Recently by Lily Tung

Theatre in the Bay Area took another hit this week, as the renowned Magic Theatre announced it is on the verge of closing.

This follows the closure of American Musical Theatre of San Jose earlier this month.  Shakespeare Santa Cruz also threatened to close in December, but managed to stay open after a successful drive to raise $300,000.

The Magic says it needs to raise $350,000 by January 9 to continue its 43rd season.  The staff there is now working without pay, and managing director David Jobin has left.  Artistic director Loretta Greco told the San Francisco Chronicle that the company has a $600,000 accumulated debt, some of which "we didn't realize we had." 

In its 42 years, the Magic has nurtured the work of four Pulitzer Prize winners, including Sam Shepard and Nilo Cruz, as well as local actors and marquis stars like Sean Penn and Ed Harris.  If the second largest theatre in San Francisco were to shutter its doors, it would be devastating for the arts community and the 200 artists it employs annually.   

That includes yours truly, whose next acting contract is at the Magic.  Luckily, it looks like this west coast premiere of Tough Titty will occur.  Written by the late actor/playwright Oni Faida Lampley, Tough Titty is a smart, funny inspiring play that chronicles a woman's battle with breast cancer.  

Now we can only hope that the Magic will be able to continue presenting the rest of its season and the groundbreaking new work for which it's become known. 

It's a desperate time for the arts, as manifested in the Facebook group "One Percent for the Arts Campaign!"  The group is asking people to sign a petition to ask Congress to assign a mere 1% of the federal stimulus package to the arts.  The group's tagline is "because artists and writers are also part of the economy," a fact people seem to have forgotten. 

One can only hope they start remembering.  Here's to 2009!

To help save the Magic Theatre, donate here.

In response to Laura Collins-Hughes entry "The Critic vs. His Paper":

What a relief.  I thought publishers forcing writers to slant their articles a particular direction was just a problem in China.  When I worked as the editor of a Hong Kong-based English publication in Shanghai, the publisher often asked me not to write negative reviews out of fear that we would lose advertising revenue.  My arguments that sales and editorial were separate entities fell upon deaf ears.

How comforting it is to know that American publications, which pride themselves on being more "free" and "objective" than publications in the PRC, are just as guilty. 

Perhaps publishers aren't only at fault.  As John Rockwell says in his response, we journalists often succumb to self-censorship.  I've often noticed book reviews written by an author's peers who don't want to offend the critiqued author.  The results are at worst glowing or at best neutral.  If a book is bad, why not just say it's bad?      

Perhaps the American press should come out from their facade of objectivity and no censorship and allow journalists to accept payment for certain pieces.  Politicians take money from their corporate constituents.  Why can't we? 

In China, people pay journalists to write positive articles.  I am NOT calling this payola, mind you, because payola is defined by Merriam-Webster as "undercover or indirect payment (as to a disc jockey) for a commercial favor (as for promoting a particular recording)."  In China, it's neither "undercover" nor "indirect."  Journalists go to a press conference, and when they leave, there is cash in their gift bag.

Maybe orchestras (if they actually have any money) will start doing that here, too.  Two free tickets, along with two free bills, in your holiday gift basket.  Now, that's an excellent Christmas idea.   

After reading this week's Entertainment Weekly's "25 Smartest People in TV," I have to ask: Jon Stewart - No. 24?!  Really?!  He barely made it?!  Stewart ranked behind America's Top Model host Tara Banks, Gossip Girl executive producer Josh Schwartz, and a slew of studio presidents.  Perhaps EW needs to redefine the word "smart."

After this historic election year, surely Stewart deserves to be in the top ten of all time.  Night after night, The Daily Show host and executive producer saved our sanity from TV's 24-hour news dribble and high-tech distraction (including those absurd CNN holograms).  Stewart not only entertained us with campaign ridiculousness, he infused it with his signature sardonic brand of intelligence.  No other late night host captures that same brilliant blend of smarts and laughs.  

Even after the election, Stewart didn't lose his edge (although some think he may once George W. Bush leaves office - who is he going to make fun of now?).  His comment on the auto industry bail out last week was spot on, and his interview segments retain their educated, yet improvised humor.  (I wouldn't be surprised if he actually reads many of the books he covers - something real news hosts don't even do.)


The Daily Show's regular epilogue "Moment of Zen" last night featured President Bush's questionable actions at this year's National Christmas Tree Lighting.  When Santa Claus held out his hand for his presidential hand shake, Bush instead presented his fist for a holiday bump.  Could this actually mean the President and Santa are... can we say it... terrorists?

The Bay Area theatre world is still recovering from news of the sudden closure of American Musical Theatre of San Jose (AMTSJ) - a shocking story that has repercussions for three theatres across the U.S.

AMTSJ announced Monday they were closing immediately and filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.   Although the Bay Area's premier musical theatre venue was carrying a $2 million dollar deficit, it seems another theatre precipitated its final demise.  

The San Jose company had plans to co-produce Disney's "Tarzan" with Atlanta's Theatre of the Stars and Dallas Summer Musicals.  The show was set to open in Atlanta in January and then arrive in the Bay Area the following month.  Both AMTSJ and Dallas Summer Musicals had given Theatre of the Stars an advance of $225,000.

But then, according to a statement made by AMTSJ CEO and executive producer Michael Miller, his company got a call from the Atlanta theatre saying "they had used all the funds that we paid them towards the production on other things.  In essence, they cancelled the show without giving us any warning, and we discovered that the funds we had paid for Tarzan were spent on another production of theirs, which lost a significant amount of money."  

Theatre of the Stars released a statement saying that it actually used the $225,000 from AMTSJ and the Dallas company for preproduction expenses on "Tarzan" and that it is "working with the other theatres on repayment plans for their pre-production advances."  But officials there refused to comment further due to the pending lawsuit filed by AMTSJ to recoup the lost funds.

The $225,000, however, is just a drop in the bucket.  AMTSJ estimates it will lose $1.7 million in revenue from the production, including $800,000 in tickets already sold.

The theatre had high hopes for "Tarzan," which was to be a new version revised by David Henry Hwang, who originally wrote the book in 2006.  "It was an extremely exciting project for us, because Disney was going to take a look at it and maybe purchase it back from us, so it was a really huge opportunity to mount the beginnings of a national tour between the three companies," Miller said.  The new "Tarzan" has been a major hit in Holland where it's approaching its second year.  Now that this production is cancelled, Hwang says he does not know of any other plans to produce it in the U.S.

The Tony Award-winning playwright had just finished worked with AMTSJ on "Flower Drum Song."  He says, "I was shocked to hear about the closing of AMTSJ.  It seems incomprehensible to me that an established, reputable organization like Theatre of the Stars could have engaged in, at best, gross negligence, at worst, outright deception.  It pains me to realize that my first experience [at AMTSJ] appears to have been my last... The loss of AMTSJ leaves a great hole in the Bay Area theatre scene, and serves as a painful reminder of the fragility of even established arts organizations; they all require our vigilant support."  

In this crumbling economy, theatres not only require our support.  They must do whatever they can to support each other, not commit fratricide.


AMTSJ's closure comes on the heels of another shake-up in the Northern California musical theatre world.  Last month, Scott Eckern, artistic director of California Musical Theatre (the state's largest nonprofit musical theatre company) resigned amidst criticism of his donation in support of Proposition 8.  Eckern donated $1000 to the campaign that helped pass the measure banning same-sex marriage.  Gay rights activists and theatre artists, including "Hairspray" composer Marc Shaiman, then led a boycott of the Sacramento theatre, which ended when Eckern resigned.      

