Categories
Theater, Books, Personal, Quotations, Publishing (Online and Off)
December 2025
: Time Out for "Salesman" Please, for God’s sake, no more productions of Death of a Salesman for a decade or so.
: OK, Claudia Scheinbaum, the President of Mexico, is 5' 3". Check the horizontal lines running behind …
: One of my former professors is called a “theatrologist” on Wikipedia. Theatrologist??? Update: to …
: I’m slow in observing things sometimes. It wasn’t that long ago that FOX broadcast the NFC games, …
: A Poor Player on the Season of Hibernation Tom Loughlin: We have traded the beauty and the deep silence of the winter season for noise and …
: Ezra Klein, Sheila Liming, Loneliness, and Winnie-the-Pooh To a man with a book, the whole world is about Winnie-the-Pooh. In this rerun of Ezra Klein’s 2023 …
November 2025
: Finished reading: The King of Torts by John Grisham 📚 A cautionary tale about the …
: Winnie the Pooh and Josh Aronson's "Florida Boys" Thanks to @dfte, I was referred to this interview with Josh Aronson, and this quotation, which oddly …
: Finished reading: The Wild Robot by Peter Brown 📚 Wrote about it here.
: On Reading "The House at Pooh Corner" A few days before Thanksgiving, I finished reading The House at Pooh Corner for the first time. I …
: A lovely song by Tuck and Patti: Christmas Wish,
: Greater Detail Concerning My Shift Back to MB I just sent out a message to my Substack readers announcing I would no longer be writing there, nor …
: This summary of Guy Debord’s analysis of our culture by Nobel prize winning novelist Mario Vargas …
: Does anyone else find the pardoning of a turkey by the President a macabre tradition?
: Happy Thanksgiving to one and all, especially my friend @apoorplayer who may or may not be buried in …
: (sneaking in the side door) Shhhh. Don’t mind mind me. I’m back. Again.
August 2025
: Books written for K-12 teachers are mind-numbingly awful. It’s amazing anybody decides to become …
: Learn Like an Athlete Learn Like an Athlete – David Perrel. There’s nothing particularly earth-shattering about this …
: Talkin' 'Bout a Revolution: Cooking at Home RFK points at “ultraprocessed” food while ignoring what makes them necessary.
: Milton Understood the 21st Century Mind From Milton’s Paradise Lost – Eve’s dream of temptation: happy though thou art, Happier thou mayst …
: Clif Bar and Theater “Companies lost their mojo for a combination of the following reasons: focus on cost reduction, …
: Thomas Merton on the Interior Life “Our real journey in life is interior,” [Thomas Merton] concluded, clearly choosing his words with …
: Today is my 30th anniversary, and I am the luckiest man alive.
July 2025
: I Changed Lila Shroff's ChatGPT Query to I suggested that @ayjay do the same thing the Atlantic writer, Lila Shroff, did, but for Jesus. But …
: I love this version of Blind Willie Johnson’s song “Sorrow Will Soon Be Over” sung by Sinead …
: I’ve just finished the first part of Jon Cohen’s beautiful novel, “The Man in the Window.” Just …
: Here’s a question: at a time when anyone with $10/month can have their own website, why are …
: I’m getting so tired of bad faith efforts by journalists (yes, I’m looking at you, Atlantic) to …
: Welp. I seem to have started to work on another book project.
: Theater people, you DON’T NEED purpose-built buildings. www.thestage.co.uk/opinion/v…
: Politicans and parents think they know about education because they once went to school, which is …
: We finally have a dog who doesn’t give a hoot about fireworks.
: Reading The Hidden History of Neoliberalism by Thom Hartmann. It’s a book that puts the daily …
: Rush Would Not Be Pleased with US Today “A field of battle covered with dead bodies putrefying in the open air is an awful and distressing …
: Do you know what would be the best use for AI? It should be trained on tax law, and then set loose …
: I spent some time trying on the ideas of small-c conservatism (i.e., pre-Trump conservatism), but …
June 2025
: I don’t know about you, but I find this shocking. Stock ETFs that buy the same thing that …
: Unboxing! 3rd Edition of my textbook "Introduction to Play Analysis" When I left to take the dog for a walk this morning, I discovered a small, heavy box on the front …
: The AI Discussion “For many good reasons, there are lots of tensions around GenAI and a sometimes-growing antagonism …
: For those of you who are still willing to learn about AI, Ethan Mollick does a good breakdown of the …
: Ted Gioia declares that long form material has made a comeback. I think he’s right! …
: adam@social.lol “suspended” me, whatever that means. What a coward. Apparently, my posts can be seen …
: Bounded Source AI and Google's NotebookLM I am particularly interested in what is apparently known as “source bounded AI” such as Google’s …
: Really? We’re going to judge learning effectiveness based on (checks notes) an EEG assessing …
: The Age of Futility and the Age of Sensibility Tom at @apoorplayer wrote a powerfully honest essay called “The Age of Futility” that inspired me to …
: 125 Years of Theater Centralization “The theatre, by the beginning of the current century, had become yet another American industry …
: Pixar “The Annecy [Animation Festival] crowd cheered the announcement [of the upcoming Pixar film Gatto …
: The New Criterion Yesterday, I got a mailer from the New Criterion saying they were “defenders of the beautiful and …
May 2025
: Trump Admin members cash in on tariffs Officials in the Trump administration had some well-timed trades right before Trump announced …
: I have a new author page that includes a blog: scottwalters.net.
