| On Awards, Top Ten Lists, Critics Picks, and the Blogosphere...
by Josh Schmidt on 1/09/2008 01:29:00 PM
Greetings to you all from the American Airlines terminal at LaGuardia Airport. Its ~3:30 AM and I am waiting for security to open (how glamorous can life get!) and I have just read an email from Chelsea reminding me to contribute to the blog (she gives me little assigments, and I comply). Things have been so busy I have been remiss in my duties - many apologies! Here's wishing Happy New Year to you and yours...
Along with the ol' Happy New Year comes a slew of published newspaper columns titled along the lines of "Theatre Year in Review", "Top 10 Shows of 2007" etc. etc. I had been made aware that ADDING MACHINE has been listed in many of them - and in some instances was placed at the top or near the top of some lists. Of course, I felt deeply gratified as many of my colleagues who worked on that production also feel. I am especially happy for Next Theatre, Jason, the Next Theatre Staff, and the Next Theatre Board of Directors who, in commissioning and producing that show went way WAY out on a limb in almost every respect - technical and personnel infrastructure, expenses, etc. Regardless of what anyone's personal opinions on the show were, one consensus statement (at least from the reviews and published articles about the piece I read) was that Next's production was a courageous endeavor in every aspect and that in itself commands respect. And I was glad that such risk was rewarded by amazingly strong attendance - especially considering that many of the audience members in attendance were new to the Next Theatre experience. To all this I say BRAVO - recognition well deserved!
And what all this attention means to me...
Well, I cut my teeth in the business in Milwaukee WI, where the greater metropolitan area is something like 1/10th the size of Chicago's (I'm sure this is inaccurate). The arts community there, while quite large for a city its size (and along with that very active and diverse) is still small in comparison to that of Chicago. There is one major news publication, and in that respect the town has essentially one marquee critic for each of the artistic disciplines. What this means - there is one critical opinion all productions in the area become dependent on. There is a "year in review" article published regarding theatrical productions, but it often becomes comprehensive of all theatre in the entire state (Milwaukee, American Players in Spring Green, Madison, Door County, etc.) I feel it is correctly assumed that due to the size of the theatre community in Milwaukee, something akin to the Jeff Awards is not necessary. In fact, the anecdote I tell people when asked about this subject (it is pure fabrication) is that if someone thinks you did a good job on a show, they buy you a beer. If they feel your work wasn't up to snuff, you consequently buy them a beer. As this exchange of awards unfolds over any given time period, enough beer is consumed that individual recognition is either significantly impaired or forgotten in the celebration that everyone involved is fortunate to be active and productive in the pursuit of their artistic craft, and in doing so improves the cultural, social, and (I believe this to be true) economic heartbeat of the community they live in. These are the aspects in my opinion that make the whole endeavor worth while - not so much the individual achievement. And none of this has ever really affected me much because I am not big beer drinker. So I guess on "Milwaukee Awards Night" I either end up cleaned outta cash OR I become the designated driver.
What is so great to me about Chicago - the Jeff Awards, and the multiple publications pitting "Top Ten" or "Year in Review" articles against each other - is that so much activity off-loop in every kind of producing venue possible gets attention - through publication, awards - you name it. For those who come from a place that does not have that kind of media support (regardless if you think its fair or not), the ferventness of the Chicago media coverage of theatre is wonderful. This is the kind of attention that in my opinion fuels activity within a community - I tend to believe the impact is more positive than negative. Does the act of anointing 10 shows out of the hundreds of productions that take place each year leave some feeling snubbed - I am sure. Yes, I have read the "top ten" lists and yes, I have read all the postings in response to these articles passionately defending those endeavors given the critical cold shoulder. I love it all - I am so thrilled that people here get so passionate about the productions they saw and support. I love the debate, the discussion, the lines in the sand...everything! From my perspective - at least there is a community of people ENERGIZED about what they have left the comfort of the couch to see and willing to recognize it. Regardless of what people thought about ADDING MACHINE (love it or hate it), I am here telling you I felt glad to be a part of a scene where THE SPARROW, ASSASSINS, TEAPOT SCANDALS, LADY, JOE TURNER'S COME AND GONE, THE WOODEN BREEKS...(the list goes on and on) were all up at the same time last winter. How great! In many ways, there is some part of me that wished the response toward ADDING MACHINE would have been even more polarizing just to make the discussion even juicier....
No matter - to all those who loved, hated, top-rated, berated, awarded, or avoided ADDING MACHINE - I love you all! To date, life has seldom been more exciting!
