Programs - Including Author Bios

[fluffychester]

Another pet peeve (which I've brought up before): Programs that fail to give as much space to the writers and composers as they do to the actors. Such programs clearly give the message that, well, the message isn't hard to figure out.

--Lou

Rather than discuss this further on the Fringe thread, I thought I'd start a new one.

Lou - You were critical of Civic in your review of Little Shop of Horrors for not crediting the authors of the show in the program. When someone from Civic contacted you and pointed out that the authors were appropriately credited on the title page, I think you edited your article to instead state your disappointment that the authors were not given bios in the program.

First of all, am I correct in my recollection?

And secondly, are you suggesting that community theatres include full bios of librettists, lyricists, composers, playwrights, etc., in all programs?

Do you understand that this information is not shared with theatres by the rights houses? All the rights houses specify is how the authors are to be credited on the title page.

So do you suggest that someone do this research on the local level? And how do we make certain it's accurate? Are we then at risk if someone gets something wrong? And then there's the issue of program length. If you've ever seen these bios in Broadway programs, you'll know that this can add pages to the program, which potentially adds to the cost.

I realize that as a playwright yourself, it makes sense that this would be a concern of yours -- and I'm all for giving appropriate credit in the program to the authors of a work. And if Civic were doing new works by local or regional artists, I feel very certain that they would happily provide a bio to the authors.

I just think there's a difference to giving a bio to the playwright of an original work, or a local artist or something like that, and giving a bio in the Indianapolis Civic Theatre program to Elton John for writing the music to Aida. Or even worse - do you think that theatres should list the entire bio of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein every time they do Oklahoma or South Pacific?

It is not required by the rights houses, and I think it can unduly burden a theatre staff to have to research this information and list it in their programs.

And Lou - you know I love your reviews, and agree with them a large percentage of the time. I just admit that it stung a bit to see this criticism in a review of a show at Civic (which I admit is near and dear to my heart) when I haven't seen you give similar criticism to other theatres doing "old chestnut" musicals. (And maybe you have, and I just haven't seen it. If so -- my bad, and I apologize.)

So I'm interested in hearing your arguments on the other side -- and also from others -- to see where I've erred in my thinking and in my protest.

Thanks!

[Nwalden]

1. Authors/Playwrights should be given "credit" in the program. It's not an option. It's included in every royalty agreement I've ever seen. In fact, they usually tell you how big the font has to be

2. that being said, I agree that it would be nice if theatre's included a short playwright bio in the program. true, many of us are familiar with Howard Ashman or Alan Menken, but what about the lesser known playwrights? the last three shows i've done have been written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Nancy Gilsanan, and Noah Haidle. Know anything about them?

Do I expect Spotlight, Buck Creek, or The Belfry to include a playwright bio? No. But perhaps Lou holds Civic to a higher standard? Indy has great community theatres like the one's I just mentioned. It also has great professional houses like IRT, Beef and Boards and Phoenix... then there are the theatres that sit somewhere inbetween like Civic and TOTS. Perhaps Lou is holding Civic to a professional standard and not that of a community theatre.

[Amphitryon38]

Civic does a fine job of giving credit to the author as does every other theatre in the area. Perhaps these tidbits of information about the show and playwright are included in the director's notes. Perhaps they are simply not relevant.

[Nwalden]

Civic does a fine job of giving credit to the author as does every other theatre in the area. Perhaps these tidbits of information about the show and playwright are included in the director's notes. Perhaps they are simply not relevant.

I would argue it's just as "relevant" as an actor's bio. Does it impact the show? No. Is it nice information to know. Sure. My point was I expect professional theatres to include an author bio. I don't expect it from community theatre because of the resources that they have... or lack.

Again, I feel that Civic and TOTS are somewhere between professional and community theatre. When you charge $25-30 for a ticket, patrons are going to start expecting more. And one of those things, from Lou's opinion, is an author bio. I'm inclided to agree.

[fluffychester]

Hmmmm . . . I don't recall seeing Mel Brooks's bio in the Beef & Boards program for The Producers. Nor did I miss it or think it was necessary.

I don't recall seeing bios for Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones in the programs for The Fantasticks at IRT. (Of course, I confess that I didn't read the large IRT program from cover to cover -- so they might have been there, and I might have missed it.) Once again -- I didn't miss them.

