Tuesday, September 27, 2016

The times they are a-changing (again): My announcement regarding EncoreMichigan.com and The Wilde Awards

My last shot at hosting The Wilde Awards!
photo by Sean Carter


This announcement was sent to the management teams of the state's professional theaters early this afternoon.


* * * * * * * * * *


For some of you, this will sound familiar, but effective October 1, I will no longer be part of the editorial and management teams of EncoreMichigan.com.

As many of you may recall, I initially retired from both EncoreMichigan.com and Pride Source Media Group in December 2014 because of health issues. But when David Kiley assumed ownership of EncoreMichigan.com in March 2015, he asked that I return in a part-time capacity to help him navigate the business and the community. It’s now 18 months later, and I think it’s time for David to fully grab the reins and take the company where he sees fit without having a personal Jiminy Critic whispering such things as “Are you sure you want to do that?” and “This is why we’ve always done it this way” in his ear.

What most people don’t understand is this: Much of the funding to keep EncoreMichigan.com going is coming from David’s personal bank account. And so I believe it’s time for him to get the kudos he deserves for the significant investment he’s making in the community without having me overshadow his accomplishments (something I was reminded of at this year’s Wilde Awards).

So does this mean I’m retreating into the darkness, never to be heard from again? Oh, heck no!

Although I plan to take some time away from the theater community to focus on long-neglected personal projects and a close friend’s campaign for political office (if you’re a Wayne County resident and honesty and integrity matter to you, I urge you to vote for Kelly Ann Ramsey for Circuit Court judge), I plan to continue working as a freelance journalist for various local outlets, and I’ve told David that once his budget can afford to add interviews and feature stories to the mix, I’ll gladly return once or twice a week with my once-popular series, “A Few Minute With…” And as time and interest allow, I’ll gladly assist with special projects that arise for which he asks for my help (or that I suggest we tackle).

Plus, there are a couple of theater-related projects I’ve been talking about for a handful of years that might finally get some traction – and I’m working on a brand NEW theater-related project that might be of interest to you, which COULD be announced sometime over the next month or so. Keep watching my blog for more information (http://crankycritic2.blogspot.com). (A few details still need to be worked out.)

Then there’s The Wilde Awards. Although it wasn’t publicly announced, I decided last year to step away as producer and host of the annual ceremony because I believe it’s time for others to step in and reinvigorate the show. And so David took on the full producing responsibilities this year, while this was my last as writer and host.

However, since I feel it’s important that consistent management should be maintained to ensure the integrity of the process that determines each year’s nominations and winners, David has appointed me executive director of The Wilde Awards. My sole functions will be to manage the nominations process (a year-long responsibility), oversee the event’s media relations, and maintain the awards’ history, which we’ll begin posting on EncoreMichigan.com and my blog over the next several weeks.

And although I don’t plan to review shows for EncoreMichigan.com in the near future (except to help out when schedule conflicts occur), I’ve also agreed to serve as a “second set of eyes” on shows the critics or others believe may deserve a potential Wilde Awards nomination. (You’ll hear more about that soon.)

Obviously, then, my departure from the media company side of the business doesn’t mean you’ll finally be rid of me. (No such luck!) However, I do want to publicly acknowledge at this time the fact that I’ve enjoyed working with all of you in my editorial capacity. Although our community can at times be a fractious one, our theaters are managed and staffed by amazing individuals who all have one common goal – and that’s to produce great theater. And they do. Consistently.

And so it’s been my pleasure to work with you to help spread the good news as far and wide as I possibly could. And I look forward to continuing our relationship as my future endeavors (and second eye visits) cause us to cross paths yet again down the road.

Don

Friday, September 9, 2016

A Look Back in Time (Part 2): Review Stats - 2001 through August 2016

"Red, White and Tuna" at Augusta's Barn Theatre
was the final review included in this study.



Although I retired from Between The Lines and EncoreMichigan.com in December 2014, reviews continued to appear courtesy of a handful of others who took over managing the process for EncoreMichigan.com. Then, three months later I returned to semi-active duty to help the new owner of the company become familiar with the community and his team of critics.

Although I'm not totally convinced some of the 2015 data is 100-percent correct (since data collection wasn't a primary concern to folks trying to learn the various systems and making sure everything that needed to be covered got covered), I've been able to update the information from Part 1 to reflect our review activity through August 2016 with a fairly high degree of accuracy.

And so for you data and theater history lovers out there, here we go!


Review Statistics: October 2001 through August 2016


Once again, let's start with the total number of reviews during the above-identified period. And as you might expect, the data is the same through 2014. But notice the growth in 2015, which was a record-breaking year for the company. And 2016 will likely break yet another record.

