Pegasus News content partner interview: John Garcia’s The Column

by Alex Bentley

John Garcia's The Column is another one of our oldest content partners -- starting in November 2006 with his review of Inspecting Carol at the Labyrinth Theatre, Garcia has lent us his passion for theater. With the recent addition of eight new critics and the annual Column Awards (not to mention Garcia's stints on stage himself), The Column has a pretty significant presence in the Dallas-Fort Worth theater scene. Garcia was kind enough to answer a few of our questions.

Pegasus News: When did you start The Column and what were your reasons for starting it?

Garcia: Gosh, I honestly don't remember, around 11-12 years ago now. When I was in college my theater friends would ask me for my honest opinion on what I thought about their shows. They always told me, "You always spoke the truth about our show, but in a balanced way." That stayed with me all through my college & professional years in theater.

Newspaper & print critics have such limited space, so the majority of their reviews were a summary & history of the show, with only a paragraph or two on the actual performances, design, direction, etc. With the Internet, those barriers are not there.

So when friends around the metroplex asked what I thought of their shows, I told them. Then one day someone said, "You should write a review." That started the ball rolling. Then I thought, "I'll post auditions and shows."

Before I knew it, this "tiny blog" became this worldwide column. It's surreal that it has grown so wide and so fast. Every day I still get 5-10 new subscribers.

Pegasus News: Where did you get your passion for theater and how have you been able to keep it going for so long?

Garcia: Since I was in elementary school. I tagged along with a friend who was auditioning for Oliver (he had a pool & we were going swimming after his audition). I sat and watched him audition. The director asked me if I wanted to try it, so I did, and that was it. I was hooked. I knew that's where I belong.

It's weird because not a single soul in my family has ever been in theater or even watched it. I always joke with my mother asking if she had an affair with the milkman who dabbled in theater.

I just love both performing and reviewing. I took some major blows for being this "actor/ theater critic." Big time. Even lost some friends along the way. How dare I publish reviews when I'm an actor myself? What makes you think you're all that! You have some major set of balls for thinking you can do this. Man, it was rough (still is at times). But there is nothing in the laws of theater that says an actor can't be a critic. Plus my voice is so unique. I come from the world of the stage, I know what it takes to do theater. So who else better to review it?

Which now 12 years later, with the power of the internet, everyone is posting reviews now. On Facebook, personal websites, blogs, etc. You see actors, directors, etc. now posting their personal opinions on the internet.

Pegasus News: You recently took on eight new critics at The Column – why did you do so and how have they changed the way you're able to cover theater in North Texas?

Garcia: I posted one day a special issue asking my readers to tell me what they liked and didn't like about The Column. One of the major critiques was that I didn't review enough theater and didn't go to shows outside of Dallas as much I used to. The Column just got too big for a single person to do it anymore. It was losing the focus and primary reason why it was created-to support and review DFW theater. So I brought on a brilliant team of critics with backgrounds that are diverse, but fair.

Since then the response has been overwhelming and amazing! The theater companies around the metroplex have written me telling me how thrilled they are that we are now going all over the place reviewing.

We are now covering shows like crazy. Honestly, I've had only one actual complaint arise from have these associate critics. The majority of the response has been incredible. I'm so glad I did this.

Pegasus News: You've now held The Column Awards for 10 years – why did you start the awards in the first place? Was there anything close to what you're doing when you started the awards?

Garcia: I am a fanatic of all award shows. Oscars, Emmys, Tonys. So after my first year of doing The Column, I thought, "I should publish my favorite performances and shows." So I did. Then a friend said, "You need to do this in public." So bam. I thought, okay, I'll produce an actual Column Awards show.

It would be a great way to unite the entire DFW theater community for one night. Since then it has far exceeded what I ever could have imagined. We are now recognized nationally. We are major fundraisers for BROADWAY CARES/ EQUITY FIGHTS AIDS. We have brought major stars of Film, TV, and Broadway to our galas. I have the hardest working Board of Directors that I am so damn lucky to have.

The only other awards organization at that time was the Rabins. But I had not ever heard of them during that time I was creating my own awards show. Most of the shows I did around town were with companies that were not part of the League or not eligible shows. So I just never heard anyone talking about them. It wasn't till after our first Column Awards is when I heard of the Rabins.

I thought it was great we had two major theater awards organizations in our community. New York has four major awards, so why not us have two?

Sadly the Rabins and the league disbanded, but I hope they come back. I prefer having more than one awards organization in our metroplex. It helps spread the wealth.

Pegasus News: What are your favorite productions so far this year? What future productions are you most looking forward to?

Garcia: Well the season really just started, so it's hard to say. Ask me later down the road on that.

I am really excited about seeing Superman at the Dallas Theater Center, the current season at Dallas Summer Musicals, the new upcoming season of the new Dallas Performing Arts complex. There's also Altar Boyz at Uptown Players (I saw that in New York and the tour). There's Grey Gardens at Watertower, Spelling Bee at Theatre Three, both which I saw on Broadway. Lots of great stuff coming up!

Pegasus News: How do you view the state of theater in North Texas in general?

Garcia: The economy has hit us hard, and that I hate. Shows are not selling like they normally do. It just ticks me off that so much money is funneled into professional sports here, but the arts are left to their own devices.

But I think we have some of the finest talent in the country. I truly do. The DFW Theater community is a force to be reckoned with. Austin, Houston, and San Antonio are nowhere near where we are in regards to theater companies. The talent here matches that of other major cities like Chicago, Washington, Los Angeles, and New York. I strongly believe that. Talent is talent. And it has nothing to do with what city your from.

Pegasus News: How much of a role, if any, do readers of your site play in how you approach your reviews?

Garcia: Because they are my brothers and sisters, I try my best to be fair and balanced. Not vicious, bitchy, catty, or try to be cruel. What does that achieve? Honestly. It does nothing but hurt and wound our art. That's not me. So when I write I work so, so, so hard to give equal voice to the positive and negative of a show. If I critique something negative, I make sure to also state a positive. Because my readers are artists, lovers and supporters of theater, I need to make sure I write with them in mind.

Pegasus News: What do you see as the future of The Column?

Garcia: A paycheck someday. LOL. I just hope we continue to strive what it was created for originally. To support DFW Theater. I know we are not perfect. We work at it every day to make it better and more entertaining for the readers. I just hope we continue to support and promote DFW Theater. And hopefully unite us all.