(00:00:00) Good evening. I'm Nancy fusion and welcome to the playwright's laboratory brought to you with the financial assistance of the Fingerhut Corporation. This is the first of three programs featuring short dramas written especially for radio by members of the playwright's lab in Minneapolis. Tonight's play is entitled between flights. It's by Mark Frost Frost is written for several Twin Cities area theaters, including the Guthrie to show 100% freeze-dried Minnesota and he's also written for television but more important the just airing new plays. We hope that the playwright's laboratory hopes to give you and our guest critics in the studio an opportunity to exchange thoughts and reactions with the playwright. So following this evenings one-act performance, you'll be able to phone in and talk with us and the critics and Mark Frost the playwright, but now between flights (00:01:58) I don't know I mean. If I could just put two Happy Days back-to-back, maybe it wouldn't feel so suspicious of happy people somehow. I don't trust it. They give me the willies. You know what I mean? You want another drink of what they kind of seem like aliens to me. I mean if they're human there's got to be something wrong with them right you talking to me. What are you talking to me? I'm sorry. What was your question want another drink or not? Sure. What am I drinking vodka said, okay. Okay. I got another rocket Kevin, right? Do you ever go out with strange men all the time? Let me believe me honey some a lot Stranger than others. I don't know. (00:02:58) Excuse me. Is this seat taken? What is this seat (00:03:02) taken that one? Nope. Nobody sitting there. I just hate airports what you mean, (00:03:11) there are so impersonal. (00:03:13) Mmm say this is a sort of an offbeat question. Do you ever go out with strange home? My husband and I have an arrangement. Oh you do. I mean (00:03:27) he doesn't screw around with anybody else and neither (00:03:29) do I? Aye aye. Oh, well sounds like a good arrangement. My wife and I have one just like it. well I'm sorry look I didn't mean to sound like I was gonna make you did I know I didn't mean to you did I know I'm not like that really I don't know I guess I'm just a little unhappy that's all I'm just I'm just unhappy and that's all it is happiness would be to be alone at the sea and then be left in peace and to eat very little yes almost nothing Candle (00:04:15) I wouldn't live with electricity and things a (00:04:18) candle candle and then I read the newspaper G. That's sounds awful (00:04:33) nice, Saline. (00:04:36) You know, I feel very strongly that when two people are for some reason pushed together in time and space, you know, and then there's this chance there's a spark of Life opportunity for these two. These kind of moments can't be allowed to just slip away. You can't ignore them because you never know what might happen tomorrow. Excuse me. I think I see somebody I know hello Donald you live around here. Right person the wrong situation vodka 7 right situation the wrong person dollar fifty. What well, which is it stop you're killing me. Are you happy look at the size of that tip you just gave me I'm not happy waitresses are always happy. I'm not happy. I'll be really is you. Hello, Jackie. Hey, imagine running into you here. You probably have lying off somewhere, huh? Yeah, so what's new fella got it's been almost a year hasn't it? So, how are you? What's new house the job of fine great job, isn't it? And how's the family house Ruthie? I'll find you a woman gasps God She's a Beauty - he's lucky man. Godson. How are those kids those Guerrilla fine? You know why they're practically Geniuses aren't they? Yeah, that's what they tell us is probably a couple of nuclear physicists in the making uh think one of them wants to be a musician. Gosh. That's great. That's just great. What a great life, huh? And how's your health? Okay, I'll just okay. Come on Gussy. You're strong as an ox. I know you I had a cold. Oh, that's too bad. But it's gone. Now never sick for a long not guys can't keep him down. No, I guess not. I still got my tonsils and the job still sending you all those great places. I am not going to Hawaii. Ochio Manila boy. That's just great. You gotta be the luckiest guy. I know and I got to say you've earned every bit of it Gus. You must be exactly where you want to be. I'm unhappy your what? I'm not happy. I'm going to happen. What's the matter? I don't want anything wrong, but you want to talk about I don't know. Come on. Come on, you can level with me well. Looking and I had a fight this morning. Oh. That's too bad. There's nothing big, you know in argument before I left. Gosh, I'm sorry. I know how you feel. It's just I don't know. I didn't feel that good about leaving and Leaving it that way. Well, it'll be all right though won't it. Yeah, it'll be all sure it will. Yeah, you're right. Sure. How are you? Jack? How's it going? Oh can't complain. I guess well, that's good. Yeah. You still with the insurance company? Oh, no laid off a few months ago. Oh, that's too bad. Well, that's the way it goes. I guess. Yeah, it's not as bad as that. I mean Insurance who needs it everybody. That's the problem. What are you doing now at the moment shopping around more time to spend with the missus? Yeah, what was her name? Again? Joyce Joyce. That's right. Never met her. Did you know never did well? That's her sitting right over there. Right in the middle there. With