        Year   Reviews
1 2001 10
2 2002 54
3 2003 72
4 2004 97
5 2005 99
6 2006 90
7 2007 119
8 2008 103
9 2009 116
10 2010 164
11 2011 210
12 2012 187
13 2013 178
14 2014 201
15 2015 229
16 2016 180


2109

Now let's take a look at the data broken down by critic, ranked by number of reviews per critic. As you'll see, the number of critics expanded greatly in order to cover the increased number of reviews throughout the state. And once again, please note the totals don't match, as a handful of reviews of BoxFest Detroit over the years required the services of multiple critics.

You'll also see I slowed down a bit as a critic.

Critic      #        %
1 Calamia 625 29.59%
2 Quinn 389 18.42%
3 Redman 254 12.03%
4 Blackburn 124 5.87%
5 Kohn 115 5.45%
6 Hayes-Harmer 82 3.88%
7 Kiley 78 3.69%
8 McKee 70 3.31%
9 Bethune 69 3.27%
10 Casadei 45 2.13%
11 Margolin 45 2.13%
12 Heinritz 44 2.08%
13 Merrell 42 1.99%
14 Rubens 41 1.94%
15 Polito 26 1.23%
16 Gazdik 22 1.04%
17 Parrent 21 0.99%
18 Bradley 11 0.52%
19 Emmott 5 0.24%
20 Kennedy 2 0.09%
21 Knightstep 1 0.05%
22 Nolan 1 0.05%
2112 100.00%



Next is the list of theaters we reviewed during this period and the number of times we visited each. You'll notice the total number of theaters grew by 22, which reflects a significant growth in the number of new professional theaters across the state (primarily in Southeast Michigan).

Once again, this list is sorted alphabetically so that the reader can easily find their favorite theaters.

