Playbill Bios: To Thank God or not?- Page 2

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 3:17pm

I don't have any problem with religious references in bios, as long as they're not proselytizing. If they want to thank a deity because they happily attribute their current situation to that deity, then why not?

[Parks]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 3:24pm

Actors can thank their families and God. Perhaps these are the things that keep them sane offstage or give them inspiration to give the performance they are giving that night. As someone said before, it is THEIR bio. Who cares.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 3:28pm

That someone would ask on a theater message board why someone's free expression is "tolerated" astounds me.
Those who thanks their personal chosen higher powers are clearly far happier than those who belittle them for doing so.

Oh, Christ, what BS. One might think that having to exalt the genie in the sky so flagrantly actually denotes a level of insecurity not found in those who can contently keep their light under a bushel.

Robbie, the exact During quote escapes me, but didn't he specifically mention Dreamgirls (ie - God didn't stop the Holocaust, but he made sure Dreamgirls won all those Tonys)?

If they thank God, they believe God essentially casted them and all the other actors that were up for the part are lesser creatures in His eyes.

But if god is specifically bestowing a blessing on someone, as the bios and awards speeches seem to imply, doesn't that mean that he HAD to have snubbed someone else?

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 3:44pm

Ding ding ding, Phyll!!

It's from LAUGHING WILD!, a show I was very lucky to do at one point in my life.

And please...no one's saying they 'should' or 'shouldn't'. It's simply something I would never do. But if someone else wants to, well...praise Jesus.

I prefer to pray to Bobbi Christina.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 3:49pm

"Those who thanks their personal chosen higher powers are clearly far happier than those who belittle them for doing so".

"Oh, Christ, what BS. "

Aaand the apocalypse rears its ugly head again, as PRS and I find ourselves in agreement. You should no more presume to know the mind of your "higher power" as you should the minds of those who don't have one.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 3:50pm

SonofRobbieJ, someone IS saying they shouldn't: fflagg.

[fflagg]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 3:51pm

I just started the thread as a topic for interesting comments. Of course some/most people have to insert campy remarks or over-the-top shade.

I am a Catholic and feel that there is a time and place for such remarks; I do not think they belong in this sort of publication. Would you mention your religious persuasion on a first date? a job interview?

Would be nice for an actor to state in his Playbill: the only person I would like to thank for my success is me!

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 3:54pm

Yes, that would be charming.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 3:57pm

"As long as they're not offensive, the bios can say whatever they want."

Actually they have to be factual. While Playbill doesn't actively verify the information in a performer's bio, it will remove inaccurate information when notified. And since there is no god, gods, intelligent designer, or higher beings, I think they should remove that nonsense.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 4:11pm

Boris Aronson was an intelligent designer.

[KirbyCat]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 4:20pm

What was Haven's bio outta curiosity?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 4:47pm

Really? You people CARE? I seldom even read bios anymore. If they want to mention their goldfish, it doesn't affect my opinion of the show or of them as a performer.

I am not a religious person, but I would never deny another to express their beliefs. There is no reason that they can't express it in the public eye. There is separation of church and state....not church and broadway.

And yes....a spirtiual person might very well mention their religous ties on a first date...they wouldn't want to fall in love with someone that is going to hell.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 4:50pm

ack, ljay, Vanessa Williams' bio is also a little ridiculous.

What bothers me about bios like that is it moves into being way too self-promotional. I don't need plots of upcoming movies, I don't need to know that a movie you were in won an Oscar, and a Playbill bio shouldn't sum up your entire life.

[sbflyfan]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 5:23pm

I don't mind the God stuff as much as I mind actors who feel it's necessary for us to know they're BFF's with/crushing on/in love with/dating/married to a fellow cast member. Then they split up and it looks silly down the road.

Example: "Chicago" with (then married) Michael C. Hall and Amy Spanger. Her bio ended with "Love to Michael!" and his ended with "Love to Amy!" Every time I look at it I think, "Not anymore!!"

Updated On: 3/23/10 at 05:23 PM

[Sean2]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 6:13pm

I'm actually glad this thread was started. Sorry to those who feel differently, but reading anything in an actor's program bio other than their previous work drives me crazy, whether it's their children, dog, God, or whether they like bacon on Wednesdays.

It's fine if you're in high school, because it's an amateur production. Seeing the same kind of crap in a professional production's program just smacks of non-professionalism. In England, almost all theatre programs list each actor's professional credits in theatre, film and television with no additional remarks. That has always seemed to me the hallmark of self-worth and respect for their own craft.

[mike_xtreme91]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 6:26pm

As a Christian actor, I do thank God in my bio. It's important to me because I sincerely believe God called me into acting and performing. By doing this, I am not shoving my beliefs down anyone's throats and do not intend to do so. I am credit to whom I believe all credit is due.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 6:26pm

It's their bio, not their resume. A bio is about their lives, which isn't exclusively about their work. While I find the long-winded ones a bit much, I don't object to the minutia they may choose to include. Agree short and sweet is better.

I've always liked Chris Sieber's, which says, amongst other things, that he's never appeared on Law & Order.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 7:09pm

In England, almost all theatre programs list each actor's professional credits in theatre, film and television with no additional remarks. That has always seemed to me the hallmark of self-worth and respect for their own craft.

These just come across to me as boring and sterile.

[Sean2]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 7:22pm

Actually, what is now referred to as a 'bio' has traditionally been a listing of an actors 'credits', and, yes, that typically reads as a resume. It also serves to keep the actor neutral, which is the best way to approach a production.

The performance and the play/musical is the point, not the actors' likes or dislikes, which are utterly irrelevant.

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 7:46pm

I tend to prefer the resume-style bios. As a very good friend of mine (and fellow performer) says, "It's your bio -- not your Academy Awards acceptance speech."

[angelxschunard]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 7:51pm

I like reading people's bios that are actually interesting. Who they thank is none of my business. My bio ends with "Word to your mother and the baby Jesus." Yes, it's a personal joke between me and my family, and sure, only my family will know that it's my personal hello to them, but the bottom line is that it's my bio.

I like reading funny bios, I like reading interesting bios. Bios that just list someone's credits disappoint me. I think what an actor decides to put in their bio tells me about them. Like Christopher Seiber's bio. It's hilarious, and I love that. It tells me he's got a sense of humor, something a lot of people nowadays seem to lack.

[Helene2]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 9:29pm

While the actors are certainly free to thank/credit whomever they want, Giving Thanks To God does imply that they believe God has favored them, and given them luck and/or talent, over and above others who also aspire to Broadway. It's also a little pretentious to imply that God is personally guiding showbiz career paths when the world is filled with wars, famine, earthquakes an tsunamis.

[Jane2]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 9:38pm

^ I don't see it that way at all. I infer it as not taking credit for their own talent. In a way, I understand it, because talent is something you're born with and God, the universe, whatever is out there, had a hand in it!

[Robert Taylor]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 9:39pm

Flagg, people can thank whoever they want to thank in their bios, just like they can talk about whatever they want to talk about on their first date or in their job interview. Just because YOU don't like does not mean it shouldn't be "tolerated." If it is important enough for them to deem necessary to include in their bio, then good for them.

Thank God I don't have to read anymore of your dreck.

[darquegk]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 10:24pm

Spiritual people believe (for the most part) that they thank God for everything not because he has given it to them in particular over others, but because since everythign is from him and through him, that he has helped them along the way or blessed them- not that he hasn't blessed others, but that he has indeed blessed them in some way. It's not elitist, it's just what they believe. Nothing wrong with that.