Blog It

Here's a short ramble as I attempt to clear my brain of the jumble of numbers currently clouding it as a result of this morning's mind numbing work on preliminary budgets for our next season:

It's looking like the reporting of arts news, critism and commentary has made a major shift from the print media to the internet. Newpapers are reducing arts coverage and laying off their staff. We're now seeing a lot of the folks who used to (and some who still do) write for the papers now blogging their work. And the arts consumer is out here too, freely giving opinions on the state of whatever strikes their fancy. Heck, the only reason I open a paper these days is to see where a feature is placed and what pictures they have.

It's a big reason we're out here too, trying to keep our connections with the folks who used to read (and write for) the paper. And frankly we've got better things to spend the money for a full page ad on, like maybe a year's salary or two.

I'm liking this blogging thing, I have to say, and part of the fun of it for me is the informality of it. In a blog you get to see more of someone's personality than an editor might allow in print. You can discover what out there is interesting to like minded people who's work isn't being supported by ad sales. And that review or feature in the paper that didn't quite make sense in it's 350 word version is expounded upon and debated, even critized. And then there's just plain opinion. Plenty of it. Fun!

It might(or might not) suprise you that I don't work in the Marketing department. In the Huntington org chart Temple Gill, our Director of Marketing, is my peer. I've been given free reign (so far) to write about whatever I like. They even don't proof or edit. Explains a lot, eh?

I do like it when people actually come to the theatres and see our work, however, so you'll definitely see me plugging the shows, feature our promotions, and be slightly editorial in the selection of reviews that I point you to.

I'd love to see this blog evolve into something a little more interactive so feel free to respond to a post or write in something completely random about a Huntington experience you've had.

We're still working on getting some other poor sucker to volunteer to give you a peek into some of the other stuff that goes on around the Huntington besides the stagecraft.

Anyway.... the point of all this was to send you off on your own to explore a few more of the blogs and links that I've discovered over the last few weeks of exploration in the weird wild world of internet commentary.

The Exhibitionist Geoff Edgers blogs for the boston.com. He actually gets paid for it, and he covers a lot of ground too. Still at the top of my list just cause he's the only one that's mentioned us. And he links to tons of other blogs.

HubArts.com Joel Brown has been busy getting paid to work lately, but when he actually blogs...

Maverick Arts Magazine by Charles Giuliano; a Boston-based artist, curator and critic.

The Hub Review Thomas Garvey talks about "everything that matters in Boston culture".

The Mirror up to Nature (a quote familiar to those who frequent the BU Theatre, btw) "On Theatre and Being an Artist in Boston". I can't find this blogger's name, but I hear he's a playwright.

Many of these sites have even more links to other interesting places. Have a favorite blog or Arts related site? Send it my way.

I'll get that second post about the Cherry Orchard Drops out by the weekend, and hope to have something special for you on Monday. Meanwhile... artistic just emailed with two more titles for me to budget for Tuesday. Back to work. Thanks Chris. Really.