So, I get to direct my fist full-length show next summer and I must propose a few options. Initially, I'm leaning toward The Hospitality Suite by Roger Rueff or Talley's Folley by Lanford Wilson.

But I have a question: Why is it spelled Folley? And not Folley? Am I forgetting something in the script? Any help?

Well, first off, you spelled both of those the same.
Second, I haven't seen that spelling anywhere else - I'm only finding Talley's Folly - so i don't think there's anything to an alternate spelling.

I'm a big fan of The Big Kahuna - but i haven't gotten a hold of the Hospitality Suite script itself to comment on it. I saw a production of it at Trinity House in Detroit a few years ago, and the film is almost exactly the same; with one exception being a tiny part for the Kahuna himself making a brief appearance at the top of act two, which was cut (probably rightfully) from the film. (I'm generally not a fan of having to have an extra actor show up for just one scene when the piece is otherwise a two or three hander.)

Best on the show. When is it happening?

not till next summer.

And sorry about accidentally spelling it Folley twice. I guess there's just lots of misspellings out there.

I've written to Chicago Dramatists, and they forwarded my request for Hosp. Suite (which I saw performed in Orlando) to Roger Rueff, the author.

I've also added Tape (also made into a one-room film) to my list.

Our own Ron Reed has directed Hospitality Suite before. Not sure if he's done Talley's Folly. I prefer Talley's, I guess, but they're both good choices.

I really like that film - never read the play.

This may seem like a simple question, but I ask it honestly. Are there not language issues with what you're producing? Are you able to be producing this in a lab setting, or are you free from worrying about audience response? Just curious.

A legit question. And I have to bring all proposals to the admins of my dept for approval. They actually are pretty liberal about cutting, I am less comfy with that. So if they let me do one of these IF I have to cut a lot of "bad words" then I may decline the approval.

Talley's Folly is my safe bet. It's clean as a F'ing Whistle.

I see - they'd do the play but just cut or alter the lines. That's certainly a common option, though not legal unless they ask permission (most people don't ask, and most people don't get caught).

I applaud your saying that you'd just not do the play than cut. There are other plays out there.

Yes, I was a bit put off by the policy. I asked the dept chair if they'd ever had any legal ramifications to cutting. and he said "No, and we never will."

I in quired further and he explained that NOBODY benefits from legal action of this kind. Not the publisher, not the author and not the theatres (of course). A publishing house wants you to produce their play, and they want other theatres to produce their play. As soon as a theatre gets sued for cutting, you can be sure that word will get out and all the other producing theatres will avoid that publishing house or playwright. My dept chair, who wrote his dissertation on this very thing, said that even though it's happening everywhere and often, and publishers know it, their official policy is that "it's not happening". Like the tobacco companies disavowing knowledge that cigarettes cause cancer.

It doesn't make me feel much better about cutting, but it's interesting nonetheless.

That's an interesting way to look at it - hadn't thought of it from that angle. Of course, the other side is that a theatre doesn't want to be banned from being able to do, say, any Samuel French play. But perhaps the way it really works out is what you're saying, and it's all a hoax - the suing and the banning and the whatever.

But as a playwright, I choose words very carefully - for rhythm, for character and for specific imagery. I try to respect the writing as much as possible. That said, I'm working on a new play that opens this weekend, and I've done some judicious cutting - which I know sharpens the scenes - as a result of hours of rehearsal, not out of squeamishness or because it's less lines to memorize. And it's with discussion with the writer - well some discussion, anyway... Whenever I work on my own plays, I always end up cutting and sharpening, but this is new play territory, not tried and tested material. Though we often cut shakespeare, don't we...

Yeah, there are all sorts of interesting stories in theatre history where directors helped sharpen the writing of a new play. And other stories where directors took all the teeth away from a play. In fact, there's an Elia Kazaan/Tennesee Williams story for each of those scenarios.

Looks like Hospitality Suite is out.

Rueff wrote to me specifically to make sure that absolutely no cutting or altering would be made to the play.

Had I been the final word on that, I would have agreed, but I know my department wouldn't let that happen so I told him I couldn't in good conscience ensure that.

Oh well, maybe another time.

So...

CLICK HERE.

Should have mentioned that... I've contacted him in the past about it, and knew he felt that way. Understandably so.

I respect his wishes but I feel he's short-circuiting the artistic process to have an attitude that says "Everyone must produce the play exactly as it is in my head!" He said people have come to him asking permission to alter, and he has refuesed. Think of the audiences that have missed out on this play because he wants to say F***. It's a shame. It's probably the audience that needs to see the play most.

Talk about failing to understand the collaborative arts. But, it's his play to keep limited.

Dang! I've missed out on a good conversation here. Life gets distracting sometimes. And when I just stop in for a few seconds, I usually hang out in the movie ghetto.

So, kibosh on HOSTILITY SUITE, eh? Are you sure? Heck, run it by them anyhow: who knows, someday the parameters might shift. If people keep asking? I've seen them gradually adjust at Trinity Western.

Have you chosen your script yet? If you haven't signed off on TALLEY'S FOLLY yet, or some other piece, let me know, and I'll give a closer look at your 1-4 character plays list, see what else I can toss onto the pile. That cast size is Pacific Theatre's "sweet spot," so I'm sure I can give you some real good recommendations.

For the record, Pacific Theatre produced HOSPITALITY SUITE, but I didn't direct it. I chose it planning to play the Kevin Spacey role, but had to set it aside (probably to flippin' fundraise, @&*#^!!!), and we ended up with the quintessential performance from a really astonishing actor, so all was for the best. I did, however, play Matt Friedmann in TALLEY'S FOLLY, and (on two other occasions) directed the play - once for Chemainus Theatre, once at Pacific. As you can tell, it is one of my all-time favourites: do yourself a favour, direct it. What a world to live in for a month or two! And such great director work, shaping the arcs of the actor performances, and creating that all-important world through set, lights and sound - "We could have done it on a couple of folding chairs, but... This is a waltz, remember?"