All best,
JLabels: Adding Machine, Awards
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From my point of view, awards and top ten lists are good for marketing and fundraising, and that's IT! Though I appreciate Josh's perspective coming from a smaller theater community... recognition IS nice. When I moved here from NYC, I told my friends back there that the press here was unbelievably attentive - you could issue a press release about taking a SH*T, and you'd get coverage.
Of all the advice I got about press here, the best piece was and still is: If you believe everything good they write about you, you better believe everything BAD, too. I work on that every year!
CHICAGO'S OTHER AWARDS
by Jason Loewith on 10/09/2007 03:30:00 PM
Last night, I was proud and humbled to be part of the other big award show in town, the AFTER DARK AWARDS, at the Lakeshore Theater in Lakeview as a benefit for Season of Concern, the theater community's response to HIV/AIDS. Hosted annually by GayChicago Magazine, the After Darks honor achievement in theater of all sorts (professional and nonprofessional, conventional and the farthest fringe) as well as cabaret. It's a raucous, wild party, as nearly 80 individuals and theaters are honored with awards in numerous categories... and it comes without the competition that other award shows have. Modelled after the OBIE Awards in New York, the After Darks salute outstanding achievement, and in any given category there may be two, three, four, or (as in the case Outstanding Ensemble last night) nine winners.
Last season's production of THE ADDING MACHINE: A CHAMBER MUSICAL was honored with two awards - one for Outstanding Song Score, and the other to Keith Parham for Outstanding Lighting Design.
But many other Next-affiliated artists celebrated achievements from last year, including:
David Cromer (Director of THE ADDING MACHINE) for his direction of COME BACK, LITTLE SHEBA
Kevin O'Donnell (Composer for the upcoming AMERICAN DREAM SONGBOOK) for Outstanding Season
Gregory Anderson (Understudy for BUSY WORLD IS HUSHED) and Linda Gillum (Director of ACCIDENTAL DEATH OF AN ANARCHIST) for Outstanding Ensemble - THE BEST MAN
Carmen Aiello (Former Casting Associate) for Outstanding Ensemble - MARATHON '33
John Judd (Salter in A NUMBER) for Outstanding Performance - COME BACK, LITTLE SHEBA
Tommy Rapley (Choreographer for the upcoming AMERICAN DREAM SONGBOOK) for Outstanding Choreography - DORIAN
Micky York (Former webmaster) for Outstanding Musical Direction, HAPPY END
Lee Keenan (Lighting Designer for THE GOD OF HELL and THE MISANTHROPE) for Outstanding Light Design - CARAVAGGIO
Congrats to all for an astonishingly rich 06-07 season!Labels: Adding Machine, Awards
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A BIG DAY FOR NEXT THEATRE!
by Jason Loewith on 9/06/2007 06:42:00 PM
Executive Director Lisa Fulton and I are proud and thrilled to announce the following six Joseph Jefferson Award nominations for Next Theatre artists and productions in the 2007-08 season!
- THE ADDING MACHINE: A CHAMBER MUSICAL, Best New Musical
- David Cromer, Best Director of a Musical, THE ADDING MACHINE
- Joel Hatch, Best Actor in a Musical, THE ADDING MACHINE
- Amy Warren, Best Supporting Actress in a Musical, THE ADDING MACHINE
- Keith Parham, Best Lighting Design, THE ADDING MACHINE
- Toy DeIorio, Best Sound Design, FROZEN
 A full list of award nominees can be found here.
I'd like to take a quick moment also to remember some of the extraordinary work that did not get recognized by the Jeff Awards committee, including Jeff Still's remarkable Menelaus in HELEN; Linda Kimbrough's MISS WITHERSPOON; the incredible production and total design team behind all of THE ADDING MACHINE, lassoed by Production Manager Jim Davis and Resident Stage Manager Richard Lundy; Jeremy Ramey's extraordinary  Musical Direction of that show; and the courageous and knee-wobbling performances created by Laura T. Fisher, Jenny McKnight, and Joseph Wycoff in FROZEN. It was an exceptional year throughout Chicagoland theater as the award nominees suggest, and an exceptional year for us at Next.
I'd like to also take a quick moment to recognize the Artistic Associates at Next whose work was nominated elsewhere. Goes to show what a tremendously talented group of artists, staff, artisans and technicians we have working for us:
- Allen Gilmore in the Ensembles of ARGONAUTIKA and JOE TURNER'S COME AND GONE (and Featured Actor, JOE TURNER)
- David Cromer for Direction of a Play, COME BACK LITTLE SHEBA
- Michael Montenegro for Puppet Design, PUPPETMASTER OF LODZ
Thanks to all of you who have made this celebration possible. What a year it's been, and what a wonderful season lies ahead! Labels: Adding Machine, Awards, Chicago theatre, Frozen
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