How effective do you think CastCom has been?

[PaintWordPictures]

Posted: 11/29/06 at 6:45pm

I didn't begin watching the Pirate Queen cast com until a few days before I saw the performance, and after seeing the show (rough as it was) I've just been addicted to the castcom clips. Over time, it's made me more and more excited about the show's future (though much work is still to be done.) Yes, some of the clips are super cheesey, but it's PR so whatever. I think CastCom really helped keep me interested in the show when I could have had an "iffy" sort of response.

Do you think CastCom is achieving its purpose? Is it useful or just too much information?

[ashley0139]

Posted: 11/29/06 at 6:49pm

I adore the castcom. But while it's in Chicago I have no chance to see it so I love getting the information. But it has made me really want to see it.

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 11/29/06 at 6:50pm

It's been VERY effective...for me at least. It gives people an emotional connection to the show, so you hope the show (and the actors) succeed.

[PaintWordPictures]

Posted: 11/29/06 at 6:55pm

I definitely agree about the emotional connection. I remember meeting the cast after I saw it and was pretty much only excited about Jeff McCarthy, Steph, and Hadley (and a little bit for Bill Youmans cause I knew some of his other work), but I wasn't exactly thrilled with the performance so I wasn't DYING to meet people. After a few weeks of castcom I wish I could redo my conversation with Marcaus Chait because he is SO great. It really made me so much more invested in this show - even when I know it has some big issues.

[bardolator]

Posted: 12/1/06 at 4:11pm

Very effective in building interest, I think--but as I was already interested, I watched for other reasons. I actually learned a great deal from the crew, as well as from the ensemble members, about what it takes to put the show on. The leads were just plain fun to watch, especially when they were interacting (how about Steph thwapping Hadley for sacking out in her dressing room instead of paying attention to script changes? Bill Youmans showing us his transformation into Bingham?). My least favorite parts were the audience reviews; I know they needed a certain number of these to tout the show, but I just wanted to watch and learn from the cast/crew/creatives! There should be some sort of an "achievement/contribution" award for people who raise awareness of the business--and castcom should get it.

(By the way, in case the links disappear off the official site during the hiatus, they have all been uploaded to YouTube under my username. I feel okay about posting this here, because I informed the official types at PQ before I began uploading.)

[McFrenzied]

Posted: 12/1/06 at 5:11pm

I think it was effective in building excitement for the show, but after all the negative reviews came out, I became less excited and havn't gone back to watch the castcoms since. Still, it's noteworthy that the people doing their marketing are willing to try different things.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 12/1/06 at 10:43pm

Bardolator, what's happened with the PQ site? Did y'all not have the money to make the domain payment, or what? Will it be back up soon?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 12/1/06 at 10:47pm

I didn't watch it, I never planned on watching it.

Hence, not that successful.

[Popular]

Posted: 12/2/06 at 12:34am

Like Bardolator, I was going to be interested in the show regardless. But I do think it was successful in getting at least some people more emotionally invested that wouldn't have been otherwise.

YankeeFan - If I'm not mistaken I think the question was directed at the people who HAVE watched it. I'm pretty sure they wanted to know if, having watched it, did it accomplish it's goals of getting you involved and excited about the show.

B3TA07 - Yeah I saw it was down today as well. I'm sure the people in charge are well aware and hoping to get it back up soon.

Updated On: 12/2/06 at 12:34 AM

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/2/06 at 12:35am

I watched one, and thought it was great. I mean, to be honest, I don't really care about THE PIRATE QUEEN at this point. I will see it anyway.

Effective, maybe - but not as far as selling tickets. The only people that would actually go and watch it are ones that are inclined to buy tickets anyway.

[thevolleyballer]

Posted: 12/2/06 at 12:42am

I'd be interested if it was a show I myself was interested in. Like Broadway.com's special videos, I couldn't care less about Lestat, yet I plan on watching the Legally Blonde series. It just all depends on the show -- if a person is interested, then it can't hurt to do more publicity. Similarly, if nobody cares about the show, it can't hurt trying.

[ruprecht]

Posted: 12/2/06 at 12:51am

I agree to a point, volleyballer.

True that you need to be interested in the first place. BUT I do think that some of the Castcom videos have been TOO random--endless videos of unfamous people rambling. I think the videos need to be produced a little more to get average, casual theatergoers interested.

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 12/2/06 at 12:29pm

What exactly was the purpose of CastCom? I read somewhere that it was the producer's idea of a way to have some involvement in the online discussions of the show. It does seem to have given PQ's fans a sense of being more connected to the production. We talk about the show here as if all these folks were our personal friends. I only watched a few of the clips, because so much of what I saw was either actors waving at the camera and saying "Castcom!!", or various crew members saying hello to their families. From what I saw the content could have been tightened up a bit more.

