Critic Papatola takes a bow, moves on to TC foundation

DNT file photo of Dominic Papatola from 1994.

Dominic P. Papatola had left the News Tribune well before I started working here more than nine years ago, but his name still comes up often enough in conversations that I have with local theater people. I'm told he was a bit of a toughie. And if I understand correctly "a bit of a toughie" is a lot of an understatement.

So I'm guessing there is some interest in the fact that he has left his critic gig at the St. Paul Pioneer Press and taken a job with the Bremer Foundation. (Papatola was at the DNT until October 1997).

He recently posted his final column on the "Culture in Context" blog. Sounds like Papatola will be doubling back to write an occasional review for the Pioneer Press, so he's not gone for good. Here's a snippet from his post:

It's about joy.

More than 10 years and nearly 2,400 bylines ago, those were the first words I wrote as the theater critic for the St. Paul Pioneer Press. It was May 21, 1999, and I introduced myself to you as the guy who promised "to tell you — in the most honest, interesting, thought-provoking, hosanna-shouting, boo-hissing, gads-I-love-my-job manner as I can — what I think of the local, regional and national theater scene."

Brian Matuszak and I chatted a bit about Papatola earlier this winter when I was kicking around the idea of "Review the Reviewer" for Rubber Chicken Theater's production of "Waiting for Godot," which recently played at the Duluth Play Ground. Samuel Beckett's absurdist play was directed by Lawrance Bernabo, who now is one of the theater reviewers for the DNT. Papatola had been on the end of this years ago, Matuszak told me. He was in "True West" in 1994.

So today I'll play the role of The Attic, and run the results of that version of "Review the Reviewer."

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