Presenter / Producer          #
1 1515 Broadway 5
2 4Theatre Sake 1
3 7th Heaven 1
4 8th Wonder Theatre 1
5 A Host of People 1
6 About Face Theatre 1
7 African Renaissance Theater of Detroit 5
8 AM Productions 1
9 Andiamo Novi Theatre 15
10 Arbor Opera Theater 2
11 Bailiwick Repertory Theatre 1
12 Barn Theatre 32
13 Blackbird Theatre 32
14 BMA Inc 1
15 BoarsHead Theater 38
16 BoxFest Detroit 6
17 Breathe Art Theatre Project 19
18 Broadway Grand Rapids 9
19 Broadway in Detroit: Detroit Opera House 12
20 Broadway in Detroit: Fisher Theatre 84
21 Broadway in Detroit: Masonic Temple 8
22 Broadway Onstage Live Theatre 28
23 Capital TheaterWorks 3
24 Center Stage Entertainment 1
25 Cornwell's Dinner Theatre 10
26 Detroit Actors Guild Productions 1
27 Detroit Ensemble Theatre 17
28 Detroit Public Theatre 4
29 Detroit Repertory Theatre 49
30 Ellipsis Theatre 1
31 Epicenter Theatre Group 3
32 Evelyn Orbach Productions 1
33 Face Off Theatre 1
34 Farmers Alley Theatre 45
35 Five Cents Short 1
36 Flanders Theater Company 4
37 Flint Youth Theatre 11
38 Fratellanza 1
39 Front Row Productions 1
40 Gem & Century Theatres 30
41 GEM Theatrics 1
42 George Productions 1
43 Go Comedy! Improv Theater 57
44 Great Escape Stage Company 13
45 Henry Ford College's Virtual Theatricality Lab 1
46 Hilberry Theatre 97
47 Hole in the Wall Theatre Company 1
48 Hope Summer Repertory Theatre 37
49 Improv Inferno 8
50 Interlochen Shakespeare Festival 2
51 Ixion 9
52 Khoros, Inc. 1
53 Kickshaw Theatre 1
54 Lakeside Shakespeare Theatre 2
55 LCC Theatre 1
56 Macomb Center for the Performing Arts 1
57 Magenta Giraffe Theatre Company 16
58 Mason Street Warehouse 23
59 Matrix Theatre Company 25
60 Meadow Brook Theatre 89
61 Michigan Actors Studio 3
62 Michigan Opera Theatre 28
63 Michigan Shakespeare Festival 32
64 Miller Auditorium 4
65 Mind the Gap Productions 1
66 Mixed Company Troupe 1
67 Monster Box Theatre 3
68 Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit 1
69 Motoprism 1
70 Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts 2
71 Nerve 2
72 New York Dinner Theater 1
73 Nieto Productions 3
74 NoSuch Group 1
75 Olympia Entertainment & The Ringwald 1
76 Olympia Entertainment: City Theatre 28
77 Olympia Entertainment: Fox Theatre 16
78 Olympia Entertainment: Joe Louis Arena 2
79 Open Book Theatre Company 9
80 Opera Grand Rapids 1
81 Outvisible Theatre Company 2
82 Palace of Auburn Hills 1
83 PAPA Weeze 1
84 Parallel 45 Theatre 1
85 Performance Network Theatre 85
86 Phases Theatre Company 2
87 Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company 20
88 Planet Ant Theatre 128
89 Play with Your Food Dinner Theatre 1
90 Plowshares Theatre Company 21
91 PuppetART 7
92 Puzzle Piece Theatre 8
93 Riverbank Theatre 10
94 Shakespeare in Detroit 5
95 Shop Floor Theatre Company 1
96 Slipstream Theatre Initiative 15
97 Spinning Dot Theatre 2
98 StarBrite Theatrical Productions 20
99 Stark Turn Players 2
100 Stormfield Theatre 8
101 Stratford Shakespeare Festival 12
102 Summer Circle Theatre 15
103 The Abreact 43
104 The Acorn Theater 1
105 The Actors' Company 3
106 The AKT Theatre Project 6
107 The American Shakespeare Collective Theatre Project 1
108 The Bach Dor Shakespeare Company 1
109 The Box Theater 26
110 The Detroit Actor's Theatre Company 2
111 The Dio - Dining & Entertainment / Dionysus Theatre 19
112 The Elizabeth Theater Company / Park Bar Theater 6
113 The Encore Musical Theatre Company 42
114 The Hinterlands 2
115 The Jewish Ensemble Theatre Company 70
116 The Last Word LLC 1
117 The Music Box at The Max / Detroit Symphony Orchestra 1
118 The New Theatre Project 8
119 The Penny Seats Theatre Company 6
120 The Phoenix Players 1
121 The Purple Rose Theatre Company 56
122 The Ringwald Theatre / Who Wants Cake? Theatre 92
123 The Second City - Detroit 24
124 The Snug Theatre 20
125 Theatre 1 1
126 Theatre Nova 10
127 Thick Knot Rhythm Ensemble 3
128 Threefold Productions 3
129 Thunder Bay Theatre 2
130 Tibbits Opera House / Tibbits Summer Theatre 35
131 Tipping Point Theatre 45
132 TNT Productions 3
133 Torch With a Twist 1
134 Two Muses Theatre 18
135 UDM Theatre Company 40
136 Uncovered Theatre Company 1
137 University Musical Society 7
138 Van Buren Street Theatre 1
139 Walk & Squawk Performance Project 3
140 Water Works Theatre Company 12
141 West End Productions 1
142 Wharton Center for the Performing Arts 20
143 What A Do  Theatre 21
144 Wild Swan Theater 8
145 Williamston Theatre 56
146 Y-Arts Detroit 1
147 Zeitgeist Theatre 6
2109

Today's final chart is the same as the one directly above, except it's sorted by the number of times we reviewed each theater. Notice any differences in the Top 5 theaters from last time? The Top 10?

