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Riedel: 9 to 5 gets fired Labor Day — Page 3

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#51

re: Riedel: 9 to 5 gets fired Labor Day

Posted: 7/29/09 at 12:46pm

I hated his directing choices in Wicked. Like the stupid armoire with the "phantom" effect. That was stupid, and just plain ugly.

And his choice to use a HUGE stairwell as the entrance to the club in Pal Joey? It just made entrances and exits so awkward.

And what would be the point of a transfer? If no one wants to see it now, why would anyone want to see it in a scaled down production? Riedel was right. The show was unimaginative. Every talked about these "innovative" sets, but they weren't. They were just boring and clunky.
#52

re: Riedel: 9 to 5 gets fired Labor Day

Posted: 7/29/09 at 12:48pm

Philly, in this case it's true.

I love the acting. The direction was fine. The music (save for one or two songs) was inspired. The original film was ingenious.

But the book, which was written by the writer of the film, was terrible. I honestly think that a better, funnier, wittier book could have made such a difference in the show.

Actually, I'm just going to redirect you to my thread about the book instead of just regurgitating everything.

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardid=1&boardname=bway&thread=997423#3839715
#55

re: Riedel: 9 to 5 gets fired Labor Day

Posted: 7/29/09 at 12:59pm

they are selling tickets till january 3 2010, so if its closing, my best bet would be then.
"It'a all about Popular!"
#57

re: Riedel: 9 to 5 gets fired Labor Day

Posted: 7/29/09 at 1:03pm

wickedlover, a piece of advice: Take your hands off the keyboard and spend a little time READING. Otherwise, you're going to be eaten alive.
"You just can't win. Ever. Look at the bright side, at least you are not stuck in First Wives Club: The Musical. That would really suck. " --Sueleen Gay
#58

re: Riedel: 9 to 5 gets fired Labor Day

Posted: 7/29/09 at 1:03pm

The show failed because it had lines like "Just do it? That'll make a gread ad campaign someday." I mean, wtf? They don't work in advertising. Who says things like that?
#59

re: Riedel: 9 to 5 gets fired Labor Day

Posted: 7/29/09 at 1:11pm

Too bad. Such a fun show. This is really a big surprise to me; I was sure when I saw two of the previews that 9 TO 5 would be a huge hit. Flaws and all (and it certainly has quite a few) I enjoyed the show. Sad to see it go if this is true.
#60

re: Riedel: 9 to 5 gets fired Labor Day

Posted: 7/29/09 at 1:16pm

Hmmmm....I suppose the reason this hasn't been pulled is because we are talking about a published article and not our own personal "heresay"?


Wickedlover -- we could list many shows that have closed in LESS time. (And did you know that you can EDIT your post to add to it instead of seperate posts?)
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it? These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
#62

re: Riedel: 9 to 5 gets fired Labor Day

Posted: 7/29/09 at 1:19pm

Don't fret, middlebrows...we still have FIRST WIVES CLUB, SISTER ACT, and many other unremarkable shows based on popular movies for your eroding tastes.
"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.” ~ Muhammad Ali
#65

re: Riedel: 9 to 5 gets fired Labor Day

Posted: 7/29/09 at 1:22pm

In addition to fixing the book, they need to cast a Violet who can sing. I love Allison Janney, she's one of the funniest people around. I hope this doesn't dissuade her doing plays in the future. But she can't sing at all, and the songs were written for a singer.
"It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg." -- Thomas Jefferson
#66

re: Riedel: 9 to 5 gets fired Labor Day

Posted: 7/29/09 at 1:23pm

Oddly, SJB is on NY1 talking about how 9 to 5 is green backstage.
"You just can't win. Ever. Look at the bright side, at least you are not stuck in First Wives Club: The Musical. That would really suck. " --Sueleen Gay
#67

re: Riedel: 9 to 5 gets fired Labor Day

Posted: 7/29/09 at 1:23pm

Riedel predicted SHREK would be closed by now, this column is not a prediction, he is saying that allegedly the cast has already been notified about the show's closing.
I don't get all this talk of Mantello not being able to work with celebrities since Alison Janney was really the only of the three actresses who got raves from Brantley and the one person people said could compete with Alice Ripley (after seeing NEXT TO NORMAL I can't imagine anyone would have beaten Ms.Ripley this season). Do people mean Mantello wasn't able to work with the other actresses to get a good show going?
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
#68

re: Riedel: 9 to 5 gets fired Labor Day

Posted: 7/29/09 at 1:35pm

Sad to see a fun show possibly leave so early. Frankly though, I despise Riedel's snarky attitude. When are we going to be done with him already.
#69

re: Riedel: 9 to 5 gets fired Labor Day

Posted: 7/29/09 at 1:45pm

It was asked when was the last time a show changed theaters. 39 Steps was mentioned but I also thought of August: Osage County" and The Lion King.
Just give the world Love. - S. Wonder
#70

re: Riedel: 9 to 5 gets fired Labor Day

Posted: 7/29/09 at 1:47pm

ray, what people are saying is that Mantello has a reputation for not pushing celebrities very hard in rehearsal, which is why so many want to work with him.

People with enough chops to make their own bold choices (like Janney) still wind up turning in fine performances, but those less experienced who need to be directed (like Julia Roberts) tend to fumble in his productions.
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.

Updated On: 7/29/09 at 01:47 PM

#71

re: Riedel: 9 to 5 gets fired Labor Day

Posted: 7/29/09 at 1:49pm

The show failed because it had lines like "Just do it? That'll make a gread ad campaign someday." I mean, wtf? They don't work in advertising. Who says things like that?

Too bad that's not the line Ripped Man. It's "Just do it? That's catchy." Maybe know the show you are going to criticize before doing it?
#72

re: Riedel: 9 to 5 gets fired Labor Day

Posted: 7/29/09 at 1:49pm

They cut the part about it working in an ad campaign? It used to be in there. Either way, it's stupid. Like the show.
#75

re: Riedel: 9 to 5 gets fired Labor Day

Posted: 7/29/09 at 1:50pm

I thought Mantello did a fine job directing 9 TO 5. It's certainly his best work on a show since ASSASSINS and his best work on a big-budget musical.

But the only work of his that has been worth writing home about, to me, was his work on ASSASSINS. His work on THREE DAYS OF RAIN was absolutely embarrassingly bad.

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