how the money works.  If you're looking for the financial possibilities for a playwright who has a play on Broadway, you've come to the wrong place.  Sorry.

There's an old expression, credited to Robert Anderson, that says you can make a killing on Broadway, but you can't make a living.  And it's true--- many of the top playwrights working today supplement their income working for the movies.  Which really means, these screenwriters supplement their income writing plays.

The late Tim Kelly, who published over 350 plays for the amateur market, once gave  talk describing how one could make a living writing for the amateur market, the way way way way way way off-Broadway stages.  Mr. Kelly admitted that writing for this market wasn't going to bring you critical acclaim, or glitz and glamour, but you could make a living.

By and large, I think Mr. Kelly is right.  But it's not easy.  If you've ever glanced through school and community theater catalogs for plays, you might notice that a playwright's name shows up many many times.  In the five years since I've first been published, I know have 33 plays with four different publishers, and have been called prolific by some people.  This might seems like a lot, but I would appear practically blocked next to many of my colleagues.  To make headway in the school and community theater markets, you need to write and focus on output.  However, you must also focus on quality, so that you'll be published and produced in the first place.

Even though this is a theater blog, I'm going to do a little bit of math right now to demonstrate.  I'm often asked by people about the financial side of my career, not out of nosiness, but out of a genuine curiosity of how it works.  I know I didn't know much about it until I was published.  In fact, to be honest, I was a bit naive.  I thought a few plays doing well meant moolah city, but it's really not that simple.

So, that one act play you write for middle schools and high schools (and yes, you want it to be suitable for both if at all possible) has just been accepted for publication!  Congratulations!  You deserve to celebrate!  And this excitement is well-deserved... it's not easy to be a published playwright!  So feel free to dance around.  I'll bet you even get goosebumps when you sign that first contract.

Now, you're a person who's looking to make writing plays for schools and community theaters a full out career.  Please do not quit your job just yet after your first publication.  Unless you've got huge savings to draw from, or are independently wealthy, in which case, go for it.  But for the rest of us, stay employed.

So, most likely, if you've just got your first one act play published, your publisher will offer it out in their catalog for a licensing fee of anywhere between $35 and $45 a performance.  Of this sum, you, the playwright, will receive anywhere between 50-60%, sometimes more, depending on the company. A good number of my plays, I receive 60% of the performance royalty.  Others, I receive 50%.  It's important to not just look at this percentage, but also to the quality of the catalog, how often it's mailed out, it's reputation for handling plays, etc.

Okay, along with this percentage of the performance royalty, you will also (most likely) receive a 10% royalty on the book sales.  For a one act play, an individual script can cost anywhere between $5.95 and $7.99, depending on the publisher.  To be honest, it wasn't until I had a few plays published that I made sure I received a royalty on script sales, but it's important to have.

For the amateur market, it is very unlikely that you will get any kind of advance, like you might for a novel.  By and large, advances for playwrights go to the shows with the big New York runs and reviews.  I've heard of only one amateur market publisher who paid an advance, and it may very well have been due to the author's previous successes.

Now, on a special note, again, before you quit that day job... pay special attention to when royalties are paid out.  Some companies pay twice a year, a select few pay quarterly, and some only once a year.

So, you want to make a living.  Well, what's a living?  Let's look at something as simple as $20,000.  I should note, I have yet to make this much in a single year from my playwriting, but I do okay.

Let's split the difference, and say your one act play is licensed for a $40 royalty per performance, and your contract gives you 60%.  That means your cut for each performance is $24.  This means you would need to have your play performed 834 times to make $20,016 from a performance royalty.  Now, let's say that the average number of performances a school will license is 3.  You will need 278 productions of 3 performances each to make that money.

Now, factoring in book sales:  let's say that each school needs to order ten books, that are priced $6 a piece.  That gives you another $6 per production.  So $6 multiplied by 278 gives you another $1,668, for a grand total of $21,684.  Well that's not too bad for a one act play, now is it?

Unfortunately, you'd have to be the rarest of the rare, or luckiest of the luckiest to hope that your one act play received 278 productions in one year, for 834 performances.  It's a pretty full market.  The play catalogs are thick, after all.  Yours is but one name among hundreds.  You'd be pretty lucky to have your play receive 25 productions in its first year (much better than mine did).  And, even more likely, it will be lower than that.

