Tingle closing a loss, and where were we?

It's probably appropriate that I'm just now getting around to writing about the closing of Jimmy Tingle's Off Broadway theater in Davis Square. We can say we want more edgy theater, more on-point political humor, more alternative venues, but how many of us actually get off our asses on a Wednesday night and go out and buy a ticket? Not me, I'm usually home watching the tube for the day job. Tingle is characteristically upbeat about the situation, but this is just another example of how hard the performing arts business is these days. And if a politically charged, comedy/theater venture like this can't make it in Somerville, well, good luck getting something going in, uh, Braintree or anyplace where you'd be preaching to the un-converted. I'm glad Bostonist was on this, anyway. But I can't help feeling a little...implicated. Least we can all do is buy a ticket this weekend.

Comments

[Ron Newman]

Jimmy Tingle's is not "in Cambridge". It's in Somerville.

[David Miller]

Your observations resonate particularly strongly for me at this time. Zeitgeist Stage Company is co-presenting the Boston area premiere of The Kentucky Cycle by Robert Schenkkan. Winner of the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the Cycle is 9 plays over 6 hours in 2 parts with 23 actors portraying over 120 roles covering 7 generations of 3 families over 200 years. Two fringe theater companies have joined forces to present this ambitious production in the 90 seat Plaza Black Box Theater at the Boston Center for the Arts.

The show has received glowing reviews. In The Boston Globe, Louise Kennedy observed, “Huge, engrossing, and powerful in the way that only an epic can be.”
Carolyn Clay in The Boston Phoenix called it, “A sweeping, small-scale triumph.” While Iris Fanger in The Patriot Ledger called The Kentucky Cycle, “A theatrical privilege not to be missed!”

However, three weeks into the run, most nights there are more actors on stage than in the audience, and numerous times those in attendance have been in the single digits. How many people, indeed, actually attend alternative venues for edgy theater on a Wednesday, Friday or even a Saturday night?

Having operated a fringe theater company in Boston for six years and, typically, presenting little known works by lesser known playwrights, we’ve faced our share of small houses and marketing challenges. However, a Pulitzer Prize winning American Epic presented in an intimate setting, and seemingly presented very well indeed, didn’t appear it would be the tough sell it has turned out to be.

So, please, before bemoaning the lack of theatrical opportunities out there, explore the alternative offerings of the smaller venues all around town. You may be very pleasantly surprised you did.

Sincerely,
David J. Miller
Producing Artistic Director
Zeitgeist Stage Company

[JB]

Somerville, yes, my apologies to Davis Square