The writer of this blog is of the Christian faith, but believes that God inspires and sustains people of all beliefs who are striving to make the world a better place. And though the seeds of MV-NPForum (see August 22, 2009 post) were stirred because of the large number of scripts languishing in the LDS community (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, aka Mormons), the author of this blog & creator of MV-NPForum intends that as time progresses, NPForum will become a venue for any script that reflects NPForum’s mission statement.
NPForum is not intended as a venue for elaborate productions. It has neither the budget nor other resources. Rather, think of NPForum as the Craftsman answer to the Baroque/Gothic nature of many latter-day spectaculars. NPForum doesn’t do complicated, exotic sets. If your piece requires them, you will have to wait for a larger elaborate production, though NPForum will do what it can to get you ready, if your script is chosen for NPD.) Thus, NPForum is intended as a place where quality readings, workshops, and moderate productions can help playwrights enlarge and refine (if needful) their vision and where other theatre enthusiasts can hone and share their gifts and skills.
The sidebar “Relevant Quotes” & the “Noteable Quotes” post that follows this, reflect the theatre-view of NPForum’s founder. Hope, optimism, edifying, etc. do not preclude dealing with difficult issues and crises of faith, hope, and charity. These happen in our lives every day. What NPForum wishes to avoid is the glorifying of ego and the romanticizing or superficializing of life. What it wishes to explore is mankind in search of the good, the true, and the beautiful. In the words of Brigham Young:
Can we not even make the stage of a theatre the platform upon which to exhibit truth in all its simple beauty? and sift out from the theatrical lore of ages the chaff and folly that has encumbered it? and preserve and profit by that which is truly good and great? This, however, is not the work of a day or a year; but, as the chaff is protective to wheat in a pile, so the true lore of ages is concealed and preserved in the chaff pile of folly and nonsense, until the Saints of the Most High cause a separation. / We shall endeavour to make our theatrical performances a source of good, and not of evil. (Journal of Discourses, [London: Latter-day Saints' Book Depot, 1854-1886], 9: 243.)
