DROOD Audience Voting Result Chart- Page 14

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 1/26/13 at 11:52pm

"Does anyone know if they ever fix the voting?"

I really doubt that the voting for the lovers is ever fixed. It can be really hard to judge from the audience because people are yelling and applauding from all over the theater. Depending on where you're seated, your perspective on that can be quite skewed. From the stage, though, you can see and hear everything.

So what was the rundown tonight? Who won, and who did you think should have?

[BritishAmI]

Posted: 1/26/13 at 11:54pm

Rosabud was the murderer and Chita Rivera and the kid were the lovers. It may have been closer than I heard, I was sitting in the mezz so maybe I missed something. I was hoping to see Puffer as the murderer and I thought the lovers would've gone to Helena, but all in all it was still pretty funny. Hard to be too disappointed.

[KeepCool]

Posted: 1/26/13 at 11:57pm

I was at the show with BritishAmI and I noticed the same thing they did, that it certainly seemed that the voting went way the opposite direction of what it sounded like to me when they did the voting.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 12:23am

I don't know about rigging it, but I have to say I do think Rosa's shouting onstage during the voting is a little over the top. It's a little unfair to everyone else since not everyone can just be hollering over each other, and she seems to win so much that you'd think it wouldn't be so horrible to give some of the others a chance.

I'm dying to see Durdles confession, to be honest, and he's only ever won once!

[ohjustjake]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 12:49am

It was the same as BritishAmI posted for tonight - Rosa for Murderer, and Puffer and the kid for the lovers.

Wish the audience was more creative... haha.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 10:49am

I'm not saying I buy into the theory that it's fixed, but looking at the winners for the past two weeks...since Andrew Samonsky and Erin Davie began rehearsals/watching the show, Neville and Rosa have won way, way more frequently than they usually do, especially Neville.

I just thought it was odd, since Neville used to win like...once or twice in two months.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 3:24pm

They could very easily do whatever the heck they want -- it's not like its very scientific -- and what is anyone going to do, sue?

The libretto gives all sorts of suggestions for keeping things from repeating too much -- from which numbers people are assigned based on whether they won the performance before -- and blatantly suggests fudging the results to avoid redundancy.

I would think short runs would be more likely to fudge things, giving as many people a chance as possible.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 3:27pm

When you put it that way, maybe it is a good thing if they're fudging it a little. You're right that it definitely would be less fun if it were the same 2/3 endings every night.

[BritishAmI]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 5:38pm

Ok maybe they want diversity and I get that but its not fun to see the show and have the whole second act be voting if the results aren't even real. Seeing it called not what the audience picked totally killed the "magic".

Call me naive but that's my opinion.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 7:21pm

I will likely be producing this next fall -- and we only do 3 performances -- I certainly hope we get 3 entirely different endings. Don't know how far I'll interfere, however.

[KeepCool]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 8:16pm

I don't want to stir up trouble but I know for a fact that certain performances have been "pushed" to end certain ways. It's true, Neville won only three or four times for the first three months of the run, and now he's won four times in the past week. The only change is that Andrew Samonsky is now watching the show preparing to begin performances. I think it's pretty obvious why they need to do this, but I do feel bad for anyone hoping to see any of the other actors in the near future.

[After Eight]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 8:27pm

Rigged elections at Edwin Drood?

Summon Cinderella from the Broadway. Now that she's implemented elections in her own kingdom, she can set about monitoring those at the theatre 'round the block.

[TheBalladeer]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 8:52pm

I definitely have experienced what BritishAmI, and KeepCool are talking about at one of the performances I attended. The audience CLEARLY wanted Durdles for the male lover opposite Rosa, and Neville (Andy Karl) pretty much forced his way into being the lover, by making the Chairman ask the audience to vote again. They had a re-vote, and STILL the audience wanted Durdles. The Chairman decided to choose Neville, and all hell broke loose in the mezzanine. People were booing and shouting "Durdles!!!" I kid you not. I have never experienced anything like that at "Drood" before, let alone in the theatre, period.

I understand the need for what they are doing, but I can understand how one would be pissed if the show is about the audience choosing the ending, and whatever they have decided is blatantly ignored.

