Riedel on Grey Gardens' Closing

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 7:09am

http://www.nypost.com/seven/07182007/entertainment/theater/dismay_gardens_theater_michael_riedel.htm?page=1

[Princeton78]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 7:39am

1. Christine also did not thank her husband or children, so Mr. and Mrs. Producer shouldn't feel that badly.
2. Why is Christine interested in this show staying open longer, she's certainly not interested in being in it anymore (and no yelling at me...I'll use the precious search function and find you at least 5 recent reviews stating that her performance lately is not what it was.).
3. As far as being upset with the producers over how they handled things....I mean...they could have just let it die Off-Broadway.

[ken8631]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 7:44am

It's a shame - it is a good show....

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 8:11am

Princeton78 - your second point can be easily disputed.

[MimiJudith]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 8:23am

It is a shame that this show is closing. And I saw it this past Saturday afternoon and Christine Ebersole's performance is even better than when I saw the show several months ago. She is definitely still interested in the show. I cried so much at her performance that my eyes were burning.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 9:11am

It makes sense that part of the reason the show is closing so soon is mismanagement. There are shows that have had much longer runs on Broadway with a less weekly attendance record than Gardens.

It's a real shame, all around.

Posted: 7/18/07 at 9:15am

i *hate* when stoopit people are in charge of good things.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 9:18am

This is just dumb. How awful. I hate producers who aren't qualified to do anything.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 9:18am

Especially when rich people treat shows like "toys in their sandbox." When they get bored with it, they abandon it.

That last part of his article is really upsetting.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 9:20am

Actually Princeton, Christine DID thank her family in her speech.

It's a shame this show has to close so early.

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 9:33am

Wow. That article is really upsetting. To be honest, I knew something was up with the producers when they started changing their ad strategy so drastically. Like I mentioned in another thread, the house last night was pretty full and that was for two standbys! I stick by my word that CE should have been given a contract negotiation in which she would be allowed to take Tuesdays off. It barely made a difference tonight and people warmed up to Dale and Maureen pretty quickly.

I'd also like to say that as an avid supporter of Grey Gardens, the fact that so many people have gotten to see the show so far and discover the story of the Beales is satisfactory for me. Thank goodness for the show or I would have never found out about the Beales!

[bare_nakedlady]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 9:36am

My favorite quote...

" The costume designer of "Grey Gardens" is five-time Tony winner William Ivey Long, a close personal friend of Lee Radziwill, Jackie Kennedy's sister.

He probably has a pretty good idea of how a Kennedy would dress."

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 9:45am

So can we asssume that Matt's costume in the first act is this woman's creation/idea?

[Jellylorum]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 9:46am

Just because she was tired and "phoned-in" a couple of performances doesn't mean she's not interested in the show. She has done a lot to promote Grey Gardens, and her enthusiasm for the show can be seen in a lot of articles.

It's a shame Grey Gardens is closing. I'm glad that I had the opportunity to see it.

Updated On: 7/18/07 at 09:46 AM

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 9:49am

"Thank goodness for the show or I would have never found out about the Beales!"

Same here.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 10:00am

OT, but:
I HATE that Riedel never notes the proper caliber of reviews a show got.

For The Color Purple, in an article a while back, he noted that it got panned by the critics save for Clive Barnes which is completely false...and Grey Gardens did NOT receive "strong reviews." They were mixed at best with raves for its two central performances (Ebersole and Wilson)..sure they got a favorable review from the Times, but there ARE other theater critics out there besides Ben Brantley.
Updated On: 7/18/07 at 10:00 AM

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 10:03am

I disagree rOcKS. While the reviews were raves for Ebersole, the show itself DID get favorable reviews and many critics said the show had improved from it's Off-Broadway run.
GREY GARDENS reviews

[broadwaybaby086]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 10:17am

That is upsetting. And unfortunate.

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 10:21am

Does anyone remember if William Ivey Long thanked these producers in his Tony speech? That sweater might have been what swayed the voters.

[jv92]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 10:54am

He thanked the creative team and cast (I think) of Grey Gardens and then went on about Susan Hilferty, which was quite nice of him.
Here's my response-
Why do producers have to suck so badly nowadays? Where are the Hal Princes?! The David Merricks?!

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 11:04am

The problem is that most producers on Broadway now are financiers, not theatrical impresarios. I agree we're lacking in talented theatre producers who aren't "the money."

[jv92]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 11:07am

The people involved with Avenue Q and Drowsy Chapereone are really wonderful producers. The shows they've produced are difficult to market, yet they're running and not doing poorly (save Drowsy, which could be doing better). Why can't people learn things from them, espeically these people who seem like appallingly rude egomaniacs?

[WaltSummersPI]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 11:10am

Avenue Q isn't hard to market, and Drowsy is doing dismal sales. I'm not sure what you're talking about.

[Greennow]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 11:11am

I saw the show this past Sunday and nobody phoned in any performances. I still cannot get those fabulous performances out of my head. It will stay with me for a long time.

[americanboy99]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 11:11am

This article just makes me so furious.

WOW.

And I agree about the new advertising strategy. The tabloid thing is completely random.