Karen Olivo not returning to MOULIN ROUGE! — Page 9

I know the term “commercial theatre” has taken on a new meaning in some conversations, but everyone needs to stop acting like there is any theatre that is not commercial.

It is show business. Even if it is not a big, corporation-produced musical, put up on broadway with a lot of brand recognition, any theatrical production of any size is still a commercial endeavor. A dinner theatre in Denver is still trying to make money. Any production anywhere is put on to attract people to pay to see it. There would be no show without the business.

As for getting a raise coming back from the broadway shutdown, where was that extra money going to come from? Did anyone in any production get a raise? (Actually, maybe some that are billed above the title - I think Jeff Daniels alluded to negotiating a better deal in a recent interview). But that’s still my point, she is not billed above the title for Moulin Rouge. No one is, the production is the star. So there’s no fault in asking for more money, just don’t be surprised when a production that has been dead for 18 months has no extra money and says No.

She said in that article that she wasn’t watching the Tony awards - I doubt it. I bet she watched MR sweep and I hope it sunk in how her whole fuss did nothing but screw her over. The show is thriving without her and she has proven to be just as selfish as the people she’s protesting.

And she goes on to say that producers just “happen” to have money? To say that producers did not work to get to the position they are in and build the industry whether you like it or not is completely tone deaf. Does her husband, that she says she’ll have to live off of now, just happen to have money? Or does he earn it?

To her potential students, drop her classes and run. You have nothing of value to learn from this mess.

WestEndGal said: "The Distinctive Baritone said: "WestEndGal,

I think what makes people upset about this article is that it basically negates her supposed “moral stand” of announcing her departure from the show a few months ago. She showed her true cards with this interview it seems: this has always been about her. If she really wanted to affect change, she’d stay in the New York theatre industry and try to change it from within, not do self-righteous interviews and social media posts from Wisconsin.

And yes, she has SO MUCH privilege and acts like a victim. I think it’s gross, personally."

I don’t think she’s negated her moral stance at all. She’s named additional reasons for her departure, which when everything is put together seems a fair enough reason for her to personally want to get the hell out of the industry. Sure she has the financial means to be able to do that, but she’s still basically burnt her bridges with the higher ups in Broadway going forward, should she ever wish to go back. Her messaging might be a bit messy but good on her for actually making a stance and isn’t performative BS, imo. Why should she have to stay and suffer in an industry she was clearly struggling inif she truly believes that change is not really happening or going to happen?!She rightly calls out the virtue signalling of the industry. And she even says that not everyone is in the privileged position she is to walk away.


"

But it was the definition of PERFORMATIVE, she went on Instagram live and announced she was she was resigning due to the industries silence on Rudin. The truth is and she admits she had decided to resign before that when Moulin Rouge's producers reached out with the reopening plan and did not offer her a raise and only 6 weeks of formal rehearsal time. They went on Instagram Live because the producers were going to craft a statement, and with what was going on with Rudin, they wanted to control the narrative. There is nothing wrong with that, but it was the definition of PERFORMATIVE.

Meanwhile Sutton Foster is being burned at the stake by theaterTok and theater twitter for not immediately resigning from The Music Man in solidarity with Olivo, despite the fact that behind the scenes she was threatening to actually leave The Music Man if Rudin is not removed. Add to that Foster was actually able to succeed in getting Rudin removed. Despite that though, Foster's reputation in those circles still has not recovered because of Olivo's actions, just look at any post about the West End Revival of Anything Goes.

Olivo had every right to resign, the fact of the matter is she could of spoken the truth a little earlier as to the other reasons behind her resignation before it became this mythological pedestal all Broadway activists are now held up to. Its simply disappointing to find out the truth.

This interview will likely be used by every producer or casting agent going forward to as a reason to not cast them, and that's a real shame because they are so talented. I don't even think Lin Manuel Miranda would be able to convince a producer to take a chance by hiring her, after this. But like they said in the interview they want to put the "commercial" theater world behind them, and this interview very much guarantees that.

bdn223 said: "WestEndGal said: "The Distinctive Baritone said: "WestEndGal,

I think what makes people upset about this article is that it basically negates her supposed “moral stand” of announcing her departure from the show a few months ago. She showed her true cards with this interview it seems: this has always been about her. If she really wanted to affect change, she’d stay in the New York theatre industry and try to change it from within, not do self-righteous interviews and social media posts from Wisconsin.

And yes, she has SO MUCH privilege and acts like a victim. I think it’s gross, personally."

I don’t think she’s negated her moral stance at all. She’s named additional reasons for her departure, which when everything is put together seems a fair enough reason for her to personally want to get the hell out of the industry. Sure she has the financial means to be able to do that, but she’s still basically burnt her bridges with the higher ups in Broadway going forward, should she ever wish to go back. Her messaging might be a bit messy but good on her for actually making a stance and isn’t performative BS, imo. Why should she have to stay and suffer in an industry she was clearly struggling inif she truly believes that change is not really happening or going to happen?!She rightly calls out the virtue signalling of the industry. And she even says that not everyone is in the privileged position she is to walk away.