: OK, this is cool. Falcons nest on the roof of the UMass W. E. B DuBois Library where I get my …
: Just finished “The Heartbeat Library” by Laura Imai Messina. A beautiful, deeply-felt book that was …
: Arts Orgs and Markets Parking this here for the future: “As arts organizations become part of the world of markets …
: Hey, look, Ma! My letter is in American Theatre Magazine!
: This post by @ayjay pretty much describes me as well. “Back to My Books,” by Alan Jacobs.
: Yesterday was my birthday, and my wife and I went to the Habitat ReStore and I bought a used desk …
April 2025
: Life Energy “We exchange something very precious for money: our life energy. Do we want to spend our time and …
: A Rational Approach to the Presidency? I wonder how many people would heave a sigh of relief and enthusiastically support this platform …
: OK, I’m settled in for the NFL draft. I’m not hard-core: I’ll probably turn it off after the …
: Do stock market people ever get tired of knee jerk responses? “Oh, look!” Trump said something nice …
: It seems to me that a large portion of new ideas that, when eventually adopted, turn out to be game …
: Now Reading: On Consolation Today’s reading: On Consolation: Finding Solace in Dark Times by Michael Ignatieff – a welcome salve …
: Regrets: I Have a Few (On Teaching) I read Carl Hendrick’s “Ultra-Processed Minds” and I find myself wishing I could start my teaching …
: Last Night's Entertaining Dream I woke up laughing…
: Freakonomics on the Economics of Theatre Michael Rushton informs us that “Freakonomics Radio has a new three part series on the economic …
: The Importance of Imagination to Social Change Activist Joanna Macy says a foundational part of social movements is “Worldview changes: reinventing …
: The Death of PAJ: Performing Arts Journal When I went off to the CUNY Graduate Center to get my doctorate in theater …
: Erich Fromm "On Disobedience" “Disobedience, then, in the sense in which we use it here, is an act of the affirmation of reason …
: Total market manipulation. I have put all of my retirement savings into cash and CDs. I will not …
: Cells in Cells Science tells us that nearly every cell in our body is replaced every 7 to 10 years. I have a former …
: Stand by for Threads Deactivation in 3...2... I just deactivated my Threads account as the first step to erasing the account completely. I had 99 …
: On Edmund Wilson's Style and Career Path I find literary critic Edmund Wilson’s writing style invigorating. I wish I’d come across his …
: Jaron Lanier's "Oy, AI" -- Don't Try to Hide the People More Jaron Lanier: “Oy, AI.” It is a good supplement, or dare I say replacement, for his interview …
: Jaron Lanier on AI This morning, I listened to Sean Illing interview Jaron Lanier, a tech insider known for his work …
: BREAKING: Only 12% of the 1903 general public believed that the flight at Kitty Hawk would affect …
: So here’s the problem: American-made cars aren’t made with American-made parts. So prices on those …
: For some reason, I decided to post something about AI on Threads. 2 stars. Would not recommend.
: The Size of Grants to Individual Artists “One study (Leveraging Investments in Creativity 2003) found that 79 percent of all grants to …
: On AI in Music Composition and Image Generation I reflect on Derek Thompson’s interview of composer Mark Henry Phillips about his use of AI as part …
March 2025
: It's Just My Opinion and Other Time Wasters Someone once said that I write in declarative sentences, and that’s true. I really dislike all the …
: The Barter Theater and the Importance of Alternative Stories “Recently, I read this essay by Robert Porterfield, an aspiring actor who founded a theatre company …
: My Position on AI There continues to be a lot of “discussion” concerning AI. I have not taken a stand on this blog, …
: Stories Ireland Frank Delaney The one joy that has kept me going through life has been the fact that stories …
: Using AI as a **partner **in a research team.
