Has 'teen theatre' really worked?- Page 2

[legally_popular]

Posted: 8/20/09 at 3:49am

I can't say that teen theatre has "worked" on me, but I know a lot of people who are drawn to teen shows.

I think the movies have a lot to do with it too, or at least with the people I know. I know many people who wanted to see Rent, Hairspray, and Mamma Mia on stage after seeing the movies.

The music could probably contribute to it too. The catchy rock and pop music of certain musicals are more appealing to teens... most, non-theater-going teens. When I tell people I only listen to showtunes, they tend to think I only listen to classical or opera-like music. But if I let them listen to a song from Spring Awakening or In the Heights, for instance, they'd be like, "This is from a Broadway show???'

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 8/20/09 at 7:44am

Chorus Line did quite a number in it's heyday.

And Brody, the only one I disagree with is Rocky Horror. The film, maybe. But if the show brought in that many teens, it would have run longer than a month.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 8/20/09 at 12:56pm

"The audience of N2N is NOT mostly teens."

Neither are ANY of the shows mentioned in this thread. While Wicked certainly has a visible fanbase of teen girls, the demographics of the audience are no different than the demographics of a show such as Phantom or Oklahoma. The demographics for all these "teen" shows may skew slightly younger because they are more relevant to a younger age group, but the vast majority of the audience is still composed of the same middle-aged, middle class audience that has always made up the broadway audience.

[faithzilla]

Posted: 8/21/09 at 12:29am

High School Musical...sad but true.

NOT ME...haha. I fell in love with Gypsy :) I had good taste at 12. But seriously- I know quite a few people that loved High School Musical and that got them going to Wicked, RENT, Hairspray, etc. Most of them aren't into very, um, respectable stuff, but it got them into theatre nonetheless.

[beingalive123]

Posted: 8/21/09 at 2:41am

most teens are introduced to theatre with shows like wicked, spring awakening, rent, etc., and in my experience about 1 percent of them actually explore shows beyond wicked and rent. so yes i believe teen theatre has worked in introducing non-theatre goers to theatre, but the problem is most of them don't ever try to experience more challenging, complicated theatre. at my high school, i am known by my theatre friends as a pretentious theatre-goer because i dislike disney theatre and wicked. It works, but I believe it doesn't really help introduce enough teens to more obscure, highbrow theatre (i don't know if highbrow is the word im trying to communicate but but that's what came to mind)

[Gobstopper]

Posted: 8/31/09 at 2:40pm

I agree that some kids only wind up listening to that sort of "genre" of musical, but it's not 99% as beingalive123 implied. I'm certainly amongst the people who found Sondheim through shows like RENT and Spring Awakening.

[WestEnd2]

Posted: 8/31/09 at 5:40pm

RENT probably did back in its day. But to me it's Wicked which brought teens as a new audience to theatre most recently. Why do I think this? The internet. Wicked is is now a big 'online fandom' and gets so much more coverage and interest from teens online than RENT ever could have before the internet was big.

Like others who have posted in this thread, I 'hated' musicals. I would have told you this 6 years ago, even though I'd never seen a musical. I'd get that stereotypical image of everyone bursting out into song and it all being so cheesy and corny. And seriously uncool. None of my friends were into it and my parents weren't into it, where was I supposed to find out about it?

Then Wicked started getting talked about on the internet just before I went to NYC in 2004. I didn't see Wicked whilst there, not having my interest piqued yet. But then again once I'd gotten back came the magic of the internet, and the slightly less than legal way of seeing things that the internet brings. Loved it. In 2006 Wicked opened in London and I was there.

I haven't looked back since, I go to see a musical or play whenever I can. If it's in my local regional theatre I'm there, no matter what it is, I'll give it a go.

I believe that to an extent 'teen theatre' has worked, I feel I'm a success story, I'm 22 now, almost 3 years after seeing Wicked as my first musical and I'm still breaking the bank to see shows whenever they come near my area or whenever I can afford to get to London or NYC (still in debt after going to NYC in April). And I don't see that changing anytime soon.

Yes, some will still only see the 'teen' type shows. But whats wrong with that exactly? They're still at least seeing some shows and giving their money to the theatre community. Would you prefer this audience saw no shows at all and think all musicals are the stereotype? And c'mon, some of the 'teen' shows are GOOD. Some people in this thread are trying to lump Next to Normal in that category - it won the Tony Award this year, in case you forgot. Its pretty dark and emotional. Its not what you'd really think of as your typical teen show. Its cetainly not High School Musical, Wicked or Legally Blonde.

I think someone unintentionally hit the nail on its head earlier, calling certain types of theatre 'highbrow' - that's the reason many teens don't go to the theatre. That image and that attitude. Its the 'this show is better than Wicked, RENT and Legally Blonde because its dark and sophisticated and at 17 years old you'll need a dictionary to understand what is going on'. That's what puts teens off. After I'd seen Wicked, WICKED, my friends wanted to know if I'd had to dress up, if it had been full of posh snobs, if it had cost me over £1,0000 for tickets. Naturally, I've since dragged just about every one of them to see it, and they now too come with me when I see other shows. If you keep terming other types of 'highbrow theatre' teenagers are NEVER going to go and see it.

Also, teens have power. Shockingly I managed to drag my parents to see Wicked. My dad who is a typical macho man, who didn't finish school, who held the stereotypical view of musicals actually likes musicals. He's dragging my mum and I to see Les Mis for the gazillionth time when it comes out on tour later this year. He's even got some of his mates in work to see musicals too. All because his teenage daughter wanted to see Wicked for the 3rd time, all with similar backgrounds to him.

So yes, teen theatre worked on me. Wicked, then RENT, then a long line of 'non teen theatre'. Teen theatre also worked on my parents.

[kristin_bernadette]

Posted: 8/31/09 at 6:43pm

I know plenty of people who like Rent and Wicked, but aren't really interested in theater otherwise.