with the white king. Yeah, that's Joyce beautiful. Isn't she? Yeah, but I didn't know she was blind. Yeah, she wasn't always just as he accident. Six months ago we lost our youngest one. It was pretty bad Jack. Well, you know, you have to take the bitter with the sweet. Oh, it's not as bad as all that are are older boys coming home from the hospital next week, and we thought we were going to lose him for the longest time. He'll be in the chair of course, but we're all looking on the bright side. He's alive. Thank God. That's what really matters after all. Listen, can I buy you a drink? Oh, thanks. No don't drink anymore. Just fruit juices smoke no cigarettes either. Used to smoke didn't you? Yeah, I used to well good for you. I'm glad you quit. Yeah. Thanks. The doctor thinks it probably quittin time too, but we'll know more after the test coming. A cancer scare into me, you know, they get you eating out of the palm of their hand and keep you crawling back for more. It's a jack. Yeah, there's a few of the signs, I guess four out of the seven. But listen, I don't buy all that hooey for one minute. Hey, hey, I've got too much to stick around for to be nosing around with all that stuff besides, you know what they say happy people don't get cancer. I hadn't heard that and even if I do a but there's better than a 50/50 chance. I'll lick it. What the hell John Wayne. Did it didn't he? Yeah, and he's a republican for crying out loud. So what the hell? So we're flying down to the clinic today. They're going to hook me up to all their gizmos and we'll see what's what and isn't that Joyce something though. She absolutely insisted on going down there with me and I told her honey. There isn't going to be anything to see and she says to me if there was I wouldn't be able to see it. Anyway, isn't that terrific what spirit that woman's got say, would you like to meet her? I think she'd love to meet I don't know you listen. I've told her all about you my old body Gus Globetrotter most likely to succeed international business executive for cuts and check us. What is it? What is it? Go see what's wrong. Is it? Okay. Is it Ruthie are the kids? Okay. Is there anything that I can do now you be? Okay Gus. Sookie Ajax he did you need any money? How much do you need? Hey, let me write you a check. It's yours. How much look I know a doctor in Mexico City takes out tumors the size of grapefruits in his sleep of charter a plane a flying down there myself God. No. No, I'm walking in in six months. I swear it. Honey, this is Gus. Something wrong. I feel so stupid. That's what's the matter. (00:13:51) Is there anything we can do? (00:13:53) What's the matter with me? (00:13:54) Yes, you sound awfully unhappy, (00:13:58) you know, what's the matter with me? Nothing's the matter with me that that that's what's the matter with me. Hey is he? All right. He'll be all right. I'm all right. Just the tension of traveling is that it gasps? He's had a few too. He's going to be just fine. Thanks for your concern miss a 10 spot. That's for your trouble. Hey listen. Trouble is my business. So where you off to Gussy Caracas? Here feel better now. Come on, kiddo. We'll walk you to your plane. I got a couple of hours it let me walk you to yours here Joyce. Let me help you up. See Joyce what I tell you terrific guy, isn't he? No, Jack not (00:15:13) really. Well, I like you (00:15:15) go. I like you, too. (00:15:56) Between flights a play for radio produced by ksjn and the playwright's lab written and directed by Mark Frost technical director Paul Kelly. The part of Gus was played by Steve Roser. The waitress was played by Arlene Simon. Elaine was played by Margaret Chase. Jack was played by Stephen Marcus. Joyce was played by Carroll Shepherd. And joining us in our Studios this evening our Mark Frost the director and also the writer of between flights and Bob Gerard who's executive editor and also resident critic for the Mankato Free Press. He also teaches mass communication at Mankato State University and we're going to be asking mr. Gerard his reaction to the play in just a minute. But first, let's give the audience some numbers to call with your reaction and we really urge you to call in and you can talk you can ask Mark Frost or Bob Gerard any questions you may have any comments you may have they are here to listen and so are we the number in the Twin Cities? 2211550? That's two two one one five five zero if you're calling from Beyond the Twin Cities. It's one 865 to 9700. That's a toll free call 1-800 652 9700. Mr. Gerard some initial reaction (00:17:42) initial reaction would Terms of question when I first read through the script yesterday. I almost missed toward the end where where Gus is accompanying his friends to their flight and says, I got a couple of hours yet. And then almost the second last line in the script is the voice over the PA system in the in the airport where we hear that tourist Airlines flight 417 is now in the final boarding stages for Caracas, which was obviously his flight and I almost missed it again tonight hearing it because there's so much compressed action or at least emotion taking place there and and sudden character resolution. And I'd only ask what I suppose The Listener at home might might have been puzzled over as I was last night as I almost reading the script over missed with the script right there in front of me and that is what is the character motivation for this sudden turn of events