: The Lack of Inspiration in US Politics I have had it with US politics. It’s not because–or not ONLY because–the Trump Administration’s …
: There is so much BS in this article from American Theatre Magazine about what theater students …
: I'd Come Out of Retirement to Do This If a university wanted to create an innovative theater program, I would come out of retirement to …
: Something is wrong with my Social Security Wait, what??? I was one of the people whose Social Security benefit was lowered due to the Windfall …
: A Play, a Pie, and a Pint -- Why I Appreciate Scotland's Famous Lunchtime Theater I confess I am fascinated by this Scottish theater company, who does a new play every week and …
: Ivan Illich, John McKnight, and Asset-Based Communities (This post is the result of writing I’ve been doing on my personal project.] I’ve been reading Ivan …
: Michael Rushton does it again, this time calling BS on arts districts. open.substack.com/pub/micha…
: A Personal Project I began a new project a few days ago. In many ways, it is the opposite of the Learn in Public …
: “The end of the world as we know it is not the end of the world, full stop. Unless we can inhabit …
: Gradually, Then Suddenly: The Birth of Show BUSINESS (Part 2): The Resistance The Resistance The attempt by the six members of the Theatrical Syndicate to create a monopoly of …
: You know what I think is weird? That people will condemn you for not keeping up with the news while …
: Thoughts on Style While Feeling Crummy (Embracing My Inner Paglia) I wrote this in 2009. I still basically feel the same way.]I am at home with a cold. Forced by my …
February 2025
: Gradually, Then Suddenly: The Birth of Show BUSINESS (Part 1) In Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises, a character is asked how he went bankrupt. “Two ways,” he …
: Nicholas Carr on the Contemplative Gaze As always, Alan Jacobs (@ayjay) calls our attention to extraordinary writing, not only his own but …
: Michael Rushton is doing an excellent job of dismantling all the ways we miss the boat when we’re …
: True Wealth “With the broad acceptance of scarcity, the drawdown of resources ensues, and business begins: the …
: The Rise of the Combination Company and the Death of the Resident Stock Company This post could be called “The Enshittifcation of Theater,” and so could the next one. By 1870, all …
: Independence “The change I am talking about appeals to me precisely because it need not wait upon “other people.” …
: Trains, Canals, and Uncle Tom's Cabin (The Rooted Stage, Part 4) Recap During the first 75 years of theater in America: Companies were independent, semi-permanent, …
: The River of Vision I wrote this in 2008, and it still is true today: From Daniel Quinn’s deceptively simple and …
: “My poetry is basically a poetry of praise. It’s an affirmation of the world, of the beauty of the …
: When i largely disconnected from social media, I remembered what it was like to have only my own …
: Theater Ideas Weekly Newsletter My latest weekly newsletter in which I talk about Brown’s elimination of the MFAs in Acting and …
: I Need Ideas About Getting Formatting into EPUB Dear Programmer types (e.g., @manton (although you shouldn’t reply–you have enough with answering …
: I just made the mistake of checking in on Threads. Good God, it’s just one person after another …
: playbill.com/article/b… Brown and Trinity Rep shutting down MFA in Acting and Directing. Let me take …
: playbill.com/article/b… Brown and Trinity Rep shutting down MFA in Acting and Directing. Let me take …
: What You Have to Do to Get an NEA Grant Now My friend Michael Phillips at the Chicago Tribune discusses the changes of “emphasis” at the …
: A Dream about Story Every once in a while, rarely, I have one of Those Dreams. These are dreams that have a very …
: I Interview Myself (The Rooted Stage -- Introduction) [Since I just sort of launched into The Rooted Stage Series without really explaining what I was …
January 2025
: Sophia Efthimiatou On Receiving Before it turns into a celebration of Substack, Sophia Efthimiatou’s post has some wonderful …
: Who Owns the Buildings (The Rooted Stage, Part 3) Yesterday, I wrote about the birth of the star system prior to 1870, when notable actors would …
: Fichandler: The Burden of the Nonprofit System in US Zelda Fichandler, the co-founder of Arena Stage in DC, and one of the Founding Mothers (along with …
: What Happened in 1870? (Not So Fast) (Part 2 of The Rooted Stage) As I wrote in The Rooted Stage: Beginnings, part 1 of this series, the first century of the American …
: On Restaurants and Theaters I was at a wonderful, new local restaurant today. It opened several months ago, and it was our first …
: I’m fascinated by the Scottish theater company A Play, a Pie, and a Pint. They’ve just announced …
: The Rooted Stage: Beginnings (Part 1) “Meanwhile, back in the Year One…” – Jethro Tull, Skating Away on the Thin Ice of a New Day So how …
: "Snakes on a Plane" is a better movie than "Oppenheimer," or Why Artistic Categories Can Make It Easier to Talk about Art Pretend with me for a moment. I bring you into a room where you find a Red Box, a Blue Box, and a …
: The More Things Change... Back in 2011, I wrote a lot about Holly Sidford’s study for Grantmakers in the Arts called “FUSING …
: I’ve been reading Michael H. Shuman’s books for 20 years. This one really has me thinking about how …
: social.ayjay.org/2025/01/0… Lately, @ayjay has been the source of a lot of new thoughts and new …
: Tracing My Influences For quite a while now, I’ve been trying to find a through line for the thinkers I’ve admired, and I …
: It seems to me that what micro.blog is helping me to do is avoid what Ed Zitron describes here.
