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This is a review of a different color. Because of circumstances beyond my, and the producer's control, there will not be a review of Extremities at Planet Earth Theatre for this week, as planned. Instead, the circumstances surrounding the lack of a review is the basis of this essay.
Two Thursday evenings ago, when I first planned on attending the show, I was informed that I would be unable to review the show that night since one of the actresses had gotten a one-day paying gig and was unable to perform. I rescheduled for this past Thursday night. On this evening, uncharacteristically running late with my girlfriend and fellow playwright, Shauna, in tow, I rushed to Planet Earth Theatre (who are only leasing the space to Ms. Bannow and Mr. Traylor for this Actor's Equity Showcase and not the actual producers of the show) and arrived at 7:58 PM.
I headed in, peripherally noticed that there were only two other people besides us, and grabbed my waiting tickets. I noticed the doors to the auditorium were closed. I feared that the show had already started, so I opened them and was immediately admonished by a woman who is the producer of the show. She came out into the lobby and told me the house wasn't open yet, because the actors and director were having a "discussion." After a few minutes of this, the producer came out again and explained that, since there are four actors in the show and only four audience members (one a cast member's mother and her friend), they were deciding whether to put on the show tonight. I explained that I'm a critic, and she immediately said she'd go back into the auditorium to point this out to the actors.
She returned inside, closing the doors. A few minutes later, both her and her husband, the director, came back out to apologize that the actors have decided that they can't do the show for only four people. Since Shauna had just moved here from Boston and had never seen the theatre, I took her to see the stage itself as the actors were filing out and launching sarcastic comments at the couple. The producer and director followed us in, apologizing profusely and offering explanations, such as; the cast needs to have a larger audience since the show is emotionally intense, and they wouldn't be able to pay the royalties necessary for performing that evening.
The situation, simply, is this: I've dragged myself all the way from Tempe to downtown Phoenix on a Thursday night to have a cast tell me that they refuse to do a show for me. Is this right? Is this fair? I don't think so. Even if there was only one non- paying member of the audience, the set had fallen down, and the lighting instruments were stolen the night before, NOTHING should stop that person from getting what they are there for.
A little background from my point of view. While one of my plays was being performed a few years ago at Playwright's Workshop Theatre, we had a cast of six and an audience, one night, of five. It's true that the idea was bandied about not performing that evening, but it was never really an option. It may be a cliche, but there is a reason why the phrase "the show must go on" exists. These people have chosen live theatre over another night in front of the boob tube, and they deserve to see what they've come for. Theatre must accommodate the dwindling amount of people who have made this commendable choice, no matter what the situation. Theatre has and will always face situations like this, and if theatre people continue their elitist attitude, then this will become an increasing problem.
Worse yet, it wasn't the producer and director who made this decision, but the actors actually made the call. There is something wrong with this picture. The director and the producer are the ones who call the shots in theatre, and actors, whether they like it or not, are hired hands. Since they are not fiscally responsible for the show, this is the way it should be. When actors start telling audience members that they don't feel like performing for them, then they should reconsider their vocation.
It's true that this production has received favorable reviews from other valley critics, but this situation has left enough of a bad taste in this reviewers mouth to make it impossible to ever consider this group a viable production company again.
cc: Arizona Republic Editorial Department
Kate Nolan, New Times Arts Editor
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