Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Neil Simon

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falstaff29
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Topic: Neil Simon
Posted: 12/20/09 at 8:02pm

What's so great about Neil Simon? Seems like he gets a huge amount of business on the community level. I've never really found him that funny, especially compared to some other comedic playwrights who are less popular, and I'd like to hear other people weigh in. To those who like or love Neil, I'm not trying to be insulting; rather, I'm asking out of curiosity and maybe to gain an appreciation or at least acceptance for the man's work. Are there other people out there like me who think he's overrated? Why? Or are we missing something?

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Spectrum
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Posted: 12/20/09 at 10:21pm

I'm with you on thinking Neil Simon is overrated as a playwright, but he comes from the 50's - 60's (a time very familiar and nostalgic for the baby boomer crowd), and his plays are 'safe funny' and easy to produce, so they play well to the community theatre scene. Like it or not, FAMILIAR and COMEDY always works best for community theatres and his plays are very well known to the general public because of that. It feeds on itself. To use a restaurant/food analogy, most people don't want to 'try a new flavor' if they have to risk $15 - $20 to taste. Most go with a known dish. Community theatres are rarely in a position to take the things in demand off the menu and offer only new and unknown dishes. Once they try 'cutting edge' or controversial as a regular fare, they are no longer seen as 'community theatre.' Well, that's my take on it anyway.

Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional.

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Topper
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Posted: 12/20/09 at 10:36pm

I have seen and been involved in numerous productions of Neil Simon's plays both in the community theater and in the professional theater. I believe he deserves more credit than what is being said here. His plays have been around for so long now they've become familiar, but his writing style is such that it doesn't take much "acting" to deliver a funny performance.

I am sure that is why his plays continue to be so popular with the community theater crowd. They are practically fool-proof in that they produce reliable laughs (and a reliable audience.) Very few professional theaters perform his works because of the over-use in CT's, but those that do also benefit from the craftsmanship in his plays.

In the hands of talented (or even non-talented) amateurs, the plays are still funny. When placed in the hands of skilled professionals, the results can often be truly side-splitting.

It's a product, to be sure. They same reason one continually purchases the same make of car, shampoo or oven cleaner. They know the results will be worth the money.

"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone

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Spectrum
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Posted: 12/20/09 at 11:06pm

The fact that even unskilled actors can deliver a funny performance in most of Neil Simon's plays is one thing I hadn't considered, but you're right, Topper. That is probably another good reason his plays are common fare for community theatres. The humor is a bit outdated, but it is pretty much fool proof. And as for professional level performances, I remember seeing a performance of BAREFOOT IN THE PARK a long time ago with Richard Thomas, Bess Armstrong, Barbara Barry, and I want to say Art Carney (but I don't clearly remember). That was the paradigm of how that play should be done. It was wonderful.

However, I still stand on my belief that anything that is popular in community theatres is aided by FAMILIARITY, and while Neil Simon's plays are popular (for whatever reason), they are tremendously dated and overdone at the community theatre level. THAT is why I find him overrated.

Edited by Spectrum - 5/05/10 at 9:39pm

Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional.

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pdavis69
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Posted: 12/21/09 at 10:22am

His name puts butts in the seats and pays the bills. On top of that the actors enjoy being in his shows.

Patrick L. Davis
Fort Findlay Playhouse

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MartyW
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Posted: 12/21/09 at 1:34pm

Where I don't always "Love" his stuff, I have done quite a bit of it... Once, while sitting on the board of a C.T. in Maryland, it was brought up that we seemed to be doing a great deal of his work, to the exclusion of others. My reply, for as much as it puts butts in the seats, I didn't care if we did a whole season of it and renamed the theater the Neil Simon Players...

Marty W

"Till next we trod the boards.."

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gaftpres
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Posted: 1/19/10 at 10:21am

We are currently doing Brighton Beach Memoirs by Neil Simon.....any advice? good or bad...I am personally not in it or directing, but I have to agree that his comedy is dated and it takes a particular audience to appreciate his work.

Old volunteers never die, they just get recycled!

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johnmh
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Posted: 1/21/10 at 5:16pm

BE CAREFUL. Don't generalize about Simon plays. Some are very funny and play well to most audiences.(Odd Couple) These are usually his earlier works. As all of us do, Simon changed with the years. Some later shows were not really funny at all (Jake's Women) and very adult in subject matter. Others, like "Fools" only work well if played as a farcical fairy tale. Play this show straight and I guarantee a loser.

