CRY-BABY: I'm Still Crying - 3/24/08 — Page 5

The "bitter theater queens" comments were made by friends of mine (which I stated) and which I said I did not really agree with (though there are a few on here where I feel that fits the bill). I never said, nor would I ever, that you don't have a right to hate a show. To imply that invalidated my point by making me seem unreasonable.

I was referring to two things:

1) Slamming a show that hard when it is a work in progress. This show may be missing the mark in places, but there are shows that display contempt for the intellect of their audiences and this isn't one of them. As such, to write comments that could kill a show before it finds its feet is bad for Broadway (the industry we all claim to love). No, I don't think that the majority of ticket buyers read these boards, but at the same time, this is an industry where buzz does have an impact. Even if it's only 4 people who are loud and constant with their condemnation, a show can unfairly seem unpopular (even when those 4 people fail to mention the standing ovation that I know they saw). How can you not give a show a little leeway until it is frozen and opens when you know that the development process is so important to this artform?

2) Taking pleasure in seeing people fail. You don't like the show, fine, say that. But we all know that there are people who beat a dead horse with negative comments over and over and over about shows we knew they didn't like from day one and don't even bother to hide their absolute glee about it. I wrote a critical review of "Young Frankenstein" when it came out, but I didn't spend the next 2 months tearing it apart. I'm not saying that no one backed up their points, but there were many more comments that seemed to make some very bold claims ("worst show in a long time") without explaining how or why.

All I'm saying is there is a difference in tone between hoping shows work (and acknowledging when they fall short) and hoping shows fail. It's the Schadenfreude that is so disturbing.

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Updated On: 3/16/08 at 09:54 PM

Regular posters on this board still don't understand that critics not liking a show do not make it a "flop", as many times as it's been explained. A flop is nothing more and nothing less and nothing other than a show that closes without recouping its costs.

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i was orchestra row M.

i am dumbfounded by the reactions on here.

the audience LOVED the show. on the way out people were RAVING about it. literally dancing in the aisles. this show is FUN!

haters, get over yourselves. the show isn't perfect yet but its better than a lot of the crap that tries to entertain and fails miserably. i truly had a great time watching cry-baby. DON'T BE DISCOURAGED FROM SEEING THIS SHOW!!!!

if you want an entertaining evening that will leave you laughing and wanting to dance, then see it!

it may not inspire you to be a better person or to re-examine your life in any way, but you will enjoy yourself and you'll leave the theatre in a great mood.

I'll be there Saturday night. Me, my sister and my niece are all very big fans of the movie so I hope its good. Although I'm already bummed that Hatchetface and Ramona Rickets were cut from the show, and I hate that no original songs are in the show. They should've at least had King Crybaby and Please Mr. Jailer in the broadway show.

Hatchetface is still in the show; she's billed in the playbill as MONA.

they should have kept the character of Ramona Rickets.

I thought that Tory Ross was great, her and Ali Mauzey were pretty fierce. Sadly, they were better than their material.

im looking forward to tonights reactions.
hopefully, things will tighten up & it will be a wonderful show.

I'll be there tonight. I'm kind of looking forward to it.

As everyone on this board knows, I love flop musicals. There hasn't been one flop yet this season and now that there is one, I am taking every opportunity I can to see it.

I do not expect the show to change that much with Carly in it, however, I do want to see the show with the full original cast.

...and yes, I will most likely still hate the show! Looking forward to it!

its not bein' a "hater" to want it to be as solid as it can possibly be.

Schadenfreude indeed. Sad.