"I think she's too big a name to TOUR right now."

[Dolly_Levi]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 1:29am

I was reading many of the great casting ideas being bounced around in the DRS tour thread and came across some interesting sentiments that I would like to discuss...

"I think she's too big a name to tour right now."

"Doing a tour would be a step back for her right now."

"Doubt he'd tour"

"if she were willing to do a tour."


Many of the biggest Bway stars have toured multiple times, before, often during and after blazing the stages of NYC.

Off the top of my head I am thinking of Mary Martin's Annie Oakley, Carol Channing's Dolly, Chita Rivera's Spiderwoman, Tommy Tune in lots o stuff, Lunt & Fonanne, and multi Tony Winner Julie Harris.

Based on the above comments, I am curious if you think that today's Bway stars do not want to tour?

Is there a feeling that touring is beneath them?

Wouldn't you be overjoyed if Butz & Lithgow signed to tour (a la McGovern in Little Women)?

I don't believe that touring across the country is "beneath" anyone. I think Carol Channing once said in ref. touring, something along the lines of If you go and see the people in their towns, they'll come and see you when they're in NYC.

Thoughts, Ideas?

Updated On: 5/12/05 at 01:29 AM

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 1:32am

I would like to think that Bway performers don't think touring is beneath them but I put myself in their shoes....

Do the show I love ON BROADWAY--or around the country, in many cities that I don't care for...

it all depends on who you are-but I'd stay on Broadway!

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 1:34am

I think it was fine for people to tour several years ago. But, today, IMO most actors want to stay on Broadway because touring would take their name out of the market for a while. It's ok for established and well known actors to tour...but if there's an actor who's trying to develop a bigger name for themselves in NY it might not be the best decision to tour.

[apdarcey]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 1:35am

i have this gut instinct that tells me that after the tony's little women is going to close and maureen won't be the only one going on that tour. i think they're prepping it for all 10 of the cast to go tour together around the country... i also think this show will do really well touring and in regional, community and school theatres... but i might be saying that because i'm from concord, ma! haha

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 1:37am

I doubt Sutton will tour though...*points to thread title* she can originate another role and win more tonys :)

that would be great though! I don't like the show but if I could see the OBC again when it comes to Chicago I would like 10 times!

[apdarcey]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 1:42am

sutton would tour with this show, she's said how much she loves the show, the cast and the experience... and then she would get to juggle her options before her next big strike...

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 1:46am

I actually hope you're right!!

sign me up to see my idol again!


OMG and that would mean I'd get to meet her! cuz she didn't come out after the matinee!!! OMG you have given me hope...

Please close on bway and tour! :)
that was mean...but I don't care--I'm selfish.

[Thenardier]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 1:47am

First, many performers don't won't to keep moving around.
Second, if you are a lead in the show and the "big name" you may not have a problem touring - hence MAry Martin, etc.

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 2:09am

But by not touring, they are only "names" in NYC and not in the rest of the country. In the past, b'way shows toured with the stars, and they became well known throughout the country, and my guess that also helped them crossover to movies. Maybe that's why anymore b'way stars are only stars there and no one else, other than those of us that follow b'way news, know about them.

[bjivie2]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 2:28am

Yeah, so that's a great reason for them to go on tour more often. I'm sure Bernadette would get a great audience if she took Gypsy on tour. Maureen McGovern is doing a great thing going on the Little Women tour. Now if only Sutton Foster would do the same.

[apdarcey]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 2:32am

sutton would make a huge name for herself...
a) tons of people will go to see it just because it's little women
b) a lot of older people will go because of maureen mcgovern... when i originally told my dad (51 now) that i was going to see her in a show he said that maybe he would even want to come just to see her perform live.

and sutton steals the entire show... she is the show... even people who don't like the show have acknowledged that! it would be a very wise career move because then she could come back in any play she wanted and not only would she have the theatre people to come see her, but then all the tourists would know her name better than others too... come on sutton! bring little women around the country... it would be nice exposure for megan mcginnis and danny gurwin too... and i for one would not mind seeing the gorgeous jenny powers again!

