Jim O’Quinn, the show must go on

Jim O’Quinn, the show must go on

Neither raging fever, pounding headache nor general malaise could keep Jim O’Quinn from delivering his impeccably artistic Perspectives in Criticism speech to ATCA members and their guests, gathered last week in Ashland, OR, for their annual conference at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Jim, a New Orleans Times-Picayune city desk reporter in his salad days, shared salad day stories, poked fun at himself with archival clips and photos and laid out some answers to the question, “What are Critics For?”

Making connections, was the simple answer: of course between the stage and the audience, but in a broader sense, between art and society.

Regarding that connection factor, Jim reveals that American Theatre mag is going live online later this year.

BTW, after his presentation, Misha Berson whisked him off to a walk-in clinic in Medford. Sante, Jim, and thanks for making the show go on.  — Lynn Rosen

(NOTE that the seagull above Jim’s head is left over from last year’s O’Neill conference.)