Mark Taper Forum

[VernonGersch]

Posted: 9/10/14 at 1:46am

LA's Mark Taper Forum just announced their new season and curious to hear folks thoughts

A revival of Bent directed by Moises Kaufman seems genius and Arthur Miller's The Price also sounds interesting


Mark Taper Forum - New Season

[Idiot]

Posted: 9/10/14 at 6:47pm

Tobias, you really think it's important the gender and ethnicity of a playwright? You realize that's both sexist and racist, right?

[HorseTears]

Posted: 9/10/14 at 7:09pm

Ugh. Another pointless round of bickering about privilege and representation? At this point, you either get it, or you don't. I just can't enter that fray again.

As for the actual season, it does seem like a bit of a snooze, though I would like to see Kate Burton in The Price. Had no idea she was married to Michael Ritchie. That's a power theatre couple for sure.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 9/10/14 at 7:21pm

I remember BENT being incredibly powerful when my gay buddies and I trained down from Hartford to see the original Broadway production back in '79. Haven't thought much about the play since, but I'll be fascinated to see how potent it will be in the Taper's super-intimate space after only seeing it from the protected distance of a proscenium house and the monumental formality of Santo Loquasto's stunning white Act II set.

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 9/10/14 at 10:23pm

Center Theater Group has used the Kirk Douglas Theater for years to give women and minority playwrights a launching pad for new works and an opportunity to have their work produced by a major company even though they might not be at the point where they can fill a 650 seat theater. To take them to task with such moral indignation for one season at one particular theater is ridiculous though I guess if you want to badly enough, there is always something to be "outraged" about. *SMH*

Having said that, this Taper season feels completely uninspired and does feel like they devoted almost an entire season to family dysfunction. With the possible exception of "The Price", there is not one show I am genuinely interested in. It looks to be their weakest season in the decade I've been going there. Very disappointing. And Vernon, they still haven't announced a replacement holiday show for the Ahmanson. I thought it was inconceivable they'd go dark for the entire November, December, January period in their biggest theater, but now, even I'm beginning to wonder.

[A Director]

Posted: 9/10/14 at 11:07pm

The season bill looks dull.

As for plays by women, read this. http://www.thekilroys.org/