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The Specifics on The Generic | Print |  E-mail
Written by Clyde Berry   
Wednesday, 12 July 2006
Article Index
The Specifics on The Generic
1.) Is the Generic going to be around next year?
2.) What is happening with the Generic Building?
3.) Do you support the recent changes that have happened at the Generic?
4.) What support did you get from the Artistic Director/Board of Directors?
5.) I asked Ms. Wray to comment on the way the board allegedly responds to reviews...
6.) Did you feel you had artistic control over your work?
7.) What resources were available to help you in production?
8.) What is going to happen to Dog Days?
9.) Why did the Generic dismiss Boerman/Robbins?
10.) Has the Generic had a hard time getting people with the staff changes?
11.) How would you rate the publicity of your show?
12.) How would you rate the success of your show?/What was the run of your show like?
13.) I asked Ms. Wray about their show cancellation policy...
14.) Would you work there again?
15.) I asked if the Generic had any favorite directors or actor...
16.) I asked about the number and make up of the current board...
17.) What is next season?
18.) Is the Generic Broke?
19.) Personal comments from Patricia Wray...

Personal comments from Patricia Wray...

Ms. Wray was so kind as to address all the questions raised during our phone interview, that I asked her and felt it appropriate to see if she had any final thoughts that she wanted to make. Her response is below.

The Generic has had some rough years and mess ups have been made and certain people have been put off. But I don’t think anything has been intentional at the Generic. We have a lot of good, well-intentioned people. It has been struggling for a few years. We are trying to move The Generic forward. With the notice that we had to move, a lot of people felt that that was the death knell. And there may be people looking forward to that. I went to the web site. I don’t like to be competitive with other groups. Good shows enhance everyone. If it's good musical performance or dance and if a person goes they are going to want another one and maybe try another venue. That’s one thing I found a little bit disheartening-- they are drawing lines. I find this distasteful and detrimental to the arts altogether.

I don’t think we are going to be the old Generic, we don’t want to be. We welcome anyone who wants us to move ahead.

I don’t think we are going to be the old Generic, we don’t want to be. We welcome anyone who wants us to move ahead. I know there are people who have had negative experiences. There are always two sides to everything, we don’t go out and talk about the negative aspects of things to other people. But I don’t feel like we have to defend anything. The theater will be here long after we move on and it should stand on its own. Those who wait for its demise should help move it forward. I was talking to a local commissioner with the Norfolk Arts Commission and one of the things that was disheartening to them was that they were seeing lines being drawn in other arts groups. I hate to see this happen in the arts. I think the arts should be above all this, people look to the arts in times of trouble or strife, if we start acting like the rest of the world, where is the hope?



 

comments

On a lighter note, thanks to all this free , controversal publicity about the Generic and The Adjustment, Denis Malone now has one of the stupendously inflated egos I have ever seen. So these stupid blogs do have their uses after all. See Denis float! Lighten up, it's only a dream.--Hank

Posted by Hank, on 07/26/2006 at 08:23

Generics are being very cautious these days about public controversy. Why? They are under litigation from the former Artistic Director, Stacy. Which is even more interesting since Ms Stacy also sued Theatre IV in Richmond for even more frivolous reasons before she came to the Generic. One can only wonder why they (Ms Xander et al) didn't check out her resume with her former employer (Bruce at Theatre IV).

Posted by George, on 07/25/2006 at 06:43

It is of no surprise to me that The Generic Theater gave no acknowledgement or recognition to the final show of the season, the one responsible for the majority of trafficking and controversy it received. This is the exact reason why The Generic Theater will always be a struggling theater instead of a revealing power and dominant force in our community!

