BroadwayGirlNYC - Did we really need that Bonnie and Clyde article?

[bobbybaby85]

Posted: 1/2/12 at 3:16pm

Updated On: 2/20/18 at 03:16 PM

[philly03]

Posted: 1/2/12 at 3:24pm

I agree with you on the "Frank shouldn't have put his name".. What an insult to the composer... "We like you're music but we're not going to give you credit for it"!

Also: Bonnie & Clyde was never supposed to be a "blockbuster".. It's a quaint $6 MIL production playing in a small theatre. If a Wildhorn musical was ever meant to come in as a blockbuster it was Civil War (at the St. James) and Wonderland (the $16 MIL at the Marquis)!

Jekyll's producers/etc decided to tour. The production was greatly received, but at the same time they hired a new director for Broadway, Leslie and Frank were working on Victor/Victoria, etc...

Also, just because I have to say it: WONDERLAND wasn't nearly as awful out of town, but boy that Broadway production ranks among the worst (as someone who loves the score to Wonderland - even that was better out of town!).



I literally have no idea: is BroadwayGirlNYC a critic or something? A teen? Just curious...

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/2/12 at 3:37pm

Everyone is entitled to their personal loyalties and we each have the freedom to express whichever opinions we choose, however, I too am not entirely certain as to why BroadwayGirlNYC was given an opportunity to express hers in such a public forum. To publish said article on this website is to say that BWW agrees with her particular stance on the subject at hand, which I don't think is appropriate.
Despite the opinions expressed on its message board, the website in general should remain objective for theatergoers who rely on it as a news source. Regardless of the topic- which in this case I find to be pointless as well.
Broadway is a multi-billion dollar industry, not an arena to watch a petty schoolgirl argument play out. To attribute B&C's premature closing toward its composer's controversial reputation is naivety.

[ChenoKahn]

Posted: 1/2/12 at 3:40pm

This is why philly is one of my favorite posters. He or she admits Wildhorn is their favorite composer yet can admit he has had some stinkers and doesn't act like he god.

[bobbybaby85]

Posted: 1/2/12 at 3:42pm

Updated On: 2/20/18 at 03:42 PM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 1/2/12 at 3:45pm

I still think the book for Jekyll and Hyde on Broadway was better than the prior tour version and I wouldn't describe the Broadway book as being haphazardly rewritten. It was Shakespeare compared to what came before it.

[blaxx]

Posted: 1/2/12 at 3:45pm

Links always add fun to threads like this one:

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BroadwayGirlNYC-Premature-Death-for-Bonnie-Clyde-20120102_page2

My two cents: The more B&C fans try to martyrize the show and Wildhorn, the wackier they look...

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 1/2/12 at 4:09pm

I'm not especially wild about the man's work, but IMHO he has the canniest producers in town. HIs shows are *always* far more successful after their Bway runs, but that's only in part because they've been rewritten, however slightly (or not). The much larger reason is that his producers go into these things with the "tryout" mentality" Broadway isnt an end for his stuff — it's the diving board into far more lucrative placements overseas, mostly in Europe and Japan, where his shows virtually print money. And his producers know that all they have to do is slap "direct from its smash Broadway run!" onto any marketing, and folks will line up to buy the tickets. NY is, in the producers' minds, just an out of town tryout where corrections can be made and kinks worked out. The reviews may be instructive but not much else.

What surprises me is that no one else in NY has caught onto this sleight-of-hand trick. They're all so busy trying to recoup *here* that they forget the huge money to be made *there*

Want to test this theory? Name any other NY-based producer that looks as internationally as Wildhorn's team..

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 1/2/12 at 4:10pm

Let's hear it for all those wacky folks who dare to differ with blaxx & others.

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 1/2/12 at 4:11pm

"To publish said article on this website is to say that BWW agrees with her particular stance on the subject at hand, which I don't think is appropriate."

Actually one of the first things you learn in journalism is that the opinions expressed in an article do not inherently represent the views/opinions of the source that shares the article. This disclaimer is included in most op-ed/editorial sections of newspapers. Since BWW is not held to the same journalistic standards as say, the NYT, such a disclaimer is often not included. As a reader, however, you should realize this is inherent to any opinion piece, that isn't written by the owner/operator of the source. As far as I know, BroadwayGirlNYC does not own/operate BWW, such is the case.

BroadwayGirl does bring up some regurgitated points about lack of objectivity in reviews, etc. that have been discussed ad nauseum here on this site. Some of the claims that you point to in your post are hyperbolic if not flat out on untrue, but it's amazing how being in love with a piece of theatre can influence one's opinions about it. I didn't see anything new or noteworthy in the article. All I got out of it was a few chuckles.

[broadway7117]

Posted: 1/2/12 at 4:15pm

I totally agree.



