A Note To Message Board Posters Courtesy Of Seth Rudetsky
A Note To Message Board Posters Courtesy Of Seth Rudetsky
#1A Note To Message Board Posters Courtesy Of Seth Rudetsky
Posted: 5/21/07 at 5:04pm
"Attention message boards: Please stop referencing shows by their acronyms! Who started that madness? In my day, when we wanted a sassy nickname for Phantom of the Opera we shortened it Phantom, and Fiddler on the Roof has always been called Fiddler from Zero Mostel's original production through my high school's critically acclaimed production to the Topol revival in the late eighties. Who changed the rules? I'm not a World War Two trained code breaker who can figure out a panicked theatre board message entitled "New Carlotta fierce in POTO" or "Why no Jews in FOTR?" I've spent way too much time staring at the screen of Talkin' Broadway mumbling "P…what starts with P? Paint Your Wagon?""
ONSTAGE & BACKSTAGE: Talkin' Tony Noms
"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
Kringas
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/27/05
#2re: A Note To Message Board Posters Courtesy Of Seth Rudetsky
Posted: 5/21/07 at 5:09pmThat's generally still how people doing it when they speak, though, isn't it? I've never heard someone say POTO in person.
"How do you like THAT 'misanthropic panache,' Mr. Goldstone?" - PalJoey
#2re: A Note To Message Board Posters Courtesy Of Seth Rudetsky
Posted: 5/21/07 at 5:09pmhaha! First Kristen and now this. They DO know us too well.
"Are you sorry for civilization? I am sorry for it too." ~Coast of Utopia: Shipwreck
shesamarshmallow
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/23/06
#3re: A Note To Message Board Posters Courtesy Of Seth Rudetsky
Posted: 5/21/07 at 5:10pmI spend forever trying to figure out acronyms, especially for obscure shows. But while his logic works for "Drowsy" and "110" it doesn't quite for "Jersey" or "Pirate." I guess.... judgment call?
broadwayunderstudies.com - most underrated performers on broadway
Tom148502
Featured Actor Joined: 5/21/07
#4re: A Note To Message Board Posters Courtesy Of Seth Rudetsky
Posted: 5/21/07 at 5:12pmIt's even more irritating when only initials are used to refer to performers that most people have never heard of anyway.
#5re: A Note To Message Board Posters Courtesy Of Seth Rudetsky
Posted: 5/21/07 at 5:13pm
THANK YOU!
I posted the same sentiment before!
Some are ridiculous. GG, SA, PQ, MFTM, LB, ACL, etc. UGH.
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy."
-Charlie Manson
#6re: A Note To Message Board Posters Courtesy Of Seth Rudetsky
Posted: 5/21/07 at 5:16pm
I would associate "Jersey" with Jersey Boys much faster than JB.
I agree with the acronyms, though. I spend at least 30 seconds trying to figure out what the shows are. POTO? Just say Phantom!
~Steven
#7re: A Note To Message Board Posters Courtesy Of Seth Rudetsky
Posted: 5/21/07 at 5:16pm
It doesn't bother me when its a pretty commonly used acronym.
POTO, FOTR, SITPWG, H2$, YAGMCB, etc.
"One no longer loves one's insight enough once one communicates it."
The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.
The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.
shesamarshmallow
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/23/06
#8re: A Note To Message Board Posters Courtesy Of Seth Rudetsky
Posted: 5/21/07 at 5:18pmAnd the point is proven as I still can't figure out what MFTM is, munk...
broadwayunderstudies.com - most underrated performers on broadway
#9re: A Note To Message Board Posters Courtesy Of Seth Rudetsky
Posted: 5/21/07 at 5:19pm
GG is terrible... I keep thinking it's an acronym for Gilmore Girls or Golden Girls.
And I keep thinking LB is La Boheme or something.
SA is just as bad.
What's MTFM? I'm still trying to figure that out.
~Steven
jordangirl
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/1/06
#10re: A Note To Message Board Posters Courtesy Of Seth Rudetsky
Posted: 5/21/07 at 5:19pm
Moon for the Misbegotten. Maybe if they'd used the A? 
Experience live theater. Experience paintings. Experience books. Live, look and listen like artists! ~ imaginethis
LIVE THAT LESSON!!!!!!
LIVE THAT LESSON!!!!!!
#11re: A Note To Message Board Posters Courtesy Of Seth Rudetsky
Posted: 5/21/07 at 5:20pm
Yes, it was for A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN.
I swear, I thought I saw it on here once.
And I agree - the acronyms for people's names kill me.
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy."
-Charlie Manson
jordangirl
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/1/06
#12re: A Note To Message Board Posters Courtesy Of Seth Rudetsky
Posted: 5/21/07 at 5:21pm
I've always called it Moon. Much easier to type. (At least I think I have. If I used the acronym, I apologize profusely!)
YAGMCB took me a while to figure out.
Experience live theater. Experience paintings. Experience books. Live, look and listen like artists! ~ imaginethis
LIVE THAT LESSON!!!!!!