Shaiman also recently led a more light-hearted effort to protest Proposition 8 - a "Waiting for Guffman"-like online video called "Prop 8: The Musical."  Posted Wednesday on Will Ferrell and Adam McKay's FunnyOrDie.com, the video features stars like Jack Black, John C. Reilly, Margaret Cho, Maya Rudolph, and Neil Patrick Harris.  Black plays Jesus, who fails to get the two sides to find common ground.  It's Harris who coaxes the Prop 8 proponents to admit: "I can see America's calling me.  Yes, gay marriages will save the economy."  



Movie theatre chain Cinemark is also getting flack for its CEO's donation to the Yes on Prop 8 campaign.  Alan Stock gave $9,999 to help pass the measure, prompting No on 8 protesters to boycott the cinemas.

Cinemark will actually open "Milk" at San Francisco's CineArts Empire Friday - a potentially hypocritical business decision.  The film chronicles the political life of gay rights activist Harvey Milk, who was the first openly gay man to get elected to major public office in the US.  After being elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977, he was later assassinated by fellow supervisor Dan White.  Prop 8 opponents are now urging people to see "Milk" at any cinema other than a Century, CineArts or Tinseltown theatre (www.nomilkforcinemark.com).


Cinemark theatre or not, go see "Milk."  Do not miss this incredible film directed by Gus Van Sant.  Van Sant infuses Milk's story with a realistic exuberance and gritty grace in a city where change is both palpable and passionate.  He celebrates Milk, the hero, but never loses sight of Milk, the man, who didn't start his political career until after his 40th birthday, when he proclaims, "I'm 40, and I haven't done anything I'm proud of."

The movie sets a prescience for America's present political renaissance; Milk starts as a community organizer, like Barack Obama; his fight against a proposition requiring schools to fire gay teachers parallels today's battle over gay marriage.  The cast is superb, especially Sean Penn as Milk.  Penn not only exudes Milk's charm, persistence, and fighting spirit, but he also embraces his dorky giddiness and complicated vulnerability.  The result is at once inspiring and tragic.  For days after, you'll marvel at the human potential for hope and change, and then crash upon the realization that one disturbed force could destroy it all in an instant.  

If you find yourself in the Bay Area, do what you can to see it at the Castro Theatre.  This beautiful, historic movie house, highlighted in the film itself, offers a uniquely complete experience - the film doesn't end when you walk out because you're on the very block where it takes place.  You'll find your own present reality merging seamlessly and uncannily with art and history.

The Fox series "24" aired its 2-hour special "Redemption" Sunday night, a season 7 prequel which bridges the new season with the last.  It's been about a year and a half since "24" brought us its adrenaline-charged, real-time, terrorist-ridden action.  This time its president is America's first female commander-in-chief (played by Tony award-winner Cherry Jones).  

"24's" virtual drama got me thinking about the nation's real-life drama.  When I look back at the "24" Hall of Presidents, I can't help but wonder: Did Fox actually help President-elect Barack Obama get elected?

When "24" entered the American post-9/11 zeitgeist in the fall of 2001, it introduced us to a major party's first African-American presidential candidate (who incidentally was also a senator).  By the second season, David Palmer had become president.  Played with aplomb, smarts and empathy by actor Dennis Haysbert, President Palmer proved to be a president to love, one worthy of being saved, repeatedly, by hero Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland).  

"24" became an addictive hit, and viewers initially thought, "Wow, an African-American president.  That's a novel idea."  But Fox made Palmer believable, as if he could happen in real life. "24" addicts became so accustomed to a black man leading them into action week after week that many (including me, I'll admit) wanted Palmer to run for president in 2004.  Now he could have beaten George W. Bush.  

This year America skeptically asked itself if the US would really elect an African-American president.  But the 12 million Americans who watched "24" had not only accepted a black leader, but had rooted for him.  So is it possible that Palmer paved the way for Obama?  Haysbert seems to think so.

Now that "24: Redemption" has introduced the series' first female president, will the show go 2-for-2 as a presidential predictor?  Could this mean a victory finally for Hillary Clinton?  Or God forbid, Sarah Palin...  


