Mary Poppins last night

[mc1227]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 3:48pm

Took my 7 year old niece to see Mary Poppins last night. I will say up front that I have avoided all Disney productions on Broadway (expect for Aida). I think I am a traditionalist who doesn't really accept Disney as the Broadway experience that I have known and loved for years. Having said that, it was a great production (way too long however) I feel they could have easily cut a half hour of it away. Great performances and music.

What bothered me the most (other than the fact my niece wanted to leave at intermission) was the commerical prostitution of vendors coming into the audience at intermission hawking these umbrellas and the souvenier cups, etc. I felt like I was at the Ringling Bros Circus at times. I know that this may have been discussed previously on this site, but I was too lazy to search.

Updated On: 6/13/08 at 03:48 PM

[SgtDonut]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 3:50pm

Yeah, so they're merch whores. What else is new?

Updated On: 6/13/08 at 03:50 PM

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 3:51pm

it IS disney. shouldn't be surprised.

I'm a "traditionalist" (purist), like you, and I am NOT a huge fan of Disney Theatricals.

But I think we need to appreciate what they do for all of the young kids and toddlers out there... can't argue with spreading the art of musical theatre. even if it is Disney.
Updated On: 6/13/08 at 03:51 PM

[mc1227]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 3:57pm

Great point, TDH. I guess commericalized Broadway is one way to keep theatre going for the young people, but I still feel that they have missed so much because they are not exposed to classics. I hate to think that in 20 years from now my neice will be telling her kids about her experience seeing Mary Poppins, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast on Broadway compared to when I was telling my kids about productions of Evita, Chicago, Rent, 42nd St. etc. Just seems so watered down and insignificant in comparison. I'm depressed!!

[SgtDonut]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 4:00pm

Those productions are based on classic films to kids. Besides, how old were you when you saw Evita, Chicago, Rent...?

[Act4ever]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 4:07pm

Also, Chicago and Rent are still playing... "classics" are still around. South Pacific, Gypsy, Grease, Sunday... the shows playing now are the classics of our next generation -- like Hairspray or Jersey Boys. No?

[winston89]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 4:10pm

I am iffy about the whole Disney on Broadway thing. But, I have to give credit where it is due. They are exposing a whole slew of kids to their first Broadway show. I feel that they are good at creating a night out at the theatre for young kids that most shows can't seem to do. Keep in mind, I feel that the same people who are anti Disney on Broadway don't seem to complain when Wicked is going strong at the Gershwin and one of its producers is Universal Pictures. I wounder what they will say with regards to that when Shrek opens up being produced by the same movie company. Keep in mind that Dreamworks is owned by Universal.

[candydog2]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 4:31pm

Wicked is an odd situation - I mean it did kind of come from a film. Well it came from a book, which came from a film based on a book, but it's still very unique and different to the books and film it came from. I actually consider Wicked as a genuine original musical, (and also happen to love it - it's a clever interesting take on an old story and that kind of thing appeals to me - it's like the Oz version of the Da Vinci Code - OK, that's an exaggeration, hmm... I'm rambling here), anyway I also have to admit that Miss Poppins is made for Broadway - I mean the film itself is a classic musical!!! If there is one Disney show I think deserves it's broadway presence it's Mary Poppins.

[Okayfine]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 4:35pm

"the shows playing now are the classics of our next generation -- like Hairspray or Jersey Boys. No?"

No. They are shows. They will become classics if & when they are revived repeatedly because they continue to speak to generations of theatre audiences. And let's not assume what generation everyone is in! lol

[bundy5000]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 8:08pm

Sure you can go on and on about it's not real musical theater but Mary Poppins and Little Mermaid are some of the most Classic Disney Movies EVER. Now Disney Comes out with CGI graphical crap that has been made with nothing but technology. No Pure Talent, No pure acting, No Pure Story, AND NO PURE MAGIC. So these last remains of actual Walt Disney movies should be portrayed somehow. And Broadway is perfect. The kids deserve a chance to see the remains of what was "Pure Imagination".

As for the over the top selling of merchandise, if that's something u don't like, don't buy it. But you know kids.... "I WANT THIS AND THIS AND THAT" Let kids be kids and let Show people be Show People!

[adamgreer]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 8:51pm

Disney shows are NOT the only shows to have vendors in the aisles at intermission selling souvenirs. That's been going on for years now.

Updated On: 6/13/08 at 08:51 PM

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 8:56pm

I'm all for Disney shows. I loved Lion King and I was very little when I saw Beauty and The Beast. They were my first Broadway Shows. I feel like after Lion King, which is amazing, Disney thinks they can do anything. Little Mermaid was awful.

[Rotel1026]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 9:10pm

Dreamworks is not owned by Universal. Universal has an agreement to use some of the Dreamworks characters in it's parks. Dreamworks is owned by Paramount.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DreamWorks

[scaryclowns223]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 10:48pm

I was definitely irked by the vendors in the aisle at Young Frankenstein, so I'm glad someone else was bothered by that...

[mc1227]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 11:06pm

I saw YF several months ago and there were no vendors in the aisles at that time. Maybe its a new thing? I'm horrified by it, to be honest. It is so demeaning to see that in a beautiful theatre that houses so much history.
I am older and have seen many of the current revivals in their original state, so I think that's why I'm a bit skeptical that today's shows that are geared to children are going to be around 20 years from now. The shows from my younger years were definitely star driven and those performances are historical. Disney shows, and even Jersey Boys or Wicked, are not in the same category as Gypsy, Chicago, Evita, Oklahoma, Annie, 42nd St, etc. We didn't go to Broadway to see Bugs Bunny, Road Runner, The Munsters, we went to see shows written by wonderful lyricists, composers and starring memorable actors. Maybe that's why I loved A Catered Affair. It was such a change of pace from what Broadway has become.

[gypsy4]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 11:11pm

At least Disney did go out of the box with the stage adaption Mary Poppins which they haven't done with there other shows.

[SgtDonut]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 11:13pm

Yes, that's true. It was very much reworked. Loved Step In Time.

[gypsy4]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 11:20pm

and Mary poppins was More of cameron Mackintoshes show than it was disneys.
disney was just a benefit so he could use the songs from the movie.

[mc1227]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 11:25pm

Not having seen most of the others, I want to be clear that I thought the production was very well done. I don't want to take anything away from the actors & musicians. They did a great job. I'm talking in generalities about Disney commericalism.

[D2]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 11:41pm

Commercial.

Commercialism.

Thanks.

[puppetman2]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 11:53pm

Have you ever gone to a Disney ice show. They are not produced by Disney and the souvenire selling is horrible. Spinning flashlights throughout the show so you can't concentrate on the skating (it is not really skating, just moving on ice in huge costumes) Give me Disney theatricals where you can at least concentrate on the story and music. And don't forget they are letting future audiences find theater early.

[mc1227]

Posted: 6/14/08 at 12:42am

Thanks for your input D2.

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 6/14/08 at 1:05am

Updated On: 5/4/09 at 01:05 AM

[SirNotAppearing]

Posted: 6/14/08 at 1:06am

Disney brought Broadway back from the dead only to start chipping away at it again.

[mc1227]

Posted: 6/14/08 at 9:50am

No, I don't believe that children should sit through classics like Gypsy, but I also don't believe that half of Broadway shows should be geared toward children either. When my children were younger, I brought them to regional and community theatres because they were the venues that performed shows that kids would be interested in. Now it seems that Broadway has become that venue. I was just stating that it lessens what Broadway used to be and has made it more circus like. But hey, if you all enjoy it, to each his own.