IMPORTANT (to me) A Chorus Line cuts question- Page 2

[Unknown User]

Posted: 6/5/05 at 6:25pm

Dear Vanilla Ice:
Dustin is obviously trying to get opinions from a group of people who understand theatre about something he is clearly passionate about. I give him credit for not being a puppet.
I hope your show goes very well however it turns out. If you enjoy what your director is doing, that's great. He chooses not to. You coming here and blasting him shows a huge lack of maturity on your part. We have no stake in it; we were just providing feedback and acting as a sounding board.

[Steph00me]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 11:26pm

Dear Dustin,
I am so proud to see an actor with a respect for the playwright's work. I mean could you imagine a doctor cutting out a person's kidney and when asked why he replies, "Because I said so, I have a vision". That person would be put in a crazy house. I commend you for thinking of your other castmates who's parts were cut even when yours wasn't! I commend heartfelt love for your fellow castmates as well as the preservation of a major musical.

Dear Gerald,
To respect a playwight's work is no crime. While the director may have a vision, I still believe that it is important to see the PLAYWRIGHT'S VISION first. I hope that you can see that Dustin seems to have a genuine concern for how the show may be presented to people. Think if this is someone's first time to see a musical and they are lost because of all the cuts. Too many people are turning away from the theaters, let's not give them a legitimate reason to.

I really hope that all goes well....Break A Leg Guys!!

[wonderland]

Posted: 6/7/05 at 12:04am

Well Gerald, I'm not involved with the production, but I am an aspiring playwright/lyricist myself, and I have friends involved with this production who have told me their concerns with the show. As a writer myself, I am extremely offended by the blatant disregard not only for one of the seminal musicals of our profession but of the law. Bottom line, it doesn't matter what the "facts" are or what the director's "vision" is, unless said facts include that TAMS has approved the cut script, which I seriously doubt. She might be the best director on earth, the bastard child of Mike Nichols and Sam Mendes, and the cuts she made may improve the show immensely. None of that matters, because when all is said and done, what she is doing is ILLEGAL. Not just offensive to all artists everywhere, but actually against federal copyright law. If I hadn't been explicitly asked not to by actors in the show who are afraid it would stop production, I would call TAMS myself. I agree with you that the director has the right to implement his/her vision on the show, but it is expressly forbidden to cut the script in any way. IT IS ILLEGAL. It seems like you, with your blind loyalty to a criminal (yes, if the show goes up as is that's what she is) and your nonchalant response to butchering a piece of art, are the one who needs to "grow up."

[gavrochegirl]

Posted: 6/7/05 at 12:09am

This is insane. Call the people who own the rights, and tell them the entire situation. They'll whip him...or her...(I didn't quite pay attention to gender)...into shape.

[Jimmyojimmy]

Posted: 6/7/05 at 12:10am

wow that director is a biatch! how the heck can you cut T&A?! I mean really? I'd be so mad. actually i am mad she shouldnt be allowed to do that. Doesnt it say somewhere that if you cut to much stuff (ie lines and scenes or songs) or add lyrics or jokes to a copyrighted production then the license holder could sue the whole production? We almost got in trouble at my school for saying "this and that" instead of T&A.

[mywonderwa11]

Posted: 6/7/05 at 12:59am

Thanks for your concern, but they didn't actually cut "Tits and Ass" which is actually entitled "Dance Ten, Looks Three" (just for future reference). But anyway, the production is going well despite the drama. Most of the cast has actually grown closer in spite of this situation. I'm enjoying myself regardless of some people's unhappiness due to the cuts. I hope it'll be a great show despite of this. Thanks for all of your thoughts, I appreciate y'alls support. Any other questions, just ask. We open on FRIDAY!

[Marlothom]

Posted: 6/7/05 at 1:11am

Not sure if it was mentioned above, but one thing:
Val was not raped "tied up and raped at 7." She is thinking of interesting lies to say to make her stand out, then says..."Seriously...seriously, nothing too obscne" which means she decides to stick to her real life...
Anyways as ACL purist I feel your pain and hope you prevail.

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 6/7/05 at 1:34am

I am glad you were the bigger man, and despite your reservations stuck to your commitment to doing the show. Issues like that can actually bring the cast closer.

I am still apalled that your director did what she did. Vision of a show is one thing, completely changing it is another. (taking out entire songs and monologues completely changes a show)

You know the cliché... live and learn.

[mywonderwa11]

Posted: 6/7/05 at 2:48am

Marlothom--oh I know that what she is singing isn't literally true. I guess I just explained that wrong. But even though it isn't true, just her thinking up stuff like that gives us more insight into what kind of person Val really is.