Presenter / Producer         #
1 Planet Ant Theatre 128
2 Hilberry Theatre 97
3 The Ringwald Theatre / Who Wants Cake? Theatre 92
4 Meadow Brook Theatre 89
5 Performance Network Theatre 85
6 Broadway in Detroit: Fisher Theatre 84
7 The Jewish Ensemble Theatre Company 70
8 Go Comedy! Improv Theater 57
9 The Purple Rose Theatre Company 56
10 Williamston Theatre 56
11 Detroit Repertory Theatre 49
12 Farmers Alley Theatre 45
13 Tipping Point Theatre 45
14 The Abreact 43
15 The Encore Musical Theatre Company 42
16 UDM Theatre Company 40
17 BoarsHead Theater 38
18 Hope Summer Repertory Theatre 37
19 Tibbits Opera House / Tibbits Summer Theatre 35
20 Barn Theatre 32
21 Blackbird Theatre 32
22 Michigan Shakespeare Festival 32
23 Gem & Century Theatres 30
24 Broadway Onstage Live Theatre 28
25 Michigan Opera Theatre 28
26 Olympia Entertainment: City Theatre 28
27 The Box Theater 26
28 Matrix Theatre Company 25
29 The Second City - Detroit 24
30 Mason Street Warehouse 23
31 Plowshares Theatre Company 21
32 What A Do  Theatre 21
33 Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company 20
34 StarBrite Theatrical Productions 20
35 The Snug Theatre 20
36 Wharton Center for the Performing Arts 20
37 Breathe Art Theatre Project 19
38 The Dio - Dining & Entertainment / Dionysus Theatre 19
39 Two Muses Theatre 18
40 Detroit Ensemble Theatre 17
41 Magenta Giraffe Theatre Company 16
42 Olympia Entertainment: Fox Theatre 16
43 Andiamo Novi Theatre 15
44 Slipstream Theatre Initiative 15
45 Summer Circle Theatre 15
46 Great Escape Stage Company 13
47 Broadway in Detroit: Detroit Opera House 12
48 Stratford Shakespeare Festival 12
49 Water Works Theatre Company 12
50 Flint Youth Theatre 11
51 Cornwell's Dinner Theatre 10
52 Riverbank Theatre 10
53 Theatre Nova 10
54 Broadway Grand Rapids 9
55 Ixion 9
56 Open Book Theatre Company 9
57 Broadway in Detroit: Masonic Temple 8
58 Improv Inferno 8
59 Puzzle Piece Theatre 8
60 Stormfield Theatre 8
61 The New Theatre Project 8
62 Wild Swan Theater 8
63 PuppetART 7
64 University Musical Society 7
65 BoxFest Detroit 6
66 The AKT Theatre Project 6
67 The Elizabeth Theater Company / Park Bar Theater 6
68 The Penny Seats Theatre Company 6
69 Zeitgeist Theatre 6
70 1515 Broadway 5
71 African Renaissance Theater of Detroit 5
72 Shakespeare in Detroit 5
73 Detroit Public Theatre 4
74 Flanders Theater Company 4
75 Miller Auditorium 4
76 Capital TheaterWorks 3
77 Epicenter Theatre Group 3
78 Michigan Actors Studio 3
79 Monster Box Theatre 3
80 Nieto Productions 3
81 The Actors' Company 3
82 Thick Knot Rhythm Ensemble 3
83 Threefold Productions 3
84 TNT Productions 3
85 Walk & Squawk Performance Project 3
86 Arbor Opera Theater 2
87 Interlochen Shakespeare Festival 2
88 Lakeside Shakespeare Theatre 2
89 Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts 2
90 Nerve 2
91 Olympia Entertainment: Joe Louis Arena 2
92 Outvisible Theatre Company 2
93 Phases Theatre Company 2
94 Spinning Dot Theatre 2
95 Stark Turn Players 2
96 The Detroit Actor's Theatre Company 2
97 The Hinterlands 2
98 Thunder Bay Theatre 2
99 4Theatre Sake 1
100 7th Heaven 1
101 8th Wonder Theatre 1
102 A Host of People 1
103 About Face Theatre 1
104 AM Productions 1
105 Bailiwick Repertory Theatre 1
106 BMA Inc 1
107 Center Stage Entertainment 1
108 Detroit Actors Guild Productions 1
109 Ellipsis Theatre 1
110 Evelyn Orbach Productions 1
111 Face Off Theatre 1
112 Five Cents Short 1
113 Fratellanza 1
114 Front Row Productions 1
115 GEM Theatrics 1
116 George Productions 1
117 Henry Ford College's Virtual Theatricality Lab 1
118 Hole in the Wall Theatre Company 1
119 Khoros, Inc. 1
120 Kickshaw Theatre 1
121 LCC Theatre 1
122 Macomb Center for the Performing Arts 1
123 Mind the Gap Productions 1
124 Mixed Company Troupe 1
125 Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit 1
126 Motoprism 1
127 New York Dinner Theater 1
128 NoSuch Group 1
129 Olympia Entertainment & The Ringwald 1
130 Opera Grand Rapids 1
131 Palace of Auburn Hills 1
132 PAPA Weeze 1
133 Parallel 45 Theatre 1
134 Play with Your Food Dinner Theatre 1
135 Shop Floor Theatre Company 1
136 The Acorn Theater 1
137 The American Shakespeare Collective Theatre Project 1
138 The Bach Dor Shakespeare Company 1
139 The Last Word LLC 1
140 The Music Box at The Max / Detroit Symphony Orchestra 1
141 The Phoenix Players 1
142 Theatre 1 1
143 Torch With a Twist 1
144 Uncovered Theatre Company 1
145 Van Buren Street Theatre 1
146 West End Productions 1
147 Y-Arts Detroit 1
2109

There's more to come soon!