HOW TO READ BETWEEN THE LINES by Marc Shaiman

[Rob]

Posted: 12/27/03 at 6:03pm

Marc responds to Bruce Weber's New York Times article “The Broadway Musical Is Changing Its Key”

https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=196

MARC SHAIMAN has received the Tony, Grammy and Drama Desk Awards for Hairspray. In addition, he has more than 50 films to his credit including South Park, Patch Adams, The First Wives Club, The American President, Sleepless in Seattle, Broadcast News, When Harry Met Sally, Beaches, City Slickers, The Addams Family, A Few Good Men, Sister Act, In & Out and George of the Jungle.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 12/27/03 at 6:05pm

Gosh. What must bestofbroadway think?

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 12/27/03 at 6:09pm

bestofbroadway's head is exploding as we speak......

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 12/27/03 at 6:18pm

I love Shaiman. And I love his respectful revenge on Fred Ebb. Wasn't he on Green Acres?

[PB ENT.]

Posted: 12/27/03 at 6:38pm

I posted a response on the column feedback. As an interviewer, I can appreciate the reality of posting what was said and how it was meant to be taken.

I am glad Shaiman stood his ground.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 12/27/03 at 6:59pm

Hey Marc, good for you.

[ChrisLovesShows]

Posted: 12/27/03 at 7:54pm

A very nice supplement to the NY Times article.

Rob, did Mr. Shaiman write this specifically for Broadwayworld.com? Very impressive!

[Rob]

Posted: 12/27/03 at 8:34pm

Marc e-mailed me earlier and asked us to put it up, and we very happily obliged!

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 12/27/03 at 8:36pm

I have SO much respect for that man



**wonders if he posts here and what his name is...** Updated On: 12/27/03 at 08:36 PM

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 12/27/03 at 11:07pm

Hmmm...I could be Adam Fleming and BG2 could be Todd Michel Smith.

Updated On: 12/27/03 at 11:07 PM

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 12/27/03 at 11:09pm

It's Michel... no 'A'

[Phantom2]

Posted: 12/27/03 at 11:11pm

Mr. Shaiman is truly amazing. Everyone knows that.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 12/27/03 at 11:11pm

I look forward to singing his music on Broadway one day.

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 12/27/03 at 11:15pm

Fixed. Anyone who is not afraid to kiss another man on national television is AMAZING!

[Phantom2]

Posted: 12/27/03 at 11:23pm

Cute, but I was referring to his outstanding work.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 12/27/03 at 11:24pm

**claps for Phantom**

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 12/27/03 at 11:27pm

I know you were. I wasn't.

[bestofbroadway]

Posted: 12/28/03 at 12:09am

Hahaha...ahhh
Good stuff. I'm glad to see he expanded on his comments about his desire to entertain. I wish every person who was interviewed or reviewed wrote a rebuttal like this. Can you imagine what Bernadette Peters would say to Reidel? I must say that I respect a lot that he said in his article but nothing has changed the way I feel about the overly corny and overrated production of Hairspray. And we are not merely talking about his score, but about the production as a whole. I hope Shaiman is able to write a musical one day that is truly original, intriguing, thought-provoking as well as ENTERTAINING. Lord knows I didn't see any of those things at the Neil Simon Theater. But I'm sorry that he feels the need to put down composers who are truly attempting to try something new in musical theater, to push this incredible form of art forward. I hope Guettel, Lippa, LaChusia stick to what they are doing. These are the composers that excite me...turning an old worn out movie into a musical does not. Here's to Marc Shaiman... may his thoughts on musicals one day be reflected in his scores.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 12/28/03 at 12:10am

bestofbroadway,
get a hobby.. preferably one involving plastic bags and your head.

[bestofbroadway]

Posted: 12/28/03 at 12:15am

Wow...telling people to kill themselves. How nice.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 12/28/03 at 12:24am

I think YOU'RE doing some reading between the lines and coming up with something that may or may not be there BoB. He never said to kill yourself. Perhaps he's suggesting you have a career in designing bathing caps? Or rain bonnets?

You should always mention in your tirades about Hairspray that the GREATEST THEATRICAL MOMENT OF your LIFE was caused by somebody you were sitting behind once.

[Mrs B]

Posted: 12/28/03 at 12:29am

"Best" of Broadway-

You write"


"composers who are truly attempting to try something new in musical theater, to push this incredible form of art forward. I hope Guettel, Lippa, LaChusia stick to what they are doing. These are the composers that excite me."

Hmmmm. Fred Ebb loves Lippa.

You say why make a musical out of an old movie? Uhm, Chicago was a non musical movie- in fact that is where Gwen Verdon got the idea of a musical ROXIE HART.

I AM A CAMERA- basis, in part, for CABARET was an old movie. So was SPIDER WOMAN...

As for the deluded, self-laothing antigay remarks you/Ebb made- kissing is the equivalent of an ass? does that mean Melanie and Antonio should never be seen kissing? Fred is part of a hateful old generation that thinks being gay is shameful. He/you needs to get over it.

As for THE VISIT (which was also a movie at one point), the reason it can't get produced is it is a piece of crap. Angela use her husband's illness as an exit from it. OVER AND OVER (based on SKIN F OUR TEETH- also filmed) was a piece of crap.

Ebb is a hack. Kander writes well in a 20s setting. The fact they have tons of money and take the place of the futre composers in workshop settings is absurd AND almost as obscene as Auntie Eb's tirade in the Washington Paper.

Step aside- your time is well past due. Even Fosse hated him- see ALL THAT JAZZ and the unflattering portrayal of the queenie songwriter.

Sorry for the rant- but this straight Asian girl has had it with hypocrisy!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 12/28/03 at 12:34am

I can tell it would be fun to hang with MrsB (nobody can buy like her, you know).

[Unknown User]

Posted: 12/28/03 at 12:40am

Bestofbroadway - Who are you and aren't there support groups for people like you? If you didn't have that little computer to hide behind, no doubt your comments wouldn't be so damn rude. Did you get your @ss kicked a few too many times on the playground in gradeschool by the POPULAR kids? My God man, go brighten someone's day. Go do some volunteer work...........or you could also just go away. Perhaps the plastic bag idea would balance out the oxygen to your brain which leads to your heart, you'd become a nicer person and no one would get hurt.

[alterego]

Posted: 12/28/03 at 12:46am

It was so good to read quotes as they were meant to be read.

I too, have wondered why Kander and Ebb wouldn't cough up the money (or part of it) for The Visit. The monthly worldwide royalties for Chicago and Cabaret alone...