Questions. re filmed stage musicals.. — Page 2

Thanks, everyone for your responses. They've been helpful.

"You hear alot from Broadway performers that they are required to make the role all thier own. But I guess it comes down to the type of show like Phantom (They don't want an actor taking too many liberties with the character), and the director and how fast they need the actor to learn thier part. Thats all I could think of."

I understand about not wanting an actor to take too many liberties with the character, but wouldn't that be worked out between the director and the actor?

Updated On: 9/1/05 at 02:17 AM

Thanks Fosse...

Thanks Carl Magnum, that is very helpful.

As far as the archive copy is concerned, another person in the discussion had e-mailed the RUG query master regarding the release of the archive copy -- I'm assuming of the London cast. She was told that it would not be released ever. Nonetheless, there are people on the board I'm on who believe that if/when Lloyd Webber sells the rights to his musicals (there have been rumors that a sale would be completed by summer's end), the new owner (the name Sir Michael Grade was mentioned) might just release the POTO archival tape to please the avid fans of MC and the original cast. I've tried to explain that there are more things involved than fan demand -- i.e. monetary compensation for everyone involved in that production -- but my comments are falling on "deaf ears" so to speak -- or rather, blind eyes.

Thanks Fosse -- The poster I've been discussing this with made reference to a Broadway archive copy when telling me that actors going into the Broadway Phantom saw a video of MC's performance. I am assuming that the RUG archive tape won't be released for the reasons you stated for tapes from Lincoln Center -- union contracts and non-commercial quality. I have explained these issues to those in the discussion, but, as I said, it seems to be a futile effort.