Donna Karger gone from OnStage?

I was wondering the same thing. After a long stretch, I tuned into this weekend's edition and I was so confused by what was going on. No Donna Karger, no set, all these awkwardly staged "running into people" moments, bad lighting, most everyone in evening cocktail attire even though the sun is shining in from the windows. I guess there's growing pains, in all it's just so bizarre. 

Rhoda4 said: "I live upstate in the Albany area and get the NY1 channel but for the last two weeks "On Stage" has not been on at all.  ???  

Do you mean the initial broadcast on Saturday at 9:30? It didn't record that time period for me the last 2 weeks but the rebroadcast at night did record.
And, yes, the new format is ridiculous. 
 

Updated On: 1/23/17 at 04:07 PM

smidge said: "Rhoda4 said: "I live upstate in the Albany area and get the NY1 channel but for the last two weeks "On Stage" has not been on at all.  ???  

Do you mean the initial broadcast on Saturday at 9:30? It didn't record that time period for me the last 2 weeks but the rebroadcast at night did record.
And, yes, the new format is ridiculous. 
 

 

"

That's funny. Here in NYC it didn't record two weekends ago but I've been having problems with my dvr since Spectrum took over for Time Warner. I assumed it was my system. Interesting to hear others didn't get it either.

I did see it this past weekend. I thought it was just a stand alone format for this show only. We can only hope. I especially have no use for that Pat guy. Whenever I read anything he's written, he usually has a number of facts wrong and it annoys the heck out of me. 

Updated On: 1/25/17 at 04:26 PM

I believe they just changed the format for the low-activity holiday weeks. No Broadway openings mean no "on the scene" segments for the show's first part and no review segments mean no review segment for the 3rd part. They did a few episodes with just interviews, but .. yawn.

They always do the "round tables" to preview the spring season but they seem to have revamped the formula  - which I think is nice.

I'm sure Donna will be back next week with the typical format now that Jitney is open.

Also, NY1 allows you to watch the full program online the Monday after it airs:

http://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/shows/2017/01/23/on-stage--full-program--1-21-17.html

It keeps getting worse. It really is the Frank DiLella show and a full half-hour of him is too much. Roma pops in towards the end, looking increasingly uncomfortable with each passing week, and she doesn't even get the screen to herself. It's more of a conversation with Frank. And still no Donna...or Patrick Pacheco or David Cote for that matter.

The less said about the new "Broadway Whispers" segment the better. It is embarassing and cringeworthy.

One bright spot was today's day-in-the-life segment on Danae Benton. Dear producers, feel free to do segments like this but the rest? No, just no.

 

 

 

From a recent Michael Musto column:

In the throng of press [for Sunset Blvd] was NY1’s Frank DiLella, so I asked him if the new format of their theater show, OnStage, will stick. (They had shot two episodes at Chez Josephine, where Broadway stars popped up and the hosts feigned surprise.) “No,” he said. “The show we did from London—throwing to news packages from an actual theater—is how it’s going to be. And the venue will change. We’re doing one at BroadwayCon. [That would have aired by press time.] We’re doing one at Feinstein’s/54 Below. Sometimes it’ll be on the street. We’re doing an all-Andrew Lloyd Webber one.” Will the “Hey, look who we just ran into!” shtick remain? “No,” he said. But despite rumors, there will certainly be reviews. And longtime participant Donna Karger. Will DiLella still do segments where he dresses up and takes part in the Broadway shows? “We’ll see. It all depends on who pitches what,” he replied.

I don't mind some new features if they work..traveling around more and such.... and you can incorporate them into what WAS working before. But seriously..Broadway Whispers (where a cloaked guy in black with a garbled voice spills "secrets".....get rid of that nonsense. It's truly pathetic.

 

Updated On: 2/6/17 at 11:27 AM

In the span of little more than one month, OnStage has gone from being an indispensable Broadway resource (the finest on television IMO) to being totally unwatchable. Frank DiLella is so far out of his league hosting this show that I am reminded of the early days of Public Access channels in the "Manhattan Cable" era. In fact Robin Byrd would be a better host for the show than DiLella!

Spectrum: Bring back Donna Karger, bring back the studio format... and do it fast!

Since Spectrum took over Time Warner, several channels have disappeared. (Including the English language feed of Chinese Central Television, whose show "Culture Express" was actually one of the better forums for theatre on Broadway, and around the world.) If they continue to tinker with NY1, I may seriously think about switching to another cable provider. 

Donna and Roma are both very warm on camera and gave the program dignity. Frank comes across as artificial and a bit silly. I think they are trying to modernize the: program and gearing it to the U Tube generation. The old format worked well. Perhaps they did not know what they had. The Broadway Whiispers segment is cringe worthy.  

You can tell that Roma is a little uncomfortable trying to fit in to the new format. It seemed especially awkward when she was giving her review of Yen to Frank instead of talking head on to the viewer. Instead of doing the Broadway Whispers they should have Michael Musto come in and dish. He is quick witted and fun. The show in its new form could use a dose of humor.

 

I am also having trouble recording the program with Spectrum.