this abandoning of the flight Mark. Well, I think he's he's motivated to help them a little bit more maybe give up his selfish Pursuits for the time being helped them to their flight. Give his wife a call. At the business take a back seat. Well at a very a very simplistic level than the play could be understood and I hope I'm wrong and that it's maybe a little more complex than that as the old saying I cried because I had no shoes until I saw a man who had no feet and that's why I think it's until I met a man who had no socks wasn't no. Yeah that's progressively goes down. But at any rate it is it struck me at a very simple level as saying simply that why wallow in self-pity because wherever you look in the world, you'll find people with even bigger problems and there's always somebody who's going to be in worse shape. And so you can see that that is a central theme or a part of the play. I'd concede that. Yeah not too hard to contain. (00:19:48) Before you go on let me say Let Me Tell the audience again. The the numbers 2211550 in the Twin Cities 2211550 and outside the Twin Cities one 865 to 9701 865 to 9700. Mr. Gerard any further observations, (00:20:09) you know, I'd like to talk about the structure and tone of the play a little bit. And once again, this doesn't help readers to know that I have a script in front of me, but I thought there were some very funny lines in it at times even though this is a tragicomedy they were there are elements of both comedy and tragedy some of the funnier lines strike me as being almost as funny as some of the stuff Neil Simon does and then you have these peculiar little twists these little intrusions of the Macabre or the Or the seamier side of life. They the Mortal lessons of life. But the one that that may be led me on a wild goose chase. The one line was when the girl who sits briefly next to gossip the bar suddenly the quotes of passage from saline, and I wonder if that's in keeping with the rest of the tone of the play or whether it it by its abrupt intrusion there. It's Rippling of the surface of the tone whether there is a special significance for the author in that passage relative to the rest of what's happening. And I know that saline dealt with the miseries of life and most of his novels are are very bitter and very nihilistic but marked is is there any specific reason why that saline passage just pops up there? I think it reflects a real Simplicity in approach to what happiness is the woman talks about a candle in the newspaper and sitting by the Sea would do it for and that juxtaposed with Gus's situation I think is is what is making the comment there. Okay, would you would you resent any comparisons to Gus and let's say Willy Loman? Maybe in about 25 years I think down the road. He's a little bit more success successful than Willie ever was he's not selling shoes or ladies lingerie. He's an international business executive but there's elements of his psyche there. You have the traveling businessman. We have quite a few phone (00:22:22) calls lined up and let's take the first one. Hello. Hello. Do you have a comment or question? Yes, they do every comment go right ahead. Okay know that stuff is terrible. What's it doing on the air like that? You just have to preempt the music show and he did this thing has no energy. It has no no plot. It just people talking on there's not even as good as the old radio souls are in the 30s and 40s. No, I hate the discourage an author because I'm one myself, but you better learn how to write with when with energy Gillies put a plot in the thing, you know in these people are totally uninteresting the whole thing the whole thing sounds Okay, we appreciate your opinion (00:23:12) and my take that under (00:23:13) advisement. All right, again, we are asking for your comments and we appreciate any comments you may have so let's take another call here. Yes, you're on the air. So I have three comments. First of all unplug the first commentary from his radio. Secondly three cheers for radio drama. I really think that radio can do so much more for presenting realistic grammar than any other medium. The third point I'd like to make is that unlike theater where you're sitting in a darkened place where your eyes and your ears are fixed on the stage radio drama in the home. There are a lot more distractions and and the children and dogs and telephones and dishes and things like that. And I think the comment of the critic saying that the The story had to be painted in somewhat broader Strokes is appropriate I missed some of the important points of the play because of the distractions that objects existed in the home. Thanks so much for letting me talk. Okay. Thank you Mark. You have any reaction about the difficulties of writing for radio knowing all of those kinds of things are going (00:24:23) on. Well, I think he said it pretty well you are competing with an awful lot of other things. So people are the driving home or things are going on in the home. You're not listening specifically to that one thing and I think any other form of drama that you're going to go see or hear your attention is undivided and this is a unique situation where you might be in a situation where you're not going to be concentrating solely on what you're listening (00:24:48) to now you chose an airport setting with some fairly significant sound effects, which sometimes I think you were hinting at Bob might have gotten in the way. (00:24:58) Yeah. I