An Author Protests

Critics have a right to express their opinions, but creative people also have the right to respond against careless reporting, lack of expertise, mistaken facts and vague generalizations.

I’m the composer-author of the show “Musical Chairs” playing at El Portal Center for the Arts, and I’d like to protest against people reviewing musicals who don’t know a thing about the subject--specifically, Jana J. Monji (Theater Beat, Aug. 31). Her bizarre statement is “the play’s problem is that the relationships are outlined by songs and not developed by intimation.” Huh?!

In a musical, relationships and book information are supposed to be projected through song (as opposed to intimation, whatever that means).

Tell Stephen Sondheim and any other theater composer that songs shouldn’t develop characters or tell the story.

Referring to sound, Monji says, “The music can sometimes be overwhelming.” How is that possible, with no microphones and an orchestral sound level so quiet that some audience members have requested the volume be turned up? Should the orchestrations be heard from a block away?

Monji refers to an abrupt and brief plot revelation. In fact, three previous scenes and a song prepare for this information in complete, lengthy detail. Was she writing notes in her lap when these key scenes were going on?

Finally, I’m portrayed as a hawk on the level of Gen. Patton in the last paragraph, for my pro-Israeli, anti-Palestinian stance, when my point was only that victims must defend themselves against tyranny, wherever they find it.

I was never, as she implies, providing justification or rationalization for another war (and no one who has seen the play ever had a similar reaction).

All my life I’ve been accused of being too agreeable and passive, and Aug. 31 I finally attained the violent image of a four-star general.

JOEL HIRSCHHORN

Agoura Hills