Posted by Terry, on 07/24/2006 at 06:45

I don't know anything about the Generic theater nor any of the people involved, but I will say one thing. Are you sure it isn't an audition site for a reality show about the angst of a local theater? --C

Posted by Christine, on 07/21/2006 at 06:33

See I couldn't have made that posting. I don't even know how to work these darn things!
TJ

Posted by terry jernigan, on 07/19/2006 at 06:58

Hmm?! INDEED! I am Terry Jernigan and I have recieved several phone calls asking if I was the the Terry Jern who submitted a slanderous blog on Tuesday 18 July 2006 against The Generic and persons involved. No I am not. For the record I support the Arts in all forms in Hampton Roads and I have been a fan of The Generic Theatre since origins in the early 1980's. I am also a suporter and fan of my personal friend Christa Jones. I am excited at what she will bring to the Generic Theatre and what The Generic will offer the whole of Hampton Roads.
Good luck & Godspeed in all you do! ~:0)TJ

Posted by TERRYJERNIGAN, on 07/19/2006 at 06:55

Hmm?! INDEED! I am Terry Jernigan and I have recieved several phone calls asking if I was the the Terry Jern who submitted a slanderous blog on Tuesday 18 July 2006 against The Generic and persons involved. No I am not. For the record I support the Arts in all forms in Hampton Roads and I have been a fan of The Generic Theatre since origins in the early 1980's. I am also a suporter and fan of my personal friend Christa Jones. I am excited at what she will bring to the Generic Theatre and what The Generic will offer the whole of Hampton Roads.
Good luck & Godspeed in all you do! TJ

Posted by TERRYJERNIGAN, on 07/19/2006 at 06:54

Hmm?! INDEED! I am Terry Jernigan and I have recieved several phone calls asking if I was the the Terry Jern who submitted a slanderous blog on Tuesday 18 July 2006 against The Generic and persons involved. No I am not. For the record I support the Arts in all forms in Hampton Roads and I have been a fan of The Generic Theatre since origins in the early 1980's. I am also a suporter and fan of my personal friend Christa Jones. I am excited at what she will bring to the Generic Theatre and what The Generic will offer the whole of Hampton Roads.
Good luck & Godspeed in all you do!

Posted by TERRY JERNIGAN, on 07/19/2006 at 06:53

For the education of your writers and readers: The first actress of the season had to drop out due to personal affairs that now need her undivided attention- absolutely no firing was involved whatsoever. 'The Pillowman' had to be removed from the season simply because the publisher has not yet released amateur rights to the produciton.

Posted by Christa Jones, on 07/19/2006 at 11:24

Hmm?!
It seems that the first actress of the season has been fired by Krista Jones, a new firebrand of the Generic, and Pillowman (a very strong male play) has been axed. Perhaps it is true, then, that the Generic's new direction is rabid feminist with a slice of power lesbian on the side. Coincidence?

Posted by Terry Jern, on 07/18/2006 at 08:38

of course the board at the generic has a personal approach to the theater's running. it is well known that to be a board member one is expected to contribute financially to the theater. so-called 'checkbook meetings.'
really must challenge ms. wray's assertion that in the past the board was made up primarily of actors and now is composed of mostly business people. this is simply not true.
perhaps it is time for the city to take back the generic, eliminate the board entirely, and put the reins back where they belong. in the capable hands of janet mcmanus, the supervisor of lakewood dance and music (formerly dance, music and theater) center.

Posted by a friend, on 07/18/2006 at 06:48

Well, where do I begin? This article says everything and yet nothing. The beginning of the end of The Generic occurred with the unfortunate death of Gerry Rowe. He was the guiding light and a powerful person who was able to rein in the Board of Directors. His end brought the theatre into the tailspin it currently suffers from. Steve Harders, a magnificant Artistic Director, was constantly harassed by the board, but luckily his brilliance and talent was recognized and protected by Mr Rowe. A small example of the Board's 'logic'-during the inception of 'the Broken Jug', Steve's personal adaption of the German playwright, the board demanded that a play without intermission wouldn't sell any candy bars or soda, so against Steve's will the play was split in two. Pettiness personified. This, and many other examples which won't be cited, only prove that if the Board of Directors, including Ms Wray want to point the finger of blame, remember you have four more fingers pointing back at yourself. Stacy, though, was a funny situation. The divine Miss X pushed her AD candidacy through, hoping to controlher, and Stacy turned right around and accused Miss X of pre-casting. The fox outfoxed! By the way, that space was used by TCC years before the Generic located there under the Dept of Dance, music and theatre.--Chip

Posted by Chip, on 07/14/2006 at 07:28

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