National Tour Reviews...a couple of non-Equity tours doing well

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 10/14/04 at 5:12pm

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"And this NETWorks production, decried in some professional quarters for its nonunion status, is an example of what can be accomplished outside the industry establishment when conditions are right. The lively, youthful ensemble tackles both Rodgers' dynamic vocal lines and Stroman's vigorous dance routines with confidence and strength."--regarding the non-Equity tour of Oklahoma!

Oklahoma!, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
http://www.southflorida.com/music/sfl-shoklaoct08,0,272376.story?coll=sfe-music-promos

Jesus Christ Superstar, Dallas, TX
http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/fea/entertainment/overnight/stories/092904dnovesuperstar.b0ee9.html

Fosse, St. Paul, MN
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/2004/10/07/entertainment/performing_arts/9852929.htm?1c

The Phantom of the Opera, Cleveland, OH
http://www.cleveland.com/artsandevents/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/entertainment/1097314618240872.xml

The King and I, Boston, MA
http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/articles/2004/10/14/staging_not_stars_carries_king_and_i/

Thoroughly Modern Millie, Detroit, MI
http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=doc&p_docid=1059CE2254ADAFB8&p_docnum=1&p_theme=gannett&s_site=detnews&p_product=DTNB

Updated On: 10/14/04 at 05:12 PM

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 10/14/04 at 10:08pm

Thank you, BT11! Nothing new on the RENT tour front? (People in Nebraska don't read newspapers???)

Shame about JCS. I saw Eric Kunze as Jesus last year (interviewed him and Carl Anderson for the show!) and he was really great. He was fresh at the time though. I guess the touring can be a strain. Too bad, it was one of the best tours I've seen at the time. Solid performances.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 10/14/04 at 10:11pm

Are you going to be adding anything to your site on the Evita tour?

[morosco]

Posted: 10/14/04 at 10:12pm

The review of the NETworks (non-equity) OKLAHOMA! also says:

"Although John Mezzo's nine-piece band tackles the score with enthusiasm, the instrumental fabric has little of the finery woven into the full-size orchestra for which Rodgers' music is designed."

I'm sorry but 9 musicians? Updated On: 10/14/04 at 10:12 PM

[nycdncr]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 12:29am

It's because non-Equity tours don't care much about quality.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 12:32am

"It's because non-Equity tours don't care much about quality..."

I saw the tour and thought it was fine. Nothing wrong with it.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 12:33am

mmm...resist the temptation.......head...must...not...explode......

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 12:36am

::trickle of sweat going down my brow::

[nycdncr]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 12:37am

They are doing Oklahoma....one of Rodgers and Hammerstein's greatest scores with 9 musicians. I'm on the Equity tour of Joseph, and we have at least 15 musicians playing Andrew Lloyd Weber.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 12:43am

GO SEE THE CURRENT RENT TOUR!!! It gives a good name to non-equity tours!

I was about to Mt. St. Helen all over here...whew.

Seriously though, I used to have the same mindset as you (I've seen a fair share of sh1tty non-equity tours) but the cast and crew right now is freaking awesome. After it, I'm trying valiantly to make an effort not to judge a show based on equity/non-equity. But really, not all non-eq shows suck.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 12:43am

As a person in the audience, I didn't notice the number of instruments played throughout the show. I'm sure a lot of others didn't notice either. Again, I thought it was played fine.

[nycdncr]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 12:54am

You will never convince me that non-Equity tours are at or near the same level of Equity tours. Sorry.

As an actor, I could have gone the non-Equity tour route. However, the day before my final callback for Skimbleshanks in the first non-Equity CATS tour, I received a job offer giving me my Equity card. I took the job and never looked back. I'm very proud to be an Equity member.

And, now I've heard CATS has an inflatable set? Gimme a break.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 12:59am

i'll acknowledge that a lot of the time, the technical quality in non-eq tours is lacklustre, but the talent in the shows are more or less equal. to say otherwise would be the same as saying that all SAG actors are superior to non-SAG actors just because they received enough credits to get their card.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 1:00am

"You will never convince me that non-Equity tours are at or near the same level of Equity tours. Sorry!"

