One Reason Theatre Is in Crisis: The Slow Death of Criticism
Peter Marks’s departure from the Washington Post is only the latest sign that too many of us have taken the importance of reviews for granted for too long.
Category Archives: Opinion
Arts Are the Prescription We Need, Now More Than Ever
We don’t just get aesthetic or intellectual benefits from the expressive and performing arts—they can also be literally healing.
Sondheim the Cinephile: How Film Shaped His Work
From Bernard Herrmann to Luis Buñuel, filmic influences found their way into his musicals’ form and content, up to and including his final show, ‘Here We Are.’
Be Open, Let Go: What I Learned From The 24 Hour Plays
Why a very busy TV writer has regularly joined a group of theatre artists who pull all-nighters to create plays from scratch.
Pour One Out for New Rep
How the Boston-area theatre, which recently announced its closure after 4 decades, gave a young critic hope for the art form.
Decentering Doom: A Word From Chicago Theatre Workers
After an outpouring of op-eds bemoaning the state of U.S. theatre, 2 Chicago writers lift up innovative collaborations in their own backyard as examples for the field.
Revisiting ‘Mr. Green’: The Rewards of Keeping a Play Fresh
Why has my 1997 two-hander proven so durable around the world? It might have something to do with my attention to detail in the many translations and updates.
Some Hard and Beautiful Truths About Making Plays
In a book excerpt, the seasoned playwright offers insights and advice, not only about how to write but about how to think about your writing productively.
The Dangers of AI Intoxication
Can theatre artists use the tools of Big Tech to dismantle its influence?
Hope for Mama and the Rest of Us
Producing a new play about the full-scale invasion written by a Ukranian playwright, Russian-born director Yury Urnov feels disheartened by the actions of his home country and hopeful for Ukraine.
