Critics love "Low Pay? Don't Pay!" and Piccolo loves it's critics

Well, we love them most of the time. And to be fair, they've probably only loved us most of the time. Theatres and critics have always had an uneasy relationship, and Piccolo is no different from other theatres in that respect. We've had rotten reviews and we've had amazing reviews, often for the same show.

But no matter a theatre's relationship with the critics, we have to admit it's been a tough year for arts critics in Chicago.

Those who are not closely tied to the arts may not have even noticed the changes. But to those of us in the field, it's very clear that we are entering a new era. Because of shrinking budgets, the newspapers, magazines and journals you read every day have had to cut back on feature articles, trim the amount of staff covering the arts, or just plain limit the number of performances they review. While this news may not seem like a big deal, you'll find that arts organization and performers rely heavily on these reviews and feature articles.

Picture this: you see a listing for a show and can't find anything good that anyone has said about it. Your eyes skim past it to........a listing accompanied by a photo and article about the famous Italian Director-in-Residence, or even simply the words "Highly Recommended!". Chances are that you are much more likely to spend your money and time to see that show. Aside from personal word-of-mouth, those feature articles and reviews are the next best thing artists have to reach out to you, our patron. Artists depend on the critics to truthfully convince you to pay for tickets and patrons depend on the critics for thoughtful reviews when choosing what to spend their money on. Granted, there is no possible way to guarantee that all critics are ingenuous and discerning, just as there is no way to assure that every theatre out there is putting on life-changing, wonderful work. That's an entire separate blog entry!

So, back to the topic at hand. How do we all accept and embrace the change as the media moves away from old (paper) traditions and into the digital realm? I can only tell you from Piccolo's perspective. This is why you won't see Piccolo taking out traditional ads. It's why Piccolo is developing a strong presence on Facebook, in your email, and here on this blog. It's why we love to hear your thoughts on blogs and hear your reviews on Yelp!. This is why we are spending some of our hard-earned dough on updating our website to accommodate iPads and mobile devices. It's all because we want to make a connection with YOU! And that's why we have been welcoming reviewers and critics from sources in addition to the stalwart, old standbys. Have you seen the reviews for our current production of Low Pay? Don't Pay! ? You may not recognize all of the publications, but we urge you to become familiar with them. Check them out!

“Enthusiastically Recommended!”
–Patricia Simms, LaSplash.com

“Piccolo takes this farce and runs with it…[an] inspired production…"
– Brian Murphy, Evanston Roundtable

“Director John Szostek and [the] cast rock it till it pops…goofy, good-natured fun.”
–Paige Listerud, Chicago Theatre Blog

“…a goldmine of physical humor and sight gags…Piccolo’s savvy cast shines.”
– Tom Wittom, Pioneer Local

“[Playwright Dario] Fo will be proud”
– Charlie Trimarco, EvanstonPatch.com

Notice the new publications? We at Piccolo Theatre are so thankful to the local papers and established blogs who still send critics to see our work. And we welcome the newcomers, hoping the addition of their voices and thoughtful opinions you can trust will convince you to walk through our doors and have a good laugh with us.

By the way, there is still time to catch Low Pay? Don't Pay! Laughs and biting political/economic commentary will be running through October 23.

Want to know more about the the changes taking place in the media or the current state of arts critics? The following readings might be of interest to you.

"What is it About 20 Somethings?" New York Times Magazine
(This article lays out why the media and the rest of the world is being forced to change, thanks mostly to Gen Y!)

"Critics: Who needs 'em? Why They Still Matter." Chicago Tribune
(make sure you read pg 2 of this one.)