LA CAGE: Quite Sad, a little Angry, still dedicated, but moving on...- Page 2

[robbiej]

Posted: 6/9/05 at 12:30pm

Pop,

There's a certain minimum that must be paid to actors if a cast recording is being made and the production is currently running. After a certain period after the show closes, the actors need not be paid that minimum...but they most certainly should be paid. I know I wouldn't do a recording for free (especially after getting f*cked over once for making a free recording).

[Unknown User]

Posted: 6/9/05 at 12:44pm

So what horrible crimes did the Nederlanders commit that doomed this show? Personally, I'm bewildered by the attempts to "pin" the failure of this show on anyone, anything. People didn't want to see it. Period. It wasn't a show folks were clamoring to see revived, the reviews of the production were mediocre and people stayed away in droves. You do your best to sell the turkey and eventually you have to give up and move on. None of the musical revivals this year were particularly successful- and for no other reason than people didn't want to go see them. There's no plot, no rampaging homophobia, no sadistic mischief by the producers- people looked at the ads and said "No thank you. I'll go see Spamalot instead."

I guess when you are totally and obliviously fixated on a show you can't understand that other folks may not care for it, but really people, it's not the result of some supernatural force working to close a brillant production. Sorry it didn't come together, better luck next time.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 6/9/05 at 1:10pm

"the reprehensible way Daniel Davis was treated"

What about how poorly Mr. Davis treated his fellow cast members?

He got canned because he is a prick...period.

[H.Higgins]

Posted: 6/9/05 at 1:37pm

<< people looked at the ads and said "No thank you. >>

What ads?! That's the point: the producers of this show did essentially nothing to promote it. I think myself and many others are just disappointed with the way they handled some things. That's all. Speaking for myself, I'm not thinking any of the scenarios you described (as funny as they were, lol), I just feel a better job could have been done with getting the word out there, especially to out-of-towners who may have no idea what this musical with a pink poster with a french title is all about. Oh well. What's done is done. Just wanted to see better for this production.

Anyway, thanks for listening, Joe. Take care.

[bonna]

Posted: 6/9/05 at 1:40pm

JoeKv99, I think a lot of people here, myself included, just feel that producers gave up on the show when it didn't immediately become a big hit after opening. The budget of this musical, I believe, is somewhere between $8 and $10 million, and I just don't see where that money went.

No cast album, which could have certainly helped them marketing wise; very few radio commercials; and I only saw a TV commercial for the show twice, shortly after the show opened in December. It just seems a stark contrast to the kind of promotion that Charity is getting. Charity's reviews weren't spectacular either, but it seems like those producers are not giving up without a fight, whereas I don't think you can say the same thing about the La Cage producers.

[Thenardier]

Posted: 6/9/05 at 2:07pm

This reminds me of the way the producers handled Dracula....except I saw a commercial, in the boondocks of PA (where my school is) every night....it was a horrible commercial.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 6/9/05 at 2:15pm

So the producers flushed $8-10 million dollars of their own money down the toilet? Because of...Why again?

Nothing to promote it? I live in Chicago. I saw Ads every week in the NY Times. I got Playbill Emails. I saw ads on Broadway.com. I saw a damn interview with Robert Goulet in the New Yorker! I can't believe that you are trying to make a case that people were unaware of the show.

You can always rip apart what went wrong after a show fails, but trying to make a case that there was deliberate malfeasance on the part of the producers--- that they spitefully lost up to $10M on this show--it's beyond absurd!

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 6/9/05 at 2:22pm

Nobody is saying they deliberately tried to kill the show, Im saying they should have done more to help it. Compared to the way other shows go out and find an audience who at this point wouldn't have one...LA CAGE's Producers failed in that aspect...with names like NEDERLANDER & CLEAR CHANNEL one would expect better...guess the joke is on all of its devoted fans.

[Thenardier]

Posted: 6/9/05 at 2:23pm

I think I'm seeing it Saturday eve...

[bonna]

Posted: 6/9/05 at 2:27pm

Joe, I never said deliberate. Most of the producing team also produced the original La Cage, which was a tremendous success, and I think they thought that all they had to do this time around was what they did then and the show would be a success.

But the lead producer of the original La Cage was a man named Allan Carr, who was a publicity genius and drummed up a lot of free press for the show. Ads in the New York Times and online on great, but they're no subsitute for a TV commercial, which will be seen by many more people than ads on Playbill.com and Broadway.com.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 6/9/05 at 2:42pm

Well La Cage you said the producers should be "Punished" for what they did-- Sure implies deliberate malfeasance. You don't usually "Punish" people for mistakes. BTW-- try losing $10M sometime, many people think that's quite a punishment.

