PIRATE QUEEN CASTCOM NY: 3/2 NEW TRIVIA CONTEST ANNOUNCED

[Popular]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 11:09am

And so it begins!

Comments, thought, reactions to new castcoms are welcome.












check it out here Updated On: 3/2/07 at 11:09 AM

[JulianHookbucks]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 12:23pm

I love Steph, I just hope that if you know her more intimately she isn't so presentational when she speaks to you...

I've missed checking castcoms at 2 in the morning. Ah. only a week.

[Popular]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 2:04pm

No, not presentational... and that's just my observation of her as a fan.

Psst, you think someone should tell them they spelled Padraic's name wrong?
Updated On: 1/31/07 at 02:04 PM

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 2:08pm

I always think she just sounds very into what she is saying and wants to tell you all the details and expalins them to the fullest. I love her and seems very gracious to her fans.

[WickedLauren]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 2:47pm

Thanks for posting! I'll be excited to see these again, I've missed them. And it looks like they've scripted these sneak peaks with all of them - how cute are they standing next to the posters and signs outside~ especially Hadley.

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 6:06pm

They all seem so energized, it makes me even more excited for this show to make its debut on Broadway!

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 7:08pm

YAY!!

off topic, but I want to share this with someone who cares:

the costume designer at our school is a big chicago costumer, and we are using the costume he designed and made for Drury Lane's "Cinderella" for one of Cinderella's gowns in "Into the Woods"...and he has a picture of Kathy Voytko in the dress.


SO that means we will be using a dress that she wore...and more importantly the director/costumer has worked with her. He's so cool...LOL

[Popular]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 7:16pm

MORE... with clips of the show this time!
No speakers on my work computer. Boo!

PS- very cool about the costume, Steph!
castcom Updated On: 1/26/07 at 07:16 PM

[Smartful Dodger]

Posted: 1/29/07 at 8:54pm

This has disaster written all over it. Unlike the claim made in the article that appeared at PLAYBILL today, this is not the first time something like this has been done. I assume most people out there remember poor Hugh Panaro's video shill last year for LESTAT after the show got clobbered in San Francisco.

When will PR people learn and not simply default to this kind of spin control, "opening up" the development and rehearsal period for stars to waste their time as cheerleaders? Who is the audience for this stuff? People in the fan community, haunting this and other boards? Or, some tourist thinking about seeing the show on a future trip to New York?

Seriously, the episodic nature of these things requires a commitment, an investment into wanting to know what's happening behind the scenes. It would seem that most of the people here who saw the show in Chicago and reported on what they saw have set the tone for what we'll all wait to confirm when previews start at the Hilton.

Let the people involved with the show focus on getting it right instead of making pitch videos!

[Popular]

Posted: 1/29/07 at 10:19pm

"Who is the audience for this stuff? People in the fan community, haunting this and other boards? Or, some tourist thinking about seeing the show on a future trip to New York?"

Hopefully it'll reach both catagories. Either way, looks like they got you riled up abou it. Which catagory do you fall under?

[Smartful Dodger]

Posted: 1/30/07 at 8:14am

Popular, I assure you, I'm not riled up. I'm critical of a strategy that demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of how to market theatre in the digital age, as well as a misappropriation of the talented energies who need to focus and fix what is reportedly an extremely flawed show. Period.

[danhattan]

Posted: 1/30/07 at 8:39am

I'm excited to see the castcoms are back up! In response to SmartfulDodgers post...I would imagine that the Castcom's are meant for anyone who will watch. This includes tourists who are considering getting tickets, Broadway bloggers, fans of the individual actors in the show, families of the actors, and students who are learning what its like to be in this business. My friend is in a BFA program for Musical Theatre and in one class they discuss the process of creating a musical where they have watched and talked about Castcom. I think it's a really smart, inexpensive way to advertise. Not to mention Castcom is blasted all over Playbill AND on the oh so popular Youtube website. I agree that the actors come across as cheerleaders for their show but what else would you expect. I've met some at the stage door and they are all like that in person as well...Happy to be an employed actor! Nothing wrong with that. And I think alot of us find their enthusiasm infectious and endearing. My last point is that Castcom is not for spin control. They started Castcom in the very begining of rehearsals. Well before any reviews or word of mouth came out about the show. They have commited to this concept and from comments put on the website I can tell that many fans have committed to watching it. Including me. I would like to see more shows do this!!! Thanks for listening! And VIVA LE CASTCOM!