Updated On: 5/21/07 at 05:21 PM
LIVE THAT LESSON!!!!!!
#13re: A Note To Message Board Posters Courtesy Of Seth Rudetsky
Posted: 5/21/07 at 5:25pmOr, people could just use complete titles?
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy."
-Charlie Manson
jg4892
Broadway Star Joined: 11/2/06
#14re: A Note To Message Board Posters Courtesy Of Seth Rudetsky
Posted: 5/21/07 at 5:26pmI'm fine with SA and GG, but some of the other ones puzzle me...seriously, isn't it easier to write sunday than sitpwg.
#15re: A Note To Message Board Posters Courtesy Of Seth Rudetsky
Posted: 5/21/07 at 5:27pm
Yes, Charlie Brown would suffice.
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown is even better.
~Steven
#16re: A Note To Message Board Posters Courtesy Of Seth Rudetsky
Posted: 5/21/07 at 5:28pm
It all boils down to laziness. Either that, or they just want to appear all cliquey and "in the know" (which really amounts to zilch if you don't know what you're talking about anyway).
Does it really take THAT MUCH LONGER to type "Fiddler" instead of FOTR? Good grief! And why would you honestly expect everyone to know what it means?
So do you guys think C is a good show or a bad show? I like H, but O is one of my faves!!!!!
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
#17re: A Note To Message Board Posters Courtesy Of Seth Rudetsky
Posted: 5/21/07 at 5:32pm
The only time I ever use an acronym for Jersey Boys is when I am on a thread or a message board about them.
I have always had a hard time trying to figure out acronyms.
#18re: A Note To Message Board Posters Courtesy Of Seth Rudetsky
Posted: 5/21/07 at 5:33pm
Mr. Rudetsky,
In a way I certainly agree with you. However, when you're rushing to type a message, it's a real bitch to type out Dirty Rotten Scoundrels or Grey Gardens. I try to avoid acronyms, but sometimes you just gotta do it.
Oh, and by the way, Little Edie often refered to Grey Gardens (the film) as g.g. In her note giving her blessing to the musical adaptation, she refered to it that way.
Julian2
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/10/06
#19re: A Note To Message Board Posters Courtesy Of Seth Rudetsky
Posted: 5/21/07 at 5:38pm
"So do you guys think C is a good show or a bad show? I like H, but O is one of my faves!!!!!"
Cinderella is great, I love Hairspray. And I love Oklahoma!, but I wouldn't call it one of my faves.
I haven't seen Curtains or Hair, but Oliver! is one of my faves too!
I'm guilty of using the abbreviations too, but I think they are just as confusing as IMO/IMHO/IDK/ETA. It's just a matter of knowing them. I've never seen FOTR. I've only used a single letter one once, but that was talking about Best Musical noms, so it was clear it was Curtains.
I have several names, one is Julian2. I am also The Opps Girl. But cross me, and I become Bitch Dooku!
Updated On: 5/21/07 at 05:38 PM
Fenchurch
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/16/06
#20re: A Note To Message Board Posters Courtesy Of Seth Rudetsky
Posted: 5/21/07 at 5:43pmAbsolutely hysterical thread. Thanks.
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual."
-Keen on Kean
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual." - muscle23ftl
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual." - muscle23ftl
#21re: A Note To Message Board Posters Courtesy Of Seth Rudetsky
Posted: 5/21/07 at 5:49pmLOL you guys have me ROTFLMAO.
ThankstoPhantom
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/13/05
#22re: A Note To Message Board Posters Courtesy Of Seth Rudetsky
Posted: 5/21/07 at 5:49pm
I detest the acronym SITPWG. That's the worst.
If you ever go onto a Phantom of the Opera site, check the acronyms for the song titles. Even someone as myself, a "phan", can't always handle the following:
TOM
MOTN
AIAOY
WYWSHA
PONR
PS: I am guilty og using POTO, SA, and MP...however, I'm starting not to...I hope.
How to properly use its/it's:
Its is the possessive. It's is the contraction for it is...
Updated On: 5/21/07 at 05:49 PM
#23re: A Note To Message Board Posters Courtesy Of Seth Rudetsky
Posted: 5/21/07 at 5:53pmI agree, some I can understand like SITPWG. But others take me FOREVER to figure out, the two word ones. MP, SA, PQ, GG
#24re: A Note To Message Board Posters Courtesy Of Seth Rudetsky
Posted: 5/21/07 at 6:09pm
Is it that harder to type out ten more letters? I can never understand why people say that "it takes too long to type out the whole name." It is not a race to see who posts the most the fastest. Not to mention in the long run you can spend an even longer time trying to figure out the first letter of every word in the show. MFTM; A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN. Yep, the latter actually took me less time. Maybe I just type fast and think slowly, but honestly: Internet laziness? Can your fingers not take the extra "stress?"
Updated On: 5/21/07 at 06:09 PM
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