The Raúl E. Esparza "Spread the Love" Thread, Part Four- Page 42

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 6:07pm

Lots of theater people -- actors and otherwise -- start out in Chicago, because the work out there is top-notch, but there's not as much pressure and commercial tension as there is in New York. It's a good place to do good work and build your resume in a town that's not quite so tough. Nothing to be mystified by.

I'm so excited. It's only a few weeks away!

[Craww]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 6:22pm

lol, Raul looks positively enamored of Piven there. Was that really the best way to compose that ad?

[humbugfoto]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 6:40pm

Just FYI – the lavender headshot in the NY Magazine piece is the same way it looks in the print edition. Several other photos scattered throughout the issue have a similar effect to them. I guess some art director on the magazine thought it would look artsy-fartsy.

I think NOT!

It just makes everyone look diseased. This was probably the worst offender in the entire issue:



It's even greener in the print edition.

[keen on kean]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 6:45pm

Auditioning for Elphaba?

[Ariella]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 8:49pm

Hah yeah looks like one of those photoshop jobs people would always do for Broadwaysecrets. I suppose lavender's preferable.

[misschung]

Posted: 8/27/08 at 9:08am

That's quite a sighting, Best! I'm jealous

I've never been to Chicago, but I've always wanted to go. I might take a trip there in another year or so.

[Ariella]

Posted: 8/27/08 at 6:43pm

I went for the first time this summer. It's so clean! That was one of my strongest impressions, hah.

[humbugfoto]

Posted: 8/27/08 at 7:24pm

Ah, Chicago. I as born there. I remember my mother taking me to The Goodman Theatre and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra children's concerts when I was little. And she always talked about how all the big NY shows came to Chicago first, and how all the legendary actors and actresses all came and played Chicago as often as they could (she was particularly fond of the Lunts) so that she got to see everything the New Yorkers did. It's a pretty spectacular city.

[ElphieDefiesGravity]

Posted: 8/27/08 at 8:50pm

Chicago *is* awesome! And yes, the downtown, at least, is freakishly clean.

[humbugfoto]

Posted: 8/27/08 at 9:25pm

I want to make an observation, but I’ve been debating about saying anything because I tend to get criticized for being negative. But I feel this should be pointed out, however disappointing my observation may be. And there’s always the possibility that I’m totally off base.

So here it is: Speed-The-Plow is set for a 20 week run, starting October 23rd. That puts its closing around March 15th. That schedule does not bode well with regards to Raúl and Pushing Daisies. Basically, I think it’s highly unlikely we’ll see anything of Alfredo at all this coming season.

Right now PD only has an order for thirteen episodes. Those episodes will be completed long before next March, leaving no chance for Raúl to come out to Los Angeles to shoot any Alfredo scenes. Now, if Pushing Daisies gets picked up for the back nine, they will probably continue filming well into April, which does leave a small window for an Alfredo appearance. But even if everything falls into place and that happens, I think the most we might get is one episode with Alfredo.

I think the best we can hope for is that PD has stellar ratings this season and gets picked up for a third season (2009-10) and they can go ahead with the grandiose arc they had originally planned for Alfredo for this season. Of course, if it doesn’t do well and doesn’t get renewed, we probably won’t see Alfredo ever again.

I don’t have enough patience for this business…..

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/27/08 at 9:31pm

I'm optimistic about ratings for Season 2. People were getting really excited about it, the critics were all over it, it was doing really well, and then just when it was really starting to take off, the strike yanked it off the air. I think if the interest from last season spills over into the upcoming one because viewers felt shortchanged by what happened last year, that could be good for Season 2 momentum.

I'm also completely okay with sacrificing Alfredo for seeing Raul on stage (punching Jeremy Piven), but that's another story.

[keen on kean]

Posted: 8/27/08 at 10:45pm

I went to August: Osage County today and there was a Speed-the-Plow insert in the Playbill. Ticket sales start August 27th for American Express Gold card holders and September 13 for the public.

Oh, and A:OC was just as great the second time. LOVE Estelle Parsons! And worship Amy Morton.

Updated On: 8/28/08 at 10:45 PM

[misschung]

Posted: 8/28/08 at 8:23am

Wow, it will be here before we know it.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 8/28/08 at 9:16am

I loved Pushing Daisies before I knew Raul was going to be on and will love it even if his character never shows up again. YMMV, but my appreciation for a show/movie/play isn't entirely contingent on the presence of one actor.

[bestinshow2]

Posted: 8/28/08 at 2:45pm

A 20 week run?? Wow!

[misschung]

Posted: 8/28/08 at 2:52pm

What's YMMV?

[humbugfoto]

Posted: 8/28/08 at 5:09pm

"Your Mileage May Vary"
In other words, your experience may be different.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/28/08 at 8:34pm

20 weeks is longer than I thought it was going to be, for some reason. But that's about as long as The Homecoming would have been had the strike not happened.

[humbugfoto]

Posted: 8/29/08 at 6:05pm

Brief comment from Metromix about Mamet this season on Broadway. I like their turn of phrase regarding Raúl.

"With actors hungry for meaty roles, it's no surprise David Mamet has two plays in production this season. The playwright ensnares players like a spider does flies, using pungent dialogue and larger-than-life characters for a web. First up is "Speed-the-Plow," a stinging attack on Hollywood, which bombed in 1988. This second chance has Jeremy Piven playing a variation on his “Entourage” schmoozer. He'll share the stage with Raul Esparza, one of Broadway's new guard, and Elizabeth Moss, taking a break from her role on “Mad Men”. (Oct. 3 at the Ethel Barrymore)"
Red Carpet Broadway

[misschung]

Posted: 8/29/08 at 8:53pm

I wonder how Raúl feels about returning to Company's house

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/29/08 at 9:09pm

Actors hungry for meaty roles or... scenery?

[humbugfoto]

Posted: 8/29/08 at 9:16pm

They're gonna have to lay in a healthy supply of dental floss....

[misschung]

Posted: 8/30/08 at 4:19pm

I'm kind of scared to see the two of them together on stage.Jeremy Piven is just like, a time bomb of energy, and Raul is Raul, so...it should be interesting

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/30/08 at 6:13pm

There's a full page Speed-the-Plow ad in tomorrow's Arts and Leisure section. It's the same set of pictures from the artwork that was posted on Yahoo a few days ago, but it's big.

Updated On: 8/30/08 at 06:13 PM

[bestinshow2]

Posted: 8/30/08 at 6:30pm

Did you guys see their webpage yet?

http://speedtheplowonbroadway.com/

There's nothing there except for a slightly bigger photo than the Yahoo one.

Updated On: 8/30/08 at 06:30 PM