This conversation has come up a lot lately: what rights do directors and producers have when it comes to changing a playwrights work? The answer is simply: None unless you receive permission from the playwright. And please, dont insult me with Sandy Duncan played Peter Pan which I saw on Broadway when I was 7 years old btw (thanks Susan E. Rusch). Yes, gender changing is changing the play. Ive seen advertisements for all female casts of Glengarry Glen Ross which Im sure Mamet knew of and didnt seem to mind. But the student in Oleanna needs to be female or it makes no sense. Like the play or not, it makes no sense. And dont get me going on the all female Reservoir Dogs, which is crap and just a scheme for a producer to make a quick buck, apparently dozens of times to be exact. Its not even a play!!! Neil Simon actually wrote a new version of The Odd Couple where Felix and Oscar are women, since it was being done so much. Great idea! But, if it doesnt make sense, dont put your artistic liberties on someone elses work. Plus for gods sake, theres not enough roles for women to begin with!!! Oh, while Im at it, if your about to produce The Vagina monologues for the 100th time, might I suggest a better all female monologue play. Its called To the new Girl by the ultra talented Samantha Macher. There, my rant is now done. :-)
Posted on: Fri, 27 Jun 2014 17:52:23 +0000