PS. Smartful... it does seem as if you want the show to be bad. Sorry if that isn't the case but I was curious about your this comment... "This has disaster written all over it." and "It would seem that most of the people here who saw the show in Chicago and reported on what they saw have set the tone for what we'll all wait to confirm when previews start at the Hilton." Thanks in advance for your considerate response!

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 1/30/07 at 8:44am

>"I'm critical of a strategy that demonstrates a fundamental >misunderstanding of how to market theatre in the digital age"

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on what is an effective way to market a new musical in the age of digital media, Smartful. I thought Spring Awakening's strategy of producing an MTV quality video of one of their songs and releasing it to internet video sharing sites made sense. Having seen Pirate Queen in Chicago I think its flaws were a matter of its book and score and not its outstanding cast. As long as Castcom production isn't interfering with rewrites I doubt it's misappropriating the energies needed to fix the show.

[danhattan]

Posted: 1/30/07 at 9:13am

"I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on what is an effective way to market a new musical in the age of digital media."

Tech- I actually had the same thought! Thanks for posting this question. I have to agree...Spring Awakening's MTV style video is amazing! Perfect for it's target audience and probably the most cutting edge of any marketing I've seen. Still, I would LOVE to see Spring Awakening do Castcoms though!!! :)

[Smartful Dodger]

Posted: 1/30/07 at 10:05am

In answer to the question, SPRING AWAKENING's digital strategy of videos and podcasts is, indeed, brilliant. It's in line with the target. THE PIRATE QUEEN is not appealing to the same target. And, the "behind-the-scenes" pieces with actors being put in the place of shill and apologetic for the show doesn't work. Until there is buzz beyond the core fan-base, these just don't make sense.

[Popular]

Posted: 1/30/07 at 10:32am

So let me get this straight. According to you the CASTCOM's are taking the actors away from rehearsing what is sure to be a disaster of a show and forcing them to apologize and spin, AND they are marketing it badly too?

WOW. I have no clue what you are basing these statements on but you and I have been watching completely different things, my friend.

[Popular]

Posted: 1/30/07 at 11:01am

New one is up!

YAY! Steph has a new song at the beg of Act I.

[Smartful Dodger]

Posted: 1/30/07 at 12:05pm

I'll confess, I stopped watching after the first few minutes of the first video. It reminded me too much of what I saw last year for another show that proved a catastrophe (no matter how much I wanted to believe Panaro and others through the development process as shown through these videos):
LESTAT: Journey to Broadway

[Popular]

Posted: 1/30/07 at 12:45pm

You really didn't need to confess, it was sort of obvious from your statements that you've never watched the CASTCOMS.

But thanks for your honesty.

This is a completely new show/experience from LESTAT. If you think you can view it as such then I invite you to give it a chance. :)

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 1/30/07 at 1:18pm

So excited that castcoms are back and that Stephanie has a new song! Everyone seems really excited and energized about the changes - can't wait to hear more!

[LittleFish8386]

Posted: 1/30/07 at 1:39pm

I was looking forward to it...but it was sorta boring. When does the next one come out?
Updated On: 1/30/07 at 01:39 PM

[B3TA07]

Posted: 1/30/07 at 4:00pm

I love the key phrases the producers use each time when they describe what Maltby is doing.

[Popular]

Posted: 1/30/07 at 5:51pm

LittleFish - it's was pretty much a daily thing in Chicago. Unless things have changed I'd expect another one tomorrow. Sometimes they posted more than one video a day... it just all depends.

BTW - I'm mostly bumping this thread up to share the commercial for those who haven't yet seen it. It's now up on their site!
PQ commercial

[Popular]

Posted: 1/31/07 at 10:05am

*bump* - DAY 2 is up
Bill Youmans discusses rehearsals. I love his football analogy :)

[Popular]

Posted: 2/1/07 at 10:06am

*Day 3* - 2 new ones with ensemble