Quotes by Playwrights

The only rule of a musical is that it must maintain its buoyancy. George C. Wolfe

Musical Rule Must Only Maintain

A lot of directors tend to manipulate actors' vulnerability to get what they want, and that can work. George C. Wolfe

Work Directors Tend Vulnerability Lot Get Want Manipulate Actor

It may take a while, but I think 'On the Town' has the potential for us to break down the boundaries between the traditional theatergoer who may have fond memories of the musical and those with a 'Broadway-is-not-for-me' agenda. George C. Wolfe

Memories Down Think Musical Those Fond Fond Memories Potential Take Between Boundaries Town Traditional May Break While Agenda Us Who

I think we all have a primal desire to know as much as we can to find out about where we come from. George C. Wolfe

Think Out Find About Primal Come Know Where Much Desire

I don't go, like, 'Hmm, I'm now going to create something for the black community.' I just feel this compelling urge. I just feel myself drawn to stories that I feel have a potency and immediacy. George C. Wolfe

Myself Black Community Immediacy Drawn Black Community Something Potency Feel Like Go Going Just Stories Urge Create Now Compelling

I'm convinced whenever something opens on Broadway, it's a miracle. It's a miracle that people survived. George C. Wolfe

People Broadway Miracle Something Opens Survived Whenever Convinced

The wonderful thing about theater is that it has so many people involved in the creation of it. The worst thing about theater is that it has so many people involved in the creation of it. That dynamic is thrilling and challenging every time you make a show. George C. Wolfe

I'm perpetually interested by living in places as an artist confronting challenges I've never confronted before and approaching them with as much craft and humanity as I can. George C. Wolfe

Challenges Humanity Approaching Before Living Never Perpetually Craft Artist Interested Places Them Confronted Confronting Much

There are a lot of people who will tell you I'm very ruthless. I'm very fierce. If I feel I'm right, if I feel I've been violated, then I am like a warrior from hell! George C. Wolfe

You People Will Hell Warrior Tell Ruthless Feel Like Am Been Lot Very Fierce Then Who Right Violated

I want to create a theater that looks, feels, and smells like America. George C. Wolfe

Feels Like Smells Looks America Want Theater Create

Theater should address the stories of its communities, or I don't know why it's here. George C. Wolfe

Address Know Stories Theater Should Communities Why Here

Something that can be so vital at one point can be inconsequential at another. I'm just intrigued by that phenomenon. George C. Wolfe

Intrigued Vital Something Point Another Just Inconsequential Phenomenon

I viewed black musicals before 'Jelly' as a form of cultural strip mining. The exterior remained, but all the culture that signified where the people had come from and their connection to the earth was absent. George C. Wolfe

Culture People Black Before Earth Strip Musicals Mining Absent Remained Had Come Cultural Where Form Viewed Connection Jelly Exterior

The best of any artist is in their art. George C. Wolfe

Art Best Any Artist

You adjust what you do depending on the actor. You evolve a vocabulary and a way of language and talking with each actor. George C. Wolfe

You Language Way Adjust Evolve Vocabulary Talking Depending Each Actor

The worst thing when you're working is to say, 'I have a question,' and the other person goes, 'No! This is what it is.' That kind of rigidity is very challenging because musicals are constantly mutating. George C. Wolfe

You Other Say Worst Worst Thing Musicals Kind Rigidity Constantly Because Question Very Person Goes Working Challenging Thing

Everybody wants to be remembered for the best of who they are. George C. Wolfe

Best Everybody Remembered Wants Who

If I hadn't told stories, I would've been a historian. George C. Wolfe

Been Historian Stories

Every single wave, when I was overwhelmed and poor and struggling in New York, there were these extraordinary people in New York who said, 'Come this way.' George C. Wolfe

People Single Every Extraordinary Extraordinary People Wave Way Struggling New Come Said Were Overwhelmed York New York Poor Who