The Boston Theatre Marathon

Today was the Boston Theatre Marathon (BTM) at the Calderwood Plaza in the South End. It was in a much larger, more comfortable theatre than last year, and you could actually leave your seat to go to the bathroom or get a bite to eat and return to it, or one in the general proximity! (You couldn't when they held it at Boston University.) My friend A. debated and debated whether or not to come--she has a sinus infection and is due to have cataract surgery on Tuesday--but is on antibiotics and at the last moment decided to go. I was pleased, b/c I had decided that I wasn't going alone. It cost $30 and it's a bit inconvenient (though I drove and found a spot a few blocks away, so the trip took 20 or so minutes each way, not an hour), so I thought, Naah, if I have to go alone, I'll skip it. But A. did join me--we had both read several plays, blind, in January and were eager to see which ones had made it--and we're both glad we went. She left at around 7pm, whereas I stayed til 9:30pm (it ended at 10--50 plays in 10 hours), and only missed two plays at the end, and we both got to see a lot of work. I find it really useful to watch the form and try to figure out what works and what doesn't and why.

I noticed that if I LIKE a play, and I mean REALLY like it, I get into it, and don't focus as much on the structure, acting (in particular), and character development (or lack of it). If I like but don't love it, I tend to notice more, and if I hate it, I pretty much can't watch it, and start taking notes on all of the plays (which I find helpful later when describing and thinking about them). I would say there were maybe 5 or 6 I loved, several I liked, several I disliked, and 4 or 5 I abhored (and clearly, I'm not going to be any more specific about this, particularly those I wish had not been produced). I found in general that the comic ones worked better, and that's probably b/c 10 minutes is such a short time to work with, and if, as A. pointed out, you try to get heavy in 10 minutes, you may not get to it all or the whole play leads up to that MOMENT, the THING THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING, and so it's really all like one big punch line, one twist, with 9 minutes and 30 seconds as the set up. In a funny play, you can laugh your way through it, and the end isn't nearly as significant (maybe not at all).

There were a few heavy ones that worked, particularly one about marriage that I had initially recommended and that was produced. It was both well-written and acted and worked b/c it took place in a very specific moment (a young couple's wedding night) and dealt with an older couple's loss of their daughters and how this night brought both couples together. Heavy, yes, but NOT heavy-handed or preachy, as a number of plays were, at least in my opinion, and not too esoteric (not at all) or obtuse (as a few plays were--God, why?!), but it's hard as hell to pull off. A. likes my play PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICHES, which is pretty damn heavy, but she thinks it works. No one has yet accepted it, but I've only sent it to a few festivals, and while I intend to bring it to Write-On for the July meeting, if possible, I would like to keep sending it out to see if anyone thinks it works (I'm not certain, actually). I have also decided that my next play will ABSOLUTELY be a comedy, b/c I was so predisposed toward them both last and this year (this applies to short play festivals only) and b/c I find it easier to write comedy, or at least find it pays off more in the end (i.e., people seem to respond to my quirkiness).

I wondered at times why certain plays for the BTM were chosen (most weren't predictable, but some were pretty damn weak, I thought, though not the majority of them, even if I didn't like them), but everyone acknowledges how subjective the process is. All you can do is write and send off, write and send off, and you STILL have a better chance, me thinks, than getting cast (Oh, ye of little faith!). One other interesting thing I noticed tonight was all of the parts written for men AND more importantly for older men (and women). This was encouraging for the future, and no doubt in part b/c many of the playwrights are older and are writing for peers or that age target audience. Interestingly, I was too old for some roles and TOO YOUNG for many others. Now that's an interesting development! We shall see how that pans out in the future. For now, I intend to get PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICHES up somewhere, and hopefully UNCHARTED TERRITORY (aside from the Arlington Players, of course), and begin the new play (no ideas yet, but they will come). And another weekend ends, but I feel at least somewhat hopeful, and if nothing else, I know I get to see my niece and nephew, Sammi and Matt, next Sunday and Monday during Memorial Day weekend. :-)