Boycott YOU'RE THE ONE THAT I WANT- Page 3

[ahimsa]

Posted: 1/10/07 at 6:38pm

The TV show will make or break its own audience, as will the eventual Broadway show.

It does have its own built in audience, no matter how lame the material is. Heck, they already sold over a $1 million in advance tickets.

We're talking about the casting of two leads. It still takes, staging, lighting, sets, costumes and an ensemble to make a show. Lord knows they've produced around mediocre leads in the past.

I will watch through the NYC casting calls and then make my own decision as to whether or not I'll watch. I will say that on the first two casting calls, they passed through some folks that would never have gotten a second look. A chubby Sandy? A 42 year old Danny? But then again, I would have never picked Adrienne Barbeau and Barry Bostwick either.

[theminutepast]

Posted: 1/10/07 at 7:03pm

Keeka--I wasn't saying Grease casting was a moral issue. Maybe I worded my earlier comment poorly. I was making the point that that kind of logic is faulty because, when applied to other things, you see it falls flat and almost no one would agree with it. If the logic doesn't work in other cases, it shouldn't work here. That's all.

[Danielm]

Posted: 1/10/07 at 7:25pm

I think of all the things to get upset about this is far down on my list. I really just don't care that much either way.

[TannerONbw]

Posted: 1/10/07 at 7:46pm

I don't understand why people are hating on this show so much. It is allowing actors and singers to showcase their talent and possible give the the chance to live their dream as the lead in a broadway show. It you may hate American Idol but you can't deny Kelly Clarkson has talent. Let this be an outlet to create stars.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 1/10/07 at 8:49pm

Since it is another reality show & since now seeing this umpteenth revival anyway, no need to watch it

[nycdncr]

Posted: 1/10/07 at 9:27pm

my qualm with the show is this: it's taking up valuable theatrical real estate. how many new shows are waiting for an open theatre? and they're gonna fill one with this crap?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 1/10/07 at 9:36pm

Grease is not crap

It is mindless fluff. Had this been its first revival I would say fine. They keep on reviving this & others at the drop of a hat because they consider it a cash cow can't lose show. When people will be asked to shell out really big bucks to see a show recently revived, I think they will go elsewhere

I saw the original off broadway & the Brooks Shields version. No need or desire to see it a 3 rd time. Now if Rosie played opposite the Donald (who has the pompadour hair) that would be a different ballgame

Updated On: 1/10/07 at 09:36 PM

[StarStruckGB]

Posted: 1/10/07 at 9:37pm

Well all I know is,
never watched it, never will.

Power to us.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 1/10/07 at 9:54pm

How about we just don't watch it instead?

[WickedForever2]

Posted: 1/11/07 at 12:22am

I'm gonna join the "hopefully this brings more attention to the theatre world" group. With any luck, theatre will be more appreciated and some real talent will actually come out of this show.

[WhenURScrap]

Posted: 1/11/07 at 9:37am

How many rejcted (or even winning) American Idol contestants have gone from Idol to Broadway? I think that was a pretty bad stunt. The one thing that I heard about YTOTIW that I do not agree with is that Equity actors that are not a name were not allowed to do the show. I didn't think that's right. But that's my two cents.

[GreenGirl22406]

Posted: 1/11/07 at 10:01am

*promplty jumps on boycott bandwagon*

[billynj]

Posted: 1/11/07 at 10:40am

avery dumb idea the original poster has ...this could bring more people to see live theater ....only a fool would boycott that

[FosseForever3]

Posted: 1/11/07 at 10:56am

^ will it really? When I watched, I almost thought the opposite...they weren't even showing that many bloopers, and the "talent" they were showcasing was...well...let's just say those that are going to "Grease Academy" had better work VERY hard.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 1/11/07 at 10:59am

I ain't boycotting it, I'm just not watching the philistine bullsh*t.

[Trish2]

Posted: 1/11/07 at 11:34am

I can gaurantee you that winners are already chosen. No producer or director in their right mind would take a risk going into this venture. After the Equity auditions took place, they selected several to go into Grease Academy, knowing full on they had several pros in the mix that could handle leading the show. There is no question that they will rig the results to their liking. Kathy Marshall may not be the most innovative Broadway director, but she is one saavy business woman.

[Amneris]

Posted: 1/11/07 at 11:35am

help stop... ahhhh please.. ::scratches head:: why am i here?

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 1/11/07 at 12:21pm

"Equity actors that are not a name were not allowed to do the show"

That's not correct.

Unless they actually rig the vote, they can't rig the winners. They can only do what AI does--choose who they want America to vote for.

[xcfool13]

Posted: 1/12/07 at 2:59am

This contest is a brilliant marketing strategy. What better way to tell the masses then television that one of America's favorite musicals is coming back to Broadway. I'm not saying that I support the idea of casting people this way. However, it was a giant open casting call so anyone could have shown up to it. Also, if you are worried about reality tv merging with Broadway, you should think about the effect American Idol has had on Broadway. Many contestants from that reality show have appeared on Broadway. Josh Strickland in Tarzan, Constantine formally in The Wedding Singer, and Diana DeGarmo in Hairspray to name a few. I do hope that this casting strategy will be used only this once.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 1/12/07 at 4:19am

I watched the last 20 minutes of a repeat tonight. With all the people commenting this will be good to help bring attention to theatre, I couldn't help but think of all drama teachers, casting agents, etc. tearing their hair out at all the bad habits people are learning about auditioning. I have zero aspirations to be onstage, but I have enough sense to not show up to a dance audition wearing leather pants and jacket with chains.

One question: Who is the British guy? Is he actually involved in the production or is he just there because all reality show talent competitions require a snarky British judge?

[Trish2]

Posted: 1/12/07 at 8:19am

It seems like a prerequisite to have a Brit on these types of shows. Only this show has two-Look at Denise Van Outen, one of the hosts. I guess American producers think it lends some "class" to the seedy proceedings. Arghhh.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 1/12/07 at 8:21am

"How many rejcted (or even winning) American Idol contestants have gone from Idol to Broadway?"

American Idol is not a contest to get to Broadway, as this one is. And still, as has already been pointed out, a few HAVE made it there.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 1/12/07 at 11:14am

The British guy is the main producer of the musical.

Denise Van Outen has played Roxie in the current revival, so at least she has some ties to it all.

[PirateSmile]

Posted: 1/14/07 at 11:47am

The proof of whether it was a bad idea will come when ticket sales for the actual show are reported. Free market economy is a wonderful thing. Bad shows will close. People do vote with their pocketbooks.

The reality is that shows need money to run, and confining the audience to cultured, appreciative souls (like us?) will not pay the RENT for long. All kindsa peeps need to come see.

I'm all for exposing new people to the glories of the theatre. This is a way to do it.
We'll see what happens. And yes to whoever said it first, this is Grease, which is entertainment. Let's have fun.

(Please don't PM me about good shows closing early, I know that happens, but if it's good material that just needed a different audience or different cast or whatever, it will get legs on tour or in regional theatre and not be lost forever...)

[shermanslave]

Posted: 1/14/07 at 11:54am

Hasn't this show already sold a buttload of tickets in advance? Who cares that it is a reality show. It's one Broadway show for crying out loud. It's people going to the theater. If they don't go see Grease, they would have seen Beauty and the Beast or Phantom instead. I don't think it's taking away audiencees from other shows, it's only bringing more people to the theater. Is that such a bad thing?