[GERVANILLAPOP]

Posted: 6/9/05 at 10:17am

well first I want everyone to know my first response was posted to achieve an intended response from a fellow cast member whom I had not been able to TALK with outside the rehearsal area. It also was to make the people I care about realize that, although you may "vent" in a moment of frustration... YOU NEVER KNOW WHO IS LISTENING IN...

Everyone - EVERYONE - is intitled to feel anyway they wish; You are also not responsible for how someone may feel from something you did or said.

(a bit of "old school arrogance" coming out a bit): As an old wise sensei (just call me yoda, I am), I see my younger full of life and highly pationate "children" (and particularly the young queens whom I feel even more a link to) making decisions and choices that can potentially affect them negatively...

I really don't know that I need to go into all this but for my own sake I will... I will use Dustin as an example, because I REALLY DO LIKE HIM... and think he won't mind...

Prio to this ACL show, we (the production committee for the denton community theatre), were discussing where to advertise for auditions... A member knew several cast members of MTD's CABARET wanted to audition. Dustin's name was one among several... For some reason it seems I tend to "hear" everything -- things I really don't care about or wish to... but I still end up hear the gossip... Apparently, some people (who may be involved with ACL or DCT or not even involved at all) decided to offer their opinion (and as my daddy says, opinions are like buttholes -- everyone has one)on the professionalism of potential auditioners... What I had heard about Dustin, was that he liked to gossip and stick his finger in things; that he couldn't dance; that he tried to steal theatre marque signage; etc... (I heard all kinds of SH*T about probably everyone involved now in our cast) I DO NOT EVER TAKE WHAT I HEAR AS FACT UNLESS I KNOW IT TO BE TRUE FROM MY OWN EYES, EARS, TOUCH...

So it is the first weeks of rehearsal, I am an ACTOR who can somewhat sing and can somewhat dance -- singing TERRIFIES ME... I had the opportunity to sit next to Dustin during several vocal rehearsals because we have the same range (his quite more beautiful)... I WAS SO IMPRESSED BY HIS ABILITY -- HIS VOICE IS GOREGOUS! And when I had trouble reading treble clef, he quickly called out the notes of each measure to me as we rehearsed... he was extremely helpful, nice, sweet, and I made my decision then that Dustin needed to be among my list of friends.

Dance rehearsal began... WOW... Dustin can move... (he tickles me to watch because he is so skinny(bitch) and our choreography is more designed for the "perfect dancer's physique"... so any whooo I would watch him up front and get tickled that this tall skinny boy -- white boy i should add -- can move and shake like that.... (see there is alot about the casting of the show too that I really am not at liberty to say but I feel comfortable enough to tell you that I was originally cast as LARRY -- and I absolutely would have been a embarrassment in that role -- being 10 years older than the entire cast, fatter than a "dancer" should be and I can face facts, I can not do the dances like someone playing that role should -- AND DUSTIN BRINGS DOWN THE HOUSE AS THAT ROLE! oh and to whom ever sees this thread -- I was recast before the first cast posting was ever shown; so if you are wondering about that -- come talk to me, I don't want it to be a point someone will take and run with)...

I AM WAY RAMBLING -- MUST BE HIGH CLAIRE -- BUT IT'S QUITE THERAPEUTIC TO RAMBLE -- since I have missed my therapy for the past two weeks...

ANYWHOOOOO... TAMS did give permission to cut what was cut; infact they arrogantly laughed that we, a small nonprofit community theatre, felt we were even "big" enough to call them and waist their time with the questions... NOW, there is nothing in writing... after submitting our cuts and not hearing backk from them, the director along with tech director and board president made a phone call to TAMS... They asked for it in writing and again were basically told, "you want us to waste even more of our time on you people."

This is third party information, so in a court of law its useless, but even though some of you do not trust the aboved mentioned three individuals, I do... and know if I look them str8 in the eye and ask a question, I will be given the trueth... (because although I have been defending to the nines, it was a week ago I looked straight in the eyes of my heirarchies and said "I don't know that I should ask, BUT YOU DID REALLY TRUELY HAVE PERMISSION FROM TAMS DIDN'T YOU? AND HOW DID IT BREAK DOWN? AND CAN I POST AN APPROVAL ON THE CALL BOARD..." Thus the saga... yada...yada... yada...

My ADD is kicking in - I am bored with this as Im sure you are "over" reading it...

Stay strong -- G