A Contrast in "Journalism": American Theatre Magazine vs. Backstage on the 99 Seat Plan by Colin Mitchell

There was talk of “journalism” recently in the comments section here at the Lemon and for an exercise in how that word is such a difficult one to truly define in this day and age…

SOURCE: Bitter Lemons at 2:08pm on February 20, 2015☆⚑

UPDATE: New Venue for TPLLA Town Hall on Saturday: Renberg Theatre, 11am (Details Within) by Colin Mitchell

I made the change on my original announcement about this but figured I’d do another in case people were getting confused. Apparently I can make it now! But they seem to at capacity. Gr…

SOURCE: Bitter Lemons at 7:50pm on February 19, 2015☆⚑

Are the Signers of Re-Imagine LA Going to be Los Angeles Theater's New Blacklist? by Colin Mitchell

If so, then I’d say color my ass black right now. Cuz I ain’t taking my name off the site. Here’s a recent message from someone who has decided to remove himself from the P…

SOURCE: Bitter Lemons at 3:52pm on February 19, 2015☆⚑

Equity Member Joel Swetow Responds to AEA Executive Director Mary McColl with some Serious Analysis by Colin Mitchell

The following was written by Joel Swetow in response to an email from Mary McColl. It was posted and shared numerous times on Facebook and I am now co-opting it because it is one of THE most…

SOURCE: Bitter Lemons at 2:41pm on February 19, 2015☆⚑

On AEA and Creating Theatre: A Statement from Dan Berkowitz & Jonathan Dorf, Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights by Colin Mitchell

Fuckin’ writers. So clear, so elegant, so…subtly engraved. I was a member of the ALAP. Am. Was. Hell, I dunno. I’m awful with clubs. Nevertheless, these guys have someth…

SOURCE: Bitter Lemons at 1:35am on February 19, 2015☆⚑

Pro99 Gains 5171 Members in less than 48 Hours by Colin Mitchell

Over 3357 in 24 hours apparently. And now 5171. Pretty damn impressive. It’s this Pro99 Facebook page that Jay McAdams, Executive Director of Los Angeles’ 24th Street Theatre,…

SOURCE: Bitter Lemons at 1:10am on February 19, 2015☆⚑

Critique of the Week by Colin Mitchell

This is some of Tracey’s best work. And not just because she references the Lemon, but because she provided so much context and personal insight on this show that the result is palpabl…

SOURCE: Bitter Lemons at 10:00am on February 15, 2015☆⚑

Steven Leigh Morris: "If this proposal moves forward, the notion of L.A. theater as a laboratory is dead." by Colin Mitchell

If you haven’t read it yet, SLM offers some thoughts on AEA’s new proposals in this week’s LA Weekly. Which is good. Glad the Weekly has finally managed to put in a little …

SOURCE: Bitter Lemons at 5:44pm on February 12, 2015☆⚑

TPPLA Sponsoring Town Hall to Discuss the new AEA Proposals: February 21, 11am, Bootleg Theater by Colin Mitchell

Amazingly, I may have to miss this. I am on daddy duty and my boy would not be happy attending a fuckin’ theater pep rally on his daddy day. Nor would he appreciate me using the word &…

SOURCE: Bitter Lemons at 1:53am on February 12, 2015☆⚑

Stage Raw Finally Gets Some Straight Answers from Disgruntled Equity Member Bryan Blowme by Colin Mitchell

Heh. Hey, a little satire goes a long way. Here’s a few of the tasty tidbits. Mr. Blowme’s responses in italics: 2) It appears that under the New 99-Seat Theatre Agreement, that …

SOURCE: Bitter Lemons at 3:24pm on February 11, 2015☆⚑

Drunk Texting with Joe Stern About the 99 Seat Plan by Colin Mitchell

To be fair, I was the one that was drunk. I think. But amidst the frenzy of covering all this stuff about AEA and around 7pm last night I got the following message from Joe Stern: To Colin S…

SOURCE: Bitter Lemons at 1:10pm on February 11, 2015☆⚑

A Possible Solution: Make Los Angeles Theater One Giant Theater Club: Dues: $1 a Year by Colin Mitchell

Hey, it’s not as crazy as you think. The Los Angeles Theater Club. Everyone’s a member. It was suggested by the lovely Eve Sigall on Facebook: An idea for AEA 99 Seat Theaters: L…

SOURCE: Bitter Lemons at 6:28pm on February 10, 2015☆⚑

AEA President Nick Wyman on the New Proposals: "Members can also collaborate as artists in a new way " by self-producing (which they weren't abl by Colin Mitchell

