RIDEL takes on "La Cage" and "Sweet Charity"

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 4/1/05 at 3:02am

From his NYPost article:

"LA CAGE: On the Davis front, the cast and crew of 'La Cage' are thrilled that he's gone.

As The Post reported exclusively on Monday, the producers fired Davis because his behavior backstage was 'cruel' and 'erratic,' production sources say.

Sources say Davis refused to speak to Beach off-stage and at times derisively referred to him as 'a big lady.'

Beach was so upset about the situation, he was seeing a doctor for stress-related stomach ailments.

He also gave his fellow actors notes on their performances, which is a big breach of theater etiquette.

About the only person Davis showed any affection for was Gavin Creel, who plays his son in the show.

He is so fond of Creel, in fact, that he is said to be investing in the young actor's debut solo album.

SWEET CHARITY: On the 'Sweet Charity' front, I can now confirm what has been rumored all week — that the 'angel' who saved the $7.5 million revival from oblivion in Boston was its strong-willed but broken-footed leading lady, Christina Applegate.

It was Applegate who, almost overnight, raised a significant chunk of the $1.5 million the Weisslers needed to reopen the show.

With Applegate's mad money in hand, the Weisslers immediately set about cutting costs.

The first thing they did, a production source says, was to ask Applegate to take a pay cut.

(As I said, I love theater people. Especially the Weisslers.)

She declined, but the Weisslers have succeeded in getting members of the creative team to reduce their weekly royalty payments to the bare minimum."

I am beginning to lose all of my respect for Ridel. Not that I had much for him to begin with.

To read the whole article, click the link below.
SILLY SEASON

[bjivie2]

Posted: 4/1/05 at 4:20am

I'm confused, why are you hating him for THIS article? It seems that he's basically stating facts. There's nothing mean or harsh in this. What's the big deal?

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 4/1/05 at 9:26am

I never had respect for Riedel to begin with. He's a bottom-feeder of the worst sort.

[riv]

Posted: 4/1/05 at 9:40am

I must say that I like the critics intention to review both Charlotte and Christina. Let's see how Applegate does when compared to a real Broadway performer.

[Broadway Matt]

Posted: 4/1/05 at 10:28am

Riedel's journalistic concoctions appeal to the lowest common denominator, but this column is TAME compared to most! It's pretty interesting too, and not at all out of the realm of believability. I feel better informed on both issues and don't mind admitting that I generally enjoy a fair helping of gossip. This type of chatter is, after all, something for the people- details that focus on (or create) the human element of these crazy happenings.

Love Riedel or hate him, we all are guilty of being gossip whores from time to time to time to time. If anyone were truly "above" having any interest in these juicy side details, they'd avoid this place like the plague and would know better than to ever read the Post. Such a virtuous theatre fan is extremely rare, and generally can only be found hidden away in an underground bunker with Charles Isherwood- studying the latest issue of Variety and running the week's grosses through a series of graphs and charts.