Patti Murin takes on BWW Chat Boards...

Who's Patti Murin?

We just got ROASTED. But she's completely correct, too many people on these boards are super negative about shows they haven't even seen! Unless you've seen it, be optimistic!

They aren't exactly being "called out by name" when they're hiding behind anonymous screen names. Patti Murin for President!!!

WhizzerMarvin said: "I understand where Murin is coming from, but there is a lot of good discussion and sharing of information here and to shut down the chat boards is throwing the baby out with the bathwater. The good far outweighs the bad; you just have to be able to sift through it all and you'll find it.

"

I agree. For folks who don't have theater loving friends, this is a Godsend.

This is public, as well as if and inevitably when Patti sees this post...

I am truly sorry. It's embarrassingly easy for me (and, if I may say so, others) to get sucked into what seems to have become an almost inherent bitterness on these boards, and the words I wrote that Patti included provide a sadly perfect example of it. In our partial credit, it was rather clear from an outsider's perspective that all was not as should be with that production from the get-go—but that doesn't change the meaning of Patti's words. I'm embarrassed and sincerely apologize.

EDIT: And further, I agree with Whizzer wholeheartedly that the good outweighs the bad on here. To borrow from one of Murin's roles themselves...if you let me, I'd like to try to help. I'd like to try to be... BroadwayConcierge the Good.

Updated On: 3/10/16 at 06:13 PM

Right. Ms. Murin mentions that this is a place for theater lovers to share opinions, excitement, and passion for this industry, and then goes on to base the rest of her article on the bad seeds that ruin it. Which, don't get me wrong, after what she's been through, I understand her anger and frustration. But this is a valuable resource and a community for many of us and a haven for likeminded people to share and discuss their passion.

Though as a performer, I have always felt there would come a day I'd have to stop coming here if I got big enough.

I respect Patti a lot for her passion and plea for positivity. But it is here, if you keep looking.

Instead of transferring to a domain or subdomain, then why not remove the side bar? I certainly have lots of elements blocked in my browser to avoid clutter. Moving the boards wouldn't change anything if content is still remotely scripted into the side bar, if that's the main issue.

Valentina3 said: "WhizzerMarvin said: "I understand where Murin is coming from, but there is a lot of good discussion and sharing of information here and to shut down the chat boards is throwing the baby out with the bathwater. The good far outweighs the bad; you just have to be able to sift through it all and you'll find it."

I agree. For folks who don't have theater loving friends, this is a Godsend."

Ditto Whizzer and Valentina! The chance to "talk" about theatre is why I come on these boards. While some of my friends like to see shows, none are as interested as I am on a daily basis. I do try to keep my posts positive and informed (i.e. writing about what I've actually seen) but I can see how it would be easy to get sucked into snark (reading a post through before hitting "post message" helps though).

It seems Patti is suggesting moving the boards not eliminating them, but I don't see either happening.

It takes a special kind of person to respond to criticisms on your own website where the odds are that a majority of the people you're replying to won't see it unless it's brought to their attention.

That's even more true when those criticisms are levied on a public board that you have just as much right to just as much space as your critics.

But I think the worst thing there is that she went looking for criticism, found criticism, and then talked about it like it's all there was. She conveniently forgot to mention all the posts in the "Nerds" thread where people extended their sympathies & called other posters to task for stuff they said. She also conveniently forgot to mention the various rebuttals posted in the Lesli thread--but somehow she remembered Gypsy's post.

It's hard to take her post seriously when she explicitly says that she's going out in search of negatives ("to show how bad it gets", apparently) but fails to mention the self-correction of the group or the actual, well-reasoned rebuttals to the claims she's touting.

Updated On: 3/10/16 at 06:46 PM

MISTER BROADWAYWORLD, TEAR DOWN THESE BOARDS!

BWW didn't pick this up as a headline yet?!

^ Totally agree, Whizzer. While I agree that some comments are rude and unnecessary, and probably have made some, I find more good here. And I don't see how moving the boards away from here will make a difference. People will still find it and read it. Just not seeing as an option on this site is not going to make the negativity go away. I also don't think it all should. Because life is not puppies and rainbows. I'm sorry if some stuff was hurtful, but it's ridiculous to not allow opinions on something that was made public news. I'm sure we all have people who hate something about where we work, but as long as we're happy, we shouldn't let those people influence us into feeling bad because they don't like it.