I was invited to the dress rehearsal of a show. I worked on the first incarnation of it, a rock opera about a famous murderess, almost 20 years ago. As part courtesy, part marketing initiative the team invited anyone who had worked on any past versions of the piece to be their guest at the dress rehearsal. Free wine and beer, free show, connection to the past etc. They asked, but not in a rude or demanding way, that we let people know and they put out there honestly the ways in which we could do that. They had post cards and "palm cards" and they're on Facebook and Twitter and there's a blog. I had already Facebooked the opportunity before I saw the show. I made a sort of boring and trite plug again after the show last night. I would like to write something a little more substantial here about the show and I would like to encourage people to see it.
What's the problem? you ask. It's my space and I can do whatever I like, you tell me. True. But here's the thing, the show isn't perfect. I've got some relatively major...concerns about the work on the show of people I've known for a long time. On the flip side I think it's a great concept and has a lot of wonderful stuff going on and I want people to see it. I want them to see it now and talk to me about what they think and I want enough people to see it that the show has an opportunity to continue and to grow and hopefully to change the things with which I take issue.
How the hell do I write all that and still get invited to the next dress rehearsal?
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Struggling With Morality And Persuasiveness
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When I read the title of this I thought it was going to be about the health care speech.
ReplyDeleteI struggled not to write about that too. Still struggling. Made easier because I was at a rock opera last night instead of listening to the speech so my info is second hand. Sounds like it got a little hairy.
ReplyDeleteI come from a background of woeful academia; and because of that, I'm firmly convinced that constructive critique serves the purpose of improving the product. Alas, we've gotten to a point where critique of any kind is considered malevolent at worst, and self-serving at best. So, I ask you: what's more important.....the overall product, or the egos of the creators?
ReplyDeleteI am worried about egos but I am worried about them less than I am about how it will work against driving traffic to the show. If it were just the egos about the work I'd know what to write. I'm afraid it's going to be taken as "she wrote something that actively prevented folks from coming to the show and she hurt us." Huh, now that I write it out that seems WILDLY arrogant, both that any traffic I could drive would have a significant effect AND that any of their folks would read or care.
ReplyDeleteMight have answered my own question there, thanks for the prompt.
That's a tricky one, Kizz. About whether or not your comments would drive people away or to the show. Tough call. Especially when one has friends in the production.
ReplyDeleteIf you have time, go read some of TVCB's reviews for inspiration. I think he does a great job of recommending that you watch a show for all of its attributes, while still acknowleging that it has room to grow.
ReplyDelete