This Week's Hot Topic

I got a few emails from people asking me why I found NYMF sort of "scam-ish," as I referred to it last posting. I have to say, I'm no expert on this topic. I've never really researched it or paid that much attention when people spoke to me about it. BUT here is why I have always been a little confused by the way they work things there...

For Fringe, most press people are sent a pass that they can use to attend any show they want, as long as that show is not sold out. So, at the last minute, one can decide to just run into a show (as long as it does not have a very catchy title, aka is not sold out), show their little press pass and there is no drama. For NYMF, the situation is very different. Producers pay to put things on as part of the festival and yet don't really control their own tickets. What do I mean? Let's say I'm producing The Flight of the Lawnchair Man (which I have seen in enough incarnations to be part of its team). I am probably paying a good amount of money to put it on--not anywhere near the amount needed to produce a real run, but some mullah nonetheless. The festival gives me, let's say 16 comps for the 6 performances. So, less than 3 per performance. If I give some to the cast and some to potential money people and a few to reviewers, I'm out. Now, let's say my Tuesday at 4pm performance has not sold well and there are plenty of empty seats and I want to use those empty seats to invite every press person I know in hopes that they'll mention Lawnchair in future stories. I have to buy those press people their tickets. They are not mine to give away, even if they will just sit empty. So, after my first 16 tickets are gone, I'm paying $20 for every person I want to invite. So clearly I am keeping those invites down. And clearly I don't want random press just wandering in--I need to be stingy. Meanwhile, Kris Stewart gets up there and talks about how every ticket bought only pays for 1/3 of NYMF expenses... I'm not saying I doubt that, these kinds of festivals are expensive to do and I 100% admire anyone who takes it on, but.... I don't feel really bad for them because I feel, in the back of my head, there is something not quite right about how they handle things.

That being said, they do some good shows. Some shows that are not so feasible to produce--like I loved But I'm a Cheerleader (the musical, not the movie on which it is based), but watching it at last year's festival I knew it wasn't a smart Broadway or off-Broadway investment because the topic isn't Broadway and the cast is too big for off-Broadway. So I'm extremely happy NYMF exists.

This year I am particularly happy because they are doing some solo shows, including ones from Joe Iconis and Donna Lynne Champlin. Now I usually hate solo shows like this, please don't ask me to come to your cabaret, yet I've seen both of these shows before and want to recommend both. Joe Iconis--September 26 at Ars Nova--be there. He's not singing like he does on the demos I've linked to from here before. Don't worry. Now onto Donna Lynne. Anyone who reads this blog knows that she is one of my very favorite people--honestly. But, even if she wasn't, I would recommend this show. Actually, I was harder on this show than most (I was very objective reviewer watching it), and I still loved it. It's genius. You sit there and you laugh and laugh. I knew some of the stories beforehand and I still laughed and laughed. I saw it twice! She tells this story about stalking Brian d'Arcy James and, now, every time I see him I picture him hiding behind a lamppost to avoid her. It's at Ars Nova on October 1 and I say, with all sincerity, if you like musical comedy, go to this. I wouldn't push it if I didn't think it was actually damn funny. I am not on commission.