Hi my Friends,
Squirt, here. I have been contemplating the cancellation of our musical. FAT KATZ AND EXPATS, which, until a short time ago, had been scheduled for April of this year. I have been told that our play was cancelled for not
being "politically correct". A few nights ago, just to refresh my memory and to reassure me, I, and a group of my actor friends, took a long, hard look at the video of it's 2007 performance in Boquete...the one that made $6000 for Boquete's AMIGOS DE ANIMALES. After seeing the play once again, I was reassured that there is ABSOLUTELY nothing in this play that could be considered offensive to anyone! FAT KATZ AND EXPATS is a comedy praising the low key, family loving, TRANQUILO Panamanians as opposed to the somewhat high strung, overly nervous Gringo. In the play, the Nudist Bhudist (and don't worry...he is never without his towel) visits the nervous Gringos and has a hand in calming them down a bit, with funny interludes every few minutes, as FLORIDA GAYLE, among other interesting and quirky characters, makes her appearance as the retired exotic pole dancer, who teaches pole dancing for Seniors. Everyone wins, everyone comes out on top, ending in a great big rousing, BACK IN HARMONY. I know that some of you haven't seen the play, since some of you had not arrived in our lovely town by that time, but I truly believe, if you would ask around among the Expat and the Panamanian community who actually SAW this Comedy/Farce when it was lovingly presented to the Boquete Community on August of 2007, you would find nary a soul who was in any way offended by this musical. In fact, it was written to bring us all closer together, and I think perhaps it did. I am humbly asking for a reconsideration...perhaps not, if this is truly impossible, for this coming April, as had been previously committed to, but perhaps for your next presentation, maybe even April or May of 2017, if no other times are available. I also realize that the presence of willing musical directors has been somewhat sparse in recent times. I realize that Rhody did not want to commit to such an undertaking at this time, and apparently, neither did Yella. I certainly don't blame either one of these two very talented musicians. I KNOW it's a lot of work. Perhaps TWO music directors working together might find the task less daunting? If not Rhody and Yella...perhaps others could be found who might be persuaded to try their hand at directing the music. It's not difficult music. As many of you may know, Mickey and I are basically country songwriters. The melodies are simple, but I am prouder of these songs that Mickey and I spent two years writing just for the Boquete community than anything else I have ever written in my life! If paying me is a problem, I can forgo that. I just ask that you consider giving FAT KATZ AND EXPATS another chance. I think it deserves it, and furthermore, I think the Boquete community, which I love so much deserves a chance to see it. Does that sound vain? You know what? I don't give a damn! It's a good play. If any of you would like to see this play performed again, or perhaps you never got to see it the first time and would like a chance to see it performed, please respond accordingly and be sure and let BCP know your wishes. If you liked our musical, POSTCARDS FROM PARADISE, you will LOVE our musical, FAT KATZ & EXPATS!
Replies
I remember attending Fat Katz &Expats and just feeling so good after a night of laughing. I do hope it can be done again soon. It was such fun.
Well, why don't you state what the Political Correct issues are. Let's get everything out in the open. Mickey and Squirt have been here eons and they know that Political Correct issues don't fly here in Panama or maybe they are afraid of offending the foreigners. Mickey and Squirt have been a real asset to the Boquete Community for ages, newcomers should leave that PC Bull.... behind when they come here.
patrick
Dear Squirt
You don’t know me. It’s clear you don’t. I have been the President of BCP since September and I wish you had taken a few seconds to ask any of the innumerable people to whom you sent your email how to reach me. I know most of them. Any of them would have given you my email address.
But I know you… and I adore you and Mickey and Shel Silverstein. I know you because as I was considering BCP’s desire to have me on its new Council, I had a walk-on in Postcards. I carried a sign they made that said “Maldiccion” on it and I flashed it, actually wiggling off my butt, at the audience right before Universal Adjective was sung by Jim Wasson. If you knew me, you’d know I detest Political Correctness and I laughed through every rehearsal and performance.
I have read your email with interest. Two friends on your list sent it to me. Then I saw your Campaign move to Ning and Chiriqui life so even though you have not addressed your efforts to the new Council or me, I am now responding in its name as I want everyone on your list to have a chance at understanding.
Several people replied to your email and postings. Almost all in a clear and positive way but I will use a word from one of them who was less elegant: There is no “dictator:
In fact, if there was anything close to dictating, it was that the Council before the one on which I now serve told us newcomers in July of 2015…in fact the words were spoken by then President Rhody Edwards in response to my question as to whether or not the Council would have any say in the choice of productions…and we were told, no, the new Artistic Director had been given sole discretion. We were asked to respect that.
Which brings us to Fat Katz. You and all those addressed need to know that plans were afoot to do it. In fact, Barbara sent me the script and told me she’d hoped I would read at auditions to play Katz. I told her I would read only if Dave Ross did not want to reprise his role. Almost at the same time, she discovered that neither Rhody nor Yella could be available, and that scared the daylights out of all of us and you, Ms. James, more than acknowledge that in your email. Rhody tried to help us find another Musical Director. I even asked my sister in Montreal who is a great keyboardist and arranger if she’d come for three months but she told me she’d have lost her job.
Nonetheless casting began (maybe whole bunches of you don’t know that either). Yes, casting began and within two days Barbara came to the Council and told us that some actors who were reading at auditions were offended by the script (don’t shoot the messenger) and did not want to go further. She did not want to direct the play and in a completely selfless and helpful way, she called others here who had directed here before and pleaded with them to direct the play. No-one accepted.
My purpose here is not to argue PC. My purpose is to tell you that a combination of her discomfort with the actors’ feelings, her own discomfort with doing the play; coupled with the fact that there was no Musical Director to be found and no-one who would direct despite her attempts to find someone to replace herself, made her come to the Council and tell us she felt we had to cancel. Under all those circumstances and because she had been given that discretion by our predecessors on the Council, we voted to support the decision. We made our BCP Founders aware of the decision and while they both would have wanted the play go on, they supported Barbara and the Council in that decision.
If we have a new Musical Director and a guest Director (our AD has already shown she supports that) there will be every chance of us doing Fat Katz next season. I hope you will work with us on that.
Nice to hear from you, Bernie, and to know your feelings on this. I do remember your part in POSTCARDS. I don't believe I actually got to meet you while I was there last summer, but I look forward to meeting you sometime in the future! I sincerely hope that you are able to find a new Musical Director and a guest Director and can maybe put on the show next season. I will be there with figurative bells on and I will certainly work with you and BCP and do anything I can to help.
Squirt
That politically correct person must be so ignorant that the Universal Adjective from Postcards completely escaped him/her. Why can one uptight person stop a production enjoyed, and to be enjoyed, by so many people? I notice that person is too cowardly to reveal his/her identity and say what the problem is, instead hiding behind a spokesperson. Whoever you are, you ought to be ashamed of yourself, you great dictator of things that are proper.
Sounds fun, and kudos for standing your ground.
Thanks, A.J.!