How Lazy can a theatre company be?

Ok, if anyone has seen me post about Casa Manana before, then you know I am not a fan of it's current artistic director Denton Yockey. However, I do think they have hit rock bottom.

For the third time in five years, they are doing "Wizard of Oz," which is no big deal, a friend and I are going because it's nearly always an enjoyable show to go see. However, it opens next week, and the previous two times they have done the show (once in normal proscenium, once in the mutated thrust), they had lots and lots of hype. This year, nothing. Not even ads in the paper. So, I get up this morning and turn to our Weekly Entertainment Supplement, and there is a picture from it, and the blurb next to it informs us that Casa has not done ANY of the work. They have, with the exception of David Coffee, brought what appears to be the sets, costumes and CAST of the Music Theatre of Wichita's most recent production.

Is it just me, or is this one of the laziest things ever? Yockey has learned that the show sells well, so he feels he doesn't need to put the effort in to come up with a new staging? And people wonder why this man was FIRED from the Houston Grand Opera.

/end rant

P.S. I have nothing against the Music Theatre of Wichita, or it's sets or costumes or cast.

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Not a huge deal. Where some would say lazy, others would say cost-effective. This happens often, especially with repeat productions over the course of, as you say, 5 years or so.

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And I don't wonder why he was fired from Houston Grand Opera. I KNOW why he was fired. And it will not happen again!

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This is called bread and butter. If a theatre company knows a certain show will sell out every year (Christmas Carol, Peter Pan, Wizard of Oz) it is not uncommon to buy or rent sets from a previous production. It saves both time and money and frees up the creative team to concentrate their efforts on something more challenging. How would you like to be the resident designer and have to do the same show year after year? Not a big deal at all. Sounds like you are looking for a reason to hate this guy.

Okay, now I want the dish from the HGO!

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I'm jealous. I want to see the Wizard of Oz

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Why should they spend money on advertising if the show is going to sell out? That is just common sense, not laziness. You yourself said you were going. I don't get your beef. It sounds more personal than anything based on shoddy or lazy producers.

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Other regional theatres do that all the time, though. The Muny is big on that, as was the Rep in St Louis. In a perfect world, regional theatres would always use local resources, but it just doesn't happen.

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Thank you for calling me childish Suleen.

And no, I do not think for a National Tour they should re-invent a show. It's the same show. When it's a regional production, I feel like I should be seeing something different than the Broadway/National tour.

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I don't know, maybe you ARE a child. But whining about having to see the same sets that they used in Wichita seems pretty childish to me? Have YOU seen the sets before? Have most of the people coming to see Wizard of Oz seen these sets before? And most importantly, DO THEY CARE? Wizard of Oz is one of those shows where familiarity is part of the draw. It is a family show, no one CARES. I will bet you anything all the characters look pretty much like the MGM film version, too. Do you have a problem with THAT?

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SueellenGay why are you always so nasty?

Sulleen-
Again, said I have no issue with the set, it's the cast/director samness that bugs me. And, it isnt that they aren't using local talent for big roles, it's that they aren't using (at least how the paper reads) ANY local talent beyond The Wizard and the Munchkins.

And, yes I actually do have a bit of a problem with productions that rip off the film. While I do realize Dorothy needs to be in a blue gingham dress, and that Glinda needs to be in pink, etc, you do not need to completely re-create the film costumes. Make your own mark on the show.

And while most people probably do not care, I do, and therefore, if I want to "whine" as you put it, I have every right to.

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SuellenGay, I don't have any friends on here yet. Mainly because of people like you.

"Mainly because of people like you."


Actually, one would assume it is mainly because you've made a grand total of 4 posts.

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