New Directions

This blog originally evolved from an e-mail list that I started a couple of years ago after seeing Boulder Broadway's amazing production of Bat Boy played to a house undeserving (in size) of the quality of the show.
It was Jeff Gamet (of The MacObserver and iPod Observer) who suggested that I start a blog.
Now, as I have repeatedly pointed out, I did not set out to become a theatre critic. I don't write "reviews." My goal has been to draw attention to little gems I find that might slip under the radar of my theatre friends (like Metro State's phenomenal Robber Bridegroom or And Toto Too's supremely well-acted The Glider). As a critic, I would feel compelled to write about some of the more awful productions I've seen, and I don't want to do that. There are other people who do that with far greater discretion than I would, so I leave it to them. Plus, I am part of this industry (and that will increase in the coming months), and I feel that any critic worth his or her salt would maintain a friendly but professional distance, that is, not trying to act or direct or submit plays as well.
It has been my hope that my blog would be shared (as it has been) with others to help spread the word about these gems, but I do not actively seek to be cut and pasted onto theatre company's websites. Again, there are others who do want that, so I leave it to them. The way I see it, if someone is on your website, then they don't need me to tell them to seek you out, do they?
As I return to more active blogging, I find myself unsure of how exactly to proceed. I have a few ideas, and I will begin unveiling them in the coming months, but I encourage you, my readers, to take an active role as well. Make use of my e-mail to tell me about workshops, conferences, etc. Some of you have already been doing this, and I think it's a great way to get the word out.
This blog has been read quite literally (and quite to my astonishment) around the world and it even uploads to my Facebook page (where I have never turned down a legitimate friend request, by the way).
A number of people have attributed the Denver Civic's current troubles to a lack of promotion (I think it runs a bit deeper than that, too), so let's not permit that to happen to anyone else, shall we?
The only reason that theatres should struggle, in my opinion, is if they're doing bad theatre. We've all seen a lot of good theatres go through some rough times of late, and, while few of us has the resources to bail out the Denver Civic or to finance the rest of NextStage's season, we can all do something to help put butts in seats for the rest of the companies this season.
I will do what I can if you will help me to do it.
Help me help you. Help me help you. Helpmehelpyou. Helpmehelpyou.
Show me the money!
Do you know the human head weighs eight pounds?

Okay, I lost the thread there, but stay tuned.
And don't shoplift the . . . well, you know.