If there was a bio of David Mamet in The Phoenix's program for November, I didn't see it (and, again, didn't miss it).

Quite often at professional theatres -- as well as at Civic and other community theatres -- discussions of the authors are in the Director's notes or other notes in the program. But sometimes they're not.

I see these sorts of things as a "nice to have," rather than a "need to have."

I found it jarring that in an otherwise positive review, Lou felt the need to point out the lack of something in the program that I consider a "nice to have."

[Nwalden]

I should probably just leave this alone and let Lou speak for himself...

... last post...

I don't think anyone would agrue that an author bio is NEEDED. It is a nice addition. Apparently, for Lou, it's an addition to the program that he would enjoy. So, as an individual writing a review, he said as much. Perhaps he is inconsistant in expressing that feeling, but it is still a valid opinion to express.

... ok, i'm out. no more on the topic for me. Lou can speak for himself. He doesn't need me

[Amphitryon38]

I would argue it's just as "relevant" as an actor's bio.

I would agree with that.

But in community theatre, the audience is usually connected to one of the performers on the stage.

[Lou Harry]

Marni--and interested other parties,

Forgive me for answering in this format. I wanted to make sure I addressed all of your points/questions. Hope this helps. I look forward to hearing more feedback/thoughts.

Lou - You were critical of Civic in your review of Little Shop of Horrors for not crediting the authors of the show in the program. When someone from Civic contacted you and pointed out that the authors were appropriately credited on the title page, I think you edited your article to instead state your disappointment that the authors were not given bios in the program.

First of all, am I correct in my recollection?

Yes...but to clarify: My intention was always to point out the lack of credit given to the authors in the program bios. I never meant to imply or state that contractural credit wasn't given. As such, I really did appreciate the note so that I could clarify and correct my statement.

I didn't change my thinking in the editing, just made it clearer what I had indended to say all along.

To clarify further: As a theater audience member, I see programs as a way to communicate about who contributed to the making of this theater experience. I believe the people who wrote the book, the music and the lyrics deserve as much attention as the cast and crew of that particular produciton.

And secondly, are you suggesting that community theatres include full bios of librettists, lyricists, composers, playwrights, etc., in all programs?

Depends of your definition of "full." If I see three inches of space devoted to the credits of the spear carrier and nothing to say what else the composer wrote, I think something is off.

Do you understand that this information is not shared with theatres by the rights houses? All the rights houses specify is how the authors are to be credited on the title page.

Yes. To me, it's not a matter of contractual obligation. It's a matter of using the program to share information about the creation of the production. If theaters care about building a theater audience, it seems logical to include information about the show's creators somewhere.

So do you suggest that someone do this research on the local level? And how do we make certain it's accurate?

It doesn't require a huge amount of time or risk to say that, for instance, composer Ralph Smedley-Beacon also wrote the music for "Hey, Hey Gloria!" and "Make Mine Minskey!" He also wrote the music for the animated classic "The Boys from South Bend."

Are we then at risk if someone gets something wrong? And then there's the issue of program length. If you've ever seen these bios in Broadway programs, you'll know that this can add pages to the program, which potentially adds to the cost.

I never suggested Playbill-length bios. Just something not only to acknowledge the creators but also to help connect audiences--who aren't all hardcore theater buffs--to other related material. Believe it or not, theater folks, no everyone knows that Menckin also wrote the music for The Little Mermaid or that Marvin Hamlisch wrote the song "The Way We Were." And I'd venture to guess that many theatergoers don't know the films that David Mamet wrote. Again, I'm not saying that everything has to be in there. But some seems appropriate if the actors are getting lengthy bios--and if the theater perports to be about the overall experience.

I realize that as a playwright yourself, it makes sense that this would be a concern of yours -- and I'm all for giving appropriate credit in the program to the authors of a work. And if Civic were doing new works by local or regional artists, I feel very certain that they would happily provide a bio to the authors.

Trust me, this is the audience member in me, not the playwright.

I just think there's a difference to giving a bio to the playwright of an original work, or a local artist or something like that, and giving a bio in the Indianapolis Civic Theatre program to Elton John for writing the music to Aida. Or even worse - do you think that theatres should list the entire bio of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein every time they do Oklahoma or South Pacific?