Also, "Drood" is about the bawdiness and fun of the Music Hall, that does include vying for the love and attention of the audience. However, I feel that sometimes it can be a little unfair if a character is already featured prominently in the show tries to "upstage" minor characters during the voting process, as I think Kelly2 was talking about.

They could have been told to do this by the director, and it is an intentional thing. However, Ms. Wolfe doesn't need to do anything else but put that number card near her busom, because NO ONE could miss that! I feel that bit of business is almost unfair, because once she does what she does with her Busom during the voting, it's a wrap. In fact, I seem to remember that Jessie Mueller, and someone else in character sometimes shoots her "a look" when she does that stage business.

I would be curious to see if Erin Davie will retain that bit, or be similar to Patti Cohenour. Call me excited, but I am excited for the new cast members. The hopefully different interpretations of the role might even up the score in regards to the different endings and voting.

Just my 2 cents.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 8:58pm

I don't want to comment on the voting, but I do want to comment on what TheBalladeer said regarding the cast's performances during the voting portion of the show. I very much agree that I feel sometimes some of Betsy Wolfe's choices during the voting are honestly distracting, but I've found that for a lot of her performance. I've noticed having seen an early preview, and seen the show more recently, that she's really gone in the very over-the-top direction with her performance which I find a bit distracting. I notice, now for example, she very overtly imitates Neville and Helena during Ceylon/A British Subject, and pulls a lot of focus. I thought that was a little distasteful, since she has so many songs and Mueller and Karl really only have the one.

The last time I saw the show, when Betsy Wolfe began to play the sexy card and lift her skirt and play with her hair and push her boobs up and all, Jessie Mueller actually rolled her eyes and stepped forward in front of her and said something to the effect of: "Come on, you're not really going to let her win like that, are you!?" It's funny, for sure, to a degree, but everyone can't be that over the top, then the voting would just be people shouting over each other and that's not funny.

I don't know, maybe it is the director telling her to do it and if that's what they want then there's really no use complaining about it or faulting Ms. Wolfe. I just think the show would be more fun when the endings are unpredictable and everyone has an equal shot.

Updated On: 1/27/13 at 08:58 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 9:07pm

It's not real, so how would it be unfair? AND an English Musica Hall WOULD be loud and bawdy. It's not like anyone gets a bonus by performing any of the endings. I can (practically) guarantee that the actors don't give a rat's a$$ if they get to perform the ending or not. I'm sure it's fun and all, but they are professionals and grown ups. (Well, almost all of them are grown ups.)

And yes, if the director/stage manager didn't like what she does, it wouldn't happen.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 9:10pm

Dramamama, nobody is saying the actors care? I don't even particularly care that much, if they are "fixing" it or pushing it one way or the other, I've certainly never been disappointed in any outcome I've ever seen. But, on principle, if you're advertising the show as "choose your own ending", they do have a certain expectation that they will stick to whatever it is the audience decides, even if for whatever reason somebody wishes it had turned out a different way.

Betsy's hilarious in the show and her confession is, IMO, one of the best, so I think she'd be winning a lot regardless.

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 9:18pm

After Eight - I actually just laughed out loud!

As Dramamama has been saying, the voting doesn't matter at all. They're conducting the datchery/lovers votes by voice vote in a theatre of more than 1000 people. Obviously there's going to be subjectivity in determining who actually won and the whole idea of the audience tiebreaker is used as a humorous addition even when sometimes the results don't sound close to tied as I've witnessed multiple times. The point of the show isn't for the audience to actually pick who Datchery is and the outcome of the lover's voting has zero implication on the plot at all. The whole process is simply part of the fun but I don't think very many theatregoers (or anyone really) particularly cares about who wins.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 9:19pm

I wasn't referring to the possibility of "fixing" but the concerns over how they should or shouldn't be acting at voting time. What Betsy (or any of the actors do) is totally within the frameworks of the show.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 9:22pm

Hey, obviously whatever they're doing works since I've never not had fun and the reviews speak for themselves. I just think the whole cast is so talented, they should all get to show off :)

[TheBalladeer]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 9:38pm

Eh. I disagree with the idea that no one cares what the outcome is.

I think people are resigned to whatever is chosen if they think that the opposite choice is the majority. What WOULD someone do if they didn't get what they voted for? Chastise Jim Norton at the stage door, and boycott the show? No. You just shut up and accept it.

