The Rent Welcome Wagon- Page 6

[paulie23]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 11:54pm

thanks for the answers, Fredi! Yes, the food hook is muy importnate. My wife tends to overproduce so this is great avice for her :)

[#1Elphie]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 11:54pm

Okay, I asked Anthony this, so I'll ask you as well.
What's your favorite show on Broadway right now?
Thanks again for putting up with all of our questions!

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 11:55pm

Me too. Let me know if any of you are coming to Pippin! Night.

[JoAnne1]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 11:57pm

more great questions...


1
What would you say are the predominant traits you look for in a potential director?

being very organized is good
having a vision for the piece in question
ability to communicate well (to everyone - designers, producers, actors, stage management - you need them all on your side)
that "smell" of leadership (don't know how else to describe it)


2
If you had the opportunity to produce any pre-existing play/musical, or a new work by an author, what work would you look into?
On stage or on film - I would love to produce BAILEY'S CAFE by Gloria Naylor
I would also love to produce a trilogy of plays by a wonderful playwright named BOB STEWART.. look out for that name


3
Since I am a big believer in (good) musical theatre, I’d like to know what you think of the form.

i love the form - always have. I first got hooked on movie musicals and I'm SOOOO GLAD to see them having a comeback...

4
Do you have any particular pieces you enjoy thoroughly?
so many--- and I've done most of them too

ONCE ON THIS ISLAND
LITTLE SHOP
SWEENEY TODD (pure genius)
NOISE FUNK
LES MIZ
JEROME ROBBINS B'WAY
LEND ME A TENOR (not a musical - but I love farce)
LA BETE (speaking of farce)
LION KING (damn beautiful piece theatre - I was suprised)

haven't seen much in the last few years -- too busy working


5
If you could have played any part in any show, what is the role/show and why?

Old - Sweeny - Mrs. Lovett (sp?) no need to explain why is there?

New - Color Purple - Sophia - would LOVE to play that part. (I think it's already cast though....)


6
Coke or Pepsi?
Coke - Ice cold - with 'nuff ice in the glass

7
Vanilla or Chocolate?
CHOCOLATE - (dark 'n sweet - IF you please )

8
I never was the teen to drink or have sex parties..instead , I'd spend my extra babysitting money @ RENT or another show just to meet new people and be taken over for 2h and 30m.

Thank You For That
Amneris

no - thank you... how cool is that?


fwb

[VivaBohemia]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 12:00am

Fredi-
What do you think the appeal of theatre is to young people? I am a teacher assistant for preschool and I nearly fell over when one of my kids was singing her own version of Seasons of Love. I found out her mom is a huge Rent fan.

Also, I love listening to the OBC, and I'm sure you know just how magical you guys were together. I regret never seeing all of you on that stage.

[JoAnne1]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 12:00am

my favorite show on Broadway right now?

DUH???

RENT - hello....?

If you meant some OTHER show....
i'll have to think about that (although PRODUCERS is a hoot!)

goodnight to all of you who are turning in - I'll be on for another couple of hours so get your questions in while you can.

fwb

[paulie23]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 12:01am

Sweet..you love Sweeney Todd too! City on Fire!!!

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 12:01am

Hello to the original Boho boys and girls!!!
Happy that you guys have joined our little corner of cyberspace
Hope you enjoy your stay!!!
viva la vie boheme

[#1Elphie]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 12:03am

Sorry, of COURSE I meant besides Rent. :-P
But speaking of Rent, what do you think of the current Broadway cast? (you may have answered that already, if so, sorry).

[VivaBohemia]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 12:06am

I have a sudden urge to dance around in my kitchen to LVB. Woo. Lord, now I have to listen to the cd. ::goes to get it::

[JoAnne1]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 12:06am

Fredi-
What do you think the appeal of theatre is to young people? I am a teacher assistant for preschool and I nearly fell over when one of my kids was singing her own version of Seasons of Love.

I spend a great deal of my off-stage time doing Art-Ed...

theatre (and the arts in general) are IMPERATIVE to young people - especially today....

I come from a long line of teachers - and I mean no disrespect when I say that they aren't listening to you - or their parents.... they are listening to ME - and the others of us on television - etc.....

because of that, they are pre-disposed to the arts and you can teach kids more (trust me I know) once you tap into their creative processes than you can ever teach them by rote learning.

Rote learning (and thinking) is no longer applicable to the world be live in..... I have had so much success with arts-for-literacy programs it would make your jaw drop...
kids who weren't even REMOTELY interested in reading or math are suddenly excelling in both because "producing" a small play brought those skills out of the abstract and into a plausible and enjoyable reality for them....

