Commercialized Broadway? — Page 2

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.

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.

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

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.

...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!

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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