What do In the Heights, Avenue Q, and Goddess have in common? They were all developed at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center. Founded in 1964, the O’Neill welcomes performance artists of all disciplines to hone their craft on the shores of the Long Island Sound. Among them is a particularly voracious group of theatergoers: critics.
Each summer, the National Critics Institute (NCI), led by Chicago Tribune chief theater critic Chris Jones and associate director Naveen Kumar, welcomes a new cohort to sharpen their skills as culture critics. I participated in 2018, and returned this year to speak on a panel with award-winning critic Brittani Samuel about forging new paths in cultural criticism.
Do critics really need an “institute”?
NCI launched several years after the O’Neill’s founding, and has grown to be a fundamental part of its programming, which includes the development of new plays and musicals, cabaret, puppetry, and artist residences.
In recent years, we’ve seen devastating layoffs of arts reporters at major publications from the Washington Post to the Los Angeles Times, along with others considering the demise of the Broadway musical.
But if this year’s diverse cohort of 14 proves anything, it ain’t over yet.
Their experience runs the gamut, far beyond theater to include music, TV, film, books, and food. So does their geographic locale, with participants representing markets from D.C. to Colorado and everywhere in between. The end goal remains steadfast:
In an era of AI and quick swipes, how do we stay connected to humanity? What stories are yearning to be told? And how do we share them in a way that is compelling enough to draw an audience?
I founded 1 Minute Critic from a belief that the arts are a fundamental part of our lived experiences. AI can never fully be, as Lin-Manuel Miranda writes, “in the room where it happens.”
When a well-crafted piece of writing shakes us to our core… now that’s irreplaceable.
It wants better content.
Have another minute?
Broadway – Dolly Parton’s new Broadway musical has us clocking in early, nerves and all
Books – Roshan Sethi’s ‘The Simp’ turns Hollywood into one long audition
Art – Brick by brick: Over 40 LEGO beasts take over Fort Worth’s Botanic Garden
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