BrodyFosse123 said: "Stroman’s late husband Mike Ockrent was the show’s original director and started creating the show prior to his death. Stroman basically took over as director using his notes and working with everything he had already implemented into the show so she didn’tcreate the show we know entirely - her initial involvement was solely as the show’s choreographer. This validates why she’s had enormous limitations as a director in projects that came her way after the colossal success of THE PRODUCERS."
Let's not minimize Stroman's contributions to THE PRODUCERS.
Ockrent died in December 1999, the show didn't begin in Chicago until February 2001. While, naturally, some things may have been set up prior to his death, she still had a significant hand in its design, staging, choreo, development, and writing, and she worked hand in hand with him, Mel, and Meehan while he was undergoing cancer treatment. By all accounts she was basically a co-director when they collaborated together.
A lot of shows have a lot of hands on them. It doesn't really matter who does what as long as the end product is good. (Case in point: Glen Kelly ghost-composing the show under the title of Music Arranger; Jerry Zaks being initially attached as director pre-Ockrent; David Geffen being attached as originating producer pre-Jujamcyn/Frankel).
As to who deserves the "blame" for her recent string of flops... She probably wasn't the right person to direct BIG FISH, and the musical made some bad changes from the movie. PRINCE OF BWAY was Hal's show and vision. NYNY and BULLETS were failed by their books and shoehorned songs. SCOTTSBORO was a noble effort failed by the audience, the economy, and producers who wouldn't give it a chance...and it probably should have had a Black director, choreographer, and co-author. YOUNG FRANK and FROGS probably shouldn't have happened, but she was reuniting with trusted collaborators...hard to say no to them.
Updated On: 7/23/24 at 01:51 PM
.jpg?format=auto&width=365)
