Profile for chicagodannyd

Lets' be clear. No one is talking about eliminating live theatre or paying actors little money. On a subscription basis, actors will be well paid as they should. And seeing the performances of the 100 seat theatres will give those performers the exposure they need to advance their careers. The performances of all the theatres should have the opportunity to participate, even and especially Off-Off Broadway.QUESTION: How many of you have seen the pulitizer play, "Man in the Moon Marigolds"? Or ...

Dear Hogan:I recall when I contacted Eli Wallach several years ago he was very responsive to a proposal of mine and he responded in writing with serious feedback. In posting a specific proposal, the hope is that a discussion will result among people such as Eli Wallach, a person of immense stature in theatre who has the ability to move an idea forward. Sometimes we post thoughts to get people thinking. And many of those who read a post will not comment, including influential people in theatre...

FACT: New York City is one of the most fascinating places in the world: cultural diversity, renowned theatre, famous places like Little Italy, the Village, Chinatown, Broadway, Central park, interesting cafes and places to eat. And best of all, it is the heart and soul of theatre in the USA. And that does not mean only Broadway. It means all the theatres and groups, including the 99 seat theatres, the store front theatres. We want to give our audience the opportunity to experience a virtual n...

Can we see a different play every week, including off Broadway, and off off Broadway productions? Do we have a selection of musicals, comedies, dramas? Or is it limited to just Broadway productions? I am in support of inclusive opportunities for all performers, directors, writers in theatre in New York, not just a select few, the in-crowd. Nothing is more exciting than a new experimental piece. Ever see "You can dance with any gorilla as long as you go ape over me?" Very creative and funny. T...

Imagine people in Austria or Africa or Brazil, or anywhere in the USA, having access to watching a new exciting play, or an experimental play, or a new comedy, or new musical, all produced in New York and distributed by a new television network for theatre on HBO or on TUBI or IMDBtv. Me personally? I'd like to see comedies like, "You can dance with any gorilla as long as you go ape over me." Hilarious! Or, "The Dollar Store Lady." TV sitcoms are essentially boring and lack creativity. SNL is...

I am now watching watching one of the finest performances put in by an actor, Eli Wallach in "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly." - a truly unforgettable performance. This is a true story. Eli Wallach once wrote me a 3 page letter as a response to a letter I wrote to him. In my life I never heard of a Hollywood/Broadway star writing a personal letter to an unknown person. Hard to believe. It is absolutely true. The man had graciousness just as much as talent. There will never be another Eli Wal...

In the final analysis it is up to the theatre professionals who run the business to decide how they wish to approach the future of New York theatre. You can wait for the pandemic to finally end and hope for a solid future. However, in today's complex world there is no guarantee at all of a steady ship traveling successfully through all the problems we have in the USA. Right now cities like New York and Chicago are experiencing increasing violence that doesn't show signs of letting up. In addi...

To experienced people, recording a performance with quality sound and camera work and editing is not that expensive. I have been involved in approximately 15 multi-camera recorded productions. It is not rocket science. As for production facilities, there are production studios that can be used for shared theatrical groups. We are not suggesting that all performances be recorded for streaming, just selected ones. A cost/return, profit analysis would have to conducted to get into the details. A...

I am not completely convinced that just waiting is a best strategy for the long term survival of theatre. It does require a new paradigm, a new way of thinking about the success of theatre in the USA, about broadening its appeal. I am suggesting an amalgam of live performances integrated with streaming television. Of course streaming can cover just one performance or a selection of several available to paying audiences. In the long run, I don't believe televised performances could ever replac...

I am hopeful we get a vaccine ASAP and this whole mess ends and people get back to work. America needs New York theatre and theatre across the country.

The pandemic is going on and on and on. Performers are suffering unemployment. Audiences are being denied live stage shows. Is there a need for a fundamental change? Today, streaming television media are gaining huge popularity. Maybe the theatre industry should adapt, possibly by offering streaming musical theatre or drama, in addition to limited live performances, on a wide basis. There has to be a combined effort between broadcast media and live performance groups. This is just one person'...

The critics blew it on this one like they did on "The Big Lebowski" and "Jesus Christ Superstar."Overall a brilliant movie: sharp, witty dialog, well developed characters, excellent story with narration, superb acting, excellent ensemble acting, lots of funny jokes, excellent direction. I found this movie by accident on my smart TV. It was written by John and Kathy DeMarco and stars John Leguizamo. Rosie Perez was very funny in the movie. The writing was exceptionally creative. Kudos to the w...

This is likely not a new new idea. And it comes from a person not associated with show bizz at all. But, possibly there could be a germ of an idea in it or something that people find promising with adjustments. I had been thinking how to open up the theatres. But that does not seem realistic at this point. It probably won't be until, next year before a covid 19 vaccine is developed. So what could be a solution in the coming long months?Are there about 75 theatrical production companies in New...

Dear Fishy: The history of show business is replete with perfomers who finally made it very big beginning from middle age. No one should denigrate or undermine a performers potential because of age. It is not only disrepectful, but discriminates. It is not a good reflection upon you. Good luck to Elon Gold, Dean Edwards. Hope they don't run into people like you in life. My bet is that at least two of the three will get offers for a meaty film role in the near future.

All right. Here is my list of three supert-talented performers who crack me up. Each definitely has the potential to make a huge mark, I mean huge, in comedy similar to Robin Williams. They are: Elon Gold, Dean Edwards, and Jay Pharoah. This is my opinion. Others have a different opinion. Of the three, Dean Edwards puts me on the floor every time I see him. I don't exactly know the level of their acting skills. But I hope we will see soon.

Because there are producers and directors and writers across the country who have projects needing a talented comedic actor, and for the most part, Hollywood has favored sketch comedians or the standup of the month - most of them with little ability to interpret or embellish a beautifully written story and character. What we have now are mostly shtick meisters.

Although Robin Williams flopped in his sitcom, mainly because it was a defective premise, he was still the most talented comedic actor in the USA. I recently checked various lists of the nations top 25 comedy "actors" and found no one with the gifts for comedic acting, accents, impressions, wit, presence in front of the camera, dramatic acting as Robin Williams. Then I searched the internet and found just one talented person named Elon Gold. Elon does have the talent for accents, comedy wit, ...

A number of years ago, my brother and I wrote Eli Wallach, requesting him to star in our play. It was our first play and we were completely unknown as writers. We were no different than any kid walking the streets of L.A. or New York, seeking his or her first opportunity in theatre. To our astonishing surprise, Eli Wallach responded with a long letter, a hand-written sincere letter. It is truly amazing that a famous person would ever take the time to write someone who has no standing in show ...

The cast consists of Black performers, Asians, Caucasians. It's a slice of reality. I have been going to Chicago music stores for several years and have met musicians of almost every ethnic background and specialty: Gospel, Jazz, Rock, Hip Hop. The keyboard room normally is the hangout for a diverse array of musicians and composers (from my experience). Of course, there are always people trying out new guitars, especially at Guitar Center. But for me, it's the keyboard room.

There may be one other mention of "Music Store" on Broadwayworld.com. Of course I will answer any questions regarding the project. Right now I am taking a 3 week break before entering the next phase of work on the show. Danny D'Agostino (Danny D')