We're considering another major redesign of the website in the next several months, so we're actively soliciting your suggestions. You can
send us any ideas directly, or you can post them in the comments below and start a debate. We like debate a lot, but also remember that we're more likely to be open to new ideas that are delivered respectfully rather than condescendingly or with insults.
All ideas are welcome, but if you like challenges, here are some of the general questions we ask ourselves regularly:
- Should we try to reach a wider audience with our performance calendar and talent profiles? If so, how?
- How can we cover the entire Minnesota theater community with limited resources of time or money?
- Or, how do we increase our resources?
Over the last couple months, we've experimented with a variety of new content ideas from
Fantasy Theater Leagues to
Theater "Box Scores" to
longer criticism to talent profile scavenger hunts. And we'll continue to experiment as we simultaneously work behind the scenes to unveil something entirely new. (Give us time. See above re: time and money. And, of course, the classifieds will still be a major part of the website no matter what.)
We really do welcome your feedback. For example, we think the "Box Scores" should become a great, quick way to evoke how a show honestly changes from night to night and also is the only way to cover all the variety of shows happening in the state on any given evening, without making any judgments on the content of the work. But other people strongly disagreed. Tell us why. Or tell us to keep trying it. Tell us why.
We've also heard people complain about the state of criticism in Minnesota. What do you think good criticism would be? Try to think beyond simply arguing for criticism that likes your stuff more. Seriously, are you able to picture negative criticism of your work that you wouldn't complain about? What if a "good" critic didn't just point out the flaws you agreed with but actually didn't enjoy what you created at all? If you're still able to call that "good" criticism, tell us what that would look like and whether you think we should try it.
And, as always, we do welcome new writers with specific article suggestions. All you need to do is:
- Articulate an idea that is specific instead of general, as in, "I want to write about how actor warm-ups are useless," rather than "I want to write about how theatre in Minnesota is useless."
- Tell us how it is related to Minnesota, as in, "How do Minnesota's different Equity contracts make it a different kind of scene for actors than New York or Chicago?" rather than "The Equity showcase contract in New York is bad/good."
- Show us that you have some ability to write, by either sending us a few paragraphs of the idea already written or sending us a writing sample in a similar style.
- Make sure we haven't already published something similar. Our archives are here. There must be several hundred articles at least. Check them out before you volunteer to write on that subject again.
We'll try to respond to every suggestion just as soon as we get back from a brief winter vacation. In the meantime, this month,
Levi Weinhagen, the social media maestro behind all the good conversation on our Facebook page, will be posting a few additional things on the website this month.
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Thank you for visiting,
Alan Berks
Editor
MinnesotaPlaylist.com
612-886-2868