was going through here annotating. Editing the script because because obviously young playwrights beginning playwrights no matter how much talent they have cling to certain conventions. And one of them is how do you make a transitional bridge between subjects you in dialogue particularly between two people and what they do is they fastened on sound effects or stagecraft effect or you know, that that slow-moving of the quick the quick Double Take. What's that? You know, something like that very very clear case in point of this or the strongest example of it is about Midway through where you had an interchange like it'll be all right, though won't it? Yeah, it'll be alright sure it will. Yeah, you're right sure and then the playwright obviously doesn't know where to go from there. It's small talk. But how do you make small talk develop organically and carry it and so you get a little desperate and so you have Guster's is drink a plane takes off and then you get the of the plane and then another clue. So whenever you see a solo or a button or an and that's a clue that that's the re-entry of the vehicle the re-entry of the dialogue and it's a very common problem and nothing to be ashamed of for for young playwrights. It's how they learn and how they struggle and it's the first lifebelt they look for and usually the first one they have to try to swim without we have quite a few callers on (00:26:35) the line and we'll take the next caller. Hello. Ah, I found the scenario very much life. Like in fact just last week. I was in the Denver Airport and talk with somebody about well a girl who was escaping her marriage and her in Anchorage and it wasn't dissimilar at all to this and I think that in so far it was not a full length play with acts and Not that as a snatch of life. It's something to which I could relate and more than that. And in the sense that Marshall mcluhan talks the audio and radio plays in general allow the imagination to play and for me sometimes create more vivid imagery even without setting scenes and costumes then the visual the visual for instance the television in the case of the television the eyes themselves are the screen, whereas with audio the radio it's the mind that's the screen and the image is not projected upon us but comes from us and for that reason I very much enjoyed this place and I'd like to thank Mark for it. Thank you for that call will take another call in now. (00:27:48) Thanks Dad. You're on the air. (00:27:50) I'd like to found the very strong Bravo for the author. I thought it was superb and I would also like to praise ksjn. It's been a long day. Fell without any drama and I'm glad to see it occurring during the earlier hours. I think the last series a long time ago was on Saturday very late at night and the man just before me I believe took away a little of what I was going to say, which is the pictures on radio are so much better. I just am so happy. I hope this will go on. Thank you very much. We'll give out the numbers once again for you in the Twin Cities 22115502211550 and outside the Twin Cities. It's a toll-free call one 800 695 and redeemed one 865 297 hundred any calls a can be any comments questions you might have for Mark or for our critic Bob Gerard from the Mankato Free Press and other caller. Now, I agree with the man from Denver. I felt that it was a very realistic picture and that you need The airport noise and somehow it recalled many conversations. I've had in airports. I thought the line about the two-hour delay. Our flight was very clear. I didn't think that was a problem at all. I thought there was plenty of feeling in the play. I didn't feel that at least needed any action the feeling took the place of the action and about the distractions on radio. I think that that's up to the listener. If you want to listen to a radio play you just get rid of the distractions. I thought it was excellent. Thank you very much for the call. We have some more calls lined up and we'll take the next caller. Hello. You're on the air. I'm from Long Prairie Minnesota and its really nice to hear radio drama again, because up here in the north. Would you don't going on culturally at all? And we really appreciate that sort of thing up here. Thank you. We'll take another caller. Hello. Hello. Hello. Do you have a comment or question? Yes, I do. I thought it was really fantastic. The way the guilt was caught of the fellow who initially had the serious problem of the argument with his wife. But unless I'm mistaken the line when he finally was attempting to cover his guilt by offering surgical services and payment and then finally offering money to his friend's wife who was supposedly blind and her saying a 10 spot. I haven't seen one of these in a long time did I actually catch that? Why don't we have Mark (00:30:42) explained that (00:30:43) there's a having been caught up and in that situation and having been Super Flea so it's just fantastic. Is that true? Well, I (00:30:53) just assumed you think that if that is true that's actually the character of the waitress who comes back in and there is a certain similarity between the voices of the two actresses and I think that might have been a little Misleading which the waitress comes back and says hey is he? All right and he gives her a ten spot for for her trouble. But I guess that interpretation works as well as in the other. (00:31:15) So an interesting one too. Okay. Thank you for your question. We have