A Conversation
Posted by Edward Sobel on 6/19/2006We have been excited, over the last few months, to begin the process of a Steppenwolf blog, and are delighted to see the response. It has been a pleasure to bring you the voices of those in the artistic office of Steppenwolf, and those of some of the artists working on (or behind) our stages. We have generated this content based on observations we make, and subjects about which we ourselves are passionate. Now, we’d like to know how you are feeling about the experience. Are you finding the content of interest? Are there areas or ideas you’d like to see covered or discussed? Are you feeling inhibited about sharing your own views or insights for any reason? How can we continue to make this site both worth reading and a stimulant for discussion? Please let us know any thoughts you care to share. Ultimately, our goal is for this to be a forum for conversation, hosted by us, but providing an opportunity for our audiences and readers to interact with each other as well. We look forward to continuing the exchange.
June 20th, 2006 at 4:22 pm
I was delighted to find this blog and am surprised that more theatres don’t do this (yet). In general, I hate blogs but this is an excellent look into the inner workings of the theatre and makes me feel much more a part of the experience. It dismays me to see the paucity of comments but probably people are not accustomed to coming to the website for a blog. Some well placed references to other blogs might start getting the bloggers here, and encourage them to link to your site from theirs; maybe posts in forums at NYTimes and rec.arts.theatre would stir up some interest too.
I wouldn’t change the content or format - I was not aware of all the programs going on at Steppenwolf and love reading about them. The idea of rotating the writing assignment is good too. I know blogs are meant to be less formal, kinda rambling things, but the way you do it is much more interesting to me. I would rather have substantive entries every few days that tell me about the latest happenings than just posting any garbage just to keep up a daily blog.
June 20th, 2006 at 5:19 pm
hi ed. i am really glad to see Steppenwolf launching into the world of the blog as well. i find it fun to keep track of where the company is and to partake in discussion. the content is marvelous and interesting.
if you’re actually looking for feedback, i’d say my biggest gripe is this: it is rare to get returned-comments from contributors to the steppenwolf blog. i noticed that one of the largest and best discussions was the one about the intermission for “Love Song”, and you’ll notice that nearly each of those responses was fed along by David New’s responses to the comments. but, then, it ended somehow. if it’s a discussion, have a discussion. it’s all too easy to lose interest in a blog if it’s all posting and no dicussing. eventually, as a blog visitor, you’ll just stop visiting.
kudos to larry for putting a comment! good work. i, too, enjoy the forums from nytimes and have found some quite interesting blogs from younger companies in town that i love to join in discussions with. from The House Theatre to Strawdog Theatre, i can assure you there are great blogs out there.
oh, and Ed, i listened/watched your audio commentary on the next batch of First Look plays and they sound great! i’m really hoping to make it to see them all! were all the plays commissioned by steppenwolf? i don’t remember.
June 21st, 2006 at 11:36 am
Hi Justin,
Thanks for being both a regular reader and spirited conversationalist. We are working to achieve the kind of responsiveness you describe for the blog.
With respect to the First Look Rep plays, Steppenwolf commissioned both Marisa Wegerzyn and Mia McCullough. Kate Fodor’s play was sent to us by her agent, to consider for season selection. These are two of the possible ways scripts come to Steppenwolf. A third is through professional recommendations by ensemble members, artistic directors, or literary managers and the like. And lastly, as was the case with Men of Tortuga in last years First Look Rep, some plays come to us by unrepresented writers as ten page samples, upon the strength of which we request the entire script. As you may remember from your days as an intern here at Steppenwolf, we receive between ten and twenty of those samples each week - roughly 750 or so each year.
We soon should have some posts from the artists involved in First Look. I do hope you see the plays, and look forward to your comments on them.
Ed
June 22nd, 2006 at 12:43 pm
yes indeed! it is a very important point to note, ed, the utter volume of 10-page samples making their way to steppenwolf’s mailbox each week. i remember it. oh, do i remember it. quite fondly i’ll add. kudos to the Steppenwolf literary staff and interns for reading them so diligently and making insightful comments upon them each week. it is a tough business, being a writer — especially an un-represented one — but if it weren’t for generous groups such as Steppenwolf, who are actually willing to read and comment on un-solicited samples, how else would a new writer start out? speaking of which, i am sad that i missed Tortuga last year. i heard nothing but the best things about the whole Fest! as somone who has a particular fondness for new writing (and as a writer myself!) i feel like a fool to admit that i missed it! this is why i do NOT plan to miss anything this year.
how many plays does Steppenwolf commission each year, Ed? i imagine that with a whole miraculous season dedicated entirely to new plays this year, you had more commissions this year than normal.
June 23rd, 2006 at 11:23 am
Our commissioning program is quite active. Generally speaking we have between 10 and 12 writers under commission at any given time, in various states of fulfillment. We offer support both to emerging and local writers, as well as those of more national prominence. This season, two of the five new plays on our subscription season were commissions - Frank Galati’s adaptation of after the quake, and Bruce Norris’ The Unmentionables. In addition, our Steppenwolf for Young Adults presentation of Lady Madeline was a commissioned work. Steppenwolf is indeed fortunate to have the resources to engage with writers in this way, and our doing so speaks to the spirit of innovation that is one of our core values.