Theater | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper: Seven months have passed since I’ve last been in a theater, and if missing a good production is painful for your humble reviewer, I cannot imagine the anguish that comes for the actors, technicians, and artists behind the scenes who are waiting for the curtains to open once again.
5 comments:
I think radio plays are a perfect format for pandemic theater. It’s actually interesting to see a resurgence of art forms that used to be popular taking place now that our traditional theater experiences cannot be held. Normally, for any other types of performances that I hear are taking place in a very traditional sense I can’t help but shake my head - but the format of radio plays allows still for separation that I think is essential to keeping everyone safe. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll is perhaps a perfect piece to do around Halloween - and I will actually be tuning in. The review from this article said it was still well done, and I think this would be a good example of not sacrificing anything in terms of quality for the context. Radio plays are incredibly interesting and to allow one to happen you need creatives and technical artisans - so I’m really glad that people are able to find this work and do it safely.
I completely agree with Elizabeth that radio plays are a great pandemic theatre production style. Looking at LA Theatre Works, which pre-COVID has done radio plays, and the BBC in the UK that has been doing radio plays, I wonder if there is enough market for companies like PICT outside the ardent supporters for radio plays. I know there has been a push to create content ever since theatres shut down seven months ago but theatre’s need to also be making money and surviving finically. One surprising fact about this article was that PICT got an Equity contract, which I know from articles and discussions from local artistic directors has been quite difficult. One question I have for recording at WQED studios while wearing masks as evident both in the article and the picture, how does this affect sound quality? I am no sound expert and it might be different from the quality of microphones being used in WQED studios but from Zoom calls where some people are masked, there is a noticeable sound difference.
After reading this article I definitely want to listen to this performance. I can only imagine that radio theater shows are going to become more and more popular in the coming months, as certain theater companies are demonstrating how well they can be executed. I think there is an undeniable energy that happens when performers are physically in the same space (even if they are distanced) where they can see each other, and I would imagine that energy is palpable in this recording. I also think it is really interesting that the reviewer of the recording felt compelled to look up who was playing the titular character, and then the image of the performer informed their visual of Dr. Jekyll. I think there is something really exciting about the fact that you can picture the character any way you want, and I am really excited to see if radio theater regains a position alongside audiobooks and podcasts.
This trend of Radio plays is one of my favorite things to come out of the pandemic times. I think that this solution is creative and a good way for the theatre companies to create live theatre or as close to live as theatre can get right now. I also am a huge fan of the PICT theatre company and their work. I worked with them for a short period of time before pandemic hit and felt so welcomed by the people in the company and their loving nature. I am planning on buying tickets to this radio play to support the great local company and their wonderful creations. I can’t wait to see how this production turns out and am very excited to see what they come up with in the future.
I found this article very interesting. I am glad to hear that theatre companies are finding ways to still create. Although I don't know if its the best option to include all theatre makers it definitely is a great thing they're doing. I am glad to see that local theatres have gotten back on their feet and are at least producing some kind of entertainment. However being a design and production major all of the zoom theatre and radio theatre that I have seen come out during this project, to me at least, feels like it alienates the designers and technicians that are required to make a production. It is so hard for scenic, lighting, or costume designer to have a part in zoom theatre and all of it mostly caters to having actors read scripts. I wish there was some way that the designers and technicians could be represented but I think its going to take a lot of though and dedication to the medium instead of the notion that we can wait this out.
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