Name Your Pet Peeves/Mild Annoyances of the Current Theatre Season

[romain2]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 2:24pm

We all love theatre and this has been an interesting year! But sometimes some things can bug you--maybe not major things, but some things that make you want to (mildly) vent. What have been your pet peeves of this current season? Doesn't have to be just NYC-based theatre (I personally try to make it to NYC a few times a year but I'm based elsewhere).

I have 3:

1. The Flick is coming to Barrow Street Theatre in late May, from what I heard. I'll be in NYC in late May. So why can't I buy tickets on the Barrow Street's site when late May is just around the corner? Grrrrr. Luckily I'm near Steppenwolf and they're doing the show next season.

2. Alternate Taylor Trensch gives a fantastic performance as Christopher in Curious Incident. I'm sure Alex Sharpe is amazing, and probably deserves all the praise and hype in the world. But why does Curious Incident's Facebook page rarely mention Trensch? It concerns me that if Sharpe does indeed snag a nomination or the actual award, that people will be even more frustrated when they don't get to see Sharpe and take it out on a very gifted young actor. The promoters need to get ready to handle this PR, and talk up the alternate.

3. I haven't seen Something Rotten yet, and I would like to someday. But is it me or did the hype and promotion get a little, oh, I don't know, too in your face? I know they need to promote the heck out of it because it isn't based on a movie or isn't a jukebox musical or isn't a transfer, but seriously, I found myself saying "simmer down, a little."

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 2:31pm

3. YES

[gypsy101]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 2:38pm

3. Oh my god yes. I don't even want to see it after all those shills on here wouldn't shut up about it.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 2:46pm

#3

Same thing happened with Mormon. It looks however, unlike Mormon, it might be enjoyable fun.This is what is called getting good press which is vital to any shows success.

Updated On: 3/27/15 at 02:46 PM

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 2:48pm

My pet peeve is Roxy complaining about Mormon every day since he saw it.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 2:50pm

I almost decided not to see Something Rotten because I hated their sponsored content on PBOL, but I caved due to curiosity and am seeing it next week.

[little_sally]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 2:53pm

I'm actually pretty irritated by Finding Neverland's constant promotion. I don't think I've seen a show's commercials run as much as I've seen those.

[jv92]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 2:55pm

Harvey Weinstein is my main pet peeve this season. To quote the old men at the beginning of Orson Welles' MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS, "I hope he gets his comeuppance!"

[little_sally]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 2:59pm

I'd respect Weinstein's hussle if the show didn't feel like it exists solely to make money.

[jv92]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 3:00pm

Maybe it would help if the material didn't sound like a cruise ship musical revue.

[jkstheatrescene]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 3:08pm

Pet Peeve: People on this board complaining when there is "too much promotion" for a show (Something Rotten, Finding Neverland) AND "not enough promotion" (Honeymoon in Vegas - though now it is switched to complaints that it's all Tony Danza). Must everything be reduced to "damned if you do, damned if you don't" ?

(OP, I do 100% agree with you about Curious Incident and Taylor Trensch, who is AMAZING in that show!)

Also annoying (applies to every season, really): Creating controversy where there is none. Who gives a poo if Idina dyed her hair? It's her freaking hair! Who cares if Tim Gunn left a show at intermission? His reasons, his dime! Do we really have to debate the merits/problems with digital lotteries? Be glad there are ANY! And there's another excuse to be glued to your devices now, so be happy!

[finebydesign]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 3:17pm

I can't tell the difference between An American in Paris and Gigi.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 3:31pm

To Little Sally

A shows main purpose is to make money for its investors. It does that by being good and catching on with the public.

[romain2]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 3:32pm

Thanks everyone for your answers!

jkstheatrescene, oops, I didn't mean to bring up a tired issue by mentioning Something Rotten's promotion. (And thanks for agreeing with me about Trensch, BTW.) I just found some of the promotion overly eager and I often resist such promotion myself. A lot of it has been clever though. I know it's hard to open a show that isn't based on something people already know (seriously, if I hear one more movie has been turned into a Broadway musical--grrrr, maybe THAT should have been my third pet peeve, ha), but when promoters start practically grabbing me and shaking me and saying "look at me, look at me", I went to yell "unhand me!"

Funny in my OP it does all come down to promotion:
1. The Flick not being promoted on its theatre's site.
2. An actor not being promoted enough on social media.
3. A show I am finding a little too promoted.

I thank you again for your thoughtful response.



Updated On: 3/27/15 at 03:32 PM

[jkstheatrescene]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 3:48pm

My pleasure! And for the record, I was voicing my pet peeves as I would say them, not with any malice pointed at you personally. Actually, it is purely because you got the ball rolling with that topic of promotion that my pet peeves coincided with yours. I would have had the same "peeves" if you had led with something else altogether!

I enjoy civilized conversations like ours, romain2! Would that it were mostly this all the time, huh?

[valeposh]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 5:00pm

"Pet Peeve: People on this board complaining when there is "too much promotion" for a show (Something Rotten, Finding Neverland) AND "not enough promotion" (Honeymoon in Vegas - though now it is switched to complaints that it's all Tony Danza). Must everything be reduced to "damned if you do, damned if you don't" ? "

I was thinking the exact same thing. Shows like Honeymoon and, last year, Bridges had horrible ticket sales and one of the aspects to blame the most is the poor promotion. So why hate on shows which have the means to promote and will do so? Should we wait for a show to be failing so it can start promoting more?

[After Eight]

Posted: 3/28/15 at 12:51am

Updated On: 5/3/15 at 12:51 AM

[seahag2]

Posted: 3/28/15 at 1:42am

After Eight, I agree with you on the Into the Woods ads. Every time I refresh BWW a pop-up for the dvd shows up and I have to x out. I've accidentally been redirected to the website multiple times and it is so frustrating!

[Emma MK]

Posted: 3/28/15 at 5:12am

My only annoyance is that there are too many shows that i want to see and can only fit 10 shows into the week im in NY!

[JamesBroadwayWiner]

Posted: 3/28/15 at 2:32pm

I wish that On The Town, On the 20th Century, and An American In Paris were not in the same season. They all seem too similar! If they were each during separate seasons, I'd see all of them!

[ArtMan]

Posted: 3/28/15 at 5:31pm

How about the constant pop up of the Rear Window ad this past week on this very site? Everytime I would close it, popped up again and again and again and again.

[gypsy101]

Posted: 3/28/15 at 5:52pm

What browser are y'all using that gets all those popups? I have safari and literally never have a single one on this site.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 3/28/15 at 6:28pm

some people block popups in their browser.

some people don't block popups in their browser.

some people who don't block popups actually like popups.

some people who don't block popups don't know any better.

most people who don't block popups actually like to have something to complain about at every opportunity.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 3/28/15 at 7:03pm

Dam, You're fuking annoying. I thought your CONSTANT comments about stage dooring, was reason enough to dislike you. If I met you at a party or club, after spending 30 seconds with you, I would run away in the opposite direction. You really do come across as a pompous ass.

Updated On: 3/28/15 at 07:03 PM

[mar6411]

Posted: 3/28/15 at 7:08pm

ArtMan.

First of all, ignore HogansHero.

I had the same problem several days ago. I PM'd Rob and he took care of it. No more Rear Window.