| OCR Text |
Show ' I Investing in playwrights, not plays By Don Nelsen New York Daily News Writer I dont think NEW YORK you people understand that a theater is an idea of a single person. Take away that person and you dont have a theater." kind of talent he wants. "He did the whole thing himself, which I more and more would like to happen. Most of the new musicals were doing are a single person writing everything, which is the way it should be: one artistic vision." Joseph Papp admires that statement and the man who made it..He admires it not only because he sees himself as that person but because the statement was actually made about him. In 1959, producer Robert Whitehead stood up to a group that was demanding Papps ouster as head of the budding New York Shakespeare Festivals summer series in Central Park. Whitehead's statement, which Papp quoted in a recent interview, helped turn the tide so that it swept over the objections of Robert Moses, the formidable tyrant who ran New Yorks parks for decades. 'Til never forget what he did," Papp says. "I'll do anything for Papp also relishes making pop versions of the classics. That essentially describes "Pirates of Penzance," which enjoyed a long Broadway run before Papp made a movie of it. And theres another one comversion of ing: A Donizettis "Don Pasquale, slyly retitled Non Pasquale," will follow Kevin Kline's "Richard III, currently playing at Central Park's Theater this summer to celebrate the Festival's 28th season. Whitehead. Those sentiments by Whitehead and Papp provide a pretty good insight into the most imaginative and exasperating man on the New York tongue-in-chee- k te "Non Pasquale," Papp promises, "will have a whole new book, a different story and totally new orchestrations. Were way behind on it now, but Will Leach (the director) will do it! His voice left no room for doubt. Papp remains convinced of "Richthofens essential quality: It had tremendous potential. We just didn't have enough time to bring it theater scene. Joseph Papp runs the off. But why didnt he give it the Shakespeare Festival as a personal time after dropping all those bucks fief, a powerful one that he has made into it? Well, McAnuff had been in his image, and his fierce sense of working on it two years and he told loyalty to the people he works with me, I qan do it.' I had my own demands an equally fierce loyalty in doubts, but I bad to take the chance. return. He hates the thought that I trust him, hes very smart, but he someone will "use" him. became so involved with the technical aspects of it that he didn't spend imis a with tough fighter Papp mense knowledge of Shakespeare, a the time needed on the text. Anyis marvelous." sort of Bard with boxing gloves, a way, the work itself hip Don Quixote forever searching Papp is also taking more of an for new creative windmills. He has interest now in British playwrights. Does this signal a change in course long since decamped the streets of Brooklyn's Williamsburg, but the for the Public Theater from its trascrappy youngster who fought on ditional role 6f encouraging native them is father to the man Though he talent? Perhaps. Papp is certainly controls millions of dollars, he does tired of certain kinds of American not think of himself as a shrewd plays, particularly, he says, those businessman because the play is about sickness and about mothers more important to him than the and daughters. money. He will sink thousands into a "For the first time in years." he show $575,000 in the case of the notes, Tve done three British plays, recent "The Death of Von Richthotwo by Caryl Churchill ("Top Girls fen as Witnessed From Earth," and the current Fen), one by Danot vid Hare which ran for a bare six weeks (Plenty). Why do I do these plays? Well, Hares play cermerely as an investment but because he believes in it. As he sees it, tainly deals with a womans personhe invests in playwrights rather al life, very deeply psychologically than plays. true, but its about the world. Were living in a world now where lives Papp may become angry at speare going in so many different direccific critical sallies, but he knows that history is made by people who tions, we dont know where were gocan forge idealism and passion into ing to end up, and I feel the theater has to be in touch with that. Ameria powerful tool for getting things can writers in the past few years done. have been writing in their own heads What he thinks today may very and bellies. That tires me out. Caryl well augur a change in policy at the Public Theater, which is the main Churchill writes extraordinarily compassionate things, but she's in showcase of the New York Shakethe world. Theres a social view' he For Festival. example, speare thinks Des McAnuff, who wrote the point." book, music and lyrics for Richtho-fe- n Papp is articulate and blunt, terand directed it as well, is the rifyingly so to some. He not only wright who was once Papp's chief playreader, sees the problem a different way. Ribalow claims that a director should change his mind when something doesn't work. "I've worked on shows with Joe when he's said. Well, this is what the scene is about And theyll do it (his way), and if its not working he'll walk up and say, 'Forget it. That's wrong Now this is what the scene is and its something comabout pletely different. There are people who have trouble adapting to that because they still remember that 10 minutes ago he said something else. "But if its not working, hes right to check it