‘Stevie’ and Smoke

The Los Angeles Theatre Center takes a great many measures to ensure the comfort of our patrons who are sensitive to cigarette smoke. Not only do we not allow smoking in the lobby or other public areas of the center, we place signs on the doors of the individual theaters when cigarettes will be smoked during a performance.

Schiller, who wrote to both me and to Calendar (see letter above) about smoking in “Stevie Wants to Play the Blues,” is accurate in that cigarettes and cigars are smoked onstage and smoke effects are used throughout the play to evoke a period and mood.

Schiller, however, attended an early preview and we have endeavored to reduce the amount of smoke since he saw the show, but overall the theater is well ventilated and the quantity of smoke onstage could hardly be considered an “assault.” I am saddened that Mr. Schiller did not appreciate the artistic integrity.

BILL BUSHNELL, Artistic Director, LATC