What happened to BWW?- Page 3

[Dollypop]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 5:54pm

Good points, mama.

It's interesting to me that when the younger members post their "reviews" of the shows they've seen, they invariably include the stage door activity afterwards. "Stagedooring" is just as much a part of the theatre-going experience to these younger ones as the show itself.

Incidentally, these "reviews" really are "reports" and very little is invariably critiqued.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 6:51pm

Nodding my head in agreement with the comments about reviews, I haven't read a real review here in quite some time.

And of course, there are exceptions, I am talking in generalities here.

There are also so many threads (and I don't the age of who posts what) that are not discussions but rather lists of things like: songs you hate and love.

These (among others) became the reasons I stopped visiting broadway space. Too much yack, no substance.

I was hoping that the new season might help us along.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 7:15pm

Along these lines, there's that curious preoccupation with understudies. A show plays its first preview and there's the inevitable query about who the understudies are.

[tazber]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 10:17pm

I have to say as long as I've been a member, and even before I joined and just read, there have always been threads about understudies and lists.

I remember thinking to myself way back in 04 how boring those list threads were (even though I occasionally post on them myself I rarely bother to read what anyone else's favorite ____ is).

dramamama, you hit a lot of salient points in your post, but I honestly never really thought the main board was much of a serious theatrical discussion forum. Which isn't to say I haven't learned a great deal (I have), I just don't really see that much of a change.

The OT board has definitely changed. But that's the nature of internet social life (for lack of a better term). People come and go and return and then leave again. And the personality of the threads change as well.

I take it for what it is on any given day and engage in conversation or joke around with whoever happens to be present.
And in truth, despite all the regulars who are conspicuously absent there remains a group of people that I have gotten to know and who share similar tastes and views. I still look forward to reading their posts.

Updated On: 9/7/10 at 10:17 PM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 10:39pm

There's hardly any theater criticism in the world anymore (I love you, Michael Feingold!), so it's not surprising there's little here. Out in the world, the occasional theater mention is just a part of the Pop Culture Chit Chat that surrounds us 24/7, which all started with a little show called Entertainment Tonight until that format took over the world.

The only thing that people are exposed to anymore are behind the scenes fawning softball interviews, who's in and who's out (manifest here in the understudy threads), and Top Tens (lists!). Let's face it, the last theater development that was deemed worthy of Pop Culture Chit Chat coverage was Jeremy Piven's Sushi Problem. Almost nobody here knows how to discuss a show's place in theatrical history, its merits and its flaws. They do know how to discuss weekly grosses and who's hot and who's not. Thank you Mary Hart!

And now for my part in the problem, usually when I see a show, I can't be bothered to write what I would call a review or a critique here, because it just doesn't seem worth the effort. So what I wind up doing is becoming a booster for underdog shows that I love or urging people to see something outstanding of which they may not be aware. (You guys, seriously, go see anything Punchdrunk does!).

I also want to give the folks a break who "only" talk about their experiences. Given how much mainstream theater costs, I actually do think it's too much to ask people to be critical of something they've invested so much time and effort in. Maybe a travelogue is all we can expect, covering everything from the ushers to the "show curtains" (WTF?) to the songs they liked/songs they hated and who was "really nice and down to earth but NO PICTURES!" at the stage door.

[tazber]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 11:16pm

Oh yea, I forgot to mention the one species of thread that I find most annoying:

The WhatshouldISee-asaurus.

I mean, really. If you want to know whether The Addams Family is better than Next To Normal there are dozens of threads that are dedicated to specific shows. I refuse to believe that anyone who knows how to post a thread doesn't know how to search (or scroll down half a page) to find opinions about a show.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 11:29pm

You have to read between the lines here. The poster really doesn't want your help in picking a show. They are using that as an excuse to tell you they're coming into the city again to see a BROADWAY MUSICAL!!!!!

That's something I called "teen-speak" when I was teaching.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 11:30pm

^ I wouldn't even dare to want to start one of those because without fail, the OP mentions shows they are interested in, and then everyone disagrees and makes it even more confusing by adding in other shows that the person should see instead. If I want to see something, I'm going to see it regardless of bad reviews or opinions on it here.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/8/10 at 12:13am

Oh, god, no marianne, what you should see... (kidding)

[PalJoey]

Posted: 9/8/10 at 12:15am

So, tazber...IS The Addams Family better than Next To Normal?

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/8/10 at 12:18am

And wouldn't the latter title have made a great sub-head to the former?

[NYadgal]

Posted: 9/8/10 at 4:59pm

The return of ~FlowerFriend~ makes me remember some fun days in years past...

I wonder what ever happened to Judy-in-Disguise?

