Official Kickstarter to get Spring Awakening to perform on the Tonys- Page 22

[lexivas]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 4:47pm

& what does this have to do with anything...? 

This is why I don't spend my time replying to message boards, because I have a life outside of theatre. I come on to defend my friends from ignorant people. I'll enjoy watching my friends on the Tony's, spreading diversity and awareness. You guys enjoy complaining on message boards.

[Jallenc32]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 4:47pm

lexivas said: "They did it assuming they would hit it by Sunday, because that's the track they believed they were on. Also, a bunch of the cast was already in the city, or would upfront it themselves (because most people can afford a simple flight), and stay with friends, if they had to."

And if they didn't hit it?  Where would that money have come from that had already been spent?  Kickstarter is all or nothing.  It would have bankrupted Deaf West to front the cash and not get it back.  Who fronted it, and why wasn't that disclosed?

[Kad]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 4:48pm

lexivas said: "Alright, I give you that, a marketing tool. Everyone does it. Why should it bother you. Maybe if they truly believed in the beginning that it was, that's why they said it. Then they realized they were on a track. Be it, done in some large donations, but also tons of small donations you all don't realize, because you weren't tracking that, were you?"

Because it's deceitful.

And yeah, I am aware that there were many small donors. I've actually been following it closely. But I am talking specifically about the 35k cash infusion that came quickly  after the whole campaign was made to look foolish with the Tonys announcing their performance. It wasn't a surge of tons of small donors! It was a few donors.

You don't fund a Tony performance in the two weeks before the awards. That's not how it works.

 

[lexivas]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 4:49pm

There's a first time for everything, isn't there? They did it. It's never been done before. Deal with it.

[Kad]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 4:50pm

lexivas said: "There's a first time for everything, isn't there? They did it. It's never been done before. Deal with it"

So what would've happened if 11:59 on 6/11 came and went and they didn't hit 200k?

 

[lexivas]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 4:51pm

By the rate they were going, they would have. If not, then someone would have donated to Deaf West because that's what they do. There's many parties out there who I know would have been willing. Let it go, I honestly don't understand why people have to spend time from their lives worrying about this.

Updated On: 6/9/16 at 04:51 PM

[hypno68]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 4:53pm

And what "friends" are you defending? Unless you're friends with Ken Davenport or DJ Kurs, then you're barking up the wrong tree. 

And when do you think the $100k fee (outside of production costs) was due? Sunday morning?

[lexivas]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 4:55pm

I have friends who were in the show, so I'm defending them and their work. I'll get off of here and let you all waste your personal time complaining. That's why I never get on here. Enjoy! Sorry I couldn't help with any questions and concerns, since you don't want to believe anything. 

[Kad]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 4:59pm

lexivas said: "By the rate they were going, they would have. If not, then someone would have donated to Deaf West because that's what they do. There's many parties out there who I know would have been willing. Let it go, I honestly don't understand why people have to spend time from their lives worrying about this."

They actually were not projected to be hitting their 200k mark, until those few large donations came in.

Why are you so resistant to the thought that this was a campaign to reimburse a payment that had already been made?

Do you think that salaries and rehearsal spaces and schedules all could wait until the night before?

Do you even know how Tony performances work? It's not a battle of the bands, bring your own equipment the day-of kind of thing. They're on contract with the Tony Awards production company. They need designs. They need music. They need tech elements. It requires things- things that cost money- weeks in advance. The show needs to be scheduled within an inch of its life. It requires time and certainty.

Absolutely no one is saying the performance does not deserve to happen or be seen.

But the way this campaign was handled has been awful.

 

[JudyDenmark]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 5:15pm

lexivas said: "I have friends who were in the show, so I'm defending them and their work."

 

Lexivas, just to clarify since it's been said but buried a bit... I think the VAST majority of us loved the show and are thrilled that it's performing. Thrilled! It completely changed the way I look at Spring Awakening, and I enjoyed it so much more than the original, which I happened to enjoy a lot. Hell, it was arguably my favorite show of this season! I genuinely can't wait to see the talented cast perform on Sunday.  

 

The beef is with the deceptiveness of the Kickstarter. Not even the fact that there was a Kickstarter... just the "if we don't get this Kickstarter money, we can't perform at all" message, which has always been nonsense. It's the deceitfulness that's the problem, not the show, the talent, or anything that has to do with the creative. 

Updated On: 6/9/16 at 05:15 PM

[HogansHero]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 5:17pm

@lexivas, under the best of all circumstances, your naiveté is more evident now than before. under the worst of circumstances, you are just an alter ego for someone who cannot say anything themselves on the advice of counsel. we will have the answers to all of these things eventually, because the filings will be made and they will be public. 

[lexivas]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 5:30pm

@Judy: Thank you for this. A whole part of this that was all bugging me is the fact that most of these people just seem so upset that they are getting to perform because of this, and genuinely, I'm just trying to back my friends. I'm no one of importance, just a friend, hence the whole reason I even decided to speak. I'm glad to here that you are at least still excited about it, and I understand your reasonings of being upset. I guess since because I know these people, I didn't ever see it that way, because I know it's not malicious or for personal endevors in any way. I can see where you all are coming from, the way it was advertised, etc., and how you perseve it. It's just not that way.

As for @HogansHero: I also am in no way naive about any of this, so I'd greatly appreciate you stop referring to me like that. I'm a very mature and understanding theatre-goer, like yourself, who reads up on these types of things, as well as any other bway news. Sorry we can't agree.

@Kad: I know how Tony Awards work, I understand how it looks to you. It's just, it's not. They could have had an influx of donations all of the sudden this weekend and make it, which in would have been totally different from gradual way it was rising over the entire course. You simply don't know.

