Dear Hunter Foster, Meredith Patterson, Chris Sieber and Anyone Else With Internet Access- Page 16

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 6/29/10 at 6:23pm

Namo the admin hes talking about is not him

And as vocal as i have been about this (and still am) it would be more constructive talking about the stuff that needs talking about. Foster has some great ideas but stupidly said things he should not have said (nowhere near as bad as what some have said who are involved....im looking at you Chris Sieber) but it's done now. So lets focus on what everyone was talking about Tony night before all this happened...the terrible show, poor producing, awards not been given out on the air, bad reprenation of the season etc etc.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/29/10 at 6:32pm

but it's done now.

Oh, I doubt that.

[tazber]

Posted: 6/29/10 at 6:48pm

"One thought that I had a year ago, and I think someone brought it up is to have the Equity awards like the Sag awards. That its a night voted on by the actors. Now, the Sag awards only vote for other actors, but the Equity awards could include everything from best ensemble to best replacement to best book to best dresser if we wanted. Maybe have NY1 televise it or not. All the actors would have to do is vote online and you could have it at a theatre. You could either do that or have everyone who is employed on Broadway in a show at the time (Dressers, stagehands, musicians, etc.) could vote, but that might get complicated. It's an interesting idea and might give the Broadway community a chance to honor itself without the burden of a commercial award show."

Lol. What a lame idea. So all in all what he wants is recognition and attention. Giving a good performance is not in itself good enough, Hunter needs the adulation.
And we all know that the votes would never go to the most deserving, but rather the least known. I mean CZJ is Equity, but based on what I've read she never would have won b/c she's too Hollywood. Never mind the fact that she gave the best performance.
This whole thing reminds me of that song from The Act called "Little Do They Know". Bitter and jealous gypsies bemoaning their fate.

So, who wants to bet that the Foster household is having a coniption right now over the Redgrave/Jones Driving Miss Daisy announcement. Damn you Hollywood!!

[tazber]

Posted: 6/29/10 at 6:51pm

Chorus:
So the star needs a stage
To change her clothes
And the natives are restless
Their anxiety shows

He:
And their hostile posture
Seems to say

She:
When will she be back?

He:
Who the hell are they?

Chorus:
But the knowledgable gypsy knows
It's ridiculous to throw a fit
That's the way things are
When they pay to see a star

He:
But...

Chorus:
Little do they know
And little do they see
Without us paying court
Without us in support
How lousy she might be

She:
When we go...
[Music plays]

He:
They don't even stir

Chorus:
When we go...
[Music plays]

Chorus:
They only look at her

Girls:
Such inequality

Men:
Little do they know

Girls:
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah

Men:
That we are even there

Girls:
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah

Chorus:
Yes, that's the gypsy's curse
And what is even worse
Little do they care

Men:
Mornings at the bar

Women:
Mornings at the bar

Men:
Sweating through the class

Girls:
Sweating through the class

Girl #1:
Yet she's the one they spot

Girl #2:
No matter what you got

Girl #3:
On how you posturesque

Chorus:
If the like...
[Music plays]

Chorus:
We didn't hear the proof
Yet she goes...
[music plays]

Chorus:
And hear them raise the roof
Talk about equity
Gotta have a dream

Girls:
Ah ah ah ah

Men:
That isn't mine alone

Girls:
Ah ah ah

Chorus:
Each gypsy that you see
Is just the same as me
The fact is why we know
Someday I'll go so far
That I'll become a star
With gypsy's of my own!

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 6/29/10 at 6:53pm

Taz i normally agree with everything you say but this i dont.

I think his idea is actually a good idea, i think quite a few things hes come up with the past 24 hrs have been good. I still disagree with many of his points as i keep saying but he does seem like hes very much about making some positive changes. I think if Foster had not come out so aggresive with remarks about 'To many celebs' or insults to Jones i think many people on here would be behind him.

End of the day Broadway could do with a better platform for their season etc than what the Tony Awards have to offer at the moment.

Oh and a better season would help lol

[Jupiter2]

Posted: 6/29/10 at 7:04pm

songanddance, what I'm saying is that no matter what they say now, the REASON for that site was the bitterness. Maybe something good can come out of it. I doubt it however, as things done for the wrong reasons have a way of fizzling out. Even the idea he's talking about now sounds like some way that he and his wife can the the prom king and queen. The REAL stars of Broadway. "In the finest of Broadway traditions" or whatever crap she said.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 6/29/10 at 7:08pm

I really dont think it has anything to with Hunter wanting a spotlight for him and his wife lol

You maybe right that the group has gone way of track now and the original group descrition etc for the group has done it no favours, but i guess i like to be optomistic. I just think that now everyone has got their feeling out about everything thats happened, it would be nice if as much energy could go in to looking at ways to shake up the Tonys etc

[Kad]

Posted: 6/29/10 at 7:32pm

They should be diverting their energies into creating new and better shows. The Tonys aren't at fault here and aren't really much of a problem.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 6/29/10 at 8:32pm

You really don't think people who work so hard and win something to honours their talents or lifetime achievement and then not even let them collect their award on the telecast is fine?

[Kad]

Posted: 6/29/10 at 9:27pm

I agree about having the Lifetime Achievement award televised. But that's one award.

Look at the Oscars, for example. Consistently a show that is bloated with award after award, with the entertainment value and watchability decreasing after every sluggish hour. However, they can afford to be boring because people will go see the damn movies anyway.

