An Open Letter To All Posters on This Board - Page 6

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 5/6/15 at 11:20am

"Dr. Zhivago isn't closing because of what anonymous posters wrote about it on this board; it failed because the main-stream critics (who sign their names to their reviews for all to see) eviscerated it."

 

I don't think just bad reviews kill a show.   This was a show based off a 50 year old movie and 60 year old book. Like many shows, people wonder "why are they making that?"  My friend was waiting at the TDF booth, and ahead of her a tourist asked what the Zhivago musical was about, the employee shrugged and said "No idea, but Kinky Boots was amazing!".  No one knew anything about it and there was little to no advertising.  

 

Updated On: 5/6/15 at 11:20 AM

[Steve721]

Posted: 5/6/15 at 11:32am

""Dr. Zhivago isn't closing because of what anonymous posters wrote about it on this board; it failed because the main-stream critics (who sign their names to their reviews for all to see) eviscerated it."
 
I don't think just bad reviews kill a show.   A show based off a 50 year old movie and 60 year old book. Like many shows, people wonder "why are they making that?"  My friend was waiting at the TDF booth, and ahead of her a tourist asked what the Zhivago musical was about, the employee shrugged and said "No idea, but Kinky Boots was amazing!".  No one knew anything about it and there was little to no advertising."

While there are a few shows that succeed despite negative or mediocre reviews, negative reviews can definitely kill a show, particularly if it has no stars.  (Of course, what really brings down such a show is the inept stuff on stage that produces the negative reviews.) If Dr. Zhivago had been good enough to get stellar reviews, I have no doubt it would still be playing.  (And by the way, Dr. Zhivago is both a famous book and a famous film.  You'd think people would at least have a clue of what it's about.)    

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/6/15 at 11:32am

Same type of piss poor marketing as Honeymoon. Honeymoon got the reviews but the marketing firm sat on their hands and did nothing. Dr Z did not get the reviews and we know the rest

Critics do not have the power they once had but with the vicious reviews this got it was a determining factor. You still hear idiots say" I was going to see such and such show but I heard Brantley did not like it so I changed my mind". How about using your mind and decide for yourself if you want to see it? This is basically being a robot and taking orders.

[Steve721]

Posted: 5/6/15 at 11:39am

"Critics do not have the power they once had but with the vicious reviews this got it was a determining factor. You still hear idiots say" I was going to see such and such show but I heard Brantley did not like it so I changed my mind". How about using your mind and decide for yourself if you want to see it? This is basically being a robot and taking orders."

Like most people, I have neither the time nor the money to see every show.  So I read the reviews (Brantley's included) and read what posters here have to say about it.  If the response to a show is generally negative, I usually will not see it and will change gears to see something else if I'd planned to see it.  I think that's an entirely sensible approach. 

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 5/6/15 at 11:39am

It's also important to note, especially for the OP, that most of the negativity directed toward a show like Dr. Zhivago has nothing to do with the ensemble or even the leads. I did find Mutu and Barrett to be bland, but there's nothing worse to say about them then that; the sang well and anyone could easily write off their shortcomings as a product of the material and direction they were given. 

I'd venture to say that not a soul who saw Dr. Zhivago came out saying, "If only the ensemble had put a little more effort into that opening number it wouldn't have been so confusing and the tune would have suddenly become memorable!" We all know that the actors are doing their best, and that goes for all shows. Sometimes a performer can elevate sub-par material, but I don't expect them to have to perform miracles.

 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/6/15 at 11:43am

Sutton, was your friend eavesdropping on a conversation with the ticket seller or one of the paid touts? If the former, then that person was engaging in absolutely forbidden conduct, and if the latter it was meaningless-someone paid by Kinky Boots would try to sway you away from Book of Mormon if it were on the board.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/6/15 at 11:52am

Has the OP come back yet? Is there any proof s/he is actually associated with this show?

Posts like the one that started this thread are very good in theory, but in reality this is a message board. It's a place where people talk about the good, the bad and everything in between in regards to the theater. I'm sorry that this person, whether or not s/he is actually involved in the show, was upset that people here spoke their minds about it but that's what this forum is for. Would we be having the same conversation if Julia Roberts jumped on IMDb telling everybody that MIRROR MIRROR meant a lot to her and to everybody else involved and we should really think about it before we make snarky comments about it? 

 

 

[rob136]

Posted: 5/6/15 at 11:53am

I never wish for a show to close, but I sometimes wish for a better show to take its place, and I think that's very sensible both from an artistic perspective and a personal enjoyment perspective. It would be great if we could have every show run forever and still get amazing new productions on a regular basis, but that can't happen. There are a limited number of artists and a limited amount of space.

It's difficult to produce something artistic and give it over to the public to praise or criticize as they see fit, but that's an inherent part of art. It's not appropriate to wish unemployment on an artist, but it's certainly appropriate to wonder when they'll move to the side and either create something better or let someone else do so.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/6/15 at 11:57am

And yes, for the reasons listed above, I have most DEFINITELY hoped certain shows would close and there is nothing wrong with that. The same way I'd want a crappy movie off of 4 screens at the local multiplex so they could bring in something better - real estate on broadway is limited and I'd always rather see a good show than an embarrassing mess playing. And that's not saying I want people to lose their jobs (certain peoples favorite "go to") but it's the theater. And Welcome To The Theater. Welcome to the flop you thought would run for years. 