Updated On: 4/2/13 at 04:15 PM

[philly03]

Posted: 1/2/12 at 4:17pm

He - & thanks. No composer is perfect.. and what many people forget is Frank usually only writes the MUSIC!

And Sean - the first show that really started with that was "DRACULA," which is still opening in new places today (just opened with a... female in the title role in Japan!). "The Scarlet Pimpernel" and, obviously, "The Civil War" haven't played as much internationally.. Or at least on the major scale of things. Though "The Civil War" (right up there with "A Tale of Two Cities") could be one of the most successful mega-flops.. and it's not done yet!

Also.. Bonnie & Clyde will be recorded and people will rediscover it. It will come back to discussion then. It is already playing international - Japan's next!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 1/2/12 at 4:19pm

I would love to put blaxx in a room with no way out & repeatedly play (24/7) cds of all of Wildhorn's shows out of the surround speakers.

[blaxx]

Posted: 1/2/12 at 4:23pm

Better than those guys who told me I would watch Bombay Dreams and BKLYN, one after the other for all eternity, when I go to hell *shivers*

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/2/12 at 4:24pm

I don't think what BWW does is considered journalism. Certainly those twittergirl articles aren't?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 1/2/12 at 4:29pm

Isn't she just Brantley, using a different name while writing articles from home dressed in lingerie and seductively sucking on a lollipop?

[hyperbole_and_a_half]

Posted: 1/2/12 at 4:40pm

Wildhorn's international success could also be because (a) translating his work into another language forces the producers to throw out his original English lyricists' garbage, and (b) his music tends to sound like eurotrash pop.

[philly03]

Posted: 1/2/12 at 4:44pm

While Frank has had a lot of success in Europe, a lot more of it is from Japan/Asia.. His new musical "Tears of Heaven" had a tremendous, sold-out run in Korea; "Gold" (formerly Camille Claudel) just had a great opening in Japan, and of course Dracula just opened there, with "Bonnie & Clyde" next.

He is also the first American/Western composer to write a new work ("Never Say Goodbye") for the Takarazuka Revue in Japan (the all female theatre company).

He certainly writes "pop music"... but I wouldn't necessarily label it "Eurotrash," more like '90s ballads .

I wonder how people will react to Slyvester Levay's music for "Rebecca" this spring...!

[NYTheatre01]

Posted: 1/2/12 at 5:07pm

My answer to the initial question of this thread. Yes we did need it! Showed ended way too prematurely!

[fingerlakessinger]

Posted: 1/2/12 at 5:39pm

I'm really starting to think that Bobbybaby auditioned for this show and was rejected. I've never seen anyone hate a show this much. He brings it up out of the friggin blue (ala the CNN Spider-man thread)

[ahhrealmonsters]

Posted: 1/2/12 at 7:48pm

This is why I stopped reading BroadwayGirlNYC a long time ago. 99% of the posters here could write better articles. I have no clue how she managed to get a column on BWW, but that girl has the respect of Corine Cohen. At least Corine uses her real name...

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 1/2/12 at 8:02pm

SeanMartin, your post is probably the most honest assessments of Wildhorn I've read maybe anywhere. Not only is Wildhorn's name not the kiss of death, it's a internationally known notorious brand. You mention the name "Wildhorn" and you're immediately inundated with strong opposing opinions about him, his work, his previous work, his former collaborators, his current collaborators, the actors from his shows, the actorson his concept albums...so on and so on.

Point is, there will be talk, lively talk, and no publicity is bad publicity.

Wildhorn is crazy like a fox, ruthless as a shark, and has the skin of a rhinocerous. He couldn't care less whether you like him or his work, and while his devoted fans certainly don't hurt, his often equally vociferous detractors are perhaps even of more of use to him, since they keep his name out there even more than his fans. You can be very sure that Frank's getting his. He's making out like a bandit and no one has caught onto him. Thing is, he's upfront and honest (almost always) about it, and quite unapologetic. I don't care for his work and I don't much like the way he does business - but you know what?

My hat's off. Fair play to him. When you deal with Wildhorn, if you don't exactly what you're dealing with, it won't be his fault.

So I'm sure he appreciates that people keep arguing about him - he probably needs to buy another house somewhere.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 1/2/12 at 8:06pm

Yeah, he's kind of the Thomas Kincaide of the theatre world.

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 1/2/12 at 8:32pm

I kept thinking "You Love Who You Love" was a song the Judds definitely recorded and Vanessa Willams must have done a version of "Dying Ain't So Bad."

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 1/2/12 at 8:39pm

This is the first time I clicked on the BroadwayGirlNYC icon. I always thought it was just a picture. I don't have an opinion about her, either way. from RC in Austin, Texas