Thursday, October 27, 2011
Critical Juncture
Theatre Communications Group - American Theatre – September 2011: Whenever I told friends that I was writing about 12 of the most influential theatre critics in America, I made sure to pause for the laugh. Are there a dozen out there? In this atomized age of Twitter and Facebook, with media outlets shedding arts staffers and shredding budgets, what constitutes influence? How was this list compiled? Not scientifically, to be sure. But these 12 journalists made the cut for specific reasons: years on the beat, quality of writing, reach of their voice through syndication, and, lastly, understanding of the field. Another criterion is quite blunt: Many of them are "last man or woman standing" in their communities; after they retire or take a buyout, it's unclear if some blogger or junior critic will step up to fill the void. As such, they form a vital phalanx of critical opinion that chronicles and weighs work that national media outlets are content to ignore. These dozen writers may not be flashy prose stylists or even revolutionary thinkers about their art form. But they have dedicated years to the field—and certainly not to get rich.
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This article was a lot sadder than I expected. Also it addresses a problem that I didnt know really existed. I mean I guess in a way it makes sense that critics with actual acclaim are dying out because there are so many other (even if not as credible)sources in which to get any information that you want. But I always thought that when it comes to theatre critics they have a certain sort of pizazz or gumption that made them interesting to read. I like that the critics that the author chose, all have such a breadth of experience. I think that has a lot to do with how well you can look at a situation and really give it a good once over. I hope that critics, the ones that are worth while anyway, will be able to stick around and be able to continue to make an impression in the world of the arts.
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