Sadly both of my political plays, "Dr. Carlyle's Group" and "Hanging Chad in Ohio" were not invited into FringeNYC this year. I wonder if they are staying away from political shows this year.
On the plus side, a Cuban family drama I co-produced and worked on last year called "Crossing Currents" by Jorge Perez got accepted.
While we plot and plan for August and decide whether to stage my plays in the fall, I'm curious how the kossacks feel about political plays. Two of the bigs of the generation before me have contridictory feelings on them, although both shine with political material.
(More below the fold.)
New Pulitizer winner John Patrick Shanley, ("Dirty Story" and the award winning "Doubt") in a recent interview:
"... most political plays are about reconfirming your politics to you--which just bores me into insensibility--as opposed to putting it back on you. The theme shouldn't be stated, or if it is, it should go by like just another line."
Versus Tony Kushner, (Angels in America, Homebody/Kabul) and perhaps the one playwright more awarded than Shanley, in an older interview:
"I would hate to write anything that wasn't (political). I would like my plays to be of use to progressive people. I think preaching to the choir is exactly what art ought to do."
I can only imagine what Neil LaBute would say! But what do you think?