hermionejuliet I agree with you and I agree with TheatreBaby.
My one qualm is when they allow people to vote the winners. I understand that as of right now on Broadway there have been two different reality shows. One where they choose the winners and one where they give the viewers of the show the chance to vote for who they want.
I feel like I can say that the reality show casting format will stay. It gets people to buy tickets and branches out to people who most likely wouldn't normally go on their own.
I know that there are a lot of people who wouldn't normally set foot inside a broadway theatre for so many reasons. However, It wouldn't surprise me to hear that the same people who wouldn't set foot in a Broadway theatre might change their minds after seeing the reality show. (This goes for both Grease and Legally Blonde.)
I know a lot of people (producers included) want to get more people to go to the theatre who don't normally go. I feel that if you can find a way to make it appealing to them then they would want to go. The reality show concept does that.
And, I think that the reason why a lot of people got up in arms when they announced that Grease was going to be cast via a reality show was because a lot of people thought that A they didn't want to see a Broadway show cast via a reality vote in show. And B, America needs another reality show to fuss over just like they need another hole in their heads. However, I find it interesting that in London when this happens for a new show that they are casting no one over there seems to get as up in arms as they do when the reality casting show is happening for a Broadway show. I think that this is because no country is obsessed with reality shows like America is. There were even people who didn't buy tickets to see Grease after the reality show who just watched the reality show for the sake of it being a new show they could vote in on. I find that fact something that makes me sick.
"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear"
Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll