Laura Benanti: Stop reviewing previews

[IlanaKeller]

Posted: 11/3/17 at 11:37am

Chatted with Laura Benanti about "Meteor Shower," and what it's like working with Amy Schumer (and an adorable story about watching "She Loves Me" on the big screen while pregnant).

 

She also discussed the challenges of previews in an age of instant communication.

 

Curious to hear your thoughts!

 

"Once we get an audience in there, we'll learn a lot from the audience as well and I'm sure things will change and that's what previews are for," she said.

"Right now we're doing an absurdist's farcical comedy with no laughing — which is like torture," Benanti said as the first preview drew close.

"It's so hard now in the age of the Internet because you're sort of not allowed your previews. Everyone's reviewing you on the first preview, which is a bummer. We're artists. This is art, it's not math. There's no equation in which you're going to have the right number. You have to be malleable. Things are going to grow and change and evolve, and we're going to make mistakes and we're only going to learn not only from the successes but from the failures. So I hope that people allow us our process."

 

Full story here: http://www.app.com/story/entertainment/theater/2017/11/03/laura-benanti-meteor-shower-amy-schumer/824453001/

 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 11/3/17 at 11:42am

To be fair, it doesn't seem to me that she is expected/telling people to STOP doing it, as the title of this thread suggests. I think the phrase you used, "discussed the challenges" is more accurate. It's a legitimate concern to mention, but it would have been unreasonable to ask people to stop. 

[IlanaKeller]

Posted: 11/3/17 at 11:44am

I think she realizes that it's not going to stop, but I interpret "allow us our process" = please don't do it.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 11/3/17 at 11:47am

Possibly. I can see how it would be interpreted that way. But to me it seems like she's saying "allow us our process" more like "please understand when you see our show that we are still figuring things out, and keep that in mind when you form your judgements of us." 

[Anshel2]

Posted: 11/3/17 at 11:55am

I understand her point.  However, to take this a step further, if the show isn't frozen and they need to find their way during previews, stop charging full price before opening night!

[mamaleh]

Posted: 11/3/17 at 11:58am

I still maintain that during a period of ironing out the kinks in a new production, ticket prices should be lower than they will be after the show is frozen, presumably at closer to optimal quality.  Remember "low-priced previews"?  Whatever happened to that now (mostly) quaint notion?

[KKeller6]

Posted: 11/3/17 at 12:01pm

Producers have also cut down rehearsal time at the theatre drastically. They'd rather present the show-even if it's not ready- and collect the money spent on tickets. This is the big issue. It has also been problematic for some actors recently who didn't have enough time to even learn their parts properly. One of the biggest reasons for all of this is the reduced tech period of shows.

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 11/3/17 at 12:09pm

Hmm, my thing is, if they're charging full ticket price (and Meteor Shower is, along with "premium" tickets that are even more expensive) audience has a right to a review. 

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 11/3/17 at 12:11pm

mamaleh said: "I still maintain that during a period of ironing out the kinks in a new production, ticket prices should be lower than they will be after the show is frozen, presumably at closer to optimal quality. Remember "low-priced previews"? Whatever happened to that now (mostly) quaint notion?"

That's a very understandable position.  But this is capitalism.  For better or for worse.  The prices will be dictated by what the market will bear.  And as long as enough people are willing to pay higher prices for a preview - because they can't wait, because they believe it may be harder to get tickets once the show opens, because they want to weigh in on it early, because they want to be part of the process and see how the show develops and return later - then the prices will reflect that.

 

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 11/3/17 at 12:11pm

poisonivy2 said: "Hmm, my thing is, if they're charging full ticket price (and Meteor Shower is, along with "premium" tickets that are even more expensive) audience has a right to a review."

This.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 11/3/17 at 12:24pm

This is nonsense. There is a simple solution, which is to not read the internet. Reviews, whether professional post-opening ones or amateur ones on the internet, are not for the actors or creatives; they are for the general public. I can understand the dismay of producers who have lost control of the narrative, but an actor? gimme a break. 

[IlanaKeller]

Posted: 11/3/17 at 12:27pm

The issue and concern is the influence these reviews have over other theatergoers, not the actors.

[IlanaKeller]

Posted: 11/3/17 at 12:30pm

poisonivy2 said: "Hmm, my thing is, if they're charging full ticket price (and Meteor Shower is, along with "premium" tickets that are even more expensive) audience has a right to a review."

 

I think at this point, it's not about the "right" to do something, but courtesy. We have the "right" to do a lot of things... whether we *should* is often a different story.

 

Updated On: 11/3/17 at 12:30 PM

[Kad]

Posted: 11/3/17 at 12:35pm

...I think the courteous thing to do is let people who have paid full price to see a show voice their opinions on what they've paid to see.

The preview period is not a development period. This is not a closed-door workshop or a reading with an invited audience.  

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 11/3/17 at 12:37pm

Kad said: "...I think the courteous thing to do is let people who have paid full price to see a show voice their opinions on what they've paid to see.

The preview period is not a development period. This is not a closed-door workshop orareading with an invited audience."

If they want to "develop" they can do invited dress rehearsals or workshops. Or charge less during previews. But that's not happening. If I paid $$325 for a Meteor Shower ticket (the top price last time I checked on Telecharge), it's discourteous of LAURA to say that I shouldn't voice my opinion.

 

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 11/3/17 at 12:38pm

IlanaKeller said: "The issue and concern is the influence these reviews have over other theatergoers, not the actors."

Ilana, there's a reason that the term "the theatre community" exists. We talk to each other because we're all collectively invested in making and seeing good theatre. You can't make good theatre by stifling commentary.

That argument aside, if I'm paying to see a show, I'm gonna talk about it. My money = my right. You can buy me out if you'd like me to extend the "courtesy" of staying quiet, though  

[Famebroadway2]

Posted: 11/3/17 at 12:45pm

Then stop charging full price for tickets.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 11/3/17 at 12:45pm

Ilana, would you apply to the same principal to in-person conversations? If my friend and I were out for lunch and they asked me "what did you think of Meteor Shower?" should I say "they're in previews, so I shouldn't tell you."?  I realize the internet is more public and widespread than in-person discussion, but I think it's just two sides of the same coin. It's all just word of mouth. We aren't the press, we're just human beings talking about the art that we've paid to see. 

[IlanaKeller]

Posted: 11/3/17 at 12:49pm

JBroadway said: "Ilana, would you apply to the same principal to in-person conversations? If my friend and I were out for lunch and they asked me "what did you think of Meteor Shower?" should I say "they're in previews, so I shouldn't tell you."? I realize the internet is more public and widespread than in-person discussion, but I think it's just two sides of the same coin. It's all just word of mouth. We aren't the press, we're just human beings talking about the art that we've paid to see."

 

Well, I AM "the press," so probably not in the best position to answer this question.

 

But I choose my words carefully in conversation about any show in general, but particularly in the preview period, out of the realization that things are quite apt to change, that I don't want to color anyone else's opinion before they have seen it and to avoid "spoilers."

 

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 11/3/17 at 12:57pm

It works the other way around too. Extremely strong word of mouth during previews can often boost advance sales. Come From Away last season was a perfect example. Would Laura Benanti have a similar issue with people saying "omg get tickets for Meteor Shower before they become hard to get because this show is amazing"?

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 11/3/17 at 1:00pm

As if Laura Benanti is dictating the ticket prices for previews.

Honestly, I can see what she’s saying. She’s talking about it from an artistic point of view. We all know a first preview is hardly the product that will be seen when the show is frozen. Preview audiences are essential to developing a show, especially a new play in this cutthroat Broadway community. Broadway audiences are unique and not even the same as Off-Broadway or other NYC crowds. There’s lots of pressure to get it right. An audience saying what’s right and wrong about a piece during previews is absolutely part of the process. I can see how it’s difficult for an actor working on the show to maintain focus when things spread like wildfire on the internet. But it is inevitable and it is what it is. A smart theatregoer will know the difference between a show in previews and a show that’s already up and running and will give it that lenience. Charging the exorbitant ticket prices is another thing altogether.

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Posted: 11/3/17 at 1:04pm

If we're completely honest, lowering prices wouldn't stop people from posting on here or other forums. The problem Benanti brings up is that the internet has made what used to be strictly word of mouth much easier to find. I used to read the preview threads here incessantly when I was in CA, which is far outside the normal range for word of mouth unless a show was previewing in LA or SF ("Evita"; "The Baker's Wife", "Lorelei". So if "Dolly, a Damned Exasperating Woman" opened out of town in 2017, reports of its failings would reach far outside whatever city it was in and the changes that made it "Hello, Dolly!" might never have been made due to the overwhelming negative reposts - investors might have simply pulled out.

Of course, in 2017 shows rarely change in previews, but that's a different story.

[Alexander Lamar]

Posted: 11/3/17 at 1:09pm

No.

[IlanaKeller]

Posted: 11/3/17 at 1:10pm

poisonivy2 said: "It works the other way around too. Extremely strong word of mouth during previews can often boost advance sales. Come From Away last season was a perfect example. Would Laura Benanti have a similar issue with people saying "omg get tickets for Meteor Shower before they become hard to get because this show is amazing"?"

I don't want to pigeon-hole her comments, because it seems universal to all shows -- 

But keep in mind she is saying this ahead of a show with a very large advance. So $$$ is pretty taken out of the equation here, which has impact on both sides. BUT that also means taken here, her comment is pretty purely artistic-driven. Certainly don't want to speak for her, but she likely isn't particularly concerned about word of mouth tanking the show or positive buzz needed to keep the doors open (which doesn't sound like her primary motivation anyway) -- so what does this do to the art?

 

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 11/3/17 at 1:11pm

But to me it seems like she's saying "allow us our process" more like "please understand when you see our show that we are still figuring things out, and keep that in mind when you form your judgements of us." 

That is what she says.  What she doesn't say is "Stop reviewing previews".  I think Benanti's smart enough to know that there's no point in telling people NOT to do it, but to educate and inform people about the preview period and request they keep it in mind when offering opinions about a show in previews.  The title of this thread is very misleading.

it's discourteous of LAURA to say that I shouldn't voice my opinion.

Well, it would be if LAURA had actually said that, but she didn't.