some more callers on the line. Hello. You're on the air between the gentleman who is crying and (00:31:36) Not to my knowledge. (00:31:39) Okay, another caller on the line. Hello. Hi. I just like to add another Bravo and refute the first caller which I found (00:31:47) amazingly well timing is everything (00:31:54) I thought it was tremendous and it really revealed a huge power of radio. I just switch onto it and I heard it was just like even he's dropping of the conversation and I have heard many people speaking like this and it just I know people like Jack and Gus and it just meant a lot to me. I really liked your form and I didn't want a lot of plot and a lot of a lot of concert to it was just perfect for me great. Thank you very much for calling. You know, some people have been talking about the technical aspects and how it caught them when we were producing the drama in the studio the other day I was concerned that the Plane noises were too loud that they that they really sounded as though somehow we weren't in an airport were being dive-bombed. (00:32:42) But in an Airfield there were a couple of spots there where I thought I was on the runway and that's that's a problem easily overcome in the editing of (00:32:52) the tape. But Bob when I ask that question mark had another rationale for it, which I found kind of (00:32:59) interesting. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Well, I wanted them to sound a little more than just realistic the the planes that almost as if the sound was intensified in Gus's head that the the planes there were a couple times when they are sort of distant, but there were a few times when they seem to be literally coming right in over their heads and I wanted to sort of reinforce what Gus was feeling with with heightening that a little bit so that was a deliberate attempt. I don't know if it worked or not was your aim perhaps to to emphasize the intrusion of the mechanistic into his world and then he gropes out into into a human situation by contrast in which case I think it's a legitimate who legitimate upping of the volume sure, but if it just happened to be that the game was up too high, you know, it was it was it was a deliberate I think. Yeah. Well that's good. (00:33:50) We have some more callers on the line the numbers for you to call to to 11550 in the Twin Cities 2211550. And if you're calling outside of the Twin Cities one 865 to 9700 caller questions and comments always enjoyed and we have quite a few on the line right now. You're on the air. Hello. Well, I'm just seconding all the fine comments that people have called in with I just happened to catch you and I wish I had known that if this is the first one you can is it this is the first in a series of 300 and they're going to because second consecutive night. No will have one next month and one in March Wednesday. Yes, I believe the 28th of February and the 28th of March quite a long ways to week. I don't know if I can wait that long a nice comment. Well, we'll see what we can do about that. But it's an appetizer. I just would feel the pieces. I was writing letters here and I didn't write much. Thank you. I'm so tickled. I jumped when the tray was dropped at first. I wasn't realize what happened. Okay. We appreciate your calling next caller on the line. Hello. You're on the air. Yes. Good evening. I wanted to add my thanks for the play. It was very enjoyable and it's nice working here and being able to listen to a play at the same time. My question had to do with the actors that were used. I felt a certain amount of lack of reality coming from them and it was myself not being able to get past them being actors and actresses as real people. Is there a difficulty do you feel coming from producing it in the radio Studio as opposed to doing it on stage in terms of being able to get into the (00:35:47) part? Yes, I think so because you're acting to a microphone usually not to another actor as much and usually would the script in front of you. So there isn't a chance to polish a performance to the extent that you would on stage. Generally. I (00:35:59) think how many times do you Run through (00:36:03) rehearse we had about six hours of rehearsal before we went into the (00:36:06) studio. We also recorded in sequences to which can affect the overall pace of the final product. Yeah, it did seem like momentum would get to a certain place and then it was just something that I felt. You know that all of a sudden we're back to being actors and actresses again instead of you know, the actual people that we are portrayed portraying but that was just a something I felt. I don't know if anyone else it may also be a function of the shortness of the piece to not that you have less time yourself to get into it, you know so that you feel comfortable with the characters as they are. Well, thank you very much for calling. Thank you. We have another caller on the line. Hello. I just had a very complimentary remarks for the actors and the actresses and it's very refreshing to hear local drama. And as a blind person I want to comment that your sound effects were very very good. (00:37:05) Thank (00:37:05) you. How did you feel about having a blind person portrayed in the drama itself? Well, I didn't find anything objectionable that I that to me wasn't too important. I just thought that she did she did a good job, but the whole idea of presenting something new and something refreshing was more important to