The State of Theater

How sad that American arts have reached such a point that those at their forefront in Los Angeles, when tempted with a generous Santa, can come up with only unexciting and unimaginative projects (“Dear Santa,” Dec. 24).

A few comments about theater, my area of interest and knowledge:

Refurbishing playing spaces, paying actors and mounting all-star revivals are noble plans, certainly; however, they lack creativity and vision.

What about producing a festival of young playwrights? Or, for that matter, an even more needed festival of female, black or other minority playwrights?

What about mounting the first American production of a Manfred Karge or other European avant-garde play?

Commissioning a new work from Stephen Berkoff or an equally exciting American playwright?

Remounting an outstanding fringe production with the publicity and marketing needed to make it commercially successful?

Offering a grant to talented young directors to enable them to create without the constraints of trying to pay the rent?

MELANIE WHITE

Redlands