I was not going to reprint this. I really wasn’t. Hemmed and hawed about it, cuz it just didn’t feel right. What am I talking about? Well it’s a status update from Ni…

SOURCE: Bitter Lemons at 2:06pm on February 10, 2015☆⚑

Equity Responds to Stage Raw's 12 Questions with a Statement by Colin Mitchell

And it’s really just a re-hash of the original email from last week. Here is the statement and you can go here for the questions. Reply from Maria Somma, National Communications Direct…

SOURCE: Bitter Lemons at 1:17pm on February 10, 2015☆⚑

And now Back to the Boards: If You're in Need of a Laugh (and aren't we all?) Go see "Voice Lessons" by Colin Mitchell

Finally, FINALLY, caught this alchemic assault of rib-achingly hilarious theater called Voice Lessons, that has sprung up once again, now over at the Atwater Village Theatre for a limited ru…

SOURCE: Bitter Lemons at 7:07pm on February 9, 2015☆⚑

New Petition for Disgruntled Actors Equity Members Available by Colin Mitchell

I am in no way endorsing this particular petition, but in an effort to try and cover all angles of this debate I felt it important to get it out to the LemonHeadNation. So I am promoting it.…

SOURCE: Bitter Lemons at 6:30pm on February 9, 2015☆⚑

Steven Leigh Morris has Twelve Questions for Actors' Equity Association Concerning their 99 Seat Plan Proposals by Colin Mitchell

And they are excellent. Yes, they are incredibly leading and wildly biased and would probably be “disallowed” in a court of law, but still, they are poignant and pertinent to …

SOURCE: Bitter Lemons at 6:01pm on February 9, 2015☆⚑

The 99 Pound Weakling by Colin Mitchell

No, this has nothing to do with the controversy over the 99 Seat Plan. I just picked up an LA Weekly last week and I gotta say I almost accidentally used it to blow my nose.  I measured i…

SOURCE: Bitter Lemons at 5:23pm on February 9, 2015☆⚑

Peter Finlayson is not Happy with the New AEA Resolutions by Colin Mitchell

To say the least…This from Peter on the Bigcheap wire: So, AEA has done their exhaustive study, interviewed members and finally has come to the same conclusion they announced more than…

SOURCE: Bitter Lemons at 4:44pm on February 9, 2015☆⚑

Theatrical Producers League of Los Angeles/Intimate (TPPLA/Intimate) Releases Statement Against AEA's Proposals for 99 Seat Plan by Colin Mitchell

And here it is: The Theatrical Producers League of Los Angeles/Intimate (TPLLA/Intimate) does not support the promulgated changes made on February 6, 2015 to the Los Angeles 99 Seat Plan as …

SOURCE: Bitter Lemons at 3:26pm on February 9, 2015☆⚑

KPCC Hosting an Impromptu Radio Interview Concerning LA's 99 Seat Plan Today at 12:20pm [Updated] by Colin Mitchell

Just heard about it. You can go here online for information and live streaming I believe? Call in line is 866-893-5722. I think Larry Mantle is hosting. 89.3 on the radio. Go here for …

SOURCE: Bitter Lemons at 2:21pm on February 9, 2015☆⚑

The Fate of Los Angeles' 99 Seat Plan will not be Decided by its Members, it will be Decided the Western Regional Councillors by Colin Mitchell

The language bothered me right from the start when I saw this in my email box and on the members portal of the site: “a non binding AEA membership advisory referendum on the plan". …

SOURCE: Bitter Lemons at 7:17pm on February 8, 2015☆⚑

Critique of the Week by Colin Mitchell

Simply one of Jason’s best. Ever. Personal, poignant, perplexed. Just a tremendous critique that leaps to the top of 2015 for me. Sounds like the show might be pretty good as well̷…

SOURCE: Bitter Lemons at 10:00am on February 8, 2015☆⚑

John Flynn is Not Happy with the New AEA Resolutions by Colin Mitchell

And he explained why on Bigcheap…Heeeere’s Johnny! In spite of Equity's promise not to abolish the 99 seat plan the letter Equity members received yesterday and the documents …

SOURCE: Bitter Lemons at 2:10am on February 8, 2015☆⚑

Others Begin to Weigh in on the Proposed Changes to Los Angeles' 99 Seat Plan by Colin Mitchell

I haven’t yet had the time to give the proposals my undivided attention and offer what some might consider a “informed response”. But I have given it a cursory read. There …

SOURCE: Bitter Lemons at 11:46pm on February 7, 2015☆⚑