But, I'm in the camp of believing that things change, and it's up to each of us to make today the best it can be. So, I do my best to capture what I love most about my time on BWW whenever I'm here.

Sure, I miss the old days. But, today is what matters.

[uncageg]

Posted: 9/8/10 at 5:05pm

NYadgal, you just made me want to hear Finale B from RENT.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 9/8/10 at 5:07pm

The best of times...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OP6hycig8yc

...is now.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 9/8/10 at 5:14pm

Love both of those tunes.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 9/8/10 at 7:22pm

Well, speaking for myself, I got tired of the nonsense and infighting here. Now and then I come back, but most of my friends are on facebook, and this has become less relevant to me. While I am not happy or proud to say that, it is the truth.

[Overkill]

Posted: 9/8/10 at 11:52pm

I'm glad people are voicing their views on the site now and I really do hope the mods take notice and try to make this beter. Because if they don't, this site will be history soon. As it is for the most part...

[CountA]

Posted: 9/18/10 at 1:39pm

Like Obama's poll ratings, liberal hypocrisy, and threatening your enemies are bringing things down.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 9/18/10 at 1:50pm

Oh, shut the F up!

[CountA]

Posted: 9/18/10 at 2:02pm

I'm sorry, I'm really sorry that things are so sad for Obama.

[danmag]

Posted: 9/18/10 at 2:49pm

I haven't gotten on here as much as I used to...but I really miss everyone!!

Not to be too much of a sap, but I've met some wonderful people thru this sight...and a good Friday meltdown can still make me smile! :)

[Q]

Posted: 9/18/10 at 2:51pm

And we miss our fun-loving Tiki-gal

[danmag]

Posted: 9/18/10 at 2:56pm

I'll be back as soon as the Patron runs out, Q...

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 9/18/10 at 3:17pm

Lots of interesting things to respond to.

If it isn't what it 'used to be', it's the fault of those who aren't participating and making it better.

This is a totally valid point, that sitting around and lamenting it isn't action to change, but in thinking about it, I keep coming to the feeling that it's kind of like one of those double-sided scales these days. The few of us from "those days" that are left could try, but I don't know that we wouldn't still be (or at least feel) consistently outweighed and taken over by the stuff that's driving us to participate less. It'd have to catch on and re-infiltrate, and I don't know how realistically I see that happening. In my mind, maybe it's time to just sort of sigh and agree with whoever said simply that nothing can ever stay the same. I felt that maybe it is for a long time.

In my nearly seven years here, BroadwayWorld has always had its ebbs and flows; so sometimes I think that's all that's going on. But it's been a while for me since I've seen more than tiny hints of the reasons I found such a home in this place. I can't exactly ignore the fact, either, than back in said "good old days," I was really, for all intents, a child. I had different standards, different things impressed me, amazed me, drew me in. But I can't blame it all on that, because I still do know that this was a different place then, too.

There is definitely a part of me that misses posting all of my "reviews," casual as they often were on here. For those who weren't around, I used to post about almost every single show I saw. For years. Somewhere in the abyss, there are dozens. I loved then, and still do, to write things down and talk about them -- and foremost, to document my experiences. I sincerely do credit BroadwayWorld as the place where I learned to write, because it gave me the freedom to try out my hand at it, and get tons of open feedback. That was invaluable to me. I've stopped posting them here for a lot of reasons, partially because I began writing somewhat professionally and felt I should stick to one side or the other. But I also kind of feel like interest in that kind of discourse has faded; like somebody said, somewhere there was a shift and now a "review" is constituted by something that is three sentences long, and then includes a "review" of the stage door activity after. Granted, I remember writing add-ons in some my posts about who I met and things like that, but the lack of distinction where it becomes part of the review is tellingly disturbing to me. It can be part of the experience, absolutely -- but it's not a part to be included and evaluated in your "review." It's not THAT kind of part of the experience; and it's sad that some people think it is.

I had something else I wanted to say, but I can't remember it not. Must be my old age.

[uncageg]

Posted: 9/18/10 at 3:42pm

When I joined I had been just reading the threads in preparation for my first trip back to NYC to see shows in years. I got so much information and it led me to the show "BARE". A show I knew nothing about and now has been talked about around here for years. That's what made me join, the information. It also seems that now there is not much talk about off-Broadway shows. I used to enjoy that as I always plan on seeing one when I go and like to read what others think. It seems that unless an off-Broadway show is generating some interest and possibly transferring, there isn't much talk about off-B'Way.

And the constant snarkiness and threadjacking. I have often wondered if we still have people in the business or with a welth of information that just don't post because they don't want to deal with the nastiness and sarcasm. Just my random thoughts.