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 6/9/05 at 2:46pm

it wasnt a mistake either...it was poor judgement in producing and they inturn punished themselves!

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 6/9/05 at 2:52pm

And a richly deserved punishment. The biggest problem was that there was no reason for this revival. I could see a reason if the producers paid the money and had the show revamped - some songs that don't work changed, the book really worked over. They had nothing new to say and that invited comparisons to the original production.

Also, from what I've heard, they were extremely tight with the money when it came to publicity and didn't bother with a cast recording, which should have been made a week after opening.

They also should have tried for a name star. Somewhere during the run they realized they wanted a name, then came the Daniel Davis affair. Recently I heard a rumor that because he is popular out of town, the producers, looking at the prospect of a tour , went to Robert Goulet. He said he would only tour with the show if he got put into the Broadway production first. So the producers canned Daniel Davis , hoping that if the Broadway run didn't make money they could still recoop on tour. What they didn't realize was how badly the show would do in New York with Goulet at the helm, or how incapable he was to handle the part. Don't know if thats true - just a rumor - but it makes sense.
Updated On: 6/9/05 at 02:52 PM

[grizzabella]

Posted: 6/9/05 at 4:28pm

Joe and TheatreDiva, thanks for your input. I respectfully beg to differ. On this subject, other people have been far more eloquent than I. My thanks for their excellent points! And thanks SFL Marc! This makes a lot of sense.

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 6/9/05 at 4:31pm

This makes me so sad. I adored this production and would love to get a chance to see it again before it closed.

[nmartin]

Posted: 6/9/05 at 4:36pm

I've got to admire La Cage aux Folles Fan2. He certainly has a passion for this show that knows no bounds. And no, I'm not being a smart-ass.

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 6/9/05 at 5:22pm

That was sweet..thank you. I only wish my passion and devotion could have paid off in some aspect of helping the recording get made. Lord knows I tried in many a different way.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 6/9/05 at 5:34pm

it's a shame that there are still no plans to record a CD. I wasn't able to see the revival while I was in NY but I did buy the OBC and I think it is awesome in it's own way. it's a good CD and is good to have as a reminder of the original. even though I'd still like to have one with Robert and Gary...

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 6/9/05 at 5:39pm

And I would like one with Daniel and Gary - neither will happen.
Updated On: 6/9/05 at 05:39 PM

[Marquise]

Posted: 6/9/05 at 6:16pm

LaCageAuxFollesFan2's dedication and loyalty to the show is admirable.
Although I didn't necessarily agree with him when it came down to asking people to contribute money to fund a cast recording I *do* understand *why* he did it.
That the producers felt no need to record this revival says alot if you ask me.
If what's being said is true, that they didn't promote it like they should have then they have only themeselves to blame for their loss.
I'm sure the Tony was well deserved.
It's sad when any Broadway show closes.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 6/9/05 at 7:30pm

Yea, LA CAGE's Tony is about as well deserved as Mel Brooks' Tony for Best Score.

Guys - this show is not closing because of horrendous advertising or because of the gay subject matter - it's closing because it blows. It's a truly heinous production and the word of mouth surrounding it hasn't been good since previews.

[Mamie]

Posted: 6/9/05 at 7:43pm

Just curious Munk - When the show does close, who are you going to be aiming your poisoned darts at? (Life won't be fun without a victim or two to slay...)

[justthefacts2]

Posted: 6/9/05 at 8:14pm

Theaterdiva, why do I get the feeling he didn't like you much?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/9/05 at 8:25pm

I was preparing to do an interview with Robert Goulet for BWW and was really looking forward to it.

Last night I received an e-mail from his wife who explained that Mr. Goulet was very depressed over the news of the show's closing. He's worked very hard to make the show successful and is upset over the jobs that will be lost when the show closes.

Understandably, the fate of the interview is uncertain at this time.

[Broadwaylady]

Posted: 6/9/05 at 8:54pm

Well, guys, I thoroughly enjoyed La Cage. I thought it was funny, entertaining and the dancers were excellent. I was a little disappointed I missed Daniel Davis but I thought Goulet was good in the role. He still has a beautiful voice. I am sorry to see it go. I would have seen it again.