Yes - they can do whatever they want, but they shouldn't bill the show as: "The musical where YOU choose the ending!" Especially if you don't...LOL!

I do think in most cases they go with what the audience wants. And I DO think most of these character choices are approved by the director and stage manager, or they wouldn't happen.

However, what I think I mean when I say "unfair", is that if you are going to allow the actors to make BIG choices like that during the voting sequence, you need to allow the other murderer candidates to have business that match the bigger choices.

Also, as anyone who has been involved with a show or performed in a long running show knows, sometimes, performances...."grow". And that happens regardless of the watchful eye of a director or diligent stage manager.

It really comes across as unbalanced, if one person is beating their chest, jumping up and down and screaming, and lifting up skirts, etc. When other characters are just simply stating their final statements, and delivering them well, and relying on that only.

Not a criticism, but I do feel it is distracting sometimes.

Also, if you think the performers don't care about doing their confession or having a more prominent role once in a while, I think you might be mistaken. They might not whine about it, or protest and begrudge a co-star who performs endings often, but I am sure they'd like to perform their endings regularly.

I hope no one takes this as criticism against anyone...I just like discussing this show, and I love the cast (esp. Ms. Wolfe and Ms. Mueller).

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 9:42pm

"Ms. Wolfe doesn't need to do anything else but put that number card near her busom, because NO ONE could miss that! I feel that bit of business is almost unfair, because once she does what she does with her Busom during the voting, it's a wrap. In fact, I seem to remember that Jessie Mueller, and someone else in character sometimes shoots her "a look" when she does that stage business."

Yes, and the "shooting of a look" is also stage business. Chita holds her card over her ass, bends over and wiggles it. Durdles holds his between his legs upside down, and mimics Neville when Neville starts half-stripping. They all do ridiculous things to get attention, and honestly, anyone getting "pissed" because they outcome isn't what they think it should be isn't in the spirit of the thing.

"Obviously there's going to be subjectivity in determining who actually won and the whole idea of the audience tiebreaker is used as a humorous addition even when sometimes the results don't sound close to tied as I've witnessed multiple times."

^^^
This. They all have had a chance to show off - except for Jasper, who has never been voted murderer or lover. He gets to ham it up, plenty, though, and even gets to confess nightly, so I doubt Chase minds.

If you really think the whole thing is rigged (and I don't think it is), just suspend your disbelief and enjoy the thing - and for the love of God, don't get pissed off about a perceived slight.

As Alice Nutting says, as she exits up the aisle in a huff "Oh yessss. Enjoy the show".

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 10:11pm

I was only talking about the CAST not caring.

I don't know how much the audience cares....I know when I saw it, I had no idea how any other sections voted, and since I was in the mezz, I couldn't tell you how things ACTUALLY sounded. And I didn't care anyway. I was too busy having a blast.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 1/28/13 at 12:27am

All I'll say is if you leave the show upset because you didn't get your preferred ending, you missed the point of the show.

I won't begrudge anyone their complaints about the voting if they had an odd experience, but I think ultimately things even themselves out.

[mikem]

Posted: 1/28/13 at 6:19am

Sorry to be quite a bit late to the party, but I wanted to report on Thursday’s show (1/24), because I don’t think anyone else has.

Datchery: Helena
Murderer: Rosa (Neville came in 2nd – it was like 190 to 160 for them)
Lovers: Puffer and Deputy

One funny thing happened during the voting. As soon as Jim Norton started going through the reasons why Jasper might be the murderer, some woman started shouting that it was him, basically interrupting Norton several times. It was annoying. Then after Norton went through the reasons why Jasper might NOT be the murderer, he said, “That took the wind out of your sails, didn’t it?” (She did shut up.)

Earlier in the show, after Will Chase finished one of his numbers and people started applauding, he looked to the side of the audience, and made some comment (completely in character) about how somebody didn’t enjoy it or something like that. Sure enough, a couple in the front row in that area wasn’t clapping. Was that an ad lib, or does he always say that?

Speaking of not clapping, most of the people in the front orchestra did NOT give a standing ovation, which I found surprising (I thought the show was great). Is that commonly true, or was my audience a grouchy one?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/28/13 at 6:46am

Just like anything else: not every show will tickle each audience member.

Maybe they just didn't like the show.