Obama to See Joe Turner This Weekend- Page 3

[BroadwayChica]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 2:00pm

To answer the more frivolous questions (since I have nothing to add to the ludicrous, and may I say somewhat hypocritial HOW DARE THEY SPEND TAX PAYER'S MONEY discussion), The Obamas were in row K, left aisle. Meryl was about 4 or 5 rows directly in front of them. Blythe Danner was around 2 rows in front of Meryl. (I did see her, I just wasn't 100% sure it was her until someone mentioned it). Meryl had a ponytail, and looked absolutely radiant.

And I suppose some people may have felt the show dragged on for too long, but I wasn't one of them. I was exhilerated, both by the energy in the room, and the play itself.
Updated On: 5/31/09 at 02:00 PM

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 2:21pm

Thank you, BroadwayChica! How thrilling!

I can't agree with the "wasting tax payer money" nonsense. If anything Obama just gave Broadway (not to mention an August Wilson play) a nice boost.

[BroadwayChica]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 2:29pm

I agree. I was talking to one of the ushers, and she was saying how Obama's presence had helped boost ticket sales. I strongly believe that the President supporting the arts, especially in this economy, is very important, and it's simply ridiculous to chastise him for that. It wasn't a multi million dollar shopping spree. It was a night at the theater, and I'd be just as proud had it been a Republican President.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 2:46pm

Random, and a little late, but I agree 110% Testing!

Roger Robinson had better win that Tony. What a performance!

[karen24]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 4:05pm

I'm going to see this on June 13th, the night before it closes (by the way, is it unusual that the last performance will apparently be a matinee? Or are they having a special nighttime performance on that Sunday for the last show?) I'm glad I'm going to be able to see it--I'm making a special trip to NYC from upstate as I've heard so many wonderful things about the production and the performances. I'm glad that the President & his wife got to see it and I don't begrudge the cost. What are they supposed to do, hide in the White House for four years? I'm sure this will not be a frequent occurrence.
Here's a frivolous question for anyone who's seen the play: I was just reading the other day about the Belasco Theater, and the story about the two ghosts that supposedly haunt the theater was mentioned. One is David Belasco and the other is supposedly a showgirl in a blue dress who was killed when she fell down an elevator shaft. The story said that an actress in whatever cast is currently playing the theater is supposed to wear a blue dress to pacify the ghost. So were any of the actresses in "Joe Turner" wearing blue?

[Testing1232]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 4:13pm

>>Random, and a little late, but I agree 110% Testing!

Roger Robinson had better win that Tony. What a performance! >>

He's simply astounding !!! If anything, it should be a "make-up call" for Chisholm not winning last year !! LOL

[sundayclothes2]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 4:38pm

I'm only saying that there is some perfectly lovely theatre in Washington, he didn't need to fly a jet up here to see a play.

You do realize he did not fly to New York just to see Joe Turner? He was in New York for other reasons (as was stated by the press and media) and decided to catch Joe Turner as part of the trip.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 4:44pm

Well, sundayclothes2, there have been statements to the press that Obama was fulfilling a promise to his wife that he would take her to a Broadway show.

[sundayclothes2]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 4:49pm

Yes, but according to the article that I read (either Time or Newsday - I can't remember) he flew in for a meeting earlier in the evening and then took his wife to dinner and to the show. It made it seem like the reason that they went to see the show last night was because he had plans to be in New York.

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 4:52pm

Seriously, I'm amazed he actually got to see a show. All of you are complaining that he didn't see this and that. He's the freaking president, Americans don't pay their tax dollars so the president can get paid to see Broadway shows.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 4:53pm

The media are giving different reasons for the main purpose of the trip so I am not sure we can cite one major purpose.

Meetings can sometimes, not always, be done over the phone or by video conference so it may have been a combination of factors.

Personally I believe Joe Turner was first and forefront because it wasn't expected to run much longer.

Anyone know if there is a chance it will be extended?

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 4:55pm

^ Maybe he just feakin wanted to see it. I think everyone is reading into this WAY too much.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 4:58pm

>Anyone know if there is a chance it will be extended?<

Only two more weeks are on sale, through June 14. In order to have any audience for the weeks going forward from June 15 on, they really would have needed to have announced an extension by now.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 5:00pm

Plus it has had the acclaim of several Tony noms so that could be another reason they wanted to see it.

I wonder if they will watch the Tonys?

I wonder if Obama will call or write the cast/creative team/Lincoln Center, Roger Robinson and/or Director Sher if they win their respective Tony?

That would be really nice.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 5:04pm

Thanks for the info, Smaxie.

I think Lincoln Center would be crazy not to turn somersaults to try to get this extended, though.

They may have the public clamoring at the theater's door for tickets. I hope so anyway. I hope as many people as possible get to see it.

And sometimes for Lincoln Center, anything is possible.

[snowskittle]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 8:27pm

What was the meeting?