me. Thank you very much. We have another caller on the line. Hello. You're on the air. Hello. I'd like to ask Mark. I did impress me as a slice-of-life play as check off with describe it and I saw the children's theater production of the seagull by check off and they did something with the technique where they were the actors didn't always speak loudly enough to be heard and I had difficulty hearing some of the lines in marks play and I wondered if he intended (00:37:59) that Well, we did go for an effect of the guy mumbling from time to time. He sitting in the bar. He's had a few drinks and there are a few instances where he is almost talking to himself and isn't so much what he's saying as as the feeling that he's reflecting at the time. So I think there are a few instances where we did go for that. There might be a few were we didn't that we could pick up on next time. (00:38:21) What is that a technique that that that you (00:38:25) use? Well, it's going for a naturalistic effect. We want to we do want to get as you said a slice-of-life kind of feeling to it and Slice of Life conversation very often does Trail off or people do Mumble or they they are hard to understand so to some extent I think we can justify it is saying yeah, that's the effect we were going for (00:38:46) there's you know, there's another element to that in that Mark as director and writer knows the script very well and often could anticipate a word that might have not come through clearly to listeners and came through clearly to him because he Anticipate that knowing the script. Could I ask a couple more quick question. I was interested in in what motivated the setting and if the if the motivation originally was the idea of somebody's pain being worse than than your own or whether it was an incident in an airport or how did the two get together? (00:39:25) Well, I think the the the the second idea probably came first and then I thought of a place where somebody is sort of in between places where they're not concentrating on too much else than what's going on at that moment. You have a chance to sit down reflect. Maybe if you even feel sorry for yourself and I think the airport is is sort of a setting that everybody has had an experience like that in that one time or another so that seemed to come to mind fairly (00:39:50) quickly one more quick question. Gus was a successful in business, so I assume Maybe he was in his 40s, but I didn't catch an age group for these people. What did I miss something or did you not intend to give any more (00:40:09) information? Like I guess it wasn't made very specific. I would estimate somewhere in the mid to late 30s, I think. (00:40:17) Okay, thank you very much. We'll take another callers questions or comments. Hello, you're on the air. Yes as I've been waiting actually three of my four questions or really answered. So thank you for the questions for the other people in the answers. One thing that I did want to ask and I did enjoy it very much and I was wondering when Mark is going to be doing something else and where and so (00:40:43) forth. Well, I'm glad you asked me that question. I've got to play coming up in February at I'm sure they'll be happy to have me talk about this at the mixed blood Theatre in Minneapolis a play based on character. We're all familiar with but the name of Idi Amin and the name of the play is make room for (00:41:02) Dada. Oh, no, he didn't really to call it that yes. (00:41:06) I'm afraid I did I'll own up to that. (00:41:08) Okay. Thank you for calling. You're welcome. Another question from a caller. Hello. You're on the air. Oh, hello first, I would like to say that I really enjoyed the play and I thought the background noise was functional since it did it. Did it have been a tendency to force our attention on the play instead of the other distractions where we be listening to the plane. Okay. Thank you for calling the numbers again 2211550. If you're in the Twin Cities, that's two two one one five five zero and outside of the Twin Cities. You can call toll-free one 800 695 700 another caller, please you're on the air. I think the radio dramas really fabulous medium and I'm really pleased to see that's coming back and I'll I think the possibilities for expression are you know, as manifold is for something like television, but when we have to be subjected to sort of trivial I Love Lucy genre lessons about life. I really think it's an abuse of airtime. I didn't see anything really all that fascinating at all about the characterizations or the lessons. You know, there are starving people in China. So why don't you enjoy your spinach type of play. I was really disappointed. Okay, (00:42:24) let's get him. The number of the first guy that called them. (00:42:28) Thank you for your opinion. We will be having again two more issued two more programs on this series of playwrights laboratory in February and March. So we hope you'll tune in then and see if you like the other selections any better and also will be returning with the ear play series from National Public Radio in February and that's going to be airing Wednesday afternoon at 1 and that will begin February 7th. So your play as well will be back with us. So more callers on the line. Hello. You're on the air. I enjoyed the radio drama very much and I have a couple of questions. It's the same one, but I'd like the critic and the playwright to answer to it. All right. Go ahead as a young playwright. Is it