John Hardaway
Director for 3 theaters in Southern Indiana
"In the biz" since 1963

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Author	Message
falstaff29 Celebrity Joined: 9/17/04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 155	Topic: Neil Simon Posted: 12/20/09 at 8:02pm
	What's so great about Neil Simon? Seems like he gets a huge amount of business on the community level. I've never really found him that funny, especially compared to some other comedic playwrights who are less popular, and I'd like to hear other people weigh in. To those who like or love Neil, I'm not trying to be insulting; rather, I'm asking out of curiosity and maybe to gain an appreciation or at least acceptance for the man's work. Are there other people out there like me who think he's overrated? Why? Or are we missing something?

	IP Logged

Spectrum Celebrity Joined: 4/16/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 176	Posted: 12/20/09 at 10:21pm
	I'm with you on thinking Neil Simon is overrated as a playwright, but he comes from the 50's - 60's (a time very familiar and nostalgic for the baby boomer crowd), and his plays are 'safe funny' and easy to produce, so they play well to the community theatre scene. Like it or not, FAMILIAR and COMEDY always works best for community theatres and his plays are very well known to the general public because of that. It feeds on itself. To use a restaurant/food analogy, most people don't want to 'try a new flavor' if they have to risk $15 - $20 to taste. Most go with a known dish. Community theatres are rarely in a position to take the things in demand off the menu and offer only new and unknown dishes. Once they try 'cutting edge' or controversial as a regular fare, they are no longer seen as 'community theatre.' Well, that's my take on it anyway.
	Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional.
	IP Logged

Topper Celebrity Joined: 1/27/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 543	Posted: 12/20/09 at 10:36pm
	I have seen and been involved in numerous productions of Neil Simon's plays both in the community theater and in the professional theater. I believe he deserves more credit than what is being said here. His plays have been around for so long now they've become familiar, but his writing style is such that it doesn't take much "acting" to deliver a funny performance. I am sure that is why his plays continue to be so popular with the community theater crowd. They are practically fool-proof in that they produce reliable laughs (and a reliable audience.) Very few professional theaters perform his works because of the over-use in CT's, but those that do also benefit from the craftsmanship in his plays. In the hands of talented (or even non-talented) amateurs, the plays are still funny. When placed in the hands of skilled professionals, the results can often be truly side-splitting. It's a product, to be sure. They same reason one continually purchases the same make of car, shampoo or oven cleaner. They know the results will be worth the money.
	"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone
	IP Logged

Spectrum Celebrity Joined: 4/16/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 176	Posted: 12/20/09 at 11:06pm
	The fact that even unskilled actors can deliver a funny performance in most of Neil Simon's plays is one thing I hadn't considered, but you're right, Topper. That is probably another good reason his plays are common fare for community theatres. The humor is a bit outdated, but it is pretty much fool proof. And as for professional level performances, I remember seeing a performance of BAREFOOT IN THE PARK a long time ago with Richard Thomas, Bess Armstrong, Barbara Barry, and I want to say Art Carney (but I don't clearly remember). That was the paradigm of how that play should be done. It was wonderful. However, I still stand on my belief that anything that is popular in community theatres is aided by FAMILIARITY, and while Neil Simon's plays are popular (for whatever reason), they are tremendously dated and overdone at the community theatre level. THAT is why I find him overrated. Edited by Spectrum - 5/05/10 at 9:39pm
	Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional.
	IP Logged

pdavis69 Celebrity Joined: 3/26/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 437	Posted: 12/21/09 at 10:22am
	His name puts butts in the seats and pays the bills. On top of that the actors enjoy being in his shows.
	Patrick L. Davis Fort Findlay Playhouse
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MartyW Celebrity Joined: 2/02/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 555	Posted: 12/21/09 at 1:34pm
	Where I don't always "Love" his stuff, I have done quite a bit of it... Once, while sitting on the board of a C.T. in Maryland, it was brought up that we seemed to be doing a great deal of his work, to the exclusion of others. My reply, for as much as it puts butts in the seats, I didn't care if we did a whole season of it and renamed the theater the Neil Simon Players...
	Marty W "Till next we trod the boards.."
	IP Logged

gaftpres Star Joined: 11/14/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 80	Posted: 1/19/10 at 10:21am
	We are currently doing Brighton Beach Memoirs by Neil Simon.....any advice? good or bad...I am personally not in it or directing, but I have to agree that his comedy is dated and it takes a particular audience to appreciate his work.
	Old volunteers never die, they just get recycled!
	IP Logged

johnmh Walk-On Joined: 6/18/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Posted: 1/21/10 at 5:16pm
	BE CAREFUL. Don't generalize about Simon plays. Some are very funny and play well to most audiences.(Odd Couple) These are usually his earlier works. As all of us do, Simon changed with the years. Some later shows were not really funny at all (Jake's Women) and very adult in subject matter. Others, like "Fools" only work well if played as a farcical fairy tale. Play this show straight and I guarantee a loser.
	John Hardaway Director for 3 theaters in Southern Indiana "In the biz" since 1963
	IP Logged

Topic: Neil Simon( Topic Closed)