Speaking of Palin, don't miss her recent television interview on KTUU News.  Palin may need to retake some of her college journalism classes.  According to Andrew Sullivan's Daily Dish, she chose the shot for her own interview, but broke the cardinal media rule: Never give an interview in front of a man killing turkeys.  Happy Thanksgiving!

I admit I've been a bit out of touch lately when it comes to episodic series on YouTube.   What can I say - I'm an old-fashioned couch potato.

But when I discovered LA writer/performer/blogger Prince Gomolvilas' episodic series Weighing Pork Chop, I got hooked.

Weighing Pork Chop stars Gomolvilas and his overweight cat Pork Chop.  The premise: Gomolvilas tries to get his co-star to lose weight.



The episodes are like good short stories - little investment yields great reward, which we all could use during an economic crisis.  At a minute-and-a-half long, each episode is a perfect amuse-bouche.  Gomolvilas knows how to tell a satisfying story with spare resources - a digital camera, a cat and a scale.  It's hilarious, elevated cat humor ironically serenaded by Ponchielli's "Dance of the Hours."

Even Oscar-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody admitted her addiction to Pork Chop's Mexican Hat Dance in her "Binge Thinking" column in Entertainment Weekly earlier this year.
  
Pork Chop proves to be a great actor himself and a breath of fresh air compared to the stilted acting of many a movie star.  He's also amazingly well-behaved.  I don't know how Gomolvilas manages to get him to stay on a scale long enough for his weigh-in.  But he does. 

Delightful.

Join the NAJP as we go to Washington, DC for the 2008 National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association (NLGJA) Convention August 21-24.  We will present our workshop Promoting Diversity Through Arts Journalism Friday, Aug. 22, at 11am.
 
I will be moderating the panel that includes author and Pulitzer Prize winner Margo Jefferson, Metro Weekly editor-in-chief and co-publisher Randy Shulman, and NPR digital media producer Trey Graham. 

Find out why we're going on the NLGJA website:



The panel will explore questions including:

•    How can we better cover minority artists and how can minority artists get better press coverage?
•    How do we ensure that minority arts groups are not relegated to a "special interest" category in the press?
•    With the recent cutbacks in arts coverage, how do we ensure the vitality of cultural reporting and give voice to lesser-known artists? 
•    How do we make minority arts stories accessible to the general readership?
•    How do we diversify the pool of critics so that diverse artists and communities receive better representation?

If you have any issues you'd like to see addressed, please send us a comment. 

This workshop is part of NAJP's goal that cultural reporting reflect what we term not diversity, but "reality"-- the reality that arts journalism comprises journalists and artists of all races, genders, and sexual orientation.

"NLGJA Goes to Washington" promises three days of hands-on workshops, hot-topic panels, and networking opportunities at the Hilton Washington Hotel.  Learn more and register here.
 

Here's an interesting, yet flawed connection between art and politics:

Roger Waters performed at the Coachella Music Festival over the weekend.  Against the wishes of local officials and without the consent of the presidential candidate himself, Waters commissioned a plane to drop tiny fliers on the crowd in support of Barack Obama.  Unfortunately, most of the confetti ended up on neighboring lawns in Indio and La Quinta, which drew the ire of residents who were forced to clean it up. 

"They're all over the place. It's littering. I've got all my homeowners calling me and complaining," said Bill Hays of the Desert Shores RV Resort to the Desert Sun.  "If I was going to vote for Obama, I wouldn't this morning if this is how he runs his campaign."

Well, that doesn't help anyone...except for maybe John McCain.

Dance criticism has taken a big hit recently.  Hard on the heels of Deborah Jowitt's sudden departure from The Village Voice, The Orange County Register has lost dance critic and former NAJP fellow Laura Bleiberg.  Apparently, Bleiberg was the last full-time newspaper dance critic in all of California.  

On The OC Register's Arts Blog, Bleiberg admits that she is not sure if the Register will replace her with another staff dance critic.  She is leaving the Register to join South Coast Repertory as Associate Director of Development.