"

But it was the definition of PERFORMATIVE, she went on Instagram live and announced she was she was resigning due to the industries silence on Rudin. The truth is and she admits she had decided to resign before that whenMoulin Rouge'sproducers reached out with the reopening plan and did not offer her a raise and only 6 weeks of formal rehearsal time. They went on Instagram Live because the producers were going to craft a statement, and with what was going on with Rudin, theywanted to control the narrative. There is nothing wrong with that, but it was the definition of PERFORMATIVE.

Meanwhile Sutton Foster is being burned at the stake by theaterTok and theater twitter for not immediately resigning fromThe Music Manin solidarity with Olivo, despite the factthat behind the scenes she was threatening to actually leaveThe Music Manif Rudin is not removed. Add to that Foster was actually able to succeed in getting Rudin removed. Despite that though, Foster's reputation in those circles still has not recovered because of Olivo's actions, just look at any post about the West End Revival of Anything Goes.

Olivo had every right to resign, the fact of the matter is she could of spoken the truth a little earlier as to the other reasons behind her resignation before it became this mythological pedestal all Broadway activists are now held up to. Its simply disappointing to find out the truth.

This interview will likely be used by every producer or casting agent going forward to as a reason to not cast them, and that's a real shame because they are so talented. I don't even think Lin Manuel Miranda would be able to convince a producer to take a chance by hiring her, after this. But like they said in the interview they want to put the "commercial" theater world behind them, and this interview very much guarantees that."

What rubbish about Sutton. She is the toast of the west end in Anything Goes- and people are falling over themselves to say how great she is in the show. The voice of one or two bitter people seems to be making more noise than it should. Anyone who seriously thinks she should resign from Music Man still is insane.


From everything I’ve heard about Olivio in Moulin , she will not be missed at all so good luck to her going forward making a career in Wisconsin theatre.

Updated On: 9/29/21 at 03:32 PM

bdn223 said: "WestEndGal said: "The Distinctive Baritone said: "WestEndGal,

I think what makes people upset about this article is that it basically negates her supposed “moral stand” of announcing her departure from the show a few months ago. She showed her true cards with this interview it seems: this has always been about her. If she really wanted to affect change, she’d stay in the New York theatre industry and try to change it from within, not do self-righteous interviews and social media posts from Wisconsin.

And yes, she has SO MUCH privilege and acts like a victim. I think it’s gross, personally."

I don’t think she’s negated her moral stance at all. She’s named additional reasons for her departure, which when everything is put together seems a fair enough reason for her to personally want to get the hell out of the industry. Sure she has the financial means to be able to do that, but she’s still basically burnt her bridges with the higher ups in Broadway going forward, should she ever wish to go back. Her messaging might be a bit messy but good on her for actually making a stance and isn’t performative BS, imo. Why should she have to stay and suffer in an industry she was clearly struggling inif she truly believes that change is not really happening or going to happen?!She rightly calls out the virtue signalling of the industry. And she even says that not everyone is in the privileged position she is to walk away.


"

But it was the definition of PERFORMATIVE, she went on Instagram live and announced she was she was resigning due to the industries silence on Rudin. The truth is and she admits she had decided to resign before that whenMoulin Rouge'sproducers reached out with the reopening plan and did not offer her a raise and only 6 weeks of formal rehearsal time. They went on Instagram Live because the producers were going to craft a statement, and with what was going on with Rudin, theywanted to control the narrative. There is nothing wrong with that, but it was the definition of PERFORMATIVE.

Meanwhile Sutton Foster is being burned at the stake by theaterTok and theater twitter for not immediately resigning fromThe Music Manin solidarity with Olivo, despite the factthat behind the scenes she was threatening to actually leaveThe Music Manif Rudin is not removed. Add to that Foster was actually able to succeed in getting Rudin removed. Despite that though, Foster's reputation in those circles still has not recovered because of Olivo's actions, just look at any post about the West End Revival of Anything Goes.

Olivo had every right to resign, the fact of the matter is she could of spoken the truth a little earlier as to the other reasons behind her resignation before it became this mythological pedestal all Broadway activists are now held up to. Its simply disappointing to find out the truth.

This interview will likely be used by every producer or casting agent going forward to as a reason to not cast them, and that's a real shame because they are so talented. I don't even think Lin Manuel Miranda would be able to convince a producer to take a chance by hiring her, after this. But like they said in the interview they want to put the "commercial" theater world behind them, and this interview very much guarantees that."

I mean, agree to disagree on whether Karen was being performative or not. But theater tok / twitter twitter is the definition of performative, and because they both tend to be full of teen theater stans (especially tik tok) who are constantly outraged because all they care about is clout and virtue signalling. All that does sadly is deafen the voice of those who really are trying to make change.

poisonivy2 said: "It sounded like she was also a bit burned out by Moulin Rouge, and decided to exit because she didn't feel up to it. Which is fine -- it;s a tough business and many people leave every year."

It sounded like she actually just wanted to be paid even more money. But when she didn’t get it, she dressed her exit up as some kind of activism. (Insert Nancy Pelosi clapping gif)