For those of you who've seen most of the clips, I'm curious if any of the songs from the show were ever presented. I had the impression that the producers deliberately didn't allow any of the show to be previewed, which I didn't understand. I think it would have been more effective to let people get familiar with a few of the show's stronger songs, such as "I'll Be There" or "If I Said I Loved You" then to just let us watch endless clips of chorus boys saying "hi" to their moms.

I might not have been that impressed with "Omigod You Guys", but I do now find myself humming a song from "Legally Blonde" constantly.

[Popular]

Posted: 12/2/06 at 7:03pm

Tech - I see your point, and it's true that they didn't show much of the actual show. I wish they had as well.

Every once in a while someone from the orchestra took us into the pit, or someone from the wardrobe department showed us costumes and wigs, etc. For the most part, however, CASTCOM was just that, "cast communication". It was them just talking about what they were going through.

While it didn't always reveal much about the show itself, it did help create that illusion of friendship you mentioned. It did make you want to root for the show once you got familiar with their personalities.

This 2-parter of Marcus is probably one of the better examples of what I'm talking about. If you're one of the people who didn't follow it much I think these two are THE ones to see if you had to choose a few to catch up on. I can't imagine anything more honest and intimate.

PART 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHv_v4L_Kdk

PART 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkUFYtuwkvc&mode=related&search=


B3TA07 - the site is back up!



Updated On: 12/2/06 at 07:03 PM

[Popular]

Posted: 12/3/06 at 3:07pm

*bump*

I think this thread raises some interesting questions. Aside from Tech's suggestions to hear the songs, how else do you think the CASTCOMS can be used to market the show? What would you want to see when they return with more video?

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 12/3/06 at 3:54pm

I love it..I think it is great to see everything that is going on with the show.

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 12/3/06 at 3:56pm

Popular, I enjoyed the Marcus Chait clips you suggested. It was interesting to hear him talk about his vocal routines and how having Kathy Voytko in affected his performance.

My suggestions for CastCom if they continue with it would be to not ever let anyone "say hi to Mom". It was touching hearing Marcus talk about his feelings towards his family. It's just plain boring to watch one person after say hello to the folks back home. I also would like to see the clips be structured as if they were short segments of an eventual "Making of Pirate Queen" documentary. Come in with some specific questions for whoever is being featured. What new technology is the sound design featuring? What was the audition process to get this role? Marcus did a great job just talking, but many clips would have benefitted from some structure. All of these people are extremely skilled and talented, and would have interesting things to say if prompted.

I'm sure that one reason Castcom doesn't show segments of the show is that there would be all sorts of royalty and payment issues involved. I would suggest finding some way to show a few minutes of the show in these clips. I'm sure this sort of video weblog is going to become more prevalent for new musicals, so now is the time for Equity and the other unions to come to some sort of "B roll" type agreement. Good promotion benefits everyone. It's silly that with all the publicity there has been for Pirate Queen few people who haven't seen the show know what any of the songs sound like. Wouldn't Marcus' comments on getting winded have been more interesting if we could have seen a few seconds of his fight with Hadley?

[Popular]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 10:43pm

Your chance to tell them what you want to see!

Check out the details...

New castcom today announces competition to win an amazing prize package.
PQ leads discuss competition

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 10:57pm

Popular,

You need to read this.
BWW policy

[Eileen2]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 11:05pm

I watched a couple of the early clips, but they didn't hold my interest at all. I was looking forward to castcom, as I had loved Steph from the Boy from Oz, but when it didn't hold my interest after a couple of them, I didn't go back. I did see PQ in early November, but I didn't love it, so I didn't try Castcom again.

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 11:15pm

TheatreDiva90016, why does Popular need to read the policy on the "site that shall forever remain nameless and is dead to me"?

Her link took me directly to the PQ Castcom site. Has that been banned as well?

Also, does anyone know what exactly is this contest about? Once again, in classic Castcom fashion we have actors repeating meaningless phrases (Competition!, Exciting! Special Feature!) without telling us much of anything. At least no one said hi to mom.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 11:20pm

I'm not talking about that post, I'm speaking of the post with two links to *looks around* (Whispers) yootoob.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 11:25pm

I didn't watch it, I never planned on watching it.

Hence, not that successful.

Yankee- I didn't realize that the whole success of it was based on if you watch it or not.

[Popular]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 11:31pm

Sorry, here's a more direct (legal) link to the contest details.

Contest

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 12/8/06 at 11:57pm

I just didn't want you to get in trouble.