Why review non-professional theatre? Because when done well, it's a pure delight and worth the money and the time you spend watching. I'm fighting the perception that local/suburban theatre is not as good as "Chicago" theatre. Of course, if the show is done poorly, it leaves a bad taste in the mouth of the audience, and they begin to believe that for a few dollars more, they could have gone to see a "real" show. And honestly, there's no one out there telling people what shows are worth the personal investment of money and time, and which ones are not.
I remember when local and non-professional theatre productions were reviewed in local papers, including the suburban editions of the Tribune. That’s right, I’m THAT old. With the decline of readership for print journalism, newspapers have cut back and we've seen the “arts” section of local and regional newspapers dwindle down to nothing, replaced by ad space. Gone are the days of the staff writer who would trudge from opening to opening and review the local productions. I remember when Phil Vettel, now a restaurant critic for the Tribune reviewed productions at College Of DuPage done in the original quonset huts on the west side of Lambert Road. Today, the metropolitan papers (Daily Herald, Tribune, Sun-Times) cannot be bothered with reviewing non-professional or local theatre, and quite often, won’t even venture out to the suburbs.
There are a spate of reviews that are nothing more than publicity releases written by friends of the directors/producers, or members of the producing theatre organization or someone still active in auditioning/acting that promises to always put a positive spin on the show if given a ticket. It smacks of predetermination and calls to question the validity of any analysis. I value honesty without any sugar-coating. What I promise is an honest assessment of a show without an underlying agenda, and an evaluation of the relative worth of the production.
In the past year and a half, I would not accept comp tickets. This allowed me the freedom to pick and choose what shows I wanted to see and which ones I would review. I could review at my leisure. I am changing that policy. Effective immediately, If there is a show I wish to review, I will continue to spend my own money and buy a ticket and review it on my own timetable. If, however, I am asked to review a show and the theatre has a policy of giving comps to reviewers, I will take the comp. My promise to them in return for the ticket is to have a review out before the opening of the next weekend. I think that's fair. The comp allows me to prioritize my writing. It will not influence the tone of my review. In a year from now, it's possible no one will want me to review. For now, it will mean more reviews.
I will conclude each review by telling you if I thought the show was "worth the price of admission." I'm using the term as "is it worth seeing" rather than "Is it worth $25". It is, as it should be, only my opinion. I suggest you see some of the shows I review and see if our thinking is similar. If so, you will probably find this blog more enjoyable if we share sensibilities.
I think that any success I've had as a director/actor comes from my belief that we are here to serve the audience rather than a board of directors or shareholders, and that what is sorely needed in community, local and store-front theatre is plain old basic common sense.
I will conclude each review by telling you if I thought the show was "worth the price of admission." I'm using the term as "is it worth seeing" rather than "Is it worth $25". It is, as it should be, only my opinion. I suggest you see some of the shows I review and see if our thinking is similar. If so, you will probably find this blog more enjoyable if we share sensibilities.
I think that any success I've had as a director/actor comes from my belief that we are here to serve the audience rather than a board of directors or shareholders, and that what is sorely needed in community, local and store-front theatre is plain old basic common sense.
If you are wondering who I am, my name is Bill Barry Jr. Highlights of my resume include:
- I have been involved in theatre in Chicagoland for four decades, both as an actor and director.
- I was a national champion in Acting, as well as having written, coached, directed and staged national award-winning Acting and Readers Theatre scenes in collegiate theatre competitions.
- Have received critical acclaim in Chicago metropolitan papers for shows I have directed within the past 6 years.
- I have a passion for theatre and have high standards for its execution as a form of communication.
Basically, I'm trying to encourage you to support productions that do a fine job, and to warn you to shy away from those productions that don't. Whether you take my thoughts into consideration is up to you. I won't be insulted. Nor should you be if I don't like a show you like, or don't like your performance or that of a relation, etc.
Please let me know if you have a show opening soon and would like me to review it. Send email to: wjbreviews@gmail.com
