Official Kickstarter to get Spring Awakening to perform on the Tonys- Page 4

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 5/25/16 at 11:27am

We're not clicking on that.

[Kad]

Posted: 5/25/16 at 11:30am

This rubs me the wrong way.

"And honestly, even if we had the money, it wouldn’t be fiscally responsible for us Producers to ask our investors to foot this bill, especially with all they’ve risked in the first place.."

So they're asking... everyone else to foot the bill? Even though Davenport and the other co-producers have made financial commitments to this? "We already spent money, so..."

And I'm still very unclear as to how this is a "donation" to Deaf West.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 5/25/16 at 11:33am

That's exactly why I didn't click on it. I knew he would say that.

[Kad]

Posted: 5/25/16 at 11:38am

So, like, what happens if the Kickstarter ends on 6/11, as scheduled, and they're short? Do they... pull the performance from the broadcast the next day or something? All the actors are sent back home? All the planning required for the performance is tossed out? That's an absurd notion and that wouldn't happen.

They have the financing in place. They're just trying to cut the losses and repay the producers. That's obvious.

This isn't "fund a tiny production against the odds!"

This is "repay Ken Davenport & co, because they don't want to lose money again."

And it's being framed as "support a worthy nonprofit."

And it's very disingenuous.

 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 5/25/16 at 11:41am

Showing the B-Roll footage for Spring Awakening like they did for Big River actually wouldn't be too bad of an idea. I know it's not nearly as special of an experience of the actors, but if Davenport's angle is to get exposure for Deaf West and mixed-ability actors, and to demonstrate the magic of the production, then some footage of the show could accomplish that goal, and wouldn't cost $200,000

[Kad]

Posted: 5/25/16 at 11:43am

B-roll isn't as compelling if you're trying to launch a national tour.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/25/16 at 11:46am

neonlightsxo said: ""They are nearly at $40k mark already. I don't think it will be very difficult to meet the goal, probably even by EOW."

That's not even half. Why does that mean they're going to meet the goal by the end of the week?"

Again, they will meet the goal, because the money has already been paid. The numbers are being juiced to encourage "donations" and the rip-off will be compete with the final donation to secure as much reimbursement as is available.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/25/16 at 11:50am

Kad said: "B-roll isn't as compelling if you're trying to launch a national tour."

It worked for Big River. Although I believe part of the reason they didn't perform was because they were already rehearsing it in LA.

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 5/25/16 at 11:58am

Ugh. I feel even more disgusted after reading Davenport's blog. This whole scheme just makes me very, very uncomfortable. Considering these tax-deductible donations as part of Deaf West's charitable mission is not illegal by any means, but it's certainly disingenuous and ethically questionable. I'm surprised the Board of Directors at Deaf West are comfortable with this. 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/25/16 at 12:01pm

I do not think the 2016 Tonys would permit them to use B-roll. That was over 30 years ago.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/25/16 at 12:01pm

Here's Deaf West's donation page. For Deaf West.

 

https://deafwest.secure.force.com/donate?dfId=a0sG0000001UBdiIAG

[seahag2]

Posted: 5/25/16 at 12:10pm

Some of the gifts for donating a certain amount are pretty interesting. Not sure if I'd personally want any of them because I'd be too afraid of it being terribly awkward but for some super fans I'm sure it's worth it. Some of them include:

$1,500+ Katie Boeck (Voice of Wendla/Guitar) will teach you to play a song from the show on guitar (in person in NYC or via Skype)
$2,000+ You'll receive a picnic in Central Park with Lauren Luiz (Melitta/Voice of Thea
$2,250+ You've earned a private concert with Kathryn Gallagher (Voice of Martha/Guitar) in New York City!
$5,000+ You get a Bi-Coastal Ernst Movie Night (in either New York City or LA) hosted by Daniel Stewart (Voice of Ernst/Piano) and Josh Castille (Ernst) with special guest attendees Sean Grandillo (Voice of Otto/Bass), Katie Boeck (Voice of Wendla/Guitar), Kathryn Gallagher (Voice of Martha/Guitar), Ali Stroker (Anna), Treshelle Edmond (Martha), Lauren Luiz (Melitta/Voice of Thea), and Sandra Mae Frank (Wendla)! 
$7,500+ You've earned dinner with Tony-Nominated Director Michael Arden (in either New York City or LA)! 
$10,000+ You get to attend the Spring Awakening Tony Party in New York City!

