Legally Blonde reality show. Official.- Page 4

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 1/25/08 at 5:10pm

OK well i will sit back and say "we will see"

[AnnaK<3LMIP]

Posted: 1/26/08 at 3:34pm

song and dance man -
I get what you said, and I respect that because it all makes very valid points. But I'm not gonna lie, it's rude and judgemental of me, but I truly believe that in the UK, reality shows to cast West End performers will be a lot more tastefully done and produce a genuinely good performer than somthing MTV will pull off. EVERYTHING that MTV does nowadays is crude (althought I do love me some HILLS). I mean, yes, it is quite possible that they will find a very trained Elle Woods who is just looking for her break and auditioning everywhere and such, but I would put a lot more faith in the UK reality shows then this one.

But we shall see.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 1/26/08 at 4:01pm

I know of professional actresses being called by MTV and asked to participate. This is not American Idol.

[massofmen]

Posted: 1/26/08 at 4:03pm

Thank you Foster Child.
Song and Dance, just because "every show lost money during the strike" does not make my point irrelevant that Legally Blonde did. Comparing one show to another in the manner of recoupment doesn't make much sense. Legally Blonde is struggling to recoup its investment. Yes Struggling. So to lose around 1.8 million (your average not mine) is a big deal to a show looking to recoup. That money lost to shows like Phantom, Wicked, JBoys, Mamma Mia, Lion King, Mary Poppins, etc. doesn't make a dent. It makes a big dent to Legally Blonde. Especially when they were probably counting on those weeks to make some dough following their MTV showings prior to those weeks (even though the show didn't seem to work, hence the reality show upcoming).
To be honest, I hope you are right and the show lasts for a while. Actors need jobs, and its a big cast and people are getting their health insurance weeks, 401k's and pension, not to mention the $8-$900.00 most of those chorus kids are making per week after taxes. I just don't logically see the show holding on for much longer based on the numbers so far. With Cry baby coming in in a month, Shrek in 6, it doesn't look promising.
I guess we will all sit back and watch.

[jv92]

Posted: 1/26/08 at 4:43pm

Yeah, it's not doing well guys. Sorry. The Palace is a gigantic house, but it's been home to a series of big hits. Applause was a pretty sizeable hit with Bacall and Anne Baxter in the 70s. Woman of the Year, despite what people want to think, did make money with Bacall and her subsequent replacements even if it didn't exactly recoup. La Cage was a GIGANTIC hit for the Palace and Beauty and the Beast was an even bigger hit. Don't blame the size of the theatre on the show's finacial woes. It simply is a mediocre show doing bad business. It would probably do just as poorly at a smaller musical comedy house like the Broadhurst.

[AnnaK<3LMIP]

Posted: 1/26/08 at 11:50pm

Rath - That's very good. I would not mind the show so much if that is the direction MTV is going in. But I do hope that it will be less American - Idoly than the show for GREASE and less "in the house action" than America's Next Top Model. I think a happy medium could work quite well.

I have a question. It seems shallow and dumb, but when auditioning for the MTV show, or the show at all, is it a requirement to be blonde? Wigs are easy to get, so I wouldn't see the big deal of putting in a brunette for the role, but I can just imagine the reactions of some people who were just sort of watching the show without understanding theatre techniques (which, hopefully, will be a lot, because we do want people to become more interested in Broadway, do we not?)

[dancnqn5]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 2:02am

I don't know whether or not they will cast a non blonde. But the casting call said that they weren't discriminating and all hair colors were welcome.

[DancerGirl16]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 1:32pm

I thought "You're the One that I Want" and the Grease reviews already verified that this "reality tv based casting" is was a bad idea.

And in regards to the hair color thing....
Sierra Boggess is not a natural red head but I still think she is beautiful and brilliant.

[AnnaK<3LMIP]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 1:37pm

Well yeah, hair color has nothing to do with how well you'll perform the character.

[massofmen]

Posted: 1/30/08 at 11:22am

"Word is that they have their eye on the Palace, where "Legally Blonde" is starting to wobble (hence the rush to MTV to launch a reality casting show to find the next Elle Woods - 'stage experience a plus!'"
-reidel, Post.

it's not just me who's thinking it.

[alex2155]

Posted: 2/4/08 at 7:35pm

Did anyone go or hear from anyone that went to the NY casting call today?

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 8:53am

(I haven't read this whole thread, so apologies if I am repeating anyone)

I don't see why anyone should be disgusted with the ideal of a reality show like this.

If it gets new people excited about being in theatre or seeing theatre, it's a VERY good thing. It's vital for the future of theatre that we do that--however it's done.

And, ultimately, it doesn't matter how casting people find the next newcomer on Broadway. It could have been an regular open call. Why not film it?

Casting is not about objectivity or "fairness". It's about finding the right person for the part based on a gazillion factors.

[massofmen]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 9:11am

"vital for the future of theater?" I had no idea that Broadway was dying! Oh my GOD! Oh wait, its not. It grossed the most sales EVER in the past 2 years. So I think it will be fine.
People thought that PLAYS were dead on broadway and look at this year and next. The plays are better, much better, than the musicals.
Broadway isn't dying, theater doesn't need a revitalization and Classy theater doesn't need a reality show to find its lead.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 9:49am

I never said that Broadway was dying.

In fact, I believe these kinds of shows help theatre all over the country--not just Broadway. I also think High School Musical helped. I'm not placing any kind of critique on any of these properties--only the value that they have and that they will continue to reach out and inspire new people.

But if you truly think that we don't need to continually cultivate new artists and audiences for theatre (theatre as a whole--not just Broadway), you are mistaken.

[Timmer]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 10:54am

"Ringers.

"How Do You Solve....Maria" on BBC was full of them. The woman who won was no spring chicken."

Laura Osnes was a semi-ringer herself. She was working at a theatre company in Minnesota, where she's from, playing, of all thins, Sandy Dumbrowski. She gave up that job to audition for "You're the One That I Want" and she won.

[Timmer]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 12:01pm

What are teh dates and times?

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 12:30pm

Meh, they should have just begged Kristen Bell to come in and do the show during the strike, HEROES isn't likely to return this season and she can do the GOSSIP GIRL voice overs from anywhere, so she could have done the show for a while.
She would be just about the only actress that could get me to pay to see LEGALLY BLONDE, not to mention the fact she would be about a thousand times better in the role than Laura Bland Bundy.

[Timmer]

Posted: 2/13/08 at 3:49pm

When will MTV be running the show?

[Timmer]

Posted: 2/13/08 at 3:56pm

Would this sort of thing work better for a touring company, with the possibility that they come to Broadway AFTER THEY GET SOME EXPERIENCE? That way, more of the voters who choose these folks could actually see them.

[caitlinette]

Posted: 2/13/08 at 6:31pm

"Word is that they have their eye on the Palace, where "Legally Blonde" is starting to wobble"

Who has their eye on it?

[Timmer]

Posted: 2/20/08 at 11:45am

When will it air? What day and time?

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 2/20/08 at 11:48am

Sounds good to me : a really bad concept (hiring for a musical using a reality show) for a really bad musical (Legally Bland).