Broadway Musicals on DVD

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 1/24/07 at 5:51pm

What B'Way musicals would you want to see on DVD??
I would like to see Legally Blonde, Hairspray, Wicked, Little Mermaid, Grease (Revival), and the other Disney musicals.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 1/24/07 at 5:52pm

None. Live Theatre is meant to be just that...live.

[Dirty Rotten Scoundrel]

Posted: 1/24/07 at 5:53pm

Three of the musicals you've mentioned haven't even opened on Broadway yet...

Updated On: 1/24/07 at 05:53 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/24/07 at 5:53pm

Legally Blonde, Hairspray, Wicked, Little Mermaid, Grease (Revival), and the other Disney musicals.

- A gun may go to my head if all of those were released on DVD!

[MimiLovesRoger]

Posted: 1/24/07 at 6:01pm

I would shoot myself if any of those are made into movies.

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 1/24/07 at 6:02pm

Why in the world would you want a DVD of the stage production of The Little Mermaid, when there is an amazing cartoon of the same property?

[wickedfan]

Posted: 1/24/07 at 6:04pm

You're getting a movie musical version of "Hairspray" (which you have been posting new threads on constantly, like there was actual news about it). Isn't that enough?

[ggersten]

Posted: 1/24/07 at 6:07pm

Well, Bobby, that's a pretty elitist comment. Not many people can get to NYC to see a Broadway show with its original cast. You would just deny thousands the opportunity to enjoy performances because of financial and geographical constraints.

Yes, live theatre is special. DVD/Video can't duplicate some of the rush - the explosion of dance/music at the beginning of ACL, or how the music brings tears out in Miss Saigon, or the rapturous glee of the dancing feet at the beginning of 42d Street, or the shrill whistle throughout Sweeney Todd; or the wonderment of the steps being lowered in Man of LaMancha or the car taking off in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang or any number of other magical moments.

Still, I now get to see Elaine Paige as Grizzabella, thanks to a DVD. See Barbara Harris from the Tonys in Apple Tree thanks to DVD. See Bernadetee Peters in Into the Woods and Sunday in the Park, thanks to DVD. I wish we had a DVD of Richard Kiley when he was doing Man of LaMancha instead of the Tony clip. I wish we had more of Dreamgirls than the Tony clip. Why should these performances just be performed to be forgotten or remembered only by a few, and even then, dimly. Seems to me a DVD would be much less expensive than a feature film - would capture more of the stage feel, and while not "live", still preserve some of the magic. Whether you like CATS or not, the DVD, I thought, was very well done. The Hugh Jackman Oklahoma DVD was well done. Now, neither was "live", but they still felt like theatre. I have no idea how those sold, which is the key to more of them being produced for sale.

I'll tell you what - you don't have to watch any DVD of a theatre performance, but then, you're not allowed to talk about what a wonderful performance you once saw, and how it's just a shame that no one else did or ever will.
Updated On: 1/24/07 at 06:07 PM

[wickedfan]

Posted: 1/24/07 at 6:10pm

For me, it's not so much I'm against the diea of filming musicals (I watch the SITPWG dvd at least twice a month) but I just totally disagree with every single show that jacobsnchz14 wrote.

Many shows though have been preserved in the Lincoln Center Performing Arts Library. They have shows that date all the way back to the early 70's I believe. There are numerous threads about it. It's not like all of these shows are gone forever (Dreamgirls is in fact in the library).

[Wildcard]

Posted: 1/24/07 at 6:14pm

Again, not everyone lives in NY or can travel to NY. Likewise, just because the shows he mentioned aren't highly intellectual shows, it doesn't mean that there's no audience for them. However, I do agree that there have been enough threads about this topic.

[jhershour]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 6:53am

I, too, wish producers would create DVDs of live musicals for sale to the general public. Release them after the show closes on Broadway...what a great way to make a few extra bucks. Plus, for those of us who don't live in or near NYC, we get to see shows we otherwise only read about. Producers...do you hear us?

