4 Responses

1. Dear Jobsite. I do not remember if I’ve ever seen any of your productions. But I have heard much about you and have always believed in what you do. I would love to donate to you. Is there a way to do so on line?

   1. Hi Sally. Yes! You can donate to us here: https://www.jobsitetheater.org/donate-to-jobsite/ . There’s loads more info if you go to the top nav of our site, under Support (for instance, check out the Donor Benefits page.)

2. Oh for the good old days when playwrights like Williams, O’Neill, Inge, Anderson, Hansberry, Hart, et al. wrote plays, often long ones (cf. O’Neill) without using a single fuck, goddam, or other obscenity! Okay, so maybe a damn or two. But they were able to get the point across and entertain an audience without heaping obscenity after obscenity on the audience. If the obscenities were removed from Mr. Ferrigni’s script there wouldn’t be much script left – and his play would not have been so tedious.

   At Friday night’s performance the Jobsite Claque received “Occupation” with enthusiasm – I wish I could have joined them. After being turned off by the heavy-handed use of obscenities, I found Ms. Peralta extremely hard to understand. Her fucks and goddams came through loud and clear, but I assume there was serious dialogue that I did not get because I could not understand her. Ms Castonguay was easier to understand, but still difficult to understand.

   The production was interesting and Mr. Holcom is to be commended for his efforts, but “Occupation”? – ho-hum.

   Last week I renewed my Jobsite subscription for another year.

   Robert Williams

   1. Mr. Williams,

      First, thank you for being a valued friend of the company and for your continued support of our work. We truly appreciate you. I know that you have been with us for a very long time.

      On to the show: I’m sorry that you found the language in the play distasteful and heavy-handed. Not to be too flip, but I received more than one stinging email similarly complaining about the language in Twelfth Night. From the tone of those comments, you’d consider Shakespeare’s comedy as equally as offensive as the admittedly obscenity-laden Occupation. In the case of both plays, we also know the language within will also be a selling point to many, for many reasons that I won’t get into here (brevity isn’t always my strongest suit). We know that Occupation will not be for everyone. No more than Annapurna, Orlando, Twelfth Night, Vampire Lesbians, or Ballyhoo were. Subjective stuff is subjective and we’re doing our best to reach all corners of our community. That means a commitment to a wide array of voices. I think you know our body of work is in line with that claim considering how long you’ve been with us. Instead of viewing those in attendance who enjoyed the work as a “claque,” perhaps consider that their sensibilities are just different than yours? They similarly may not get the attraction to Hart or Hansberry …

      As to the clarity of the performers: I will be sure to pass that on so they can raise their awareness. If we’re going to offend, we may as well do so with good diction … Kidding aside (and I am simply making light), I want to stress that I value the feedback. I always appreciate it: good, bad, and indifferent. It helps me personally, it helps the company. We need to know where we’re doing right and with whom just as much where we may be falling short. I’m sorry that you were ho-hummed by Occupation and I sincerely hope that we do better by you next time. Let me know? Dialogue like this is important to “this thing we call show.”