: As tech moguls each “contribute” money to Trump’s “inauguration fund,” I am reminded of Russia’s …
: Michael Rushton asks “what is public funding for the arts for?” He offers a starting point for …
: Notes Toward an Article on the Arts and Effective Altruism That I Didn't Post Here are the basics for the article I tried to write yesterday, but couldn’t get off the ground: …
: “Along with Joseph Addison, Shaftesbury paved the way for a new approach to English writing, …
: I like Austin Kleon’s idea of keeping track the books he __didn’t__read (h/t Alan Jacobs). I just …
: Wow. I just spent 3 hours writing something that could have been created by 3 monkeys pounding on a …
December 2024
: A Different Vision of Education In many ways, I think this quotation is what higher education in the arts ought to be: recognizing …
: A fine line, but the best playwrights and artists understand.
: Where Are Our Prophets? “…things do seem to have changed in literary fiction, and you don’t have to go back far to see it. …
: Definition: Anti-Intellectualism “The common strain that binds together the attitudes and ideas which I call anti-intellectual is a …
: “The theater’s rich intellectual inheritance serves as a buffer to society’s recrudescent …
: Alan Jacobs on The Work Itself It seems to be an Alan Jacobs day! His post called “The Work Itself,” about the difference between …
: Adam Smith on Vanity [T]he desire of doing what is honourable and noble, of rendering ourselves the proper objects of …
: Alan Jacobs, Ross Douthat, Margo Jones, Tony Kushner and the Fate of (Pop) Culture Alan Jacobs responds to Ross Douthat’s NYTimes question as to whether we can make pop culture great …
: Interactive Theater In Person AND Online I find that England, Ireland, and Scotland have a much greater amount of experimentation in how they …
: I hate the post-Fed-announcement hysteria that hits the stock market every time the Fed cuts …
: There are few things better than a good rant, especially if it is about the internet. Well done! …
: He Who Is Without “Christ’s rebuke of the Pharisees eager to stone the sinful may feel of little help today, living in …
: Saul Bellow on the News “Our media make crisis chatter out of news and fill our minds with anxious phantoms of the real …
: So here’s a question I’d be interested in hearing you talk about: if we just stopped with social …
: If Rushton is really calling that “ingratitude,", it should serve as an illustration as to why …
: One Size Doesn't Fit All When you’re stepping outside the well-trodden path and trying to create something new, you often …
: “Adaptive problems are embedded in social complexity, require behavior change, and are rife with …
: “we have lost sight of any collective belief that society could be different. Instead of a better …
: Comps No, I’m not talking about the freebies we give to family and friends who come to our show. I’m …
: ”The characteristic of the hour is that the commonplace mind, knowing itself to be commonplace, has …
: Diane Ragsdale Provides a Thanksgiving Pi I recently stumbled up a thirteen-year-old blog post by the always-insightful arts thinker Diane …
: “Murdoch believed we should cultivate a kind of ‘mindfulness’. By making a habit of focusing our …
November 2024
: “Happiness is often presented as being very dull but, he thought, lying awake, that is because dull …
: A Time of Leisure and Freedom “I do not think of old age as an ever grimmer time that one must somehow endure and make the best …
: “The arts can turn a piece of banal knowledge into a truth that has the power to move us, when a …
: “Although Goethe was intimately connected to the social and cultural life of his time, he also knew …
: “Resistance is first of all a matter of principle and a way to live, to make yourself one small …
: Charm vs Charisma Ian Leslie, on his Substack site The Ruffian, wrote an interesting article entitled “Are You …