Updated On: 5/6/15 at 11:57 AM

[jkstheatrescene]

Posted: 5/6/15 at 12:02pm

I love it when you quote songs from Applause!

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/6/15 at 12:03pm

It just seemed so appropriate here!!! 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 5/6/15 at 12:06pm

"We all know that the actors are doing their best, and that goes for all shows."

For the last year of Newsies, those dudes were pretty much out the door. 

[kristinj1]

Posted: 5/6/15 at 12:09pm

 I'm sorry that this person, whether or not s/he is actually involved in the show, was upset that people here spoke their minds about it but that's what this forum is for.
 

I don't think the OP was upset that people speak their minds, but with the cruel tone in which some speak them.

[acekatherineplumber2]

Posted: 5/6/15 at 12:10pm

Huh? I saw Newsies in its last year and the entire cast's energy was palpable. 

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 5/6/15 at 12:11pm

I don't think the OP was upset that people speak their minds, but with the cruel tone in which some speak them.

It's impossible to determine tones, since this is a message board where all communications are relayed in writing. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/6/15 at 12:13pm

this is an INTERNET MESSAGE BOARD. People speak their minds on it. If I seensomething I really hate I'm not going to come here and sugarcoat it. You wouldn't do that in your regular day-to-day conversations so why would you do that here? 

If its news to you that people online say any and everything about whatever is being discussed, than maybe you should NOT be here. 

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 5/6/15 at 12:27pm

Agreed, JC.

And I was there last night, expecting nothing, and was appalled that someone thought this was worthy of Broadway. Some of the music and a few of the supporting players aside, this was a big miss of a show. Why didn't someone stop them?!

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 5/6/15 at 12:48pm

This is an internet message board, with rules.  There is also a way to be unnecessarily offensive and a d*ck for absolutely no reason.  

For example, this gem of a thread:

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=1038875#4213201

Or this line: "Chad Kimball's contract with the Special Olympics prevented him from doing it, so it was scrapped."

The word "retard" is considered hate speech because it offends people with intellectual and developmental disabilities as well as the people that care for and support them. It alienates and excludes them.  It's the same as calling someone a "faggot" or "spic".  

It's disgusting, vile, and unnecessary.  That is what the OP was getting at with some of the comments.  This was on point also, and completely accurate so thank you for whomever posted it:

"Simple answer: bitterness. Plain and simple.  People who didn't have the courage to go after their dreams or whose talent was insufficient to warrant any support from the industry are looking for revenge and the internet has provided them with a platform that they control. Anonymity is like a drug and unrestrained bile is easy to release online.  You can walk away from a bitter deluded person if you run into them at a party but on the internet they can find a platform to write whatever they want and this gives the otherwise ignored, broken person a sense of self importance they were unable to achieve through guts or talent.  Sadly some of these people are probably talented but broken in a way that makes them unable to do what needs to be done to get anywhere in theater.  When you are this angry, this deluded and this full of vengeance the act of writing something down makes you feel a little bit validated.  Now you see this on these theater message boards and from the 'blog critics' whose carefully spun bios attempt to make their personal failures look like successes in an effort to disguise their sketchy credentials."

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/6/15 at 12:52pm

LOL. 

Wow, Sue did a LOT of digging reading my posts to find that one! 

And I stand by every word of it. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/6/15 at 12:55pm

Also - 
I never used the word "retard", so let's not try to rewrite anything here. K?

Secondly - You've stated multiple times in the past how you've blocked me, but just like Roxy & Bilbo (broadway guy), you can still see my posts. So maybe Rob needs to look at the block feature since it doesn't seem to be working correctly.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/6/15 at 12:55pm

Well said, Sutton. Why is this place the Wild West if it doesn't have to be?

To quote Kumar, just because you're hung like a moose doesn't mean you have to do porn.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 5/6/15 at 1:52pm

I don't think there's anything wrong with waiting for a show to close.  If someone thinks a work of art is bad, they aren't going to want it taking up the space of something they could potentially like better.  This is my opinion with Mamma Mia - get out and stay out and let in some new (and hopefully better) work of art.

I would totally get that point of view if Mamma Mia (or whatever long-running hit is under fire) had actually prevented new musicals from being produced on Broadway.  Or if there weren't a legitimate demand for the show by those of differing opinions.  No show is taking up valuable real estate on Broadway if it's continuing to make money.  New musicals open on Broadway every season!  It's not as if there have been no new options for viewing since October 2001.  Go see something else!  If you've seen everything, then you have to wait for the next show to open.  And usually, it's not a long wait.

 

 

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 5/6/15 at 2:19pm

Be nice to show, you hurt its feelings, say Sue.

Sue also say, "Aww, Bernardo looks like Danny from New Kids on the Block and the gang members are tiny, effeminate men" because she is font of warmth and kindness.

[indytallguy]

Posted: 5/6/15 at 2:21pm

I'm now envisioning Jordan as Lauren Bacall in an Encores production of Applause. That would be worth premium ticket price :)

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/6/15 at 2:22pm

But now new screen name so don't not referencing past. Look to new kindest future.