Posted 6:17 PM by Gene

We were thinking: Looking at the haunting pictures of the newly refurbished 103-year-old Belasco Theater, instead of the theme-park kings of Branson East putting on those things once called plays, why not simply shuttle tourists in and out of these largely meaningless landmarks, the way the Park Service does at our Independence Square? I'd much rather spend the time in one of these landmarks dreaming of the past than enduring a bankrupting present of jukebox shows or no-talents screaming profanities at the top of their lungs.

Speaking of, does anyone know who David Belasco was? He was the great playwright-producer of his day. He lived in an apartment at the theater, its ghostly remains shown in the third slide. I can imagine living there now, with huge sunlight-eating boxes on all sides and a view of shadows and fire escapes. He's as well known now as the something about rocks and horror that caused the lower balconies to be destroyed in 1975 deserves to be so long after its death. "The dozens of plays Belasco wrote or co-wrote are virtually never produced today." Chuck clearly is not reflecting on his own raves. "'The all-important factor in a dramatic production,' Belasco once said, 'is the lighting of the scenes.'" If this doesn't make him sound like UB IGER, or Lord Schlockintosh. And we know from those two fools he wasn't. There are some good reasons David Belasco can't be revived -- and likely just as many bad ones. If only Branson East's caretakers could let us judge for ourselves.

(Via the usual AHTSJournal)