There is no question we are living in historical times. As such, I am often asked why isn’t theater producing more work about the current state of the nation?
One of many reasons is the process of bringing a new play to the stage takes a minimum of three years. By the time a new play about current events would get a production it would be out-of-date.
For example, in 2018, “Red Maple”, a play by local playwright-actor-director David Bunce won the Next Act Play Festival at Capital Repertory theater in Albany. A reward was a full production of the play as part of the Rep’s 2018-2019 season. It won awards, drew sold out audiences and by all measure was a success.
However, in theater it is even more difficult to get that critical second production. For Bunce and “Red Maple” that second performance came two years later. The Players, a theater company in Rhode Island, produced the comedy-drama in 2021.
Waiting another three years, in 2024, another local company, Curtain Call Theatre in Latham, took a chance by producing the play in a market in which it had already played. Again, it did well critically and commercially. It is soon to get a fourth production by the Mighty Acorn Theatre in Houston, Texas. It plays March 25-April 4.
Four productions in seven years is pretty good, but despite an impressive track record. a fifth production is still uncertain. A Broadway or Off-Broadway production is still only a dream. But if the dream is realized it will probably be in the range of ten years from its first production to a performance in New York City.
“Red Maple” is not a ground-breaking work. It’s a comedy about two couples who make disturbing discoveries about their marriages and their friendships. Too, besides laughter, it offers some telling insights about all relationships. It’s a solid work with mass commercial appeal.
However, great plays by respected playwrights can suffer the same fate. Tony Kushner’s “Angels in America” is considered one of the most important plays of the 20th century. Even this groundbreaking work had to plod its way to Broadway.
It’s first workshop was in San Francisco in 1991. The company gave the first part of the play a full production in 1992. “Angels in America - the Millennium Approaches” officially opened in London in 1993.
While it was running, Kushner developed the second part “Perestroika.”’ Both sections opened in New York City in 1993. “Millennium Approaches” in May; “Perestroika” in November. Kushner continued to tweak the play and declared it completed in 2025.
The point being that even fast-tracked plays can take multiple years from first appearing before an audience to Broadway.
A more subtle point is that regional theaters play an important role in developing new work.
Barrington Stage Company is, through March 15, offering their annual 10-minute play festival. It’s 10 original plays that last no longer than 10-minutes.
Most are light-hearted and designed for quick hit entertainment. A couple of years ago the festival offered a work by Jessica Provenz that showed an older woman going to desperate measures to make a newly single man taste her lasagna. It was so well received she decided to develop it into a full length play, “Boca”, about seniors living in a Florida retirement community. Like “Red Maple”, it has had productions throughout the country, including one at Curtain Call in Latham.
On March 6, Capital Repertory Theatre opens “Archduke.” It too is one of those plays that was nurtured at regional theaters until discovered by the mainstream. Written by the esteemed playwright Rajiv Joseph it was first produced in 2017 and was finally given an Off-Broadway run last fall. Like “Red Maple” and “Boca” it was kept alive by productions at regional theaters.
Interestingly, the New York production was announced well after the Rep placed it on their 2025-2026 season. It’s about the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. It was the event that triggered World War I. Billed as a comedy-drama, the description alone makes you want to see it. It runs through March 29.
Another unfamiliar title coming up is “The Seafarer” at Schenectady Civic Players March 20 -29. Indeed, April is filled with works that have unfamiliar titles that are treasures waiting to be discovered. Be adventurous and support the unfamiliar. Who knows? Someday they might be classics.
Bob Goepfert is theater reviewer for the Troy Record.
The views expressed by commentators are solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the views of this station or its management.
