bens fifty cent burritos

[Shawn Huffman]

Dear Howard,

I would say that the majority of the people on this list are academics.
There *are*, however, people on this list who are writers, theatre
professionals, librarians etc.  If you really want to find out who is on
the list, send a request to majordomo for the list of subscribers.

It wasn't that you last posting wasn't PC (whatever you mean by that) that
raised the ire of a few members, it was your cavalier flaming of a list
that you feel is slow (and it is) and your seeming lack of willingness to
acknowledge your part in this slowness.  One thing of which you should be
aware is that this is *not* a job information list.  There are other
places for that type of info and a couple hours in your library or on the
internet should help you find it (have you visited the Candrama web page
for example?)  This is a place for ideas, for exchange and for debate.  It
seems to me that these activities should include academics, theatre
professionals, librarians, historians, etc.  You seem to insinuate that
academics don't *do* anything.  A strange assertion from someone in a
university theatre program...  Have you ever been to a colloquuim?  Do you
know that in a good number of theatre conferences, professional actors,
writers, scenographers, costume artists etc attend, give papers, give
demonstrations, actually SHOW you what is going on in the theatre world?
In terms of not having the cash to attend, have you looked to your
university or to other possible sources of funding?  They are out there
and frankly, if you want to make a decent go of a career in theatre, you
are going to have to be a little more ressourceful.  It won't be delivered
to you, and especially not through a discussion list.

I like your expression that Candrama is a kind of promise -- you place a
lot of responsiblity on the members of Candrama to be proactive, to
discuss and promote Canadian theatre.  Other members have already pointed
out that you too are a member-- and a part of that promise.  You are
perfectly correct to criticise the silence of this list.  But use your
energy to start a debate, not to squelch it before it even gets a chance.

Shawn Huffman, self identified Academic, theatre-goer, and fan of the
creative process



On Sun, 20 Sep 1998, Howard Beye wrote:

> Dear Canadian Theatre people
>     I guess my last posting wasn't very P.CB.!!! Theatre is not supposed
> to be politically correct it is, in my view, at its finest when it is
> challenging the status quo. Can anyone give me a breakdown on the
> demographics of this list vis-a-vis Theatre Academics, Students, Support
> staff and working professionals of any denomination. I am happy to
> acknowledge fault here but the very name of this list to me is a kind of
> promise: Candrama = Canadian Drama and I just don't feel that the true
> breadth and depth of Canadian drama is represented by this list at the
> present time. Has anyone done any hard copy marketing of the list to the
> Theatre companies across Canada or perhaps to the various actors unions
> etcetera. My interest is to find out what is going on professionally in
> Canada as my goal upon leaving University is to try and work
> professionally. At the moment in Canada there are about two tenure track
> positions teaching theatre and I would need to have a Ph.D of course and
> heh that is six long years away. I am sure there are more sessional and
> term positions but they require the M.A and thats two long years away.
> So if there is no interest on the part of the subscribers of this list
> in what is going on in the realm of professional theatre then I am in
> the wrong list and will be very appreciative of any info about lists
> that serve the professional actors and directors.
> Not out yet
> Yours Howard
>