DRS is dead.- Page 2
DRS is dead.
#25re: DRS is dead.
Posted: 7/15/06 at 4:33pm
"If anyone is selling tix, it's Lucie Arnaz. "
I agree and it's a smart move...
DRS is a funny, overall solid well written show on its own based on a familiar/popular film. Bring in a great OBC including a popular name in John Ligthgow, add excellent stage reviews, a history of word of mouth success and that's all the right ingredients for a winner.
As great as Butz, Jbara and Pryce are/were, they are not known and likely never the attraction of the masses to this production. D'Arcy James won't either, and he IS a fabulous actor/singer.
The next 6 mos. could be watched very closely for the numbers and likley be a barometer to keep it and stunt cast a bit, again or go out a winner and enjoy the tour.
I keep thinking Urinetown's run was a similiar scenario, solid show, gained surprising popularity for a new quirky piece of work with no big names. Very good reviews. Left on a high note and toured once and now again.
...just my views.
www.pbentertainmentinc.com
BWW regional writer "Philadelphia/South Jersey"
CurtainUp
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/9/04
#26re: DRS is dead.
Posted: 7/15/06 at 4:38pm...just because a show is comedic and fun, does not mean it's not brilliant. I think this is brilliance. Just comedic brilliance. People need to laugh.
Rosencrantz: "Be happy - if you're not even HAPPY what's so good about surviving? We'll be all right. I suppose we just go on."
- from Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
TIGGOSAURUS
Broadway Star Joined: 12/5/05
#28re: DRS is dead.
Posted: 7/15/06 at 5:43pmGood Luck to DRS - but I don't think it'll need it. It's got good word-of-mouth as a genuinely funny show (similar to Spamalot IMHO). I don't think it needs 'big' names - I don't honestly think many people o/s these boards / enthusiastic theatre-goers even know who Norbert is! Certainly when I saw DRS last year and NLB was out, I heard 1-2 comments in the queue speculating on whether that would make a difference to the show (I pointed out that we were being deprived of a Tony winner but tbh, I thought Jason Gillman did a SUPERB job as a stand-in - he was hilarious)!
Seen some shows in my time....
jonartdesigns
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/04
#29re: DRS is dead.
Posted: 7/15/06 at 9:14pmpb ent, as i recall urinetown closed due to their theater being torn down. However DRS will do fine without butz and pryce. It survived lithgow leaving, it survived sherie's leave of absence, and richard kind, and to an extent keith carradine might just stir up some interest ala lucie arnez
"Grease," the fourth revival of the season, is the worst show in the history of theater and represents an unparalleled assault on Western civilization and its values. - Michael Reidel
#30re: DRS is dead.
Posted: 7/15/06 at 9:20pmI saw the show again on Wednesday night and it's in fine shape. I could see it running for at least another year.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
#31re: DRS is dead.
Posted: 7/15/06 at 11:00pm
"I saw it with the OBC (save for Norbert; Joe Cassidy was in) and it wasn't baaaad... It's just that I don't see why campy shows like this are inhabiting Broadway houses when we have people like Jason Robert Brown, Adam Guettel, Stephen Sondheim, and Michael John LaChiusa (to name a few), who are writing brilliant scores and providing real theatre that leaves an impact. I too predict DRS is out within 8 months, but if I had my choice they would be packing their bags after tomorrow's matinee... "
What arrogance. My god. Real theatre? What is real theatre? Is real theatre a bunch of young Sondheim enthusiasts getting about as much time in a theatre as their idol did? This IS real theatre. This is real musical theatre and real musical theatre talent that is advancing the form and giving work to actors. This is filling seats and this is giving voice to one of the most appealing composers of the new generation. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is real theatre and it leaves an impact on people. Just because it isn't a drama doesn't mean it can't change you.
I adore Stephen Sondheim and Jason Robert Brown and Adam Guettel and Jeanine Tesori and Michael John LaChiusa et. al. but the thought that what they are writing is the only qualification of true theatre is absurd. Without the Dirty Rotten Scoundrels of the world there would not be enough money and enough talent and enough interest in musical theatre for any of the avante gardes to have a say.
Real theatre. How arrogant.
BSoBW2: I punched Sondheim in the face after I saw Wicked and said, "Why couldn't you write like that!?"
lovesclassics
Broadway Star Joined: 10/7/05
#32re: DRS is dead.
Posted: 7/15/06 at 11:02pm
DRS survived John Lithgow's departure and Sherie Rene Scott's leave of absence because the replacements were great and maintained (even improved?) the quality of the show. Reviews and word-of-mouth remained very strong, and the box office even saw a jump.
If the new set of replacements can do as good a job as Jonathan Pryce, Rachel York, Mylinda Hull and Lucie Arnaz have done during their tours of duty, I think the show will be just fine. It will actually be a lot of fun to see how the three new guys on the block interpret their roles. Judging by the latitude that the aforementioned replacements were given in developing their performances, I expect to see some enjoyable differences from Carradine, D'Arcy James and Kind, as well.
The tour PR should help give the B'way show more name recognition, too.
lc
#33re: DRS is dead.
Posted: 7/16/06 at 12:10amNever, ever underestimate Brian D'arcy James. The man can sang!
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