Um. Yeah, right. This article in the Times about how “shows survive by sharing a stage” talks about a “new model” for producing called “piggybacking”.

The article says:

“The reason New World Stages seems to have more arrival times than Grand Central Terminal is that it has become the epicenter of Off Broadway’s latest survival strategy. It’s called piggybacking, and it involves two shows saving production costs by sharing a stage, often lighting and sound equipment and even a crew member of two. Not everyone can claim all the prime slots of course, so showtimes are divided up and staggered.”

and continues

“Carl White, a producer of “Naked Boys Singing” and a general manager whose company, Martian Entertainment, runs “Altar Boyz,” claims to have devised the model, though he doesn’t take credit for the name. “Kevin McCollum called it that,” he said, referring to the Broadway producer best known for “Rent” and “The Drowsy Chaperone.” “We were in a meeting and Kevin turned to me and said, ‘Tell me about the Martian Piggybacking Model.’ And it stuck.” “

WTF??? And Al Gore invented the friggin’ internet. COME ON! Piling shows on top of each other has been going on since, like, the beginning of time. Certainly anyone who has ever been in – or programmed – a festival has done it. And so has every artist/producer below 14th St. who has put on a show at one of the Horse Trade Theaters, or Collective:Unconscious or, back in the old days, Todo Con Nada, Surf Reality, etc. etc. etc.

So now that “Off-Broadway” is forced to save money the way everyone else has for years they’re claiming to have invented it???? I don’t know why that cheeses me off so much but it really does. As they say: Dude, whatever.