Marc Shaiman on MEMPHIS....- Page 2

[jv92]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 2:44pm

"In COLORED LIGHTS, Kander and Ebb talked about how Harold Prince got all pissy when he saw CHICAGO because he thought it was a direct rip of CABARET. Similarities here. At least Prince didn't have the audacity to threaten a lawsuit...jokingly or otherwise."

I think Hal (who I think is a genius and who I respect more than anyone in the theatre, except for Stephen Sondheim) was going through his important-itis, huge-ego phase after having three tremendous artistic successes with Sondheim and after having Cabaret be the success it was, etc. I don't think he would have sued old frends Kander and Ebb or ex-old friend Fosse. Or maybe he was jealous Chicago was making more money than the equally wonderful Pacific Overtures?

[Jason Bennett]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 2:47pm

I'm not saying that at all. I expect several posters can't read (duh...), and apparently think hot thoughts about me, but that you're far above them...It's actually made me laugh out loud how much time many invest in me. It's textbook PERFECTION.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 2:49pm

And Prince later had Fosse do some choreography for GRIND, so I'm sure it was a minor kerfuffle at best.

Once again, similarities.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 2:51pm

I saw his post this morning and thought it was funny. I made a clever comment and went to work and didn't think about it again.

We constantly have to remind ourselves that every day the Internet becomes more and more a World Wide Web. Anything you post can and will be held against you.

I believe he meant it good-naturedly, but he was smart to take it down.

[jv92]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 2:53pm

"And Prince later had Fosse do some choreography for GRIND, so I'm sure it was a minor kerfuffle at best."

And he hired Nicole for Phantom and (I think) sat with Gwen at Phantom's opening night in New York. I think the wound between Fosse and Prince was mended before Fosse passed.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 2:53pm

Of course he meant it good naturedly! But now that he's taken it down, he should sue. Wouldn't Joe Mantello?

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 3:02pm

Don't forget the Urinetown folks!

[Jason Bennett]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 3:03pm

Urine. Period. When it comes down to it...urine...

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 3:22pm

Also, theatrediva and lizzie curry who makes up a fake quote about me in his/her signature"

Yea.

Because my signature quote has nothing to do with you. The quote that I posted in this thread, you actually said.


What an idiot! lol!

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 3:33pm

It's probably better that he deleted the comment. It was a pretty silly thing to say considering how much of the Hairspray score is wildly and sincerely borrowed or stolen from classic 60's songs, beats and chord progressions. Like, court of law/injunction/cease and desist borrowed.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 3/26/11 at 6:27pm

I know this is probably ancient history but what did Marc Shaiman say?

[dexter3]

Posted: 3/26/11 at 7:19pm

Yeah can anyone remember? Or paraphrase?

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 3/26/11 at 7:25pm

It was a Marc Shaiman-style mostly joking accusation of plagiarism, likening Memphis to Hairsray. It was a silly throw-away thing to say, and he deleted it before it began to get traction as a story. No big deal. Non-story then, non-story now. What on earth would possess you to seek this out and bump it?
Updated On: 3/26/11 at 07:25 PM

[Annas_Priest]

Posted: 3/26/11 at 7:27pm

I remember he said something on Facebook to the affect of "I watched the Tony awards last night and saw Memphis perform. It looked just like Hairspray. So much like it that a cease and desist order may be coming to them."

[massofmen]

Posted: 3/26/11 at 8:05pm

ummm you can INsert "you cant' stop the beat" in the last song of memphis and it almost fits perfectly.

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 3/26/11 at 10:18pm

Ghostlight2 is right. Shaiman was just joking; he took down the post because some folks were reading it out of context, and thought he was seriously dissing the 'Memphis' writers.

It's old news. Like the prediction Massofmen made about 'Memphis' on Sept. 27, 2009:

'If it makes it to xmas, it will close in Jan. [2010].'

Tonight, 'Memphis' celebrates its 600th show on Broadway.

Hockadoo!

[Moneyspider]

Posted: 3/30/11 at 7:50am

I think it's more about funding and business models. I'm sure Hairspray came up because it was a hit but it's a different take on the same social
Issue. Hairspray is more about aspirations and projection, Memphis about "the cold hard facts that created America." With all the money and talent involved (we're not talking Ed Wood here) quality isn't usually the issue. It's more about personal taste.