Dishonor

A short post.  It's been a while since I've blogged, mostly due to a glut of deadlines and turkey and, well, of pumpkin pie too.  

But today's news requires note:


Someone I know has been fired for sexual harassment.

At this post-Weinstein moment in America some men are now being held to account for long-time bad behavior.  This particular man is - or was - in the DFW theater world.  I've worked with him.  Never saw anything untoward... but then I'm not his target audience, being old enough to be his mother. But lots of stories are bubbling up.  Many young actresses were mistreated.  The accusations seem undeniable.

Why?!

Why do some men use power to harass women or other men or even children in this way?  Are any women creating comparable messes of power and sex?  Why hurt others in such a way?  Why risk career and reputation?  

But then, until now, it just hasn't been much of a risk has it?

For me the most sickening chicken coming home to roost is that, though I never saw or heard a hint of this behavior from this man, I could instantly - instantly! - see it as true.  

Part of me just sighed...   

Sure.  It fits. 

Because the guy had a preening self-regard that just radiated.  I didn't guess at that ego acting out in this way (in hindsight, duh), but I never trusted him to have my back professionally.  Or to act from abstract fairness or such...  He just didn't seem the type.  

But this type?  Well, I would have expected him to be smarter is all.  He is very clever and talented.  Plus big ego.  That I noticed.  If he also had virtue or nobility of character or kindness I never noticed...   

And isn't that a sad and dishonorable thing.  


New Year's Resolution: to live in such a way that, if evil things are ever reported of me, no one says, "Sure.  It fits."

And can that resolution start today please?  In a year when... (picking just the latest outrage), a major political party backs an accused child molester, maybe we all need to start behaving ourselves better.  Agreed?

ADDENDUM:  Is this post fair?  What about presumption of innocence?  The question troubles me.  I haven't met the witnesses or heard the evidence but one theater has and fired him because of it.  Several others have fired him from directing jobs.  Or suspended him from membership until this is investigated.  Am I just piling on?  Yes, I suppose I am.  I believe the women.  The reported facts just sound so likely.  And, knowing the man a little, I just can't put my own experience up in defense.  So...  I hope I'm not being unjust.

ADDENDUM #2:  Having read further into this matter, I am now sure I have been fair... indeed too kind.  

The accusations, while probably not criminal, are vile and involve very young women - college and perhaps even high school students - who were either under his authority as a director or a mentor or to some degree under his power as one who could recommend or hire actors.  Some he contacted out of the blue using confidential information from head shots!  (Betraying both the women and his employer, DTC...  And what about them, huh?  What did they know?)  Read more HERE at TheaterJones if you need details.

So how was I too kind?  By calling him "Him" not by name:

Lee Trull

Tell you what, disowning a theater company member for disgraceful conduct kinda puts a damper on the holiday party.

Shout Out! Critics Forum Awards

Congratulations to the theater artists recognized by local critics for outstanding work in this last year - with the Critics' Forum Awards.  Well deserved!

Public domain image, messed with a bit.

Sadly there's no statuette, plaque, certificate or, if you're part of a "design team," even your name in newsprint, but still cool.  It's nice when someone notices your talent and hard work.

From this talented group, here's an individualized shout-out to folks I feel like extra-cheering for this morning:

To Tina Parker for her lovely performance in Charm, an honor to work with you; to Joel Ferrell for Cabaret and Dividing the Estate at, of all places, the Dallas Theater Center (a talented local director let loose at DTC? wahoo!); to all the younger, smaller companies who produce outstanding work (against long odds); to all the established companies who continue to produce outstanding work (against long odds and entropy too); and to the "design team" for Trinity Shakespeare's Macbeth (For whom I happen to have Bios.  Critics didn't?).  The designers were: Brian Clinnin SCENIC, Michael Skinner LIGHTING, Aaron Patrick Turner COSTUME, Toby Algya SOUND, and let's add (as co-conspirators in how things looked on-stage) Eric Domuret FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHER and Stephan Fried DIRECTOR.  (Your names in ink-jet print.)

Here's to recognition where it's well deserved!  And to all the other good work done on DFW stages!  You all deserve your names in lights.

Not a Review: Cabaret

Hard to believe, but though I knew the songs and story, I had never seen a production of Cabaret.  Which may give me a unique perspective on the Dallas Theater Center's version.

Singing, dancing, choreography...  amazing!  The first glimpse of the show is the M.C.'s arrival - memorable - then his "girls" and "boys."  (These and the jokes were as tawdry as expected, the physical gags rather more so.)  Story lines were fascinating: Sally Bowles and her writer; the landlady and her fruit-vendor suitor; the prostitute who up-grades from sailors to a nice Nazi-supporter.  The acting was so good that my heart broke first for the fruitier, then for his sweetheart, until I left nearly as bruised as the writer.  I wanted to shake Sally till her teeth rattled.  Both the prostitute and the Nazi were, if not exactly sympathetic... real-life sized and believable.  You could feel - way up in my balcony - the retired-tart just reveling in her new fur coat.  The Nazi...?  Believable.  And the ending tableau (which I won't spoil) was strong.  A powerful, beautifully realized production of a show whose fame I now understand, by director Joel Ferrell.  Go!  Buy tickets!

Bob Lavalee's set supported this well.  Nice to see an asymmetrical thrust in this space - a spare, well detailed arrangement of that thrust stage with a wider stage behind it and, behind that, the band on risers rather like restaurant booths.  Furniture and a doorway rolled in and out to furnish "rooms" on the thrust.  Behind and beside the band, stairs wound round to a L shaped bridge that worked perfectly as the boarding house hallway (occasionally clogged with sailors) and other "off" locations.  Behind this bridge a tall semi-sheer curtain sequestered further-off-stage acts like the writer's beating; from my seat, actors behind it were not always visible, but their gigantic shadows added a lot.  At the end, bridge and curtain played a very effective part.

A few quibbles and a little Dallas boosting: I got a little tired of furniture moving (show writers - do you think about multi-settings?).  I've heard some sight-lines are terrible and believe it - folks seated under the bridge can't see much of those scenes, for instance.  But my seat was okay, so why should I care?  (A very Cabaret viewpoint, that.)  The boosting?  How good to see Dallas talent put to use!  Mixed with visitors were many local actors/singers/dancers plus a local set designer and director.  Finally the DTC is becoming the foundation it should be for our arts community.

Not a Review

Broadway Our Way opened last night.

Here's what I always check first on my own shows: the set looked good.  The carpenters did me proud, the design's size and layers etc. looked about as I'd hoped, and the director and producers used it beautifully, turning in a way that helped the action on stage and kept the look fresh.  The lighting designer made the set and stage look fantastic!  Colors, patterns, lovely dramatic looks.

The show itself got all polished since I last looked.  Very effective.  Some funny stuff .  Some wonderful voices!   There really is a depth of talent in DFW... and all of it seems to be on stage at the Kalita Humphreys.

This is Uptown Players' fund-raiser so, please, go see this very entertaining show and spend money!  (One of my fund-raising tickets is a chance at a tiara - cross your fingers for me.)

tiara on Queen Sofie of Greece courtesy of the Royal Forums