BROADWAY SECRETS: Wherein we confess our controversial opinions — Page 18

"Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only one sick and tired of Hamilton, and Lin-Manuel, always on social media about what famous people saw the show that night. We're happy for you, but for god's sakes, we get it. Stop rubbing our faces into it with these daily selfies like this is some special party we'll never get invited to, at least until July.
On a related note, if the Public really cared about new audiences getting to see that show back before it was officially Broadway-bound, they'd offer more than a few seats a show to the lottery/rush kids, instead of letting half the house be held by the producers to give or sell to their A-list friends, or Broadway folks with an in with the cast."

I adore Lin-Manuel, but I kinda feel the same way, especially for the part about the Public holding so many tickets for VIP people. It always happens, but in this case it particularly annoys me.

Alright here we go.

-I can't stand The King and I, although I find some of the music beautiful, the show is a chore to sit through

-I prefer the stage production to the film version of The Sound of Music.

-I prefer Lea Michele's or Lillia White's version of "Don't Rain On My Parade" then Miss Streisand.

- I really enjoyed the broadway version of Little Shop of Horrors.

- I liked Young Frankenstein over The Producers. In fact, I really was not a fan of The Producers

- I thought one of Sutton Fosters best role's when is in Shrek. Proved she was a terrific comedian. Hell, I really enjoyed Shrek.

- I think Beauty and Beast is the worst broadway show I ever saw. Love the film though.

- I enjoy watching "Sunday in the Park with George" as oppose to listening to the soundtrack.

Would you care to elaborate on "what the U.S. government is doing" that has caused you to take such a stand?

Kdogg36: I haven't seen "On the Town" (I've wanted to; just haven't been able to fit it in). Your post is the first time I've heard about the national anthem being sung. I think my reaction would have been similar to yours, and would have been even more acute prior to, oh, say, late 2008. I don't say this to open any political discussion on these boards and I won't engage in one. I just thought you described your concerns well and wanted to offer you that support.

Every year, the Public presents two productions stuffed with world class actors and production values and gives away the vast majority of tickets for free- what other major theatre company in this city does that? Is it frustrating that they hold some seats? Sure, but they're a non-profit, and every single major non-profit in the city has to do that, so it's not really fair to single them out. And it's not like there wasn't plenty of opportunity to get a ticket for Hamilton a few months ago.

As for Lin-Manuel's social media presence, just don't follow him if it irritates you so much.

OK, here goes:

--despite the endless parade of musicals based on movies (some, like Once, have been good), this has been the most exciting time for Broadway in years with producers taking chances with shows (mostly plays) that wouldn't have made it to/on Broadway in the '80s and '90s.

that said:

--the scene with the actors dressed as farm animals in the most recent revival of Pippin almost killed an otherwise great show. It took me a long time to get back into the show's spirit because it was such an inane touch.

--the Broadway revival of La Cage Aux Folles with Kelsey Grammer felt like tourist trap theatre. Seriously when they brought out the beach balls and knocked them into the audience? I couldn't believe it and asked myself "why did I trick myself into thinking I'd enjoy a show based on a movie I never really liked, and a revival of a show I never liked in the first place?" It was all so desperate.

--Kieran Culkin should be the Featured Actor in a Play front runner for This Is Our Youth. It's a supporting performance, and he knocks it out of the park.

--the fact that Urinetown stopped its run when the Henry Miller theatre closed in 2004 is incredibly sad. Like Avenue Q, the show should have transferred to an off-Broadway house and should still be running today.

--the Under Attack number in Mamma Mia! is imaginative and fun, one of the best stagings number of a musical number I have ever seen. (confession: saw the show in Vegas not on Broadway). No, I'm not crazy.

--instead of going gaga over Smash and Glee, fans of NYC theatre really should be obsessing over The Good Wife, which is a treasure trove of stage actors killing it on the small screen. Just check out the show's IMDB page, scroll down the cast list and see what I mean. As a Chicagoan, I do laugh at the show's attempts to give us a contemporary Chicago (the Steppenwolf spoof in one episode was particularly bad--more a spoof of War Horse than anything that would actually play at Steppenwolf).