Yes, the Tonys are about honoring excellence in the theatre. But they're also meant to be watched, enjoyed, and get people to come up to NYC to see a show.

People want to get their due, but people also want people to support the theatre. And in this current economic climate, and with the ratings of the Tonys, you are going to have to compromise.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 6/29/10 at 9:51pm

I think songanddanceman's judgement has been clouded by the fact that he's been conversing with these "stars" over on that vile group.

Hunter's latest "solution" is nothing more than a masturbatory, self-congratulatory gesture where he and the likes of his wifey can walk the red carpet and act like the "stars" they think they are.

He still didn't address who is going to foot the bill for these Equity Awards of his or why NY1 would opt to air such a thing. He's a dreamer, and logic seems to defy him.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/29/10 at 9:55pm

Sorry somganddance but I have to agree with Adam on this one. It seems your judgments have been severely altered after talking with these guys.

[Jupiter2]

Posted: 6/29/10 at 9:56pm

I agree 100% about the lifetime achievement award. But you must admit, songanddance, that has nothing to do with "Give The Tonys Back To Broadway." And yeah, I sure see the "Equity Awards" being a Hunter Foster - Jennifer Cody showcase. It's pretty obvious that they think they run Broadway. They think they ARE Broadway. I don't think they stopped for a second to think about the utter arrogance of that group. It was pretty obvious even seeing her posts on it yesterday. Especially that crap about having "movie stars playing the roles of Broadway stars" and "a cherished Broadway tradition", and having lunch with someone "broadway-style!" She CLEARLY thinks of herself as a Broadway star. To be cherished and celebrated! At next year's Equity Awards! But hey, I admire your optimism.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/29/10 at 10:59pm

I appreciate that songanddanceman is taking the high road, so that we don't have to. :)

I'd sooner watch a high school thespians give out awards on public access than watch something like the Equity awards.

[Jon]

Posted: 6/29/10 at 11:05pm

The "Equity Awards" wouild only be fair if it could be guaranteed that every voter actually saw all the plays. That's easy with the SAG Awards. A SAG card gets you into movies for free at many theatre. Can you imagine a Broadway producer giving comps to every out-of-work actor in NYC so they can vote?

It's a great scam to get free tickets. Sort of like how any schmuck with a blog can call himself a "theatre critic" and try to get comps.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/29/10 at 11:06pm

But Hunter said they could vote online!

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 6/29/10 at 11:11pm

Another problem with the proposed "Equity Awards": How do the people actually in shows go see all the other shows they are supposed to be voting on? It's just a logistical nightmare that would never work.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/29/10 at 11:14pm

I think somebody just needs to GIVE Hunter Foster some kind of award. Or maybe a hug.

[Jupiter2]

Posted: 6/30/10 at 12:00am

Did anyone else also find it interesting that (when I could still see what was going on at that site and ridicule it - sigh) Mr. Foster kept referring to the amount of members the group had as proof that he was right? About 9000 now. I couldn't help thinking every time he brought that up that that just means there are a large number of spiteful people out there. I mean, the facebook group praying for President Obama's death is far over a million people. (or at least was - I wonder if that's been shut down yet.) Are we to assume that the amount of people following your group makes it more worthy? Or does it just prove that there are a huge amount of idiots out there?
Updated On: 6/30/10 at 12:00 AM

[Kad]

Posted: 6/30/10 at 3:18am

The idea of "Equity Awards" is ridiculous. It'll become an elitist little club. Or maybe it'll be a good idea- perhaps the sight of stars like CZJ, being given Equity status and thus eligible to vote and be voted for, STILL winning for giving great performances will shut these guys up.

[BwayTday]

Posted: 6/30/10 at 3:42am

Has anyone suggested a "Best 'celebrity' performance" Tony yet? Seems like someone should have already.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 6/30/10 at 4:10am

Lol first of all my judgments have not been clouded about anyone because ive been in communication with anyone. I've worked in theatre all my life so have always been around theatre people, I dont get 'star' struck by people who do the same job as me lol.

Secondly, my whole thing before this started out was anger at more awards getting dumped off the awards, anger at the producing of the show and anger that it does not feel like it represents the best of Broadway. Everyone got side tracked by the idiotic statements by some actors, we should be annoyed by what they said and vent our frustrations, but we have done that, so let's get back to the point.

Third, the fact I have had communication with Hunter etc has allowed me to hear from him as to what he (and it turns out many other Broadway actors) want to see changed, some of the stuff they all list (like the lifetime achievement. Award and book awards etc going back on the telecast) are things I said originally. Some other things they want I don't agree with. And as misfocused that group is (and believe me I've told them) its almost ten thousand people who can help us speak out on the awards back on the telecast etc

[lemiz3001]

Posted: 6/30/10 at 5:57am

All these no name actors and actresses reminded me of my favorite line from Grey Gardens,
"You've become the pettiest of creatures,
an actress, without a stage."

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 6/30/10 at 6:39am

The number of members of the group just goes to show that 7,899 reasonable people are entertained by the lunacy, pettiness and bitterness of the other 101 members. Hell, how many joined just to make fun of these people? Show of hands, please.

(Sueleen raises hand proudly)

[jets]

Posted: 6/30/10 at 7:05am

Hunter Foster is just trying to save face with the ridiculous "Equity Awards" idea.
What he fails to grasp is that he is not only insulting this years Tony Award winners YET AGAIN but the integrity of the American Theatre Wing and the Tony Awards themselves.
Any actor who has ever won or hopes to win a Tony would never align themselves with these people now.

Apologize & delete the FB group.