Posted: 5/31/17 at 7:44am
http://nypost.com/2017/05/30/why-this-years-tony-awards-may-be-a-little-muted/
In Rudin's defense, the viewing party benefitting BC/EFA was a nice thought.
Posted: 5/31/17 at 8:22am
The Tony producers are stupid for not caving. And so is Rudin for letting "Penny in my pocket" be seen on the Tony Awards. It's a cute song but it's going to fall flatter on that stage than CZJ , the FOLLIES performance or other beloved shows that produce disappointing Tony performances.
The only real loser here is the Tony Awards. They need Bette more than she or the producers of Dolly need the award show.
Posted: 5/31/17 at 8:31am
The only real loser here is the Tony Awards. They need Bette more than she or the producers of Dolly need the award show.
"
If the Tonys are worried about producers being nice to them and putting their stars on the show, then perhaps they should stop demanding hundreds of thousands of dollars from them to appear. Not to mention, you know, doing things like including cruise ship Hairspray on their show.
Not saying I agree with Rudin, but at the end of the day, it's his money and he can do whatever he wants with it with no obligation to anyone else.
Posted: 5/31/17 at 8:53am
I don't understand why they can't restage a number for the live telecast. I would think that shows in the past have had to make some changes for the live Broadcast.
Posted: 5/31/17 at 9:00am
Restaging means a lot of extra time (and money) for rehearsal. Why bother when the show doesn't need the publicity? Rudin's explanation makes a lot of sense to me. The Tony committee should accept his offer about the free Tony viewing party. It was a nice gesture and a great solution. And clearly Rudin is working all the negotiating angles by offering "Penny in My Pocket" - it is a cute, slight solo that will fail miserably on TV. And he knows it. And he knows the Tony committee knows it...
Posted: 5/31/17 at 9:29am
Rudin's excuse is bogus- the title number has the dancers jump over the passerelle, but Before the Parade Passes By doesn't. There is no reason, beyond his own greed and hubris, that the number couldn't be restaged. Every year, every show has to do this- he doesn't suddenly get an exemption because his show is a hit.
Posted: 5/31/17 at 9:34am
I don't recall the ensemble making much use of the passerelle at all in "Before the Parade Passes By."
So the other productions are able to cobble together medleys that don't exist in their show and then stage and rehearse them, but Hello, Dolly! can't re-think a number?
Updated On: 5/31/17 at 09:34 AM
Posted: 5/31/17 at 9:49am
Kad said: "I don't recall the ensemble making much use of the passerelle at all in "Before the Parade Passes By."
So the other productions are able to cobble together medleys that don't exist in their show and then stage and rehearse them, but Hello, Dolly! can't re-think a number?"
And Great Comet, a show that had to rebuild the theater it's in, is able to figure out how to adapt to the space at Radio City.
Posted: 5/31/17 at 9:49am
this is another one of those threads that exhibits the naivete of much of this board in full bloom. This is all about free publicity and guess what it has worked.
oh and PS: producers do not have to have their arms twisted to spend the money; they are begging to. And PS #2, who do you think "the Tonys" are if not the self-same producers?
Posted: 5/31/17 at 9:52am
...The 7 dubious posts pointing out the logical flaws in Rudin's argument exhibit the naivete of this board in full bloom?
Not the two other substantially longer, hysterical and outraged threads about this topic?
Posted: 5/31/17 at 9:52am
The last three years when the Tonys were held at Radio City Music Hall, a passerelle was a part of the set.
Posted: 5/31/17 at 9:53am
HogansHero said: "this is another one of those threads that exhibits the naivete of much of this board in full bloom. This is all about free publicity and guess what it has worked.
oh and PS: producers do not have to have their arms twisted to spend the money; they are begging to. And PS #2, who do you think "the Tonys" are if not the self-same producers?
"
In all fairness, don't all of the "Riedel on _____________" threads exhibit this? Along with Riedel's articles, themselves?
Posted: 5/31/17 at 9:53am
I'm already over this Dolly situation.
The good news is that it sounds like LuPone and Ebersole will be performing, which is not surprising, but nice to see confirmed. A powerful performance of "Face to Face" should only help their consistent ticket sales.