I have developed an Arts-Ed program that travels to different schools in the NY tri-state area. We are hoping to expand it nationwide one day.

fwb

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 12:06am

Grrr. I want to think of something creative. Someone ask something unique on my behalf, okay? I have a tendency to clam up, even online.

[BEKA531]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 12:08am

6
Coke or Pepsi?
Coke - Ice cold - with 'nuff ice in the glass

7
Vanilla or Chocolate?
CHOCOLATE - (dark 'n sweet - IF you please )

^^ totally agree with you on both of those... that's SO weird. i would have been very upset if you said vanilla hey guess what came on shuffle... WE'RE OKAY!! haha, perfect timing

ok, i'm really going to bed now... i'm blind cause i took out my contacts and my nose is on the monitor... NIGHT for real this time guys.

~ rebecca

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 12:11am

This probably isn't a very creative question but Mrs.Browne have you ever considered coming back to Rent on Broadway or even in the Nat'l Tour? Updated On: 11/22/04 at 12:11 AM

[#1Elphie]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 12:12am

Fredi, the Arts-Ed program sounds amazing. I am currently studying to be a teacher, and exposing students to the arts is so important in their development.

[Chloe]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 12:15am

Fredi, I'm interested in why you got into writing screenplays. Since you've worked so much in theater I would have expected you to write plays instead.

[VivaBohemia]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 12:16am

"I come from a long line of teachers - and I mean no disrespect when I say that they aren't listening to you - or their parents.... they are listening to ME - and the others of us on television - etc..."

I couldn't agree more. I am only 22 and I find more inspiration from theatre (Rent especially), movies, and music. I learned more from the experiences I've had with those art forms, then alot of stuff I took away from studying the good ol' history book.

My co-teacher and I make sure that dramatic play (dress up, role playing, ect.) is a huge part of their day, along with music, because it is what they like, and its where they learn to be social beings. (And it gives us an excuse to play dress up as well. Haha.)

Thank you for your insight! :)

[JoAnne1]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 12:16am

I don't really plan to tour with anything... for awhile anyway.

besides - I'm no longer "right" for JOANNE - it was almost 10 years ago...

I more "right" for Gwen's role now

BTW - it's "Mrs. Browne" now - if you please

fwb

[JoAnne1]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 12:19am

intersting question Chloe...

I think I write for film for the same reason I love to direct for stage... I'm a visual person...

Screenwriting is all about images

Playwriting is all about words...

I direct well for stage because I think in pictures.... and I write well for screen for the same reason - does that make sense?

fwb

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 12:21am

eep!
sorry, just fixed it
and congratulations by the way

[Chloe]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 12:25am

"I direct well for stage because I think in pictures.... and I write well for screen for the same reason - does that make sense?"

Absolutely. Also makes me think - I'm more a words and music person, which is undoubtedly why I work in film sound editing rather than picture editing, and also why I've come back to my early love of theater lately.

[JoAnne1]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 12:28am

I LOVE editing!!! (picture that is...)

It's really where the film is made... it helps me write too - because I write it already edited...(and budgeted - I think I've been a closet producer for too long

fwb

[Chloe]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 12:32am

Film editing is an incredible art, and a pretty unappreciated one still. Have you done it yourself, or worked with an editor? Did you work on a computer or with film on a flatbed or Moviola?

[FabalaCohen]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 12:35am

Oh, just thought of question-

With All Shook Up and Good Vibrations coming out next year, what do you think of the jukebox musical trend? Are there any particular artists that should be featured in one of these (personal opinion)?

[BWIDB Charlie]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 12:37am

Fredi, When I was in HS, We created a pilot program for young elementary students to educate them in the arts. The following year, we took the program a step further and modified it to prepare them for a statewide test which was used to evaluate student progress and all that jazz. The program worked wonderfully, and helped boost scores by infusing (at times) difficult knowledge with live theatre performances and games. I was lucky enough to, along with a few others, present the entire program's ideas to a conference of educators from around the state.

It is quite interesting to see the impact the art can have when modified accordingly.

And yes, that idea of directing makes complete sense. Actually, I tend to think the same way. When working on a portion in which the staging really affects the material, I tend to work from stage pictures... and the rest of the blocking fills in the in-between points.

Any opinions on the influx of "names" into Broadway productions? Like was stated earlier, its a business and whatever producers feel will help insure their investment's worth will occur - but beyond that, some feel there are people which 1) don't put any more people in seats 2) degrade the quality of the overall production by being sub-standard. Any opinions?

Charlie
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