Not everyone will like all the performances at the Dinner Theatre. Just because Wayne gave a review that he didn’t like the show—- doesn’t mean that anyone else sent from the paper would have given a better review. Maybe the show was not up to the high standards for that performance. Why send anyone to review at all if you always expect a Great Review.( kind of a waste of time and money).I have been to the WHDT on several occasions and have liked the shows. That is not so say that they are all GREAT. There are some they present that I would not go to see. Everyone has their own opinion.

Is the review online?  I couldn’t find it.

There is a letter to the editor from Joe and Sue Stanley that is on the Home page—- go down to the LIVING section —you can read there letter there. Not sure if the review is still on news page ==serch the past dates for storys by Wayne.

Okay, the review was older than I thought.  It was from Nov 12, and it was in the Opinion section, which I normally don’t see (I go straight to the News section).
http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/opinion_an_american_turkey_gobbles_its_way_to_the_stage/

There was a letter to the editor a week later:
http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/letter_to_the_editor_irrational_reaction/

And yet another on the 28th:
http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/letters_to_the_editor_keep_wayne_in_the_office/living/4082/

Everyone is critical on what he says because of the way he says it. You are right, smartdog, not everyone will like the play. But Wayne had no right writing what he did right. He could have said it in a lot nicer of a way than what he did. From personal experience with Wayne, he never has anything nice to say. When I was pregnant with my twins he said some pretty harsh things to me about my pregnancy and me not being married. Yea, everyone is entitled to their own opinion but when saying that opinion there is a nicer way of putting it.

I have to agree with everything you say there, smartdog. Granted, Mr. Quesenberry could have been a little more tactful in his review. My advice to him would be to remember the audience of the paper. I mean, people around here don’t have a very good grasp of the English language. The following quote from the Stanleys’ letter is a prime example:

To criticize a play is one thing, but to say that an actor should go to a health care facility in the comatose unit is unacceptable. Using the term pedophile is another example of character assassination.

I read the review (thanks for the links, Dan) and didn’t see where Mr. Q did wrote that the actor should go to a comatose unit, but rather the “Grandpa” character seemed to be in a coma. Is that distasteful? Absolutely. Crude? To be sure. But I think the review did enough damage for Mr. Quesenberry’s career and reputation without altering his words. I mean, I’m one of the biggest Star Wars fans in the world, but I would like to smack George Lucas for implementing the cardboard acting that is so prominent in Episodes 1-3. The Trade Federation robots showed more emotion than Samuel L. Jackson, for crying out loud. But, I digress :)

Also, from what I was able to filter through all the metaphors and similes, Mr. Quesenberry said, basically, that the musical numbers were terrific but the storyline was really weak. In his letter to the editor, Mr. Kime commented on that fact, and followed it up with

HEY! It is called a musical!

Look, I’m not the biggest fan of musicals, but I like the good ones. And one thing that I can say with some certainty is that no matter how great the musical performances may be, they won’t make up for a weak story. I mean, Tim Rice and Elton John wrote some phenomenal songs in and of themselves. But without the stories to support them, they would have simply been great songs.

I have personally never been to the WHDT for a performance, though I plan to take my wife if and when they have something she wants to see (as long as it’s not Chicago or Moulin Rouge…can anyone at WHDT say “Disney”?). I would also like to check out one of the Elvis tributes, being an avid fan of the king. But, I can also accept that all of the shows are not going to be home runs. People of Wythevegas have a tendency to take ownership of everything in the county…which is good and bad. It’s great that the county can come together to support the local businesses. But it’s bad when someone can’t say anything negative without everybody getting all up-in-arms about it. The review said nothing about whether past performances were good or bad, however, the people who chose to write to the editor (except for Ms. Melton) did little more than defend the WHDT as a whole, and not the show being reviewed.

I think, Chico, people around here do have a grasp on the English language. I think it is the way Mr. Quesenberry words what he says. You know he could have put it in a lot nicer of way then what he did. He didn’t have to say “Grandpa” should be in a coma. He could have said something a whole lot nicer and a whole lot less crude and distasteful. If he is to keep on doing reviews then I would suggest for him to take a couple of classes on how to put things nicely and not so harsh. Because to me, Mr. Q (as you called him once) has never had anything nice to say about anything or anybody.

ctadlock - 03 December 2008 09:42 PM

I think, Chico, people around here do have a grasp on the English language. I think it is the way Mr. Quesenberry words what he says. You know he could have put it in a lot nicer of way then what he did. He didn’t have to say “Grandpa” should be in a coma. He could have said something a whole lot nicer and a whole lot less crude and distasteful. If he is to keep on doing reviews then I would suggest for him to take a couple of classes on how to put things nicely and not so harsh. Because to me, Mr. Q (as you called him once) has never had anything nice to say about anything or anybody.

I’m not debating the fact that he could have been a lot nicer. I have never personally read a review that mattered (i.e. a Broadway or off-Broadway review in one of the artsy NYC papers). But, from what I’ve seen in movies and TV shows (yes, I know, not the best source of information), those reviews are downright nasty when they are bad. Maybe Mr. Quesenberry (I think I called him “Mr. Q” because I don’t know him personally and was a little unsure of the correct spelling of his name. My bad.) has the same information source as I, and was under the impression that that is the norm for these types of reviews. I know, I’m kinda inadvertently playing “Devil’s Advocate” here. The point I really wanted to make was the first sentence…he could have been nicer.

I would like to think that you’re right and I’m wrong about the whole “grasp” thing. But I just don’t see it. Another case in point. He didn’t say that “Grandpa should be in a coma.“ What he said, basically, is that a person already in a coma could have probably been as entertaining as the character was portrayed on-stage.

As for him not having anything nice to say, I’ll take your word for it. I’ve said before that I don’t read the Enterprise, so I can’t form an opinion. I’ll try to pay more attention in the future.

I don’t know…I’m probably making more out of this than really necessary. I mean, surely we have bigger/more important issues to discuss here in Wythe Co than a crass review of a show at the WH. I guess I just miss all the conversation from the election. It might have been really heated and misinformed at times…but at least people participated :)