So let's do the math:
1. No theaters available in New York.
2. Impending arena tour with big creative names, big stars, big producers.
This means that two of my three theories could be correct:
1.
Turn Stratford up to "11." He's going to base this arena tour in some way on the Stratford production; I'd say he's basing the sets on it, because the other
This is It teams are already attached in the major creative roles.
2.
Screw Stratford, my baby wins the race! He's getting the rights to prevent Stratford from moving so his arena tour can proceed without competition.
Only thing that doesn't make sense if either of those is true is Tim Rice's attendance (and meeting to "discuss" things at Des McAnuff's pad, which was less reported). He's very much his own man, and while he is known to sign checks for the money, I highly doubt he'd help ALW play the "keep up appearances" game while they try to get the Stratford transfer rights, unless ALW promised him a huge slice of the arena tour's action.
The other possibility is that the arena tour is not going forward, which is possible, but when comparing the two productions... well, there is no comparison. Ortega's production has what I call the "x factor." Stratford by comparison is just another
JCS revival. If it's not going forward, I'd love to know why contracts are being signed and salaries agreed upon.
Should Stratford transfer, I have only two requests: Nathan Lane for Herod (since the guy doing it is a hair away from Nathan-as-Zero right now, and the part is essentially a cameo role), and a new Judas with a stronger voice PLEASE!
"There is no problem so big that it cannot be run away from."
~ Charles M. Schulz
Updated On: 6/23/11 at 12:22 PM