excerpt from
1993: It's a Wrap
(Originally printed the Los Angeles Reader, Dec. 31,
1993)
By Michael Frym
Like everything in life, theater is the sum of its creative
parts: publicists, producers and artistic directors, critics, directors,
actors, and a miltitude of others. Everyone has a perspective of
what's right and wrong with the local theater scene. Not
surprisingly, this fraternity shares the belief that "the show must go
on," despite the odds. Here's what L.A. theater's shakes and movers
think:
...Producer Joe Stern emphasizes the necessity of chutzpah
for success:
I think that the problem is still the same - which is
there is no funding, there's no place to go. And so, after all these
years, no ninty-nine-seat theater has expanded. As long as there's
the Waiver, actors will "get a barn" and "put on a show." I think
the problem is there's no commerce, there's no expansion. No one has
put their money where their mouths are.
There has been a great impulse in this community by a
lot of actors to somehow get back into the theater. The problme is
that no one steps forward - they don't take the next step.