JRB's Parade back in NY- Page 2

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 3/26/11 at 11:00am

It was entirely personal -- the reasons of leaving. And entirely mutual. While I was requesting metronomes so that we could set a specific tempo, she was off searching for someone else behind my back who could read my mind. Even though I'm the one who spent hours teaching harmonies, running rehearsals, etc -- and all they brought in was an accompanist (which she had been looking for behind my back for weeks, even though I could play the score in my sleep) -- she left me out of all publicity materials. It was a tacky, personal battle.

As for casting friends -- if you know you're going to do it, do NOT audition actors from all over the city. We saw over 50 wasted women that afternoon, many of whom were better than the director and her friend.

She's talented. Yes. But I don't have to like her.

Also -- if you noticed, most of my gripe is with the producing company. She's not the producer. The producer, a Mr. Mazda, runs a sham theater company that many people look down on. I do not recommend seeing shows there, and that's just my two cents.

The rehearsal process of 'Putnam' was a joke. And I wasn't on my best behavior either.

(The reason I am pointing out her talent is because I don't want this to just be some kind of personal bashing. I guess I'm trying to say we were both wrong, but it's not an environment conducive to making good theater. I can't imagine it will be a very fabulous production. I wouldn't get excited about this being a big New York 'Parade'. It's not going anywhere. It's community theater, at best.)

And yeah. I left the show two days before because it was best for everyone. Nothing was getting done because all we did was fight. It was necessary to leave and best for the production. Sometimes that happens. And, I also offered to stay on as pianist until the accompanist was available. You do what you have to do sometimes.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 3/26/11 at 11:03am

By the way, I meant "the director knows exactly what she's doing" as this:

She's a self-serving producer/director. It's about who is going to play what, not how to make the show the best it can be. In fact, at the beginning of the 'Putnam' process, we talked about my possibly directing this production. (Obviously, that was never going to happen.) A stipulation then - over 8 months ago - was the her boyfriend play Leo. It seems that stipulation stayed.

That's fine. But be honest about it. Don't audition people for the role. And don't waste people's tme.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 3/26/11 at 11:17am

You may not care, but you may want to consider that you've given plenty enough information here for anyone to know who you are. Regardless of how inept and unprofessional this company may be, you're doing yourself no favors by kvetching about them, at length, in a public forum. I would certainly never hire an accompanist who had done that.

That you are airing dirty laundry and settling a personal score publicly is making me want to see this.

I appreciated the Taper version of Parade in London, though I didn't care for the double, triple, and in some cases, quadruple casting. I loved Letter to the Governor and didn't like that it was replaced by The Glory. I also missed Big News, reporter Britt Craig's first number, but I understand why it was cut. It made the reporter too much of the story. Still, it was a much-needed bit of comic relief.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 3/26/11 at 11:29am

Sure. My name is Steven. I was the musical director. I went uncredited by the theater even though I taught all music and ran all rehearsals. An accompanist was hired at the last minute due to a personal feud.

There ya go.

I have no apologies. I've been tired and not feeling so well, so I made a lot of typos. That sucks. And I didn't get my point across the way I wanted. That also sucks.

But I still think that, though a decent enough performer, she is an inept director and will not be able to pull it off.

[And I don't need to be hired, thanks. I don't plan on musical directing ever again. It's not for me. It's like watching paint dry.]

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 3/26/11 at 11:38am

Didn't notice the typos through the vitriol. Hope you're happier in whatever profession you're in now. Feel better soon.

Best of luck to the production. It's an ambitious piece.

See you there, Ghandi?