In this interview with Kevin D. Thompson, Avi discusses dropping The Producers from New Vista's schedule, and the fiscal realities of producing shows in the current economy. We also get some insight into the show he created to replace it, Still Jewish After All These Years! A life in the Theatre.Three Plays, Three Generations
This show will be a companion piece to his earlier shows, Too Jewish, and Too Jewish, Two, creating a trilogy: the first play is about his granparents' generation, the second dealt with his parents, and this one deals with himself.
Still Jewish After All These Years! A life in the Theatre plays at the New Vista Theatre through February 8th, 2009.
Dear Mr. Juhn:
ReplyDeleteIt is you who owe me an apology.
The right thing to do is to take all derogatory and untruthful things about me and my theatre off your blog. We now know the source of the alert and source of the forgery. It came from an independent contractor -not someone who works for my theatre.
You have dragged me and my theatre through the mud without any proof, without and factual evidence and without ever talking to me. Just heresay from your friends-fellow journalists.
You and Brandon Thorp took Westboro Baptist Church's aka Godhatesfags, aka Godhatesamerica's
probable forgery over my word. And then went to town dragging us through the mud.
You call yourself a man of the theatre, but instead of promoting a well intentioned theatre, you jump at the opportunity to take the side of hatemongers and gossip and attempt to drag us through the mud. Without ever talking to me.
As for my conversation with Mary Damiano:
How would you feel if someone said I have evidence you did something.
When I requested proof of it - a fax of it -she didn't have a fax. When I asked for an email of the evidence she told me she didn't have time as she was having surgery tomorrow. How can one defend or even believe what one has not seen.
When I truthfully denied it- Mary says " I believe you wrote it. Why would the church forge your name?" Of course I hit the roof.
Of course I called my lawyer because she was believing "Godhatesfags" over my word and going ahead with what we now know is a falsesary and a forgery pure and simple.
Larry owes me no apology. (you do)He is a wonderful actor and a good person. He was the victum of a journalist who also went to far in retribution--but that is another story and I don't want to go there.
It was you and a few unwise journalists who jumped at the chance to try to ruin the reputation of a good theatre. You couldn't wait. You and Mr Thorp owe this theatre a big apology.
Larry took the responsibility to come forward and admit the truth.
He is an independent contractor and no affiliated with the theatre
other than that-an independent contractor who acted here. So no one truly affiliated with the theatre (business manager, artistic director,board member,) sent this email. It was an independent contractor.
Again, I urge you to apologize and kill any sensationalism you have mustered on our account.
I hope in the future you will support theatre and not aim to destroy,defame and sensationize it. Or who knows? Someone may have the balls to contact their attorney in the future
David Goldyn
Not that this has anything to do with Avi Hoffman, but no, I do not feel that I owe you an apology.
ReplyDeleteThere are currently no untruthful things about you on this blog. If you feel that what's left is derogatory, well, I can't help how you perceive the updated story.
Damiano's story was accurate. Westboro Baptist was contacted by someone working at your theatre: that it was an actor in the show does not change that fact. She included your statements that you did not contact Westboro Baptist. In her story, she did not contradict your statement. You still sicced a lawyer on her.
In fact, the chain of events, as painful as it might have been for you, served to bring the truth to light.
Larry isn't a victim of a journalist: he's a victim of his own capricious nature, nothing more. It was Larry's choice to contact Westboro Baptist, not anyone else's.
David, you have been vindicated. Were mistakes made? Yes. Larry made mistakes. You made mistakes. I made mistakes. The only one who didn't was, in fact, Mary Damiano.
The story stands as a cautionary tale; it's there so others can learn from it; other journalists, other producers, and other hot-headed young actors.