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 8:34pm

I don't know if there was a meeting or with whom, but sundayclothes2 vaguely recalls reading it in "either Time or Newsday" so check those publications online to see if you can find out, snowskittle.

I didn't see it reported in any of the media I read.

[srg129]

Posted: 6/1/09 at 3:01am

While it's always great to see the president and first lady supporting the arts, I really wish he'd be spending some time trying to figure out how to deal with the potentially volatile situation in North Korea. And I do agree that there is some great theater in D.C. that they could be supporting instead. In my opinion, being elected to the presidency of the U.S. is a 24 hour around the clock job for the most part. It's kind of the qualifications of being elected to the position. And one should expect that if elected. Running around appearing on late night TV and being concerned about selecting an appropriate pet could certainly wait a few years. Not that he has to work around the clock, but it would be nice to know that our president is working nearly full time on making our country a better place to live. There's more than enough time for jaunts into the world of entertainment after he's fulfilled his oath to the office. I'm sure this wonderful revival doesn't need his endorsement, especially considering that many regional theaters across the U.S. do August's equally compelling revivals all the time.

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 6/1/09 at 4:47am

No one can work around the clock without getting burnt out. Obama hasn't exactly been frivolous with his time, and he's allowed a night off. I remember seeing that he'd been immensely busy/comparatively productive in his first 100 days in office. I think your position is pretty extreme, srg129.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 6/1/09 at 11:14am

I, for one, am glad Obama came and made contact with our city so that he doesn't forget about us while he's making all his plans for the country off in D.C.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 6/1/09 at 11:25am

Extreme and ridiculous. I must have missed the part of the Constitution that said the president must give up all earthly possessions and attachments for the duration of his term. If that were what was expected, we would only elect type-A introverted bachelors. Or robots.

I'd rather have a president who takes time to watch his children's soccer games on the weekend than one who focuses on nothing but the job, alienates all those he holds dear and loses his grounding in humanity. But hey, if sanity isn't a quality you value in the man with his finger on the red button, that's your perogative.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 6/1/09 at 11:26am

"While it's always great to see the president and first lady supporting the arts, I really wish he'd be spending some time trying to figure out how to deal with the potentially volatile situation in North Korea."

Unless you were this vocal about Bush during his months-long vacations at Crawford DURING the wars he launched, then you have no right to comment. The President cannot nor should not spend EVERY WAKING MOMENT doing business...do you?

"And I do agree that there is some great theater in D.C. that they could be supporting instead."

There's also theater in Chicago, Houston, Boston, San Francisco. Maybe he wanted to see Joe Turner...and since he was in New York he could take the opportunity.

"In my opinion, being elected to the presidency of the U.S. is a 24 hour around the clock job for the most part. It's kind of the qualifications of being elected to the position. And one should expect that if elected."

That's true, but that doesn't mean he must work 24 hours a day. If something happened, I'm sure he stop his leisure activity and meet with the appropriate people (unlike his predecessor). He has every right to have leisure time.

"Running around appearing on late night TV and being concerned about selecting an appropriate pet could certainly wait a few years."

BS. People want to know about the First Family. The Presidency is a political position, and the public...for whom he works...are interested.

"Not that he has to work around the clock, but it would be nice to know that our president is working nearly full time on making our country a better place to live."

Your entire post is about wanting him to work around the clock. He's probably done more in the last 5 months than Bush did in the last 8 years. It is absolutely ridiculous to expect the president, ANY president, from having some leisure time.

"There's more than enough time for jaunts into the world of entertainment after he's fulfilled his oath to the office. I'm sure this wonderful revival doesn't need his endorsement, especially considering that many regional theaters across the U.S. do August's equally compelling revivals all the time."

You're just being ridiculous. He went to see a Broadway show...which took 3 hours of his time. He isn't racing down the Amazon.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 6/1/09 at 1:10pm

"by the way, is it unusual that the last performance will apparently be a matinee? Or are they having a special nighttime performance on that Sunday for the last show?)"

The typical day for a show to close is a Sunday. If the show doesn't have regularly scheduled Sunday evening performances then the last show will be a matinee. It's not outside the realm of possibility to add a special evening performance for closing night. But if they haven't announced it then it would be safe to assume that the last show is, indeed, a matinee.

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 6/1/09 at 1:22pm

Lock him in the Oval Office and don't let him out until he's fixed the economy, ended the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, disarmed North Korea and Iran, and legalized gay marriage.

Get in that office and don't come out 'til it's fixed! *rolls eyes*

[Kad]

Posted: 6/1/09 at 1:32pm

For the record, Obama's vist to the Belasco has apparently helped Joe Turner's box office:

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/129732-Obamas_Give_Joe_Turner_Box_Office_a_Boost


I also find it ridiculous people are criticizing him for doing this when our last president spent more time on vacation than any other in our nation's history- almost 900 days spent on his ranch. That's what, almost a third of his time spent in office?