Well, that's your opinion. Have fun on tour! I think the Joseph tour is coming to CT, correct (Hartford)?

[nycdncr]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 1:02am

Yup...we've got a great cast in this show! That's our last stop on tour.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 1:04am

I PMed you, but do you guys have a website?

[nycdncr]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 1:08am

No website....unfortunately.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 1:09am

I have to agree on RENT. It's giving a very good name to non-equity tours. But, I also agree that most of the non-equity tours are not up to the bar. I'm not planning on attending any of the non-equity tours that are coming to San Diego. I don't want to see CRAZY FOR YOU or even OKLAHOMA! for that matter attempted by a non-equity team. I mean for me, performances aside, because often times the performances are fine, it's the sets and costumes that give it away. But then again, I saw the equity Beauty and the Beast and equity THE PRODUCERS and the sets for both were HORRID. So it goes both ways ... non-equity is not up to par, in most cases, but equity doesn't get off so easy either, there was NO EXCUSE for frikin' DISNEY (umm... 9.1 kagillion dollars last time I checked) to have that kind of lame touring set and the sets for THE PRODUCERS were just laughable...

[nycdncr]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 1:16am

In defense of the Beauty and the Beast and The Producers tours. Both of those shows have enormous sets on Broadway. Many road houses can't fit the sets that you see on Broadway, so...that all has to be taken into consideration when the tour set is designed. That could be a reason for the 'laughable' sets.

This happened with the 42nd Street (Equity) tour. I saw the show, and while I enjoyed it.....the set was certainly not what was seen on Broadway. It just wouldn't travel.

Most non-Equity tours purchase the sets and costumes from the previous Equity tours that have been out for months. Wear and tear happens, pieces are cut, etc, etc, etc.....that's why the sets and costumes for most non-Equity tours look like a kid in hand-me-downs.....they are.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 1:17am

on the flip side, the non-eq miss saigon tour had much better sets and costumes than a lot of equity tours. (aside from the helicopter "effect".)

(side note, catsnyrevival, did you know jon and dan were in the ensemble? jon played a GI that smacked kim around and dan was, amongst other things - i hope - the head of the dragon in whatsthatsong'sname.)

[kates]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 1:25am

ncydncr, were you by chance in the Joseph tour that came to Atlanta this summer...the one with John Secada??

[nycdncr]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 1:26am

Mmmmhmmm....I certainly was. I do the flip in the megamix.

[kates]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 1:32am

Thats so funny, I was one of the kids in the chorus for like 3 years in a row in atl (I'm obviously a little older now...) But I brought my 8 yr old brother who is severely speech delayed and the part where they go through the list of brothers, yelling "no" the kid jumped up and started yelling NO!. While I realize how rude that seems, the kid never ever talks so I started crying. Anyway the show and the cast was the best I've ever seen and we went to the stage door and the entire cast was sweet enough to say hi and talk to my brother...which he still talks about today! It was a really big moment for a little boy with alot of issues, and as cheesy as it is, I thank you all today for a wonderful show and the impact it made on my brother!

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 1:33am

Dan wasn't playing Chris??? Utter travesty...

And I understand that sets need to be scaled down, but too much scaling down takes away. I was very upset with the PRODUCERS sets because one of the key factors the designer discussed was creating a real environment for which comedy could play. On tour the sets look like a cartoon which then makes the whole production overly comedic. It was painful to watch... the theatre here is very wide too, and they brought in these red side pannels to make the stage not appear to be so big in comparison and it just didn't help at all...

And again, DISNEY has enough money to travel anything, I don't forgive them for some of the kid-drawn drops they used for that tour. Updated On: 10/15/04 at 01:33 AM

[nycdncr]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 1:34am

I remember talking to you guys. And....hearing about experiences like yours are the reason I do theatre. Thanks for sharing. Tell your brother hi from all of us out here on the road....we're in Des Moines now.