Vegas All That Chat theater message board closes down
The big news the past couple of weeks may not seem like much to most, but it's upsetting for lots of local theater folks.
On July 30, after 14 years of operation, TalkinBroadway's Vegas All That Chat shut down. The company still has a New York and West Coast branch, but Sin City's is no more.
The Internet board was a place where show fans could announce, encourage and debate. It wasn't always for the feint of heart. (Those artist types can get emotional.) It was co-founded, along with two partners, by New York transplant John Gillespie. It had its die-hard fans, but toward the end, it was rare to see a new posting. Gillespie said he dreaded the closure and has fond memories of earlier times. He pointed out that it was on the board where members initiated a benefit at the Spring Mountain Ranch for Hurricane Katrina victims. And postings often helped directors find their actors.
"The board never reached its potential," Gillespie said. "(We) never found an audience. Instead, it was comprised of members who produce theater. They promoted their productions, which is surely a good thing, but there was no audience to discuss what they were doing."
I'll be frequently blogging, starting today, on the Review-Journal's Vegas Voice blog and hope to include readers' chats, audition information and critiques. Feel free to send me items at the e-mail address below. I hope Gillespie will be among those who have plenty to say.
I'm not an expert in modern dance, but I know what I like and I sure liked the recent Dance in the Desert Festival Las Vegas 2010 at the College of Southern Nevada's Nicholas Horn Theatre. The three-day celebration featured light, lyrical and somber vignettes from various companies in and around the area. I only attended the opening night (all three evenings offered different programs), and it was enough to give me a preliminary appreciation for the man being saluted. The innovative multimedia work by the late Alwin Nikolais was communicated not just through dance, but talk and video. I wish there had been more extensive explanations in the program notes, or at least a discussion after the show. What I saw was exciting enough to make me want to understand it better.
Las Vegas Little Theater often makes it easier than most for patrons to decide what plays during the season they'd like to see. They present snippets of the shows for the upcoming year. We recently got free glimpses of "Greater Tuna," "Doubt," "Bedroom Farce," "Prelude to a Kiss," "Jeffrey," "Lost in Yonkers," "Fuddy Meers," "Veronica's Room," "Hellcab" and "The Sum of Us." Of course, it helps that LVLT tends to stick to its announced schedule. And for those other companies that do as well, maybe they'll consider giving previews a shot? Maybe served up with some harmless hors d'oeuvres? Come on, Nevada Conservatory Theatre, do something with all those big bucks.
Anthony Del Valle can be reached at vegastheater
chat@aol.com. You can write him c/o Las Vegas Review-Journal, P.O. Box 70, Las Vegas NV 89125.
