New Priscilla commercial

[Trish2]

Posted: 2/21/11 at 11:53am

Just saw it in NYC on NY1. Disappointing.

"a new musical about three friends on the road trip of a lifetime.....its the biggest party on Broadway with over 25 dance floor classics.....

All true, though the commercial ( which is now posted on this site) really features the 3 divas with everyone else quickly edited in. If they were going for one of those tacky "Volume 4 Dance Party Hits" commercials, they've succeeded.

It doesn't do justice to the show.

[NYTheatre01]

Posted: 2/21/11 at 2:39pm

Totally disagree! Great commercial!

Posted: 2/21/11 at 11:52pm

Saw the commercial.

it is a very 'straight' commercial.
You BARELY see the men in drag.
very disappointing.
It's obvious who they are selling this show to.

Shame on them.

[outdamnwench]

Posted: 2/22/11 at 12:45am

'Shame on them.'

They're just trying to sell the show to their primary customers: straight, white tourists.

Yeah, it says something sucky about the political climate in the US, but you can't blame the producers for that.

[Jemstar86]

Posted: 2/22/11 at 2:20am

I have to say I had the same thought. It is a really great commercial, but it is very misleading. Most people have no idea what Priscilla is and if they think it's going to be about anything other than three drag queens they are going to be upset. Especially if they are people that don't "agree" with that lifestyle. I find it odd that the producers would have the drive to bring a musical like this over to the States and set it up on Broadway and then cover up everything that the show stands for. That I don't get. I get them needing to make money and selling to homophobic people everywhere .... But if that was what they wanted to do why not pick another show? Lord knows people can't get enough of Oklahoma (except me) so why not pick that one? I guess I just feel like the producers are giving into the idea of brushing our (yes, I am a drag queen) culture under the carpet. Again.

[GatorNY]

Posted: 2/22/11 at 7:42am

I believe that if the show succeeds, patrons won't be upset to find out that it is a story about 3 drag queens. I remember reading that Jerry Herman was concerned about how La Cage was going to be received at it's original out of town tryout back in the eighties. By the end of the show they were getting standing ovations from everyone regardless of their personal experiences and orientation. Also, isn't that "It's Raining Men" being played during the commercial? That might be a clue that there are some gay guys involved.

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 2/22/11 at 8:40am

While it is mostly of the 3 Divas that commercial still shows that this is a very gay and outrageous show. I think you can kind of figure out that fact that it is men in drag but just those shots. It may not say "a musical about drag queens" but it's pretty clear.

Posted: 2/22/11 at 9:53am

Sorry. I disagree.

When all you see is mainly the greek chorus girls moving sexy and in their dresses with several close-ups of them and you hear its a tale of 'three friends' on a journey and you have the men seen in quick blips with NO closeups--it is completely masking what the show is about. It's sad that the producers aren't ballsy enough to really say what it is in that commercial.

Shame on them, Bette Midler and everyone involved for allowing that to happen.

You know they sat there and said- we can't sell this show in this way.

They are just as ashamed about it and about the people it represents.

Sad.

[outdamnwench]

Posted: 2/22/11 at 1:38pm

Of course they aren't ashamed of gay people or culture. Why would any producer invest millions of dollars in something they didn't believe in fully? There are much less risky ways to see a return on investment.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 2/22/11 at 1:57pm

I'm getting a little tired of people shaming the producers over what they THINK is a back handed bash to the drag queens.

And it was a huge hit movie, so when people say, "People won't know what they are getting into" just seems silly.

There is nothing wrong with the way they are marketing the show. Do they have to line the theatre with gay pride flags to make you happy?

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 2/22/11 at 6:39pm

How about that London commercial that really showed off the Drag?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLI5NoML9aw

Oh, nope. Well how about Toronto?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLf3nIq397U

Nope again...

I think the Broadway commercial shows it more than both of those.
Updated On: 2/22/11 at 06:39 PM

[Idiot]

Posted: 2/22/11 at 6:54pm

On the one hand, who ever goes to a show without knowing what it's about? On the other hand, yes -- it's tacky to downplay the drag element of PRISCILLA.

[KirbyCat]

Posted: 2/22/11 at 9:13pm

...wait wait wait. "Broadway's DIVALISCIOUS new musical"?! REALLY?

[NYTheatre01]

Posted: 2/23/11 at 9:58am

TheatreDiva! Loved your post! This commercial has "universal" appeal.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 2/23/11 at 12:56pm

So I just showed two girls with no knowledge of the show the commercial and asked them what they think it's about. They both said drag. So there you go.

[Khashoggi]

Posted: 2/23/11 at 9:01pm

I think people are reading far too much into this commercial.
It is, after all, a juke-box musical. And most of the songs in the show are performed by the Divas. Its the music they are using as a selling point, not the women. And there are very clear shots of the three boys, right after it mentions "three friends". They are even in the bus, it could hardly be anymore clear than that.
And at the end of the day, its a commercial for a new Broadway musical that is trying to sell tickets, not a PSA for Gay Rights. Whatever they have to do to put the bums on seats and get people to see the show, and hear its message, they should do it.

[Anastasia_Beaverhausen]

Posted: 2/24/11 at 4:23pm

Anyone have a discount code from May? Thanks!