(Starting to see why we publish a lot?)

I don't mean this example to be discouraging, but just honest.  It is often true in this market that the harder you work the more successful you become, so that's a good thing.  Try not to think of yourself as competing with other playwrights, because you're not, not really.   You're competing with yourself to keep creating quality work at a decent rate.

All I really wanted to show here is how playwrights for this market are compensated, and how, not licensing a production, or not paying for every performance, is truly stealing money from a playwright's pocket.  And it adds up.

I've been saying this a lot lately, but you can't claim to support the arts without paying the money to support artists.

Thanks for wandering through this little lesson in finance with me.  Again, it's all relative--- some folks are lucky and publish major hits that do get hundreds of productions a year.  And if you become one of them, good for you!  I hope to become one too, and that's why I keep telling my stories.

Until next time, thanks for reading Theater is a Sport.  You can learn more about my plays by clicking HERE,  HERE, HERE, or HERE.  Thanks for reading, and feel free to comment below.

WRITING ADVICE: Who Cares What People Think? (Or Don't Write With Anyone Whispering in Your Ear)

Emily Ciuffetelli as Kelly in a production of my play "End of the Movie"

Greetings to all of you writers and actors out there, young and not-so-young, and welcome to Theater is a Sport, my blog where I talk about all things theater that happen to pop up in my mind.  My name is Bobby Keniston, and I am a playwright, actor, director, and part-time drama teacher.

I sometimes wonder if Samuel Beckett's mother ever said to him, "Why can't you write a nice, ordinary play that everyone gets, huh?  What's with all the dark?  What's with all the crazy?  Can't you be a normal playwright, and write a sweet play about a lonely gal who meets a nice fella, and they wind up together at the end?  What's the matter with you?"

If she did, I'm glad he didn't listen to her.  We may have never had Waiting for Godot, or Happy Days.

I wonder if Eugene O'Neill ever had a friend say, "Gene, come on, already!  We get it... life's rough!  Give us a good comedy, huh?  And 'Ah, Wildnerness' doesn't count!"

It's not easy being human, and it's not easy being a writer, because our canvas, by and large, is humanity.  Writers, after all, are writing for human beings, and, more often than not, writing about the human experience (even if they're writing about Martians). 

And the human experience, along with being beautiful, can be ugly.  And scary.  And disturbing.  And dark.  And depressing. 

Playwrights, like all artists, often find themselves going into places that others do not necessarily wish to go, all for their art.  To some degree, I think it is almost the responsibility of the playwright to keep pushing themselves and challenging their audience.  Not just for the sake of doing so, of course, but for the sake of being honest, telling a true tale, and reflecting humanity (even some of the harder elements of it). 

When you sit down to write, sit down alone.  Don't let the sounds of your parents, friends, spouse, or children be whispering in your ears.  Of course you love these people.  Of course you want them to be proud of you.  But it is exceedingly difficult to write an honest play that comes from you if you are worried about disapproving voices. 

What will people think of me?

Who cares? 

Okay, so that's easier said than done, adopting an attitude of "who cares?", and, yes, I believe everyone cares at least a little bit what people think of them.  But honestly, if they don't like your play that deals with a murderer stalking single mothers in a small Midwestern town, then they can write their own play. 

If you are going to be a writer, you have to write from yourself.  You have to write with freedom.  You must let yourself go and see what happens.  You may have to fix things.  There will be a time for constructive criticism from others that will certainly help your play or story.  But constructive criticism does NOT include matters of personal taste. 

As a writer, your own inner voice, your muse (who dwells inside you), your inner idea manufacturer, has to be louder than the disapproving voices of others.  Writers can't seek approval from the masses--- it's a surefire way to never attain it. 

So be free, young and not-so-young writers.  If people think your nuts, then they clearly aren't fellow writers, thereby making their opinions on your writing far less valuable.  You can always just tell naysayers the simple truth:  "Hey, I'm working here.  Leave me alone."

So if you've been looking for permission to let loose in your latest composition, then consider granted by your truly, Bobby Keniston.

Remember:  write honestly, and theater is a sport.  See you next time.