Commercialized Broadway?- Page 2

[QHDramaQueen]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 3:54pm

Eliza... I have to agree with you about Joey Mac... I enjoyed him immensly when I saw him in Wicked, and took a lot of B.S. from people because of it. I also enjoyed Lachey to some degree.. def. not as good as Joey Mac. Also, Joey got major props from being so amazingly sweet at the stage door even though it was freezing. So yes, I am prone to defend him on both a personal and professional standpoint.

[TheatreDiva612]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 3:55pm

It's cool

[Eliza0114]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 3:57pm

It *was* a cheap shot. And, if I may speak candidly for a minute, I am obviously not "dumber than a parrot." If you don't agree with this based out the way I express myself, look at my profile and see where I'm going to school. I got into six others, including Northwestern University. This is not an argument about my intelligence.

The one thing I would say, and I say this for all "newbies" is that I may be new to BWW, but I am certainly not new to musical theatre and Broadway. I have been on the stage before I could speak, and I have been visiting BWW, although not an active member, for quite some time now.

This is not a thread about me, so please don't make it about me. When people say things like that, I jump to defend myself. It was a thread about "stunt casting," with which I obviously have a problem.

Updated On: 6/15/05 at 03:57 PM

[Eliza0114]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 4:03pm

I'm glad we agree, DramaQueen.

Posted: 6/15/05 at 4:35pm

What's the Problem, Eliza? You're mad becase Matt Caplan got baumped from Rent? Or because Scary Spice played the part with a British Accent? If you've been on stage since before you could talk you must be aware that there are a lot of talented folks who don't get cast- it's the way theater works. Producers and directors work to cast their shows as best they can. There is no way that every "Great actor" can work all the time. You "complaint" that only "Broadway" stars work on broadway is ridiculous. The idea that "broadway is too commercial" and "Losing it's integrity" because Drew Lachey played a part in Rent is absurd. Have you thought at all about how this "Broadway stars only" rule of yours might be enforced? Is Kristen Chenoweth able to come back, even though she's a movie star now? What abotu John Lithgow? He did some broadway but he's certainly a TV star now. And all those people from Rent have gone on to make movies and records--are they banished too? Oh, I forgot Winokur-- she's TV now!

And I didn't call you dumber than a parrot, I simply observed that people who fit that description not be allowed to post.

[bdwybelle]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 4:41pm

I agree that I am sick of celebrities getting broadway roles. Most of them are not nearly as talented as broadway stars. The problem is that in most cities outside of NY, not many people are familiar with the broadway scene. Most broadway stars deserve way more credit than they are getting!

[grownupgroupie]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 4:41pm

...and this is why it's COMMERCIAL theatre vs. LEGIT.

That's just the way it goes. Sucks, but it's all about the box office!

[Eliza0114]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 4:42pm

Then I apologize for taking your comment out of context. I humbly apologize.

Please go back and read the rest of my remarks. I will spell it out for you here because obviously I haven't been clear enough. I apologize...again.

What I specifically have a problem with are not the stars, but the producers of Broadway who put in big-name people who have not done theatre before (not ALL big-name people...and not people who began on Broadway such as Winokur and Chenoweth) in the place of the current stars. I only bring up Rent because it is a prime example. The characters playing the roles had to stop what they were doing and resume it ONLY when the star had left.

That's a fact.

I have a problem with it.

You don't.

Let's agree to disagree.

[bdwybelle]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 4:45pm

I agree that it IS the producers fault. I think some of the celebrities do a good job, but in my opinion overall, most of the broadway stars are more talented.

[Eliza0114]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 4:47pm

Of course they're more talented...they've been trained for theatre. Thank God someone agrees with me, haha.

[bdwybelle]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 4:48pm

For example, I saw Brooke Shields in Wonderful Town. I was very angry with the Weisslers when they replaced Donna Murphy with Brooke Shields. I much preferred Donna Murphy, but Brooke Shields was good - keeping in mind that she does not specialize in theater. It is completely the producers fault, and I blame them completely.

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 4:51pm

Plain and simple it is a business. Hands down. Yes, there are famous people who get put into shows who may not be the best suited for the part but they are a name and that name will out butts in the seats. As long as people are coming to the theatre and supporting it that is all that matters. There is a regional theatre where I live that likes to bring in C grade celebrities to play roles and 9 times out of 10 they suck the big one BUT they bring in the audiences. I personally don't think it is really that big of a deal for a performer to bow out for a while when a big name person comes into a show. Remember that it is more than likely in their contract and they are being compensated as well. It's not like the producer isn't happy with the way they are doing the job, they just see an opportunity to help make sure that your job will continue for a while. I think it is embraced and not frowned upon. Just my two cents worth.