Updated On: 4/25/15 at 12:34 PM

*I agree about The King and I. It does have some truly beautiful music and it's a classic show. But I hope it doesn't take many awards this time around. Been there, done that. Especially when you have two other revivals that are absolutely outstanding.

*I think Mamma Mia, Kinky Boots and Book of Mormon are highly overrated.

*Bullets Over Broadway (from last season) and Finding Neverland (this season) are highly underrated.

*As for the National Anthem at OTT…well, if they did that during the original production it makes sense. A nice throwback. And considering that was back when this country was more patriotic than it is now, it probably was richly received. I don't see this country as being like that anymore though so I don't think anyone has to worry about remaining seated during the NA if they choose to do that, and I don't think you'll get much pushback on here about doing so. Personally I will continue to stand in memory of those who lost their lives. I don't always agree with the choices our country makes, and it's possible some of those men and women who lost their lives didn't always agree with what our country was doing either. But someone needs to remember their sacrifice, especially in light of the fact they lost their lives so we could remain seated during the NA if we so choose. That's my take on it.

I want to thank everyone for their varied - but invariably polite! - responses to my "confession."

Here are my Broadway confessions...

I Think Love Never Dies is an amazing show and it show come to broadway (even if it doesn't last it still deserves a chance!)

I love Miss Saigon and I want a revival.

Bonnie & Clyde Deserved to stay open longer.

Phantom is a good musical, but when i saw it in October 2014 the backround dancers in Hannibal seemed to not care about the show, throughout the whole show the all had looks on their faces like they didn't care and they didn't want to be there. (Norm Lewis was an Amazing Phantom and I loved his performance)

Besides Phantom and Love Never Dies, I hate ALW's musicals.

Chicago is an amazing show.

The Les Miserables movie is sometimes overrated and the fan base for the movie can get annoying (one social media account is dedicated to movie Enjolras and movie Grantarie having a gay relationship, What the heck!?!?!?! Why???)

I don't get why there is such a dedicated and devoted fanbase to rent.

The CABARET movie w/ Liza Minnelli is crap, it's nothing like the musical and I hate it.

Also the 2004 Phantom movie is crap.

Into The Woods gets old, very fast.

Mamma Mia is stupid.

The Stage Versions of The Sound Of Music are better then the movie (don't get me wrong I love the movie but the songs like How Can Love Survive and An Ordinary Couple, are missing from the movie and are very good)

Peter Pan Live sucks.

Though Wicked deserves all the love and fanbases, sometimes its fanbase can get a little annoying.

with that being said ^ I hate Frozen and It should not be coming to broadway. Mulan deserves to get to the great white way first.

I hate rude audiences and though i do like to sometimes watch old shows that were closed (via Videotapes) i hate people taking videos and using phones during shows.

I hate when people eat food and drink beverages during show, Its distractings and besides water, everything else is annoying...

and one last thing... I HATE LATECOMMERS!!!! it takes away from the final performance of Cabaret when people are shuffled through to the table next to you during Alan Cummings Final Performance of Willkommen. they take a long ass time to sit down and they are annoying, *swearing alert* the show starts at a certain F*CKing time, get there on time its not that ****ing hard to make a 2:00 Show, me and my father walked from 37th street to ****ing 54th street and we still made it with 30 minutes to spare! how can you be late its idiodic.

Title change, because some of these responses are ridiculous.

No, he's not the only one. Very few of these, if any, are "controversial" at all. Most of them are not even uncommon.

Latecomers don't bother me. Sh*t happens. If it's never happened to you, count your blessings, but it doesn't make you a better person.

""- FOLLIES sucks

-Sweeney Todd isnt really good."

Actually, that IS the popular opinion--- among the actual theatregoing public, that is.

It's only that small coterie of entrenched elitist snobs-- the ones, unfortunately, who get to set the media agenda --- who believe otherwise.

"

You're well informed apparently, but when was this extensive poll of "actual theatregoing public" taken?

Updated On: 5/1/15 at 11:31 AM