Blog: Should critics review workshop productions?
Two major Chicago theater critics once again decide to critique works-in-progress
Michael Brosilow
Keith Huff's Pursued By Happiness.
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For its Fourth Annual First Look Repertory of New Work, Steppenwolf Theatre Company stuck to the same formula: they would present three new plays in developmental productions.
The key word there is “developmental”—the idea being, everything is a work in progress. Writers, directors and actors spend three intense weeks rehearsing their plays (with writers often bringing in new pages up to the last minute) and then get to see them on their feet in front of an audience. This final step—the actual staging—is Steppenwolf’s way around “development hell,” in which new plays are given repeated readings only to never advance to a full production. First Look Rep is, first and foremost, an opportunity for the writers to make their plays better. Steppenwolf doesn’t claim to have produced the world premières of the plays, and claims no financial stake in their future success (the standard 5-7 percent of royalties for five to seven years).
So why did the theater critics for the Chicago Sun-Times (Hedy Weiss) and the Chicago Tribune (Chris Jones) feel compelled to give their professional opinions earlier this week anyway? Well, probably the same reason they’ve done it in the past. Back in 2006, Weiss and Jones both defended themselves (and their reviews of past First Looks) by pointing out two facts: Steppenwolf charges admission to the developmental productions ($20 per show), and critics receive press releases and press packets. Both, they claimed, made reviews fair game.
Director Of New Play Development Ed Sobel posted a fascinating response on the Steppenwolf blog, asking whether Chicago needs critics or reviewers, along with what their differences are. “Good criticism offers observations about a work, acknowledges its context, resists the temptation to fully dismiss or overly praise, and places the work of art at its center, rather than the critic.”
This isn’t the first time Chicago critics have drawn attention for reviewing developmental workshops. Hedy Weiss drew the rancor of some of the most renowned American playwrights back in 2006 after publishing a review of the Stages festival at Theatre Building Chicago (a collection of musicals in progress). After staying for only 10 minutes of a few of the shows, she panned the entire festival, causing playwrights Christopher Durang and Marsha Norman to call for her resignation. As reported by The New York Times, Edward Albee called her irresponsible, Stephen Schwartz said she was ignorant, and Tony Kushner said she was “incapable of understanding standards of professional and ethical conduct.”
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