Every play is rhythmic control. If you want an audience to go on a journey, it's rhythmic control. You're crafting when they lean in, when they push back, when they breathe, when they surrender.
George C. WolfeRead
Commercial theater, in its agenda to appeal to everybody, is often at the expense of the unique vision of the artist.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Commercial theater prioritizes mass appeal over the individual creativity of artists.
George C. Wolfe highlights the tension between commercial interests and artistic integrity within theater. He suggests that when theater productions aim solely to attract broad audiences, they can compromise the distinctive visions of the artists, leading to a dilution of creativity and originality in the performing arts.
Themes
TheaterArtistic IntegrityCommercializationCreativityVision
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion on the impact of commercialism in the arts, this quote effectively underscores the need for artistic vision.
More from George C. Wolfe
All quotes →One of the things I learned very early on was that if you cast the show correctly, and if you've created the right energy in the room, the solution is also in the room. The solution doesn't necessarily come from someone, but if everybody is working in a very steadfast and rigorous way, then everything you're looking for is in the room.
George C. WolfeRead
A musical is what happens when text collides with motion collides with song collides with spectacle. And spectacle can be the human heart; it doesn't necessarily have to be a helicopter crashing.
George C. WolfeRead
The wonderful thing about theater is that it has so many people involved in the creation of it. The worst thing about theater is that it has so many people involved in the creation of it. That dynamic is thrilling and challenging every time you make a show.
George C. WolfeRead
I was raised to believe that other people's suffering was my responsibility.
George C. WolfeRead
I think I am the first person of color to direct a major white play on Broadway. In 1993? That's astounding to me. And horrifying to me.
George C. WolfeRead
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