At the O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, Conn., the drama is usually confined to the staged readings of 12 new plays presented each July.
But this year, those in attendance reportedly were gasping -- and some even moved to tears -- before the first play premiered. This emotion was generated when Lloyd Richards, artistic director of the O'Neill's prestigious National Playwrights Conference, announced that he will step down at the end of next summer's conference.
Richards, who rose to national prominence when he directed the Broadway premiere of "A Raisin in the Sun" in 1959, has shaped and guided the Playwrights Conference since 1968. In the ensuing decades, the monthlong program has produced readings of plays by such writers as David Henry Hwang, Arthur Kopit, John Patrick Shanley, Wendy Wasserstein and August Wilson (five of whose plays Richards went on to direct on Broadway).
Reading a letter addressed to O'Neill chairman and founder George C. White at the conference's opening meeting, Richards said: "I do not use the term retire because it is my belief that Theatre is a way of life and that one cannot retire from a way of life. But that does not mean that there is not an appropriate or strategic time when one alters one's activities and withdraws from some positions." The turn of the millennium, he continued, seems like an appropriate time.
Later in the week, Richards -- who was dean of the Yale School of Drama and artistic director of the Yale Repertory Theatre from 1979 to 1991 -- addressed the O'Neill's National Critics Institute, on whose faculty I have served for nine summers. Describing his decision as "very hard, very hard," he said, "I don't even consider it stepping down. I don't know where I'm stepping...I don't know what else I'll do with July." He said there is a good chance that he will continue to be affiliated with the O'Neill in some capacity, and he will also have a voice -- "a strong voice," as he put it -- in choosing his successor.
This year, the National Playwrights Conference received 1,600 scripts -- each of which is read cover-to-cover.
Generally, Richards explained, out of any 1,000 submissions, 10 percent are worth reading; of those, 10 percent are worth staging; and of those staged, another 10 percent -- or one in 1,000 -- is exceptional. The goal, he explained, is to find "a way of taking the truly exceptional and pushing them toward genius."
Over the years, Richards said he has noted two changes in submissions. More of the plays are by minority playwrights -- particularly African-Americans and women.
Return of the silents
Arthur Laupus' comedy "Sounds of Silents" has a cute title and a cute premise. A group of former silent movie stars, down on their luck, is asked to be the subject of a documentary. To convince the filmmakers that they still lead active lives, they decide to pretend to be remaking one of their classic films.
OK -- maybe that's a smidge preposterous, but it's not nearly as far-fetched as some of the other shenanigans Laupus works into this Baltimore Playwrights Festival production, at the Spotlighters under Mike Moran's direction.
For starters, the filmmakers, who are supposedly funded by the reputable PBS and BBC networks, pay their subjects $50,000 for participating in the documentary. In case that isn't enough of a breach of journalistic ethics, they proceed to make up details of the movie stars' modern-day lives, assuring them that "in our business there's such a thing as dramatic license."
No, Mr. Laupus. In documentary filmmaking there is definitely NOT such a thing as dramatic license; that is reserved for the stage.
The play does offer some nice roles for older actors, and Kitty Shaw is especially fetching as a silent film vamp. Charley Ward is also amusing as her former leading man, now descending into senility and apt to launch into his favorite movie roles whenever anyone inadvertently says something he recognizes as a cue.
"Let's get back to reality," one of the characters says early on. "Only if there's a part in it for me," Shaw's character replies. Laupus may have intended his play to be free-wheeling farce, but even comedy requires some basis in logic, and "Sounds of Silents" connects with reality at precious few points.
"Sounds of Silents" continues at the Spotlighters Theatre, 817 St. Paul St., through Aug. 1. Show times are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Tickets are $10. Call 410-752-1225.
'Whistle' in London
"Whistle Down the Wind" -- the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical that played an abortive Broadway tryout at Washington's National Theatre two seasons ago -- has resurfaced in London, where it opened to wildly disparate reviews.
Here's what some of the critics had to say about the show, which has a new cast; new director, Gale Edwards; and several new songs: The Guardian (Michael Billington): "Remember the movie? It was a charming, black and white affair about a group of Yorkshire children who mistook a fugitive criminal for Jesus Christ. But it has been blown up by Andrew Lloyd Webber into a big, noisy musical melodrama set in Louisiana, and the result, I fear, is so much piffle down the wind."
The Times of London (Benedict Nightingale): "Gale Edwards' crisp, punchy staging leaves a substantially rejigged musical looking well worth a place in the West End or, for that matter, on Broadway."
The Evening Standard (Nicholas De Jongh): " as a musical about fanaticism and credulity, 'Whistle Down the Wind' just echoes with anemic boisterousness."
Daily Mail (Michael Coveney): " the terrific new Lloyd Webber musical, with superb lyrics by rock legend Jim Steinman, tells a great story in a whole new way Is it a hit? Who cares, it's good."
Lloyd Webber described these notices as some of "the best reviews I've ever had" as well as some "absolute stinkers." As to two of the raves, the Associated Press pointed out that the Daily Mail's Coveney is writing a biography of Lloyd Webber, and the son of the Times' Nightingale is the show's musical director.
For the challenged
Fell's Point Corner Theatre's Special Ensemble for the Challenged, now in its fourth year, will present one public performance of its original show, "Climbing the Mountain," at 8 p.m. on Friday. Created by the ensemble, with stage direction by Barry Feinstein and music direction by Jane Rubak, the show examines the issue of prejudice by tracing the life history of a woman who has cerebral palsy and is of Caucasian, African-American and Native American descent.
Friday's performance will be presented at the theater, 251 S. Ann St. Admission is free, although donations to the program will be accepted. Call 410-276-7837.
Life after Vagabonds
John Bruce Johnson, president of the Vagabonds Players for the past 30 years, retired from that post on July 1. "When I became president, I thought I might hang onto the job until the Vagabonds' 100th anniversary in 2016. But I realized I would be 85, and the actuary tables are not in my favor. Since the Vagabonds are in solid shape now, I decided to move on to some projects that have been hanging around on the back burner," said Johnson, a former Baltimore County teacher who is working on a history of Baltimore community theater.
His successor at the Vagabonds is Marylee Barnes, a member of the theater's board.
Auditions
Homicide: Life on the Street. Extras are needed to work on the Emmy Award-winning television series, shot on location in Baltimore. Filming begins today; applications will be accepted through February 1999. Send your name, phone number, age, address and a snapshot to Homicide Casting, 1701 Thames St., Baltimore 21231. Homicide airs at 10 p.m. Fridays on NBC.
Pub Date: 7/20/98