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 2:37am

Actually the reason why people don't go on tour, is because it means uprooting your life from new york. Gettin a sublet, paying bills etc is hard. People with children and spouses don't like being away from them. Also many people don't like tourin. It's kind of hard to do if you are a homebody and like to sleep in your own bed rather than hotel rooms for a year. Broadway pays more anyway...unless you're really big. The Tracy on the Hairspray tour a couple of years ago was only getting like $2,000 a week. Now before you start complaining about how much money that is keep in mind that Joe Schmoe chorus memeber in that show would get at least $1383 (or thereabouts) on broadway. That's not that big of a difference from chorus to headliner.

[apdarcey]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 2:41am

i heart her!

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 2:46am

I understand about not wanting to uproot families, etc. BUT if they did, even for one show, their names would be much more recognizable and maybe we'd have more b'way performers cross over to film.

[Link Larkin Wanabe]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 3:07am

Okay...

So I am playing Tommy Keeler in a Canadian National Tour of Annie Get Your Gun, and for me touring is a big PLUS, rather than a drawback. Some of my best friends are with me, and we get to travel together. It is a fun oppertunity to travel and get our names and talents out there to a wider scope of people.

Akiva

Posted: 5/12/05 at 10:33am

Big stars of yesteryear knew-- Touring is how you build a fan base and how you become a bigger draw. It's a shame that more stars won't invest the time and effort in touring. I think Bernadette would be a big draw on the road.

I still remember going to see the tour of On the 20th Century with Rock Hudson, Imogene Coca and Judy Kaye. What a treat!

[AmaraCaledonia]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 10:45am

Look at the last cast of the RENT tour. The actors recieved a HUGE fan base from the tour. And now Marcus is in the Broadway cast, and I know people going to New York and seeing RENT for the umpteenth time just to see him again. I see why some people wouldn't want to tour. There are, however, many pluses to it. You do reach a wider audience and people are more likely to want to see shows in New York with performers they've seen before and trust than they are with someone completely unknown.

And as for LW, I really hope the show doesn't close. However, getting to see the entire OBC again on tour would kick so much ass. Jenny and Jim! <3

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 11:02am

Speaking of tours, wouldn't it be great if Carol Channing headed another tour of HELLO, DOLLY! (I can't get enough of her or the show!)

[DAME]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 11:04am

That would be cruel for her and for us. What kind of a curtain speach can she give these days?

[Princeton78]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 11:07am

I think it's too bad. When I started attending theatre about 15 years ago, many performers on tour were seasoned performers. Now you look through a tour playbill and everyone is "Thrilled to be making their touring debut!" Ugh...if that's going to be the case, then tours should not be charging NY prices.

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 11:08am

I think a lot of you are forgetting that times are waaaaay different now. Stars of yesteryear were touring when TV was relatively new and people still went out to get entertained. Touring for someone who is unknown and single is a great thing. I'd love to tour. If you're getting offered great things at home, there's no need to tour honestly. Now days your fan base isn't really going to be that broadened because people have to come out to the theatre to see you. people don't do that anymore. Most people who know Bernadette in the mid-west know her from film and TV. How many of those people know Sutton Foster and would actually come out to see a show based on her name. There really aren't many. Now with people glued to their TV's if you're not there, they don't know who you are. Just as any NY actor who's gone out to L.A.

[MTRBOI24]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 11:22am

One advice from Kristin Chenoweth. Don't ever tour. I don't know why this was advice, but that was advice she gave. That's why she doesn't list that she was in the germany tour of Phantom Of The Opera.

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 11:24am

Well touring overseas is different than america. They don't have unions over there. That's a HUGE difference.

[AmaraCaledonia]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 11:30am

I've been told by many performers that touring here is wonderful thing. There are downs of course, and if you tour too long it apparently gets pretty rough on you mentally. But it's almost a full year that you're earning a paycheck and not paying New York prices for Rent, Food, Etc. And again, you get the chance to meet and perform for people who you normally wouldn't. You have a wider audience and you get to (sort of) see the country.

[kitkatgirl54]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 11:31am

another disadvantage to touring (especially people who are in high demand) is that they can't do other work while on tour like they can in new york. no guest starring on law and order, no singing at joe's pub, etc. :) and no auditioning for other things when the show is winding down.