difficult to direct your own work and for the critic? Does he think that that Ripple I agree with him that there was kind of a ripple in the play with Elaine that episode with the young woman and this does the critics think that having another director who is not not the author would that have smoothed it out and help the help the play there would there were there been some distance that maybe Mark couldn't have given (00:43:41) it I can't say that I can't speak for Mark. I can I can speak from an experience. I had two summers ago at the Eugene O'Neill theater center where they deal with about 24 young playwrights over a four-week period And I was attached to the critics Institute there and so saw 424 plays produced in four weeks and had to write reviews every morning of all those what what they did the what they did to get around that problem was to come up with a buffer personality called a drama Touareg which is along the German style of theater. He kind of is the go-between between the playwright and the director and he advises both and communicates with both and has the privilege in rank of a literary manager and and can make suggestions for changes in the script to the playwright and for changes in blocking to the director or the timing and and we're just beginning to see that kind of individual become. And more involved in American Theatres, even at the laboratory level and I think it's a healthy thing because I think playwright directing his own work does not quite have the objective distance. He needs just as a director who doesn't have an anchor on him. Sometimes can get carried away and brutalize what the playwright was trying to say or Savage it some way and so I think it's good to have that that governor on on both Motors. Yeah, I would agree with that. I think with a piece as short as this I didn't feel as uncomfortable as I might have with a much longer. I would not attempt to direct a full-length play of mine. I think you're really getting into Dangerous Waters there with the piece. That's this short were the intentions were fairly clear to me. I didn't feel it was as big a problem. It might still be them not as big a (00:45:39) problem. Thanks very much for your question. We have another caller on the line. Hello. You're on the air. Yeah. Hello when I first heard the I wasn't very break. I didn't understand it the kind of but then after I heard the other people's attitudes about it, I kind of changed my mind and not change my mind, but I thought about it in a different way and I liked it better. Okay. Well, thank you for your thoughts another caller on the line. Hello. You're on the air. Hello. I thought that the play was quite good. However, I did think that lack in movement, but I don't think it was the part of the play. I thought it was the fault of the actors and the actresses. I don't think they moved along quite like they should have and I'd like to make one of the comment about your radio dramas in the air. I live in Southeastern Minnesota, and I frequently have to turn to another public radio station to hear them, and I'm glad to hear you're going back to your place. Thank you very much. The number in the Twin Cities is 22115502. Two one one five five zero outside of the Twin Cities one 865 to 9700 another caller on the line. Hello. Hello. I was very disappointed with the play. I felt that it lacked any kind of glad it was sort of a like like the other critics said it was very simplified version of if you haven't got any issues don't complain because other fellow doesn't have any feet and I think that that and since there was very little character development. It was mostly very stupid stereotypical characters sort of Candide super Optimist super pessimist and since he didn't have character development, he should have had plat but the idea wasn't even knew and he lacked total thrust. So he didn't have very much. He had a slice of life, but what I boil down to with a lot of small talk very trivial things and I think he sort of exploited the medium because people are very receptive to radio drama will take almost anything. It seems even if it doesn't have anything of artistic value. I mean he there was a lot of planes taking off and a lot of small talk and very little happened. He had one opportunity for character development was the woman who me that who talked about candles and newspaper and happiness and she just walked off. Okay. Well, we appreciate your comments and we hope you'll listen to the coming programs and offer comments then (00:48:18) to I wish thought I had total thrust. Mark (00:48:23) well, anyway, we have some more callers on the line. Hello. You're on the air. Hello. I enjoyed the play very much. I don't want to minimize this because I did enjoy it. Then I believe that your previous caller Slice of Life. Sometimes he's little minimal conversations and small thoughts are really pretty important. And I did enjoy what he had to say. However, my real comment is I miss AirPlay very much. I understand. It's going to be on at a time. When of course it will be working and won't hear that and I spent many a night around a campfire listening to ear play and enjoyed it very very much. I have always felt that As a previous caller said I enjoy my imagination as opposed to what I might see on television and I have always enjoyed good radio drama great lack of it. And so I this is incoming. Well, let me tell you that that's actually a test period the one o'clock