Not the entire bio, no. As I said, I'm not looking for anything out of proportion to the rest of the program. But I think it's faulty to assume that everyone in the theater knows about the people who created the show.

Not only do student audience have big gaps in their knowledge, but so does the rank and file. My daughter's high school is doing Children of Eden (no, I don't know who is credited in the program), and I've found myself explaining to many people that Schwartz also wrote Pippin and Godspell and Wicked. I'd venture to guess that a significant portion of the Beef & Boards audience doesn't know that Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein is on Broadway now. Even less would know that his theater-writing credits stretch back to Shinbone Alley and All American.

It's giving the audience tools to make connections.

It is not required by the rights houses, and I think it can unduly burden a theatre staff to have to research this information and list it in their programs.

Again, it doesn't seem like a major research project to me.

Also it seems like the rights houses would happily supply an official program bio. But I could be wrong.

And Lou - you know I love your reviews, and agree with them a large percentage of the time. I just admit that it stung a bit to see this criticism in a review of a show at Civic (which I admit is near and dear to my heart) when I haven't seen you give similar criticism to other theatres doing "old chestnut" musicals. (And maybe you have, and I just haven't seen it. If so -- my bad, and I apologize.)

It's not a point I want to hammer in every review. In a single restaurant review, I might point out the annoyance of having a check brought to the table before the main course is finished. But that doesn't mean that that particular experience was the only time it has happened or that I should devote space to the matter every time it happens. A test-message patron during one show might warrent comment, but not every time it happens.

Frankly, I'm not sure if I've mentioned the fact in other reviews or not. No need to apologize either way.

So I'm interested in hearing your arguments on the other side -- and also from others -- to see where I've erred in my thinking and in my protest.

Here is your second posting, with my notes.

Hmmmm . . . I don't recall seeing Mel Brooks's bio in the Beef & Boards program for The Producers. Nor did I miss it or think it was necessary.

And I think it should have been included there. To those of us who aren't friends and family of the cast, it was just as necessary/worthwhile as that of the third dancer from the left.

I don't recall seeing bios for Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones in the programs for The Fantasticks at IRT. (Of course, I confess that I didn't read the large IRT program from cover to cover -- so they might have been there, and I might have missed it.) Once again -- I didn't miss them.

The Fantastics program included a two-column piece by dramaturg Richard Roberts on Jones and Schmidt (happen to have it in the row of programs that is dominating my desk--and, since it's from the IRT, it's the one that annoying sticks out because of its biggie size.)

If there was a bio of David Mamet in The Phoenix's program for November, I didn't see it (and, again, didn't miss it).

Harder to find that one, but the Drunk Enough program includes a lengthy bio of Caryl Churchill and a shorter one of Anna Theresa Cascio.

Quite often at professional theatres -- as well as at Civic and other community theatres -- discussions of the authors are in the Director's notes or other notes in the program.

Which is helpful to the audience and sends the message that the material is as important as the performers.

But sometimes they're not.

Which isn't helpful and doesn't send that same message.

I see these sorts of things as a "nice to have," rather than a "need to have."

Which is the right of any theater to decide.

I found it jarring that in an otherwise positive review, Lou felt the need to point out the lack of something in the program that I consider a "nice to have."

I appreciate you raising the questions and challenging my thinking on the matter.

Lou

[fluffychester]

Thanks, Lou.

[fluffychester]

The only thing I'll add is this: IRT is certainly blessed to have an amazing dramaturg like Richard Robers on staff.

Civic is not so fortunate. I know that perception that most on this board have is that Civic has money to spare and can afford all sorts of staff additions. As the wife of an employee, I would like to dispell that myth right now. At the end of the day, Civic has a small, overworked staff. They know that they're fortunate to be paid to create live theatre, but they all wear multiple hats. And trust me -- corralling all the volunteer performers (including the spear carriers) and getting them to submit bios, then getting those edited and proofed and formatted and off to the printer, there's not often time or manpower to devote to other "nice-to-have" program items.

But I do appreciate your thoughts, Lou. I'll pass them along. Thanks for being so thorough in your response.