Don't know about you, but I've done readings where there were more people in the cast than in the audience - especially if it's a musical -- lol!
Fortunately this wasn't the case with BACK IN THE WORLD.
Don't get me wrong, the audience was small, but I was okay with that; because the people who showed up were the people really interested in the material and what it had to say, AND...It has been my experience that small audiences tend to be more honest with you during the Talkback.
The reading of BACK IN THE WORLD went very well. The audience listened to what each character had to say. They laughed and cried at the things each character laughed and cried at...and there were a lot of thought provoking nods.
"Conversation starter" was the term heard from several in the audience.
The few women that were in the audience expressed appreciation for talking about the war at home, and its effects on their families; confirming to the cast and myself, that we had accomplished what we set out to do.
The other great thing I love about a reading?
You, as the playwright, find out what you need to get rid of in the terms of un-needed/wasted dialog and lyrics. For me, it was not a "killing your babies" experience.
A career that spanned 30 years of writing/directing radio and television commercials taught me not shed a tear over getting rid of un-needed copy/dialog.
In fact, the babies I had to kill... I was pretty sure I was going to have to kill anyway and should have listened to my gut and done so.
If there was anything disappointing, but not surprising?
Poor veteran turnout.
Just my opinion, but we vets - especially we Vietnam vets -- may still have a little bit of a chip on our shoulders, and assume that any play/film about Vietnam is going to talk trash about us. OR...maybe the memories are still just too painful.
Again, just my opinion... it's time for we men and women who served in Vietnam - for those who have served in any past or present conflict. When you're ready...it's time to share our place in history. We earned it, dammit!
We don't need to get into what I call "war porn" - the blood and the guts. But our service was/is valuable. If not to us, maybe to our families.
Thanks for taking the time to read my blog!
Loren
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