I'll leave it at that. 

[hypno68]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 5:41pm

@lexivas: do you deny that the Kickstarter was promoted as "if we don't reach our goal, we won't perform" from the beginning?

[Hairspray0901]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 5:42pm

Lexivas I'm curious who your supposed friends are in this cast. Last I checked, they're all adults who know how to defend themselves and they all certainly know how to take to social media. No one is attacking the cast.

I loved spring awakening - I saw the revival twice. I love ASL. I love deaf west. I do not like Ken Davenport and this whole scheme. If you know anything about theatre then you should know that this campaign isn't how things go. 

[lexivas]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 5:46pm

No, I can see how that assumption came up, so I can't deny. It wasn't word for word, but it sounded like that, yes.

[lexivas]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 5:50pm

I'm friends with Sean and Kathryn, but know most of them all, and yes, I understand they are all adults and are completely capable, but as an actor, why would they come on here and do that, only for people on here to most likely attack them? 

I understand people don't like Ken Davenport, and I'm not saying he's perfectly innocent, but I'm just trying to prove the point that they did a Kickstarter for the first run, in LA when they had no producers or money, and it worked to bring this show to LA theatre and eventually bway, so they thought they'd go about it again. There's a first time for everything, as I said, so why not do it and try it? Just because no one has done it before doesn't mean they shouldn't.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 5:50pm

Also, Lexivas, you keep saying that we "don't know," and that because have friends in the cast, you DO know. To some degree, that's actually part of the problem. All of this stuff we're saying has been speculation based on some incredibly suspicious and dishonest elements of the way this campaign has been done. If it's true that there is another side of this story that vindicates Davenport, I'm sure we'd all love to hear it. But as it is, nobody involved with the production has addressed any of the questions or criticisms surrounding this Kickstarter. The stony silence and lack of transparency on their side has only served to solidify what suspicions we have about the legitimacy of this campaign. 

 

You use the word "attack." You fear that we would "attack" any cast members who came on here to defend their position, but we are not piranhas. We are smart people who see gaping holes in the arguments in favor of how this Kickstarter has been done, and we want those gaping holes to be addressed. As of yet, no one has addressed those goping holes, not even you. 

Updated On: 6/9/16 at 05:50 PM

[lexivas]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 5:53pm

Honestly, no one involved has even really heard about all the drama, that's why they haven't commented. They've been in rehearsals and etc., so they might not even realize..

[hypno68]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 5:54pm

So the multiple tweets, comments and emails to Deaf West, Ken Davenport, DJ Kurs and SpringBway have just--- gotten lost in the ether? They know.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 5:58pm

lexivas said: "Honestly, no one involved has even really heard about all the drama, that's why they haven't commented. They've been in rehearsals and etc., so they might not even realize.."

 

I find that a bit hard to believe, but I'm sure we'd all be grateful if you were to bring it to their attention. Especially if you make it clear that we support the production and are happy that they are performing - it's just so frustrating that none of the MANY completely legitimate concerns that we've raised have even been addressed by anyone involved with the production. 

 

[lexivas]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 5:58pm

I can't speak for them, but yeah, they've all been busy and probably don't check Twitter and meals religiously. (:

I'm sorry I can't answer anything specifically, because like you, I don't know, I'm just saying, I do know they wouldn't do what you all are assuming. 

I'll be the bigger person and let it go. Thanks!

[lexivas]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 5:59pm

I actually have, so yes, I hope I can help and have them respond officially!

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 6:01pm

hypno68 said: "So the multiple tweets, comments and emails to Deaf West, Ken Davenport, DJ Kurs and SpringBway have just--- gotten lost in the ether? They know."

Not to mention DJ Kurs deleting his own reply to Jamie Grayson about DMing him when Grayson posed a question.

[seahag2]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 6:08pm

Most people on this thread are excited to see Spring Awakening perform on Sunday, I mean who wouldn't? Even if you don't like the show, the inclusivity and innovation that we will all witness on Sunday will be historical. And for me, THAT'S why this entire kickstarter makes me uncomfortable. Because up until the whole 200k Tonys 'make-or-break' scandal, everything about this production felt so genuine, raw, unique, and real. And of course, there is NO disrespect to the actors involved, they are just doing their job and doing it damn well. But it's a shame that of all the Broadway shows to have financial troubles and problems, it was Deaf West's Spring Awakening to upset fans because of their lead producer's lack of transparency. 

Also, I don't really understand the logic behind a surge of donations after Spring Awakening is officially included in the performance lineup. If anything, as a potential donor that would convince me not to the donate because clearly everything was paid for somehow and they're going to perform on the telecast whether or not I give money. 

[Hairspray0901]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 6:09pm

lexivas said: "I'm friends with Sean and Kathryn, but know most of them all, and yes, I understand they are all adults and are completely capable, but as an actor, why would they come on here and do that, only for people on here to most likely attack them? 

I understand people don't like Ken Davenport, and I'm not saying he's perfectly innocent, but I'm just trying to prove the point that they did a Kickstarter for the first run, in LA when they had no producers or money, and it worked to bring this show to LA theatre and eventually bway, so they thought they'd go about it again. There's a first time for everything, as I said, so why not do it and try it? Just because no one has done it before doesn't mean they shouldn't.

"

I doubt anyone would "attack" two actors from Spring Awakening for them giving their side of the story. And for some reason with your lack of knowledge and close-'mindedness about this whole thing, I doubt you are actually friends with them outside social media / the stagedoor. But, I look forward to you bringing them up to them and hearing their "official" response.

Updated On: 6/9/16 at 06:09 PM