I recently returned from 10 days in Ptown where I was reminded of one of the things I like the best about that magical place. Amidst all the street activity in Ptown--the crowds of tourists, the drag queens on bikes, the speeding pedicabs driven by kids from Eastern Europe, the barkers barking their shows--there’s one of the most thriving theater communities in America. First, of course, there are examples of what we think of as traditional theater--The Provincetown Playhouse was running three plays in repertory: Take Me Out, Studs Turkel’s Working, and Gross Indecency: The Trials of Oscar Wilde. Then there were a couple of plays at other venues. There was the one-man play, Blanche Survives Katrina in a FEMA Trailer Named Desire written and performed by Mark Sam Rosenthal (a poetic, moving, witty and profound theater piece), which ran for 9 weeks in New York earlier this season, a return of the two-hander (with nudity), 2 Boys in a Bed on a Cold Winter’s Night by James Edwin Parker (which, despite the lure of the promise of nudity is quite moving and romantic), and the perennial Naked Boys Singing. But that’s just the beginning. There are innumerable drag shows--Varla Jean, Miss Ritchfield (who deserves the award for best in-the-street barking), Dina Martina, Showgirls, etc. This year I saw Hedda Lettuce’s show, Eat Me. (Hedda is a hilarious, smart, quick-witted, and raunchy performer--as well as a great singer.) There were also the comics. I saw Kate Clinton (surely one of the smartest comics alive--and incredibly political--Rachel Maddow is a big fan, need I say more?) and Jennifer Kirson (who contorts her face and body in outrageous ways--her baby is not to be missed). And the amazing comedy troupe, The Nellie Olesons. (They're like Saturday Night Live without censors--plus dancing.) Hedda Lettuce (in full Joan Crawford drag) also hosted an interactive screening of Mommie Dearest--with running commentary and audience participation. The lead member of the group Betty was also in town with a one-woman theater piece. And those are just the shows that I remember.
But one of the things that always strikes me about the wealth of theater in Ptown is how casually it’s all handled. Most performers have to promote their show in the street or in front of their venue right before curtain time, because most decisions to attend shows happen at the last minute and almost by accident. For example, when I couldn’t get into Miss Richfield’s show, I just went down the street to see Hedda Lettuce. And at these prices (I paid between $15 and $35 per show), these shows are accessible to almost anyone. Sitting in the audience waiting for Eat Me to begin--having plunked down my $20 just moments before--I suddenly realized that this must be what theater was like in many places before movies came along: a wide selection, affordable prices, the decision to attend made at the last minute while out looking for something to do. All of which makes the experience a far cry from what one goes through on Broadway. In the course of my stay, I saw 7 shows and probably paid a total equal to one or one-and-a-half Broadway tickets.
All of this is just one more reason why I think Provincetown is the center of the universe. (But please don’t tell too many people about this--especially families. This Camelot might not survive the influx of even more hordes of tourists.)
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