time and if it's not convenient and if you find that you can't listen to it write a letter, it's purely kind of an experimental Venture this year to put it on in the afternoon to see what will happen. We have some more callers on the line. Hello. You're on the air. Hello? Yes. Are you there? Yes, we are. Go ahead. Okay. I'm rather appalled at the negative comments some as one that listen to a radio at the age of 10 and heard Admiral Byrd reporting from the North Pole and someone from the family said around and get all their entertainment like this. I think it's great. And then as far as the subject material is concerned I've lived as a recovered alcoholic. I've been in airports a lot and I kind of Rate to this sort of feeling and as far as being more or less awakened to the problems of other people and so on. I think it's good. Okay, thank you very much. We have some more callers on the line. Hello. You're on the air. Hello. Thank you. Just briefly referring to what you were saying a moment ago. I think it's a bad experiment to try here play in the afternoon. It's it belongs in this time slot. The other thing is that this evening. I think this play was suffering from from the necessity felt to share time with with people on the air like right now. I think that had there been more time to develop the The thoughts of the author and the characterizations that there would have been something more significant there than there was a good point and this too is an experiment and we may well be changing it depending on future material we get in we didn't honestly know how many people would call in or not. We were taking a chance with a about a 15 or 16 minute piece tonight, but we'll take that under advisement and see what we can do in future and some more callers on the line. Hello. Oh, yes. I'd like to say that even though that the idea may have been the most original. I thought that it was a refreshing and First time that idea had really hit me in a while and this setting made it so you could really relate to it and it had a lot of impact one thing though. My only criticism is that this guy Goss is now. He realized how great is life is and all of a sudden you realize he missed that flight to Caracas. And now he's screwed it all up. I kind of tend to take advantage of what I got. And (00:52:10) yeah, well, there's another flight in an hour or so. He'll be okay. (00:52:15) Thank you for your comments. We have some more callers on the line. Hello was developed a good ideal, you know. Future two characters, you possibly be developed a little bit more. Do you think there might be through? (00:52:48) I think it's a good idea. Yeah, I think with a little more time and attention. That's probably the most important goal from here on out. (00:52:55) We still have some callers on the line, but our time is closing in here. So we will take the caller's currently on hold and thank the rest of you and hope that you'll Reserve whatever comments and whatever questions might be in your mind if they apply to next month's to call in then meanwhile, we'll take the people waiting at the moment. Hello. You're on the air. Hello on yes. I have to make a comment about a previous comment. And that is that one of the collars said something about I Love Lucy in relation to the show and how we don't need to hear that or anything like that and I just feel that it's nice once in a while to be reminded of those. I don't know what you call them common values or something and I think you don't get it. Hehe don't get animals radio programs. And I think it's nice to hear something a little simpler. Not such a complex story that you know, maybe doesn't bring home to some of the good, you know, good things that you should remember in your daily life. Okay? Thank you for your comments another caller on the line. Hello. Hello. I just wanted to tell you that I enjoy reading your drum very much and had always listen to ear place. So I was excited tonight to listen to this play. I thought the man was quite good in the background excellent, but the character development was kind of a letdown because I either it was it seemed to me either too simplistic or perhaps a voices were amateurish, but I had assumed that the protagonist This problem for on a little different plane so that when he did run into this other characters with all these problems that I begin to think well, I guess I had him sized up incorrectly but I did think you know the idea of the airport and especially the noise of the planes the things that could have happened the little subtleties that could have occurred moving in back and forth from one character to another but it's a kind of play a really would like to listen to again to you know. Be more explicit but I think the whole idea of having drama on the king is really great. Okay, thank you very much for your comments. In fact, thank all of you this evening for your participation in this program. I want to thank the guests in the studio Mark Frost who wrote and directed our play between flights this evening and Bob Gerard the executive editor and Resident critic for the Mankato Free Press. And again, we will be back next month February 28th with another play and another critic and another playwright and hopefully all of you to voice some of your comments and your criticisms. This program has been made possible with the financial assistance of the Fingerhut Corporation. I'm Nancy fusion, and this is Minnesota Public Radio.