ROCK OF AGES mulls Broadway move, spring 2009- Page 2

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 12/13/08 at 9:05am

I'm with dramamama611 on this.

I've kept from seeing this show because I don't pay money to watch ordinary people get drunk and make noise around me.

I pay to see actors perform live on a stage, and for the audience around me to be respectful of the people around them who paid to do the same.

That doesn't make me a snob. It makes me a regular human theatregoer who expects basic theatre etiquette when I spend money to see a show on stage.

[Amneris]

Posted: 12/13/08 at 9:46am

so we have about 9 or 10 good to excellent shows closing on Broadway now but THIS is going to transfer? The show was an absolute nightmare as was the audience. I agree with the person who said he wants to attend a show where the audience behaves. It's bad enough to hear cell phones and candy wrappers but, noone is going to want to see a show on Broadway where trashy 50 year old ladies try to take their tops off in the audience.

[Testing1232]

Posted: 12/13/08 at 10:06am

<< The adjustments we made in the house are helping the situation a great deal,>>

Jane,

Since you would know... do you know when these changes took place?

Another poster said they were made a couple of weeks ago, yet I went last Sat night, and it was totally embarrassing.

Did you happen to be at that show? Someone yelled out and called Kelli Barrett fat right during one of her songs. There was a drunken woman in the audience, that decided to scream the entire show to every single castmember. Not to mention the numerous times that I heard "take it off" screamed out loud.

The couple that we were with (and they are NOT snobs or prudes, at all) were mortified.

So, unless these changes happened VERY recently, I guess its hit or miss, as far as the audience behavior.

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/13/08 at 10:55am

Updated On: 12/14/08 at 10:55 AM

[Testing1232]

Posted: 12/13/08 at 11:08am

<< testing-Preventing someone who decides to yell out is impossible. Like preventing patrons from turning on their cell phones if they want to-impossible, as is evidenced by all theaters during the past several years.

We now have security people on hand for those incidents which call for them, and that particular situation has improved.
>>

Jane,

I never said anywhere that they could prevent people from yelling out during the performance. That idea is ridiculous. However, making the alcohol so accessible by serving it to people during the show at their seat, leads to a greater chance of people acting in a rude, obnoxious manner, no?

People turning on their cel phones during shows (or not shutting them off), is due to ignorance, not patrons being drunk. You cant compare the two.

The woman that was screaming last Saturday night the entire show was only warned with around 10 minutes left in the performance.

How about a warning after the first or second time?

So, are they still serving the alcohol during the show in the aisles?

Posted: 12/13/08 at 11:15am

i am sure the broadway version will be much different just by nature of how those houses are run. But I agree with "Wannabe" that maybe this isn't a show for him (her?). it is interactive, loud, silly... not for everyone. i guess that's the wonderful thing about art, music, theater... there is something for everyone! But the show IS clever and funny, and yes the crowd can at times be nuts. not the fault of the creators, just a by-product of the type of show it is. I'd still take it over Grease anyday, so i love that they are taking over that theater!

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/13/08 at 11:21am

.

Updated On: 12/14/08 at 11:21 AM

[Vespertine1228]

Posted: 12/13/08 at 11:23am

Sigh.

I just don't understand. The show could run for years at New World, and it's in a big enough theater there to actually turn a profit over time, unlike Altar Boyz. Moving it to Broadway just seems expensive and unnecessary.

People always complain about transfer disease, the need to bump a show up to the next level regardless of whether it's a good artistic/business move or not, on this board. I think Rock of Ages falls pretty squarely into this category.

[Testing1232]

Posted: 12/13/08 at 11:27am

<< But the show IS clever and funny, and yes the crowd can at times be nuts. not the fault of the creators, just a by-product of the type of show it is. I'd still take it over Grease anyday, so i love that they are taking over that theater! >>

The SHOW is not the problem. I LOVE the show. I grew up on the music, and I think its extremely well written, and the cast is great. However, I dont believe for one second that the crowd acts the way that they do because of the type of show that it is.

My favorite show is "Hedwig..."- We saw the show over 100 times at the Jane Street, and the weekend shows were basically parties ! That being said, we never saw the crowds behave there (and yes, there was always some FUN interaction), the way that we have seen them act at "ROA".

Its the alcohol. Simply as that. If people (and not at all saying that you are doing this) want to overlook that, its their perrogative.

[Testing1232]

Posted: 12/13/08 at 11:35am

<< exactly Chief-this show is not for some people. >>

But Jane, how about the people like WBAF, or Dramamama, that might love the SHOW if they saw it, but might stay away because they dont want to pay good money to go to a theatre, and be surrounded by drunk people?

Lets just hope that they do the right thing if they do indeed transer, so that more people could see how good the SHOW really is.

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/13/08 at 11:42am

no comment.

Posted: 12/13/08 at 11:45am

Like I said, I really believe the new house ON Broadway will fix your alcohol issues. I say we hold off and see what the new environment holds. :) As for it's artistic or fiscal merits and whether the show should make the move, I think a move to a bigger house ON broadway is smart. This is a populace musical that I believe appeals to tourists and out-of-towners. And those tourists coming to NYC want a BROADWAY experience and it is hard to get them to go off Broadway for a show. I think it's a smart business move. As for it's artistic contribution to broadway... well, I personally think it's clever. Just one opinion... and I've seen stupider shows with worse music in those fancy houses, so while it ain't "Spring Awakening," it's better than others I've seen.

Let's look at this "half full"! Maybe this will pull all the annoying, disrespectful audience members from the shows that deserve a quiet, respectful audience!!

[Jersey Girl2]

Posted: 12/14/08 at 12:41am

>>>The news that RoA is in charge of the alcohol is interesting. I'd heard from different people it wasn't

So did I.
I wonder how many people are ordering drinks during the show?
Its not easy to get a waitress and there are not many of them. These people might be drunk before they arrive. I've been to several shows- there was only one night when I saw obnoxious behavior.

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/14/08 at 12:48am

Updated On: 12/14/08 at 12:48 AM

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 12/14/08 at 12:55am

Jane2 is clearly the spokesperson for both New World Stages and the producers of ROCK OF AGES.

I'll be sure to contact the management of New World on Monday with the information that their employee "Jane2" is speaking for their theatre and for the producers of the show being housed in their theatre.

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/14/08 at 12:57am

Updated On: 12/14/08 at 12:57 AM

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 12/14/08 at 12:58am

Thank YOU, Jane2.

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/14/08 at 1:01am

Updated On: 12/14/08 at 01:01 AM

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 12/14/08 at 1:03am

They need to be made aware that one of their ushers is speaking on behalf of them on a public internet forum as though she has the right to be a mouthpiece for them.

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/14/08 at 1:07am

Updated On: 12/14/08 at 01:07 AM

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 12/14/08 at 1:08am

I'll go about this as I please. Thanks.

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/14/08 at 1:13am

Updated On: 12/14/08 at 01:13 AM

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 12/14/08 at 1:15am

I'm sure they'll really care about someone who isn't their employee.

Your words speak for themselves. You work there.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 12/14/08 at 1:16am

Being a tad vicious aren't we, Foster?

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 12/14/08 at 1:18am

Who cares. Is it worth a fight? It's a show about 80s songs.