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 4:59pm

I've seen plenty of 'Broadway stars' give lackluster performances too. Does that help maintain the 'integrity' of theater because at least they're not doing theater after having a career somewhere else? What's the difference? Producers loyalty is and always will be to its investors and to its box office and if bringing in one or two people in the hopes that they'll draw new ticket sales helps keep a show running and helps keep the other 60 or 70 people working on that show night in and night out employed, how much disdain do the producers deserve? 'Rent' has employed hundreds of 'unknown' talents such that suggesting that suddenly having one Mimi or Roger who may be being brought in to goose sales ten years after the show has opened comes off a touch petty. Even trying to argue about the trend doesn't hold much more water because there are still loads of shows with loads of new talent on the boards every night. Should producers have kept using Mary Martin in so many big shows in her heyday? Or Ethel Merman? Why use Bernadette Peters in 'Gypsy' then? Because it's OK to name drop in casting if the person claims to like theater a lot? Surely they could have taken those opportunities to find 'new stars' rather than just bring in Broadway names who's star power was almost certainly as much a consideration as their talent?

The 'integrity' of theater or Broadway is far, FAR bigger than who's playing Mimi on 'Rent.' Or who's in 'Wonderful Town' or where Christina Applegate got her highest levels of fame.

[MyDreamsRecurring]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 5:03pm

"It's sad when theatre-loving people can't just...accept that we all have different opinions and move on."

I agree..like when people on musicals.net have to shout at someone for not knowing every sondheim show ever created..its sad really

i do agree with you that they should be treated like other actors, but i don't think they should be excluded from broadway

[grownupgroupie]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 5:03pm

Being a celebrity and being theatre-trained/more "talented" are not mutually exclusive. It might not be the NORM for "celebs" to have had formal training, but it's kind of disparaging to those tv/film actors who HAVE to make that generalization. A lot of actors start in the theatre because that's what they love and then do more tv/film (and occasionally make a name for themselves doing so) because that's what pays the bills.....

A few examples: Marcia Cross, Felicity Huffman, Debra Messing, Camryn Manheim, Eric McCormick, Michael C. Hall, Laura Linney, Hugh Jackman, Catherine Zeta-Jones....to say nothing of the older generation. (ETA: Lithgow, duh!)

You're right that bringing in washed-up pop stars with seemingly few theatre chops is TOTALLY depressing when there is a sea of untapped talent dying for the work, but the reality is it is a BUSINESS.
Updated On: 6/15/05 at 05:03 PM

[bdwybelle]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 5:04pm

I agree somewhat, but I think that the 'integrity' of Broadway doesn't exist as much as it did before. It has become about which celebrity is in the show, not the actual show itself.

[bdwybelle]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 5:07pm

I do understand the money is one of, if not the biggest issue when it comes to creating and producing a show. So of course, a celebrity is the best way to bring in money.

[grownupgroupie]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 5:13pm

bdwaybelle, in terms of the marketing of shows, you're absolutely right...it IS all about the star and not the show itself.

[bdwybelle]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 5:17pm

thanks. it just bothers me because there are so many super-talented people out there who haven't gotten their chance yet.

[grownupgroupie]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 5:21pm

belle--Yep. It's just a sad reality....the grosses for Wonderful Town (for example) went up substantially after Brooke Shields joined the cast. (Now granted, the whole Murphy leaving thing--which we've discussed, actually!--is a totally different ball game, but Shields's joining the show actually brought about some sell-out houses which simply didn't happen with Murphy. Which is a travesty, of course, b/c even though Shields totally acquitted herself, Murphy is a GENIUS.) But they have to get butts in the seats.

Now that WT is closed, what is your classmate's dad up to? Hopefully in another show!!

[bdwybelle]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 5:23pm

oh yes, i remember our conversation about that. hehe.
i actually don't know what my classmates dad is up to becuase my classmate is a senior (and i am not) and seniors pretty much don't show up for the last 2 months of school, so i haven't seen him. i'll try to find out though. his dad hasn't been at any of the school functions so maybe he his working!
even though brooke did bring in more money, it just wasn't enough.

[twogaab2]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 5:25pm

With all this talk, keep in mind that at one time there were Broadway "stars"-these were people who had reputations and names that were known, by the general population, in places like Omaha, Des Moines, Battle Creek,Denver ect. Now-a-days there just aren't any. At that time those performers could draw crowds. These people just don't know that many of the names that current Broadway geeks revere. So this is just the way it's going to go.

[bdwybelle]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 5:27pm

yep, and its too bad - but thats how a business works

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 6:31pm

All of Broadway has been commercialized & has been for sometime

[Eliza0114]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 4:08pm

It's just sad, is all. I still enjoy it, but nothing's perfect, I suppose.