LETTERS

CRITIQUING THE CRITICS

I’D LIKE TO make a couple of points in reference to Tim Allis’ article on theatre, a piece I mostly enjoyed. It’s nice to have theatre as a topic of consideration in D.

But for starters, I wish we didn’t have article after article suggesting that theatre commitment has suddenly sprung forth. It didn’t originate, as this article (and others before it) suggests, with the change of administration at the Dallas Theater Center, or with Stage #1, or with the new artistic director at New Arts. Nor did it start with Theatre Three’s beginnings. Before us all-right here in Dallas-was Margo Jones and her theatre. She put the concept of regional, professional theatre into the American consciousness, and all of us are followers.

Nor can I agree with another of the article’s points that theatres are competing and complementing one another because of the stimulus of Adrian Hall. I welcome Adrian to the scene, but his arrival has no influence on Theatre Three’s operational or artistic philosophy, which was well established before he replaced Paul Baker.

And may I admit I’m also a bit weary of seriousness being connected to the production of contemporary plays. I think it’s an easy way to seduce young critics into thinking one is serious. (Young writers are notoriously provincials of their own time, I find.) New plays and new playwrights are not, of themselves, relevant, enlightening, meaningful and all the nonsense that artistic directors tend to spout to dazzle interviewers. New plays are simply of their times and best described as new, newer, newest.

Lest this make me look antagonistic to contemporary playwrights, I’d like to point out that at Theatre Three this season we have more Dallas premieres of works by contemporary playwrights than any other theatre-even Stage #1, which only does contemporary works. And it’s part of how we’ve always programmed.

Finally, I’m unhappy to learn that (according to Allis) Theatre Three is considered by some a second-string operation. But if that means we have more than one string to our bow, consider us a seven, eight or even nine-string operation. I thank him for the observation, though, that what he calls our transition of the last five years “should serve as an example to the general theatre community, It has adapted both to the desires of its large number of subscribers and the changing times.”

In short, my complaint to the interviewer/ writer is that the wheel was invented and history begun before Allis was born. And my complaint of directors/interviewees is that they repeat themselves for each magazine piece or newspaper article. That’s not bad, it’s just beside the point of how we get theatre. Now there’s an article for you. I gotta go. I’m busy adding our tenth string.

Norma Young

Founder/Artistic Director, Theatre Three

Dallas<BR>JUDY NEAL’S NIGHTMARE

IT IS SAID that owning your own home is the American dream. It became “an unfortunate nightmare for Judy Neal” (“Tales of the City,” October]. Various adverse circumstances led to foreclosure on her manufactured home. In 1984, 2.9 percent of the manufactured housing stock in the United States was foreclosed upon. Certainly, foreclosures are unfortunate. On the positive side, over one million Texans live in manufactured homes, thus owning a home that might otherwise be unaffordable. Buyers and lenders of all major purchases can learn from this story.

Lowell Cochran

Dallas Chapter President

Texas Manufactured Housing Association



JOHN BLOOM’S article, “Tales of the City,” in your October issue, was full of lies, untruths and fallacies. For the lack of a better word, the article was a bunch of bull. How in the world could anybody be so stupid and dumb to have a $30,000 house “free and clear” and end up in the described situation?

My wife and I do not bring home $1,400 a month after taxes, and we pay rent and have money for our bills, all without the aid of food stamps, welfare, AFDC money, child support. Social Security payments or any other help, aid or money from the government. This woman must be either unusually stupid or foolish with her money.

David W. Cofer

Euless

ONE FROM THE GIBBER

I WANT TO take this opportunity to compliment you on the article that appeared in the October issue of D on Vic Feazell [“War in Waco”]. As one who has been victimized by Channel 8 in the past, I believe you are right on target. In my opinion, your story is well written and very well researched.

I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed your fine piece of journalism.

Gibson D, (“Gib”) Lewis

Speaker, Texas House of Representatives

Austin



GONNA WRITE A LITTLE LETTER

I loved “I know it’s only rock and roll, but I like it” (“Insights,” November] and thanks for saying I had “real talent”! I must take exception, however, to your thinking I was playing for “nothing” at the Cellar. On the contrary, I was making $25 a night, had no bills and was sleeping in the place. I thought 1 was doing quite well!

Bugs Henderson

Garland

D-LIGHTED

Thanks for a great October issue. Back to the tough stuff. AIDS, nasty as it is, needs to be covered, and you took it on. Henry Lee, as unfortunate as he is, needs to be covered, and your article was excellent. I liked the pro/con approach.

This is the stuff I asked for in your readers1 poll, where I wrote all over the margins and complained. I apologize; I’ll endure 40 pages of restaurants if you’ll just keep up the “hard-core” journalism!

Brian Beck

Bedford



AS A NEWCOMER to Dallas and to your magazine, I have found my first two issues great entertainment and good reading.

“Packing It In” by George Toomer |No-vember] was wonderful. He can add Yul Brynner to his list of those who make all of us really want to kick the habit.

However, shame on Eric Miller for not being more precise in his article on the DKG ranch. If the ranch were a kennel, then I might believe “automatic flea disinfectant systems,” but around horse barns, I suspect that flies are a much bigger problem.

Thanks for entertaining me anyway.

Norma L. Frank

Dallas