Correction: Blogs Not All That Free Spirited

When I make a mistake, I usually simply correct it in text, note it, and move on. Sometimes if it’s a spelling error nobody’s noticed I don’t note it, but, you know, there are plenty uncorrected spelling errors on this site that make me look stupid enough. I mean, who knew there were two i’s in missile? Anyway, sometimes the errors I make are so egregious a full post is necessary. This is one of those times.

Actual email received earlier this week from one Warren Hoffman, dramaturg for Philadelphia “Theatre” Company:

As the dramaturg for Philadelphia Theatre Company and speaking on behalf of our staff, I’m writing to say that we take great offense to the “obviously” factual errors in the recent posting about Edward Albee (link). While the cracks about Oklahoma! and Virginia Woolf are obviously wrong and “silly,” the presentation of such factual errors in conjunction with Mr. Albee’s career does a disservice to him and to us, Philadelphia Theatre Company. While we are aware that there is a “free-spirited nature” to blogs, insofar as this particular blog is affiliated with Philadelphia Weekly, a newspaper with which we have a strong professional connection, it is upsetting to have one of our nation’s most esteemed playwrights be treated by your paper in this disreputable way. We would like, please, either the erroneous facts to be corrected immediately or a retraction printed.

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Ha Ha Edward Albee Doesn’t Wash His Hands

You may not be as good of a playwright as Edward Albee. Albee wrote Oklahoma! and his magnum opus Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, which is about being afraid of having to read Virginia Woolf in English class. It was considered scandalous in 1860 or whenever it was written but now contains less sexual content than your average Wiggles concert.

Albee was in town for the opening of the Suzanne Roberts Theatre and Dan Gross saw him not wash his hands:

The folks eager to shake hands with legendary playwright Edward Albee, who delivered remarks about his old friend [Terrence] McNally, after the performance may not have known that Albee skipped the sink after paying a visit to the urinal, as we witnessed firsthand.

So, yeah, you may not have written The American Dream, but at least you wash your hands.

Stars shine at theater opening [Daily News, 2nd item]
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