Posted: 5/31/17 at 9:56am
Jeffrey Karasarides said: "The last three years when the Tonys were held at Radio City Music Hall, a passerelle was a part of the set.
"
But it was like, HUGE
Posted: 5/31/17 at 10:02am
HogansHero said: "this is another one of those threads that exhibits the naivete of much of this board in full bloom. This is all about free publicity and guess what it has worked.
oh and PS: producers do not have to have their arms twisted to spend the money; they are begging to. And PS #2, who do you think "the Tonys" are if not the self-same producers?
Wait....How is this about free publicity when we are talking about a show that: a) sold out a long time ago and b) has the largest pre-sale of the season. Free publicity lends itself to being able to make something advantageous to a production. What pinnacle has Hello, Dolly NOT reached that would require them to be douchey about something for the sake of publicity?
"
Posted: 5/31/17 at 10:16am
This comment, in the article, pissed me off:
“I told the Tony producers that unless they wanted to watch 12 dancers falling into the pit live on CBS, doing either number at Radio City was simply a nonstarter,” he says.
Nobody believes for a minute that any dancers would all into a pit. The performance would be re-staged, just as EVERY performance from EVERY show is.
Absurd comment. Absolutely absurd.
Posted: 5/31/17 at 10:28am
Well Scott Rudin wouldn't HAVE this problem if they had just hired 12 Beamonesque dancers for the chorus. How short-sighted could he be?
Posted: 5/31/17 at 10:29am
The BC/EFA is a nice idea, but Rudin's reasons for wanting to perform at the Shubert are absurd.
Good to hear that LuPone & Ebersole are performing!!
Posted: 5/31/17 at 10:42am
Not to start any drama but Hello, Dolly! is the only nominated musical that is missing on this album http://www.playbill.com/article/track-list-announced-2017-tony-awards-season-compilation-album and it's the only musical this season that has not released any highlight videos.
I say BS on Rusin's excuses... and I wonder if these dramas will cost Dolly the revival win and maybe Patti or Christine will pull an upset.
Posted: 5/31/17 at 10:48am
Let's also not forget that Donna Murphy starts performances the Tuesday after the Tonys, which means the stage managers are busy rehearsing her during the day and scheduling a put-in rehearsal with the entire cast, most likely next week. So while I agree it would be nice for them to perform, I can also understand why they wouldn't be thrilled about finding even more extra time to re-stage and rehearse a new number. Especially when they having nothing to gain since they're sold out for months.
Posted: 5/31/17 at 10:49am
RJ14 said: "I say BS on Rusin's excuses... and I wonder if these dramas will cost Dolly the revival win and maybe Patti or Christine will pull an upset."
YES! Revival upset! I'm gonna keep putting that juju out there for the next ten days! haha
Posted: 5/31/17 at 10:49am
It really does feel like Rudin is creating unnecessary drama for his production. I guess he feels it's so untouchable that none of this matters, but it doesn't seem like the best publicity to me. I believe it's all part of his plan to keep most of this production an elite top secret.
Posted: 5/31/17 at 10:53am
f*ck Scott Rudin.
(On second thought, blecccch.)
Posted: 5/31/17 at 11:17am
Broadway61004 said: "Let's also not forget that Donna Murphy starts performances the Tuesday after the Tonys, which means the stage managers are busy rehearsing her during the day and scheduling a put-in rehearsal with the entire cast, most likely next week. So while I agree it would be nice for them to perform, I can also understand why they wouldn't be thrilled about finding even more extra time to re-stage and rehearse a new number. Especially when they having nothing to gain since they're sold out for months. "
This is 100% their own fault. Rudin decided to have Murphy start literally the first performance post-Tony Awards. It's not like they didn't know they'd be nominated.
Posted: 5/31/17 at 11:20am
Kad said: "...The 7 dubious posts pointing out the logical flaws in Rudin's argument exhibit the naivete of this board in full bloom?
Not the two other substantially longer, hysterical and outraged threads about this topic?"
In fairness to me, I DID say "another"
@Joe Dee, publicity (free or otherwise) is not the exclusive province of the needy. On your theory, why is Rudin spending a decent chunk of change on ad buys week in and week out?
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