Tonight, I listened to a few episodes of the Nature Theater of Oklahoma’s new-ish radio show / podcast, which I absolutely adored. I am so excited to be listening to candid conversations with theatre artists that I have admired and followed for so long, Pavol and Kelly included. While listening, I remembered the rant that I wrote (above) from days long gone.

I have to say that I was a fool to compose those comments. A fool caught up in the critique-obsessed milieu of an art school MFA, which made my own cynical hubris swell with greater intensity than it usually does.

While many of my opinions came from a place of real concern, they were really badly expressed. The blogger actually did a great job of sharing what she liked about the Nature Theater of Oklahoma, and Nature Theater made good work for her to experience.

It’s been seven years since I wrote those long comments. It’s likely they’ll never be read again, which would suit me fine. Still, if the original reviewer, or if Pavol and Kelly ever come across them, I hope they will accept my sincere apology for writing such a pompous and foolish diatribe.

It’s bad enough that artists and the audiences who love them have to struggle with the challenges of making live theatre. We shouldn’t be trying to cut one another down in the name of some critical high-ground.

Long live Nature Theater of Oklahoma and all those who make exciting art, then and now.

But we’re super troubled and/or confused by the charge of or suggestion of misogyny. Please say more – here or in a personal email. Economies, hierarchies and tropes of gender as well as gender expression, critique, theory, performance, representation, and perception are very dynamic in our process. I mean we talk about it a lot and challenge each other too. We disagree (on everything but especially) on which political strategies and languages best respond to racism/sexism

As a primarily lgbt/queer/two spirit team with various levels of commitment to and engagement with feminism, we want to better understand how some folks read “various forms of misogyny” in our collective work. Again thanks.

Keith, primary instigator and producer of Turbulence (a dance about the economy)

Ariana