immediately. Theres no point in saying, Well, that didn't work but I thought it would so maybe we ought to keep working on it. I mean, what's the point?" Despite the public rows, the occasional patronizing attitude, the hint of the martyr, there is no doubt that Papp commands enormous respect among theater people, even those with whom he has quarreled. Bernard Gersten, now a vice president at Radio City Music Hall, spent 18 years at the Festival as Papps second in command. When Papp dismissed him in 1978 with two words Youre fired!" - it was, in Ger-stewords, "the most profound and complex trauma of my life." thinks he's right, he knows it. Consequently, he has had some celebrated battles in recent years with playwrights he has championed. There was a particularly sore parting between Papp and David Rabe, whose "Basic Training of Pavlo hummel," Sticks and Bones" and "In the Boom Boom Room" were first produced at the Festival. All these troubles have been more or less resolved and, according to Papp, mostly on his initiative. Only one that with Sam Shepard over Papps production of "True West two years ago remains unreconciled. Papp has tried, he says, but Shepard wasnt interested Still, "I can't harbor a grudge against him. He was absolutely wrong about the situation at the time, but still, anytime he would send me a play I would do it because he's a first-clas- s playwright. I dont harbor a grudge against anybody. David Rabe, we had a thing. I wooed him back for two years. It had nothing whatever to do with money. I didnt need him. I said, who needed this may sound him? But I felt that I was helping him." peculiar It is this idea of helping" a playwright with his work that has been at the root of some of Papps recent troubles. An author who has dealt with Papp describes the chiefs normal procedure: Joe usually begins by backing the playwright and the director to the hilt. Then, a week or so before the work opens, he comes in to take a look. If he doesn't like what he sees, he starts to make suggestions. And those suggestions can be confusing. Says another playwright who declined to be named: Joe is a wonderful, inventive, brilliant producer but the very quality that makes him a great producer makes him a lousy director. For instance, he keeps throwing ideas at the actors until theyre so confused they don't know where theyre at. But Meier Z. Ribalow, a play- - The good news is Jonathans having his first affair. Still, it seems beyond question a reconciliation, Gersten maintains a deep, abiding love for his former boss. And he offers the possibility that the old team might get back together on a venture or two. He and Papp have already tossed a couple of ideas around: "We were going to have Jewish high holiday services at Radio City. I called Joe and told him, Youre the only one who can do this. He said, Let's do it. but it didn't the project having come off turned out to be more complicated than either man thought But grandiosity has never scared Papp. Neither has change. that today, after The bad news is she's his roommate's mother. - DIANE KEATON A great love story - . -- Ell Sunday, July 24. 1983 New York Shakespeare Fest producer Joseph Papp says hes tired of plays about sickness and mothers, daughters. -- WARREN BEATTY - The Salt Lake Tribune R-- Oftidft PILlUHkb : HvlvdStH .266 3608. TROUEY,$OUAR! FAMILY CENTER THEATRE SHs 4 kst Mb 12:30.2:20,4:10. 6:00, 7:50. 9:40 m 6:00, 7:50. 9:40 MMNTMUTMS INCA! COTTDW1000'lAl EMANN 1:15,3:15,5:15 SOOlMGMANOCtt J:15,9:I5 27M7M NEWSWEEK MIX MANN ( I ! I f PARAMOUNT PICTURE A MAMM 0 f Mf OAO N SOUTM 2:00, 7:00 1:00, 4:30, 8:00 CSO WASATCH 1:00, , BlVD 4:30,8:00 1 t Sa ;M o V : yj :00, 4:30, 8:00 Some veiy funny business. TI.II)IJI!l,l!!'lly ,(521-61- IX. 0. 8 TROUEY SQUARE THEATRE vs a (.,, DAN AYKROYD xl 12:40, 2:30. A 8:00, 9:50 I 4:20, 6:10, LyJf II f m EDDIE MURPHY tv. I PARAMOUNT PICTURE A 266-359- 2:30, 2:45 5:00, 7:30 VILLA 3092 HIGHLAND DR. T1 MANN 1 FAMILY CENTER TtOLUT 10:00 lkm2E i f o tunion B'vd ' "TTi I 22 TT THCAftS 6 1 7th SMASH WEEK!!! l- -l THtATWtS 1 6 Pt PWQQQ PQAD J S41HSOITM 969 MANN ) 12:05, 2:05, 4 .05 6 05. 8:05. 10:05 1 FliCK 2 MhtAST AT SihSOUtH 1:10, 5:30, 9:50 12:45. 3:00, 5:15 Blue Thunder 7:30. 9:45 3:15.7:35 .v Si )T ONLY HAPPENED ONCE TMf 3rd GREAT WEEK!! SAMUfl GOlOwr N COHIAANV t.-- MANN THEATRES 02 FLICK AT 2 SQUARE 5th SOUTH BEFOtfWTHI MAN. All OVU AGAIN. MUSICltHE MOW,' NOW ITS HAPPENING HE V 1:00, 3:00 5:00.7:15 9:30 363-MAN- . JIM niicAiio Wllli irMim - IMM vnbsns 'S' lWfl!T!ll! li i "!SJ0i li e: iVV MS SJ WITH V4UOATON 12:30, 2:30, 4:45 7:00, 9: 15 IN 30! uuwontfkAnui OPEN 8:00, CO-HI- DAILY AT DOLBY STEREO! 30 4 CHRISTOPHER REEVE RICHARD PRYOR T "CONAN THE BARBARIAN" (R) "JAWS" IS NOT SHOWN IN - V cREDWOOD AwkiNu U ri H-ir- fy'HtiH 973-708- .i MRS v Q AT THE DRIVE IN Ell PD UW .MITU ttUIITU.r A Mann 6 rtu IIH HOWOOOROAO PARAMOUNT PICTURE SAIMSOUIM 2ND EAST 33HO SOUTH HP" SAIT LAKt CITY 1:15, 3:15, 5:15 7:15, 9: 15 IN 3D! DAILY k 2:30, 5:00 7:30. 10:00 2:00, 4:35 7:10. B:45 THEATRE 11:30, 1:40, 3:50 &00, 8:10, 10:10 IN 3D! nhj 969 MANN 1:45, 4:30 7:15, 9:45 OOLBY STEREO! DAILY REDWOOD 12:30, 2:30. 5.00. 7:30, 9.45 Ctert mi Sundtj grcwnicro" ARTHUR" 14)0 OPEN pnonn I COTTtXMWt Mr nr. 1 3 00, 5:15. 7:30, 9:45 973-708- DAILY AT AT ii 0O m MAU 4 i I DAILY OPEN AT cm intAimJ "GREASE" (PG) 973-708- AT DAILY 1.20. 3:20, 5:20 7:30, 9:40v. SORRY NO PASSE& 8:00 CO HIT DOLBY STEREO! .. cREDWOOD WV&4N auni AT 11:00, 1:10, 3:20 5:40, 8 00, 10:10 |