[seahag2]

Posted: 5/25/16 at 12:18pm

Weird how the kickstarter only lets you donate a certain amount instead of a write-in. They make you start at $25 but I think every $5-10 donation counts, even if they don't offer any kind of reward. I think part of Spring Awakening's issues was that the hype created by the online community wasn't transferrable to NYC ticket sales since kids on the internet probably don't live in NYC/don't have the funds to make it to Broadway. But this is definitely a project that the DWSA community can back, especially if the end goal is a Tony performance. I'd love to see this show get a performance but the means to get there is a bit...unconventional. 

[anderson_j]

Posted: 5/25/16 at 12:33pm

HogansHero said: "I do not think the 2016 Tonys would permit them to use B-roll. That was over 30 years ago."

The Deaf West revival of Big River was in 2004.

 

[gypsy101]

Posted: 5/25/16 at 12:38pm

You can have dinner with Marlee Matlin for only $9000!

[ChildofEarth]

Posted: 5/25/16 at 12:43pm

My question remains how and why they threw a Tony Awards party if they can't afford a performance and didn't even get nominated for that many awards....

A certain other show might get thrown under the bus for "pompous and self congratulatory" behavior, but this one beats it.

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 5/25/16 at 12:46pm

I wonder what they're performing. It'd be a waste of money, in my opinion, to do Touch Me again since they have already performed that number on television.

[MichelleCraig]

Posted: 5/25/16 at 12:47pm

Valentina3 said: "The original did a mashup of Mama Who Bore Me and "Totally Screwed" *rolls eyes at stupid censoring* if I remember correctly."

I think it's funny that we can't even type the name of the song on this board, but somehow it would be alright for it to be performed on network television during prime time.

Actually, I'm not 100% sure the correct name of the song could not be typed here, but every time I see a version of *that* word on this board...it is "disguised"...

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/25/16 at 12:49pm

You can type it as F*cked and it'll leave it as is, and you won't have to substitute your own word.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/25/16 at 1:10pm

anderson_j said: "HogansHero said: "I do not think the 2016 Tonys would permit them to use B-roll. That was over 30 years ago."

The Deaf West revival of Big River was in 2004."

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 5/25/16 at 1:12pm

ChildofEarth said: "My question remains how and why they threw a Tony Awards party if they can't afford a performance and didn't even get nominated for that many awards...."

 

 

Ken wants us to pay for that too. Obviously.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 5/25/16 at 1:13pm

Liza's Headband said: "Ugh. I feel even more disgusted after reading Davenport's blog. This whole scheme just makes me very, very uncomfortable. Considering these tax-deductible donations as part of Deaf West's charitable mission is not illegal by any means, but it's certainly disingenuous and ethically questionable. I'm surprised the Board of Directors at Deaf West are comfortable with this. "

 

This. Me too.

 

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/25/16 at 1:16pm

I'm glad he's getting critical comments on that post. Wonder if they'll stay up.

[NJ_BroadwayGirl]

Posted: 5/25/16 at 1:47pm

Seriously, how is this any different from any other commercial show asking the public to pay for their performance?

Edited to clarify that I think the whole Kickstarter is ridiculous and misleading.

Updated On: 5/25/16 at 01:47 PM

[Kad]

Posted: 5/25/16 at 1:52pm

This is a commercial Broadway production whose producers are hiding behind a non-profit to ask the public to generously donate as an excuse to cut the losses on footing the bill for a nationally televised performance.

Updated On: 5/25/16 at 01:52 PM