Broadway actors and their TV shows

[EganFan2]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 1:32pm

It seems like several modern Broadway stars have had little luck with TV shows. Of course, there's Kristin Chenoweth, and Susan Egan ("Nikki!") and now Laura Benanti's show "Starved" has been cancelled. None of the shows were particularly loved by the critics. What do people think about this? Just coincidence, or bad choices, or what?

[Fosse76]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 1:37pm

It's hard to say. By today's standards, some of the longest runnung shows on TV would have been canceled after two weeks (Cheers most notably, since it debuted dead last). Shows no longer get a chance to build positive word-of-mouth or to grow. But then again, most shows are just carbon copies of each other with nothing original about them.

[lildogs]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 2:31pm

I'm not quite sure--I saw Alec Mapa on another series--he's had several--and although I think he's funny and talented, he never seems to find a hit. But many Bway stars have been on Oz with pretty good success.

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 2:36pm

Well, I for one am very excited about John Tartaglia's new show on Disney

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 3:07pm

I think it's just that only a very tiny percentage of shows are successful (especially if you count all of the pilots that get made and never go anywhere), so the odds are against any actor getting in a hit.

But then again, nearly every show has somebody with some Broadway or Off-Broadway credits, so obviously some people do succeed. Look at Felicity Huffman (lots of plays at the Atlantic and Steppenwolf) from Desperate Housewives, Edie Falco (Night Mother, the upcoming Threepenny Opera revival), Sarah Jessica Parker and Cynthia Nixon (both had tons of stage credits before and during Sex and The City), Mary-Louise Parker in Weeds, several members of the casts of the Law and Order series. Heck, I've seen most of the cast of Grey's Anatomy on stage in New York in the past year or two -- TR Knight (Noises Off, Boy), Kate Burton (The Constant Wife), Chandra Wilson (Caroline or Change), Sandra Oh (will star in the new Diana Son play at The Public later this season). Just takes a bit of luck.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 3:07pm

Updated On: 10/7/05 at 03:07 PM

[hannahshule]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 3:12pm

I think she means more when a show (usually a sitcom) is built around that one performer. I think the main problem is lack of originality, which is pretty hard these days, as it seems mmost everything's been done before.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 3:18pm

doesn't really matter what she meant. she's wrong. margo clearly pointed that out...

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 3:20pm

Is Weeds doing well? It's one of my favorite shows right now, and I have this fear it's going to get the axe.

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 11:49pm

Michael Cerveris was on Fame, and a show called American Embassy. The funny thing is, I was a fan of American Embassy WAY before I ever saw him on Broadway.

[YankeesFan175]

Posted: 10/8/05 at 1:06am

well i dont think youd call her a star, but christy carlson romano had even stevens on disney.

[jimmirae]

Posted: 10/8/05 at 3:44am

TV Folk do well with HITS or takeovers on Broadway, But the other way around seems difficult, perhaps anyone worth their weight are from the Theatre to begin with. I'm a "Theatre First" fan. Builds character (As Kate always said).

[pndmnd]

Posted: 10/8/05 at 10:43am

The thing is, a lot of the series that you're talking about are based around the main character/actor, and that's really hard to do at all, especially when it's someone not known to the general public. A lot of the ones that are have closed. But, look at the difference between Kristen (or is it IN) C in her series, which was a huge flop, and West Wing, which she's doing very well in. I also think that a lot of sitcoms just try to hard.

[blazey]

Posted: 10/8/05 at 6:46pm

Oh blah dee, oh blah daa, life goes on brraaa, lalalala life goes on....

Let's not forget our dahling Patti =P

[YankeesFan175]

Posted: 10/8/05 at 7:10pm

well kristen bell was on broadway very briefly and she has Veronica Mars

EDIT: and taye diggs was in kevin hill (which was very underrated in my opinion.)

Updated On: 10/8/05 at 07:10 PM

[C is for Company]

Posted: 10/9/05 at 12:24am

Probably one of the most unfair cancellations of this past spring was for my favorite show Dead Like Me. Amazing show and for no reason shotime just yanked it. WTF. they let queer as folk run 5 seasons when it should have stopped after the third and cut this one as it finished its 2nd season. Mandy patinkin and jasmine guy were absolutely terrific and are both pretty seasoned stage people ESPECIALLY the former and yet it didnt survive. I think its either hit or miss nowadays for anyone not just broadway performers in television nowadays

[Over_the_Moon]

Posted: 10/9/05 at 12:42am

well i dont think youd call her a star, but christy carlson romano had even stevens on disney

She wouldn't have had BATB if she wasn't in Even Stevens.

[C is for Company]

Posted: 10/9/05 at 1:16am

Over_the_moon, I saw you at sweeney!

[jimmirae]

Posted: 10/9/05 at 3:18am

Hey, Miss LuPone was excellent in that series, She rocked! Loved "Life Goes On" and she even made me weep a time or two. I saw a recent stage door photo of her after ST and I didn't recognize her, She looked like she was auditioning for the role of Agnes Gooch in "Mame", But then again, She can sing Norma Desmond and I cannot so she may look anyway she likes, She is still "La Divina LuPone"!!
Love Ya Pats!!!

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 10/9/05 at 3:54am

C for Company, I completely agree with you but sometimes it's not about talent but about finding an audience. The reason Queer as Folk was on for 5 seasons-I'd have cut it after the first season,lol-it's because gay men found the new "Sex & the City" for gay men, which in my mind is absurd because being a gay man myself I found the show completely pointless and overdramatic. On the other hand you have shows starring someone like Mandy Patinkin or Bernadette Peters and they flop. I also agree it has to do with an ensemble show, Will & Grace succeeded with Megan Mullally who had done two Broadway shows before, same thing with Sex & the City.

[zzannahk]

Posted: 10/9/05 at 5:54am

i think broadway stars are great for guest appearances, but i would prefer seeing them on the stage (like joel gray on buffy and alias, or idina on rescue me)

but not every actor is right for every meduim

Updated On: 10/9/05 at 05:54 AM