The Case of the Outcast Playwright.

I have never considered myself paranoid. If I even think that people are talking about me, I assume it's all praise. Of course, I'm sure there are lots of comments about the fact that I have never driven and refuse to fly. But paranoid, never! Until now. I have had for several years now, and lately it's increased, the sense that I am being blackballed by the Miami theater community. It's ridiculous, of course, since I am not that important. Still, I am being blackballed or they are completely unprofessional. For instance, the Actors' Theatre on the Miracle Mile. Over the past ten years, I have sent them three plays and never received a response. When I called about one of them, he insisted he never received it. Since I delivered it by hand, I didn't buy that. Over the years I have sent plays regularly to City Theatre, no response. I assumed last year when I sent then ten short plays, that would merit a note or e-mail. Nothing. I recently received a standard plea for support. When I e-mailed my complaint to the new director, I expect an apology. Nothing. At Miami's New Theater, I met director Ricky Martinez during a production of The Glass Menagerie. I told him that I sent a play to the former artistic director who never responded. He assured me that he certainly would. So the next day I hand-delivered the play and never heard from again. He didn't even respond to the "never heard from you again" letter. And finally, and saddest of all, my theatrical hero" director Joe Adler of Gables Stage. Here is a man I have spoken to many times, greatly admire, and feel he is Miami's best director. Despite that he has ignored three plays I have sent to him. Not even a polite, "not for us" note. Recently I found that I was missing my partner's play Home Movies, a brilliant piece of work. I couldn't find a copy and the one in the computer was corrupted. It occurred to me that Joe Adler might still have the copy I sent to him several years before unless he trashed it the day he got it. In desperation I spoke with two of his staff members who said they would look for the script. To be sure I wrote to Joe stressing how important finding the script was. None of those three people ever called back. So what you think? Paranoid? Or is Miami so unprofessional, so inconsiderate of their local playwrights they don't feel any kind of response is necessary. Actually when I mentioned this to a friend today, he said that I shouldn't take a personally; that these egomaniacs are rude to everyone.