Comments on: Theatre Review: “The Pied Piper of Hoboken” in a New Space

By: Hope

Hope — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:12:32 +0000

Thanks very much for the clarification, Karen. You rock, too!

By: karen

karen — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:53:11 +0000

Thanks for coming Hope and being ever supportive of everything!
Your description of the building is an amalgamation of several ideas in the works. The Space in Evanston is a potential model for one idea. I guess the confusion is part based in my reluctance to commit to anything until I know where the money is coming from. The only things I KNOW are, I would like for it to be able to house any art form, be professional, and contribute in establishing community throughout art forms. When we figure out where that goes… you will be one of the first to know.

You rock!

–karen

By: Hope

Hope — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 02:52:30 +0000

You’re welcome, Lou. Thanks for inviting me!

Andrew, thanks for reading and commenting. I think Lou made all of the arrangements himself: space, actors, audience. I don’t think there was a whole company involved.

I think the professional actors were all friends of Lou’s who had worked with him on various previous projects and probably hope to work with him again on future projects. (I’m not speaking for them, or for Lou; I’m just guessing.)

The space was also provided by a friend of his.

Since this is a play that has already been produced in an earlier variation elsewhere, I think Lou mostly invited people that he thought might be interested in producing the play, plus supporters who had seen earlier incarnations of the play, plus people like me that he just thought would enjoy it. He also put the word out via his Facebook status and IndianaAuditions.com, asking people to email him if they wanted to attend.

For scripts that are earlier in the development process, I think he has hired actors from time to time to read aloud his scripts-in-progress in his living room and invited a few people whose opinions he values to hear it with him and discuss it afterwards. I think he also learns a lot from the actors themselves, and from hearing the play read aloud.

I don’t know much about your situation, but if I were you, I would just start where you are in terms of actors, space, and audience. If you can’t afford to hire professional actors, ask your actor (or actor-wannabe) friends to donate their time and skills. If you can’t afford to rent a space, look for someplace you can meet for free. Some (not all ) public libraries have rooms you might be able to use, especially if you open the reading to the public. The people you invite depends on where you are in the writing process.

Anyway, good luck! (Or break a pencil, or whatever playwrights say to each other.)

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:24:56 +0000

That’s so exciting you enjoyed this staged reading! They’re enormously helpful for playwright’s and their new work so thank you so much for supporting Lou Harry and his play.

As a young, emerging playwright, I’m excited to hear about these sorts of staged readings happening. Can you provide anymore information about who hosted the reading (theatre professionals, company…etc) as I’d love to inquire about working with them on one of my pieces!

Thanks, Hope. Keep up the great work!

By: Lou

Lou — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:21:09 +0000

Thanks so much for coming out. The feedback here and elsewhere has been very helpful.

It’s a project I truly love and I look forward to finding a stage for it.

You haven’t heard/seen the last of “The Pied Piper of Hoboken,” trust me.

–Lou
“Cheese is but wild and whirling curd, my lord.”

–Lou