tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1912669500934497251.post4974560015800438817..comments2023-09-29T03:39:03.460-04:00Comments on Gratuitous Violins: Notable, quotable American playsEstherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16076517542540421210noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1912669500934497251.post-22807830408157971942010-02-19T14:46:14.490-05:002010-02-19T14:46:14.490-05:00Hey, thanks so much for the comment, Lyrical Thoug...Hey, thanks so much for the comment, Lyrical Thoughts! And I definitely agree. Even the "darkest" dramas need to have a moment or two of levity. We all need to laugh every once in awhile!Estherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16076517542540421210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1912669500934497251.post-38585516045857481492010-02-19T11:23:37.252-05:002010-02-19T11:23:37.252-05:00I was surprised that I knew most of these shows, w...I was surprised that I knew most of these shows, with an exception of Fences. These are all classics and important to American theater. But it would be nice to have a play that didn't make you feel bad for every character on stage. It wouldn't hurt to laugh every once in awhile. Good drama can contain some elements of humor.Lyrical Thoughtshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10485922294602545254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1912669500934497251.post-87220624453055459732010-02-17T22:03:18.340-05:002010-02-17T22:03:18.340-05:00Hey Dorian, thanks for bringing up some of the pla...Hey Dorian, thanks for bringing up some of the playwrights on the complete list. I was going to mention them but I figured the post was getting long enough. And I do have a tendency to be long-winded!<br /><br />I also like Sarah Ruhl's work. She's a witty writer and creates interesting characters and stories. I saw "The Clean House" and really enjoyed it. And I'm planning to see "Dead Man's Cell Phone" next month.Estherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16076517542540421210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1912669500934497251.post-33086915658140901722010-02-17T22:00:51.746-05:002010-02-17T22:00:51.746-05:00Thanks for the comment, JK! That's a great poi...Thanks for the comment, JK! That's a great point about the comparison with movies. We definitely underrate the skill involved in comedy. And comedy is hard. It's relatively easy to make me cry, not as easy to make me really laugh! And believe me, I need to laugh more. I think people do tend to equate "important" with serious and weighty, though. And that's a shame.<br /><br />I definitely agree about Neil Simon, too. I'm so glad I got to see the short-lived "Brighton Beach Memoirs" revival and I'm looking forward to seeing "The Odd Couple" at Trinity Rep in Providence this spring.Estherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16076517542540421210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1912669500934497251.post-50937692556622623552010-02-17T21:55:07.791-05:002010-02-17T21:55:07.791-05:00Hey Pam, I definitely agree. I've seen the mov...Hey Pam, I definitely agree. I've seen the movie versions of a lot of classic American plays but it's only in the past few years that I've begun to see some of them on stage. And there are so many more I want to see. I'm hoping to make it to The Glass Menagerie at the Gamm, too!Estherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16076517542540421210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1912669500934497251.post-54079171722781203722010-02-17T21:52:41.137-05:002010-02-17T21:52:41.137-05:00Hey Monica, there is a sidebar to the story that l...Hey Monica, there is a sidebar to the story that lists all the plays that received votes. I think the first pure comedy would be "You Can't Take It With You" at No. 16. (I've never seen it but I think it's a comedy.) After that, The Odd Couple comes in at No. 21. I certainly would have rated it higher. Because of the TV series it's probably the play whose plot most people would be able to describe a little bit!Estherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16076517542540421210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1912669500934497251.post-41953544500376628562010-02-17T21:49:07.606-05:002010-02-17T21:49:07.606-05:00Hey Bob! From what I can recall, there's not m...Hey Bob! From what I can recall, there's not much humor in any of the top 10. Interestingly, "August: Osage County" is No. 11 and while it also deals with serious themes, I think Tracy Letts succeeded in making it very funny at the same time. Not an easy thing to do, apparently!Estherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16076517542540421210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1912669500934497251.post-84951655584243338522010-02-17T16:47:02.822-05:002010-02-17T16:47:02.822-05:00That's a good point, and a really interesting ...That's a good point, and a really interesting one. I think in general tragedy/drama tends to perceived as more "important" or "worthwhile", though I'm not sure how it is.<br /><br />Can I comment on how gratified I was that both Thompson and Goldberg included Sarah Ruhl on their personal lists (In the linked article)? I love her, and I think she's a really really interesting playwright.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1912669500934497251.post-23371612789206084052010-02-17T14:38:57.304-05:002010-02-17T14:38:57.304-05:00The lack of comedies isn't all that surprising...The lack of comedies isn't all that surprising. Look at what we are taught as far as literature in school. And look at movies - how rare a comedy is even nominated for an award, let alone win! It is strange since nearly every writer and actor of import will tell you how much harder it is to write/act comedy. Everyone agrees that Neil Simon wrote classic comedies - there is even a psychological issue identified as "The Odd Couple Syndrome." Can anyone doubt that his whole style of comedy changed the way comedy was done? No. But no one took him seriously until Brighton Beach Memoirs, and only after Lost In Yonkers was he really identified as a great playwright. I think people forget how important it is to laugh at ourselves and each other.JKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04782634274496834578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1912669500934497251.post-22027515553439290202010-02-17T11:36:01.536-05:002010-02-17T11:36:01.536-05:00This list is very timely for me. I've been t...This list is very timely for me. I've been thinking a lot lately that I would like to focus my theater going efforts on the "American Classics". This list is a great place to start. I've seen Our Town and A Raisin in the Sun (both at Trinity). The GAM theater is showing The Glass Menagerie this spring. I've been meaning to get tickets, but keep putting it off. You've motivated me to "just do it".Pamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04589606390781637262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1912669500934497251.post-9324971160956814152010-02-17T09:57:21.512-05:002010-02-17T09:57:21.512-05:00I also noticed that all of those plays are well-kn...I also noticed that all of those plays are well-known, except for maybe <i>Fences</i>. But there is a lack of comedies; no Neil Simon?Monica Reidahttp://fragmentssynapses.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1912669500934497251.post-59189123292067263322010-02-17T09:51:50.398-05:002010-02-17T09:51:50.398-05:00Good point about the lack of comedies! We American...Good point about the lack of comedies! We Americans are a serious lot, aren't we?Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356178842101974805noreply@blogger.com