Another former NAJP fellow Valerie Takahama also left The Register in August, after working there 19 years.  She says part of the reason she was let go was that "they felt they didn't need an architecture writer anymore."

The film 21 opens today.  If you've missed the barrage of advertising Sony Pictures has assailed upon us, here's a description from Fandango:

Director Robert Luketic adapts Ben Mezrich's best-seller Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions to tell the true-life tale of six genius students who used their brains to beat considerable odds.

True to life?  True that the main character goes to Vegas to count cards with his classmates so that he can make tuition money.  Not true that the protagonist is Caucasian.

The real people profiled in Bringing Down the House are actually Asian American, and when Asian-American actors learned that the story was being made into a movie, they rejoiced.  Finally, they would have the opportunity to play three-dimensional characters and branch out from their fine portrayals of nerds, waiters, kung fu artists, and refugees.  

Studio executives dashed those hopes.  They felt that Caucasian actors would make the film more marketable, despite the fact that the characters' ethnicity was essential to the story.  The book states that the card-counting scheme was successful partly because the students used their ethnicity to their advantage; in the casinos, a young Asian man betting large amounts of money is less conspicuous than a young white man.

And come on, we all know that gambling and M.I.T. have become indispensable parts of Asian-American culture.  Every Asian parent dreams of his or her children going to M.I.T. and takes the $25 bus from Chinatown to Reno to win enough money to send them there.

If you don't believe me, just ask writer/performer Prince Gomolvilas who confesses in the  touring theatre production Jukebox Stories that his college education was financed when his "mother hit the jackpot on a nickel slot machine at the Frontier Hotel and Casino in Vegas."  The quip is part of his biting and hilarious monologue "21 Reasons Why This Movie Already Sucks," in which he lists 21 reasons one should NOT see the film 21.   

Here are a few:

#7: This is not the kind of movie [Jim Sturgess, who is white] should be in. He actually should've been cast as Ray Charles in Ray or as Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland or as Frank Lucas, you know, the Denzel Washington character in American Gangster.

#14: People say that I should be happy because the producers, out of an apparent act of charity, did cast two Asian Americans in smaller roles: the Korean dude from Disturbia and some random token hot Asian chick.  But I ask you: Why the hell should I be happy? That's like somebody jerking you off halfway and then leaving.

We shouldn't be surprised by a film studio's lack of cultural sensitivity.  It's not the first time that Hollywood has changed a character's race to make a film more "marketable."  In 1999, George Clooney played the African-American protagonist in Three Kings, and Gomolvilas has plenty of his own experiences:

Remember the time when a certain talent agent wanted to take a look at my script about a little Asian-American boy only if I would consider rewriting the part so that Dakota Fanning could star in it?  

How about that time I was developing a script called Chocolate Buddha at a film studio? The story was about a black guy who hides out in a Buddhist monastery.  And I was shocked that... executives could still look me in the eye and tell me it would be much better if the star of the movie were Caucasian, essentially changing my film into White Chocolate Buddha.

The moral of this story is that if you're lucky enough to be in Los Angeles this weekend, take that $10 you would have spent seeing 21 to catch Gomolvilas with singer/songwriter Brandon Patton in Jukebox Stories: The Case of the Creamy Foam at Genghis Cohen.  (They're also in Boston June 15.)  A mixture of contemporary storytelling, original songs, audience prizes and a different setlist each night, Gomolvilas and Patton present a clever, decidedly non-theatrical theatre piece that combines personal anecdotes with brilliant observations of life's randomness.  

This second installment of Jukebox Stories lets the audience virtually pick out of a hat the pieces the duo will present, like Gomolvilas' true yet bizarre story about how his satirical review of High School Musical garnered thousands of angry letters and death threats from tween girls.  And if you solve the show's murder mystery or demonstrate your prowess at movie score trivia, you win cheesy prizes.  It's a load of fun that will leave you thinking about life and humming Patton's songs on your way home, "We're alive and we chuckle when we fart/Try to be inspired but this is life, not art."