[SayWhyNot]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 7:14am

Perhaps what you really want to address is rights and distribution. If I'm not mistaken, EVERY current show IS videotaped for the National Library, is it not? Maybe someone could give the specifics about the library. I believe only a particular group of people are allowed to see these tapes. I also do not remember when they began this practice, but I do believe it is being done.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 8:56am

Just about anyone can view the tapes. Sometimes they require you to give them a reason, and typically, "I'm doing a paper on Xx" does the trick. I believe, however, there is a time limit and a number of views restriction.
Part of why they aren't recorded for DVD, is there is not a huge audience for them. They tried that several times, and it's just not been successful, and many times the actors do not recieve any compensation for them, which is why the video of "Sophisticated Ladies" has all the understudies in.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 9:18am

No, not every show is taped for the National Library.

Many shows are taped for Lincoln Center's archives. And it costs a motherload to record it.

It costs a motherload to record shows for film, albums, etc. That's why most things aren't recorded.

[jasobres]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 9:21am

Plus, Broadway's Lost Treasures is a much better alternative than full Broadway shows on DVD.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 9:23am

jasobres-
Why do you say that? I would much rather see a full show than a 5 minute segment.

[Gelfling]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 9:55am

I think the reason that shows, even when filmed (most of them are), are not released on DVD is simply copyrights and money. Unfortunately the rights you pay to stage a play/musical aren't at all the same for a taped version released on DVD...
I guess the "possibility" of earning money isn't enough to justify all the extra costs, not to mention the impossibility of measuring the impact the release will have on ticket sales of current or future productions of the show.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 11:00am

" EVERY current show IS videotaped for the National Library, is it not? Maybe someone could give the specifics about the library. I believe only a particular group of people are allowed to see these tapes."

No, no and no!

Not every show is taped for the Lincoln Center Library (there is no National Library, unless you are talking about the Library of Congress). Also, pretty much anyone can view the tapes, though a few have restrictions on them and you cannot view the tape of a show that is currently running.

[MisterRussell]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 1:41pm

What incentive do any theatre companies out in the world have to do a production of ANY show when a DVD is floating out there of the original production?

I love shows on DVD, not being in NYC,but I'd much prefer to see a show live myself.

[WalkOn]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 1:57pm

I wholeheartedly believe that shows need to be preserved on video and made available to the public. Perhaps released after they a have closed.

The theatre community has got to step up with the times and use other media to promote itself.

I don't think there have been less productions of INTO THE WOODS or SWEENEY TODD because they have available in video format. I would argue that there have been more.

I think interest in attending theatre is only enhanced by shows on DVD. I remember thinking when I saw my first shows on video, if it is this good on video it can only be better live.

How this would work, I don't know. Unions, producers and such would have to get together and some to some arrangement.
But I think it could. I'll go further, If the theatre is going to go beyond surviving to become a cultural force, it MUST be done.

[HeidiL87]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 2:35pm

"What incentive do any theatre companies out in the world have to do a production of ANY show when a DVD is floating out there of the original production? "

Why would anyone want to go see a live concert when they can get all the singer's songs on CDs?

[WalkOn]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 2:50pm

Exactly Heidi...why see a football game live when you can watch it on TV...

Still those stadiums are full and games sell out.

[Jellylorum]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 4:01pm

A DVD can't replace live theatre. But I don't live near New York, can't afford to go there all the time, and can't go back in time to see wonderful performances of the past (I'm sure it's the same for a lot of theatre fans). That's when it's nice to have DVDs of the shows around to watch.

Updated On: 1/25/07 at 04:01 PM

[big_girls_don't_cry]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 5:00pm

Live theater.i agree is the best. though i wouldn't want any of the disney ones on DVD. ( mayve i'd like possibly tarzan???)

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 6:55am

A little O/T but... if there's a fire at the Lincoln Center Library, what happens then? Would they have the videos backed up in other places?