Comments on: A Vital Arrogance (Reprint)

By: “Fuck You, I’ll Do It Myself” : I, Homunculus

“Fuck You, I’ll Do It Myself” : I, Homunculus — Fri, 14 May 2010 20:48:25 +0000

[...] off the boat back in 1838 – of an entrepreneurial spirit, a feeling of manifest destiny, a vital arrogance. The theme of Chicago theatre – and possibly the city itself – is a finger in the eye [...]

By: Chuck Stransky

Chuck Stransky — Thu, 06 May 2010 22:44:54 +0000

Having been in Chicago as a working actor from the late seventies to the early eighties, I was quite intrigued by Gary’s insights and particularly his his in-depth look at Chicago Theatre. I was fortunate enough to do a production of “The Primary English Class” at the St. Nicholas Theatre (La Poubelle, the Frenchman); we ran for almost a year on Halsted Ave. Also, I was asked to work with Greg & Dave on “Glengarry Glen Ross”. We started at Goodman 2, went to Broadway and a four city tour, culminating in Chicago.

No matter where in the USA I worked as an actor, I was always referred to as “A Chicago Actor”. I must say, I carry that honorific proudly.

So, Gary’s article is cogent, nostalgic and gives us an incisive history of where we came from as theatre artists & where we can go…upward & onward!

By: Wendy

Wendy — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:59:39 +0000

Thank you for posting this, Dan!

By: Arlene Lencioni

Arlene Lencioni — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:11:29 +0000

I enjoyed this article so much. I lived through much of this, so the piece worked for me on a nostalgia level, but it was much more than that. I had never looked at Chicago Theatre with Gary’s very clear, analytical eye. When I looked at it through that lens, I could appreciate how true and valuable his insights are. Thanks for posting it.

By: John Dunleavy

John Dunleavy — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 03:16:32 +0000

Dan, thanks for pulling this out. Gary is far too bashful to promote himself 8*). Great stuff!

By: Dan

Dan — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:23:42 +0000

Thanks Richard! I knew as soon as I read this that not nearly enough people could have read this the first time around – glad to know it’s finding its audience!

By: Richard Shavzin

Richard Shavzin — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:24:48 +0000

As cogent and insightful a piece that puts Chicago theatre into an historical context as it has ever been my pleasure to read. I’m disappointed that I didn’t see it in its original publication.
Kudos to Gary, and to Dan for reviving it.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:16:06 +0000

Gary – so many names in this article but one in particular, Cafe Topa where my mother had a role in Archie and Mehidable as a cat crawling around on the stage. It was such a romantic type of space never have seen anything like since. Thanks for sharing.

By: Dan

Dan — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:30:52 +0000

Thanks, Rebecca – that’s precisely the response I had when I read that article nearly a year ago – and I knew instantly I needed to get that out into the world again.

By: RebeccaZ

RebeccaZ — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:54:39 +0000

Me and specificity these days …

“Wowsers” in that there’s so much in the article that is familiar to me and I feel we could interject current Storefront theatre companies in to some of the slots and it would be the same article. As much as things change, the more they stay the same and all that happy rot.

I love the term “vital arrogance” because it encapsulates the drive that is needed to forge your own path, whether or not the scene needs you and it most likely doesn’t.

I think it’s an incredible article and I’m very glad you posted it.

(wowsers)