Marc Shaiman's on the board!- Page 5

[Marc Shaiman]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 9:01am

Yo Sheekala!

Bravo on your fantastic explanation of the good stuff to be mined in "CATCH ME IF YOU CAN" I couldn't have (and didn't) say it better myself! (Of course, I WAS trying to be concise!!)

I hope we do you proud

Oh, and for the tired business man, let's not forget that besides all that "father/son, society's obssesion with what's on the outside" stuff, "CATCH" will also offer lots of what Frank did it for...sex!

Updated On: 1/27/04 at 09:01 AM

[chasing_rainbows43]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 9:07am

Master, isn't it sort of strange how that conversation at Barrymoore's has affected people's posting? Not that I much prefer the constant trashing of shows and actors, but I've been reading and seeing the differences from before that took place, and after.

Jumping on the welcome wagon here, Hello to Mr. Shaiman, thanks for the round, and while I've not seen Hairspray, I <3 "The American President". Worlds of thanks for that amazing score.

And with that, I am off to class.
Lovely day to all,
~S

[sheekala]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 9:34am

And to think I tried to explain it without my morning coffee! Oh and there better be SEX or I ain't coming(hey look ma a pun!)and Chasing there does seem to be a lighter but no less insightful tone to the postings, and as someone who embraced the "dark side" a few times I can tell you I'm having just as much fun. 2004 is all about the love because "without love..."

[Craig]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 9:37am

Chasing-

Are you suggesting the overall tone on bww.com is different, or just from selected posters? As you know, the majority of the board wasn't there. Curious insight though.

[sheekala]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 9:49am

Craig, maybe our Jedi mind trick did work?! But it looks like BoB didn't get the memo. Kiddin' cause I love!

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 10:00am

I'm sorry, I am still trying to ponder Sheekala judging a B-grade beauty contest. Hmm...So who won Little Miss Tampa? I didn't see that on my Yahoo News page.

[sheekala]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 10:09am

A lovely young lass named Sara Byrne, if you do a Google search you'll find the show's website, it's all very....um,well John Davidson was the last host so that might explain it. But they put ya up in a nice hotel, and the pay is wonderful. Hey when I think about it I spent Christmas with Mickey Rooney onstage in Atlantic City and I host a beauty pageant, I'm a has-been before I was ever a has!

Posted: 1/27/04 at 10:17am

Chasing...does it look like anything has changed my writing..?

Look, I just took a flame thrower to a whole community...!

LOL!



By the way..i can not PM you...it won't allow it..

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 10:37am

Marc S., did you say there's gonna be sex? I want sex on the level of Michael Bennett's aborted project "Scandal." You know, legendary levels of sex. I'm greasing my pan for the opening as I type.

[robbiej]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 10:40am

Um...don't know if I've mentioned it...but I'm starring in Betty's Summer Vacation at the Native Aliens Theatre on 23rd Street, Feb. 11-21, tickets are $15.

I haven't said that before, have I?

Oh...and VA, you certainly are known for throwing a flame around.

And Sheek...please tell me Swan Brunner was in the pageant!

Posted: 1/27/04 at 10:50am

"'You wanna be different? Be good, that will be different enough!'" "Well, that's my motto!" -

Mr. Shaiman,

What an enormous breath of fresh air it is to read these words from you! I am a composer/lyricist myself and I am always hearing from people (both writers and not) that shows need to be ever more groundbreaking, shocking and never-before-seen in order to succeed.

I think one of the problems we are having on Broadway today is that people are spending so much time looking for ways to make a show "new" and "grounbreaking" that they forget to make it GOOD!

Botton line: above all else, a show needs to be good first. People don't want to pay $100 + for a show only to leave the theatre scratching their heads. They want to be entertained.
The way to be "new" and "groundbreaking" is simply to write a
damn good show!

I salute you!!!

[Marc Shaiman]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 10:58am

bri, thanks so much, but...

before "you know who" gets his panties in a twist, remember, Entertaining and Challenging are not mutualy exclusive!

I am off to the initial production meeting down at The Academy Awards, where the egos are even more tightly wound then here on BWW!!!! HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[robbiej]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 11:01am

Four words, Marc:

DEBBIE ALLEN DANCE NUMBERS

That's all I have to say.

[Phantom2]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 11:04am

My dream is to become a trophy boy on an awards show.

Updated On: 1/27/04 at 11:04 AM

[robbiej]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 11:06am

Phantom,

If you're second-generation Hollywood Royalty, you could become Mr. Golden Globes just like theatre legend Melanie Griffith!

[sheekala]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 11:07am

P2 would you settle for being a "trophy boy" on my arm? And don't worry robbiej, the other arm is yours! Can't wait to see your show.

[krisjoseph]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 12:01pm

I'm way behind on this thread but I wanted to comment on BoB's thoughts on "musicalizing" movies (I hope I'm not bastardizing the language too much with that term).

I don't think the aim of a writer is to REPEAT the success or failure of a film in a new format; rather, I think serious writers are inspired by an aspect of the film that they believe wasn't addressed adequately, did not work, or deserves to be explored. Thus "Wicked" (a BOOK adaptation, but the example still applies) focuses more on the relationship between Glinda and Elphaba; "The Spitfire Grill" uses music to address emotional peaks that the film could not attain. The best examples (and I don't want to imply the my previous two examples are the BEST ones) serve as a complement to the films on which they are based. Verbatim transcriptions with songs that don't ADD ANYTHING are folly.

IMHO, then, the best properties are the films that didn't live up to their potential... not the ones that everyone knows and loves.

Oh, and Spielberg's adaptation of "Catch Me If You Can" could have been better... so we'll just have to wait and see.

Updated On: 1/27/04 at 12:01 PM

[chasing_rainbows43]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 12:33pm

VA - email me instead

Re: Change in tone - I don't think that it has affected every person at the gathering, and I think it might have also affected others not at the gathering who may have read a few posts regarding that particular conversation. The overall tone of the board hasn't changed, nor did I expect it to. What I *have* seen is a very subtle change in tone from some posters after hearing/reading about that conversation.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 1:04pm

ya'll better back up off of Phantom... he is MY trophy boi

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 1:04pm

Well, it is nice to hear some people like having young, starry-eyed theater lovers on the board. Sometimes, we are criticized for only liking certain shows, but believe it or not, we're smarter then you all think we are, and probably know and love some of the shows you think are too advanced for us teenie boppers in love with Hairspray and Millie.

That was kind of off topic, but whatever.

I'm also looking forward to "Catch Me If You Can". I actually started a post the afternoon after I saw the movie about how great of a musical it would make, and who should be cast-hehe.
---Oh, and someone said, in reference to one of my posts, that posting something negative is not bad, and that's completely true, and was worded wrong in my case. I post negative things about shows all the time, but as others have said, there are ways to say things politely and with respect, and that's the problem I've had with a lot of the people on this board.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 1:04pm

I'm very surprised at this year's nominations, actually, particularly the ones for Johnny Depp and Keisha Castle-Hughes. Good for them. Seriously, let's have some Debbie Allen dance numbers. I completely agree

[newyorkuniq]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 1:08pm

Now this post could be turned into a musical...Marc Shaiman comes into town and the people sing a triumphant welcome song as he sings and dances around the statue of Rob D. :P

[Phantom2]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 1:13pm

Craig, broadwayguy2 and I can all be hot chorus boys!

[newyorkuniq]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 1:15pm

while mistermatt sings naked in the background...haha

[sheekala]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 1:16pm

Bright and Cheery thoughts bedamned, if it's a fight for Phantom2's "trophy" you want, you've got it BG2! I'll send you back to the convent wit da quickness yo!