Riedel, NY Post writes about "Addams Family" and "Come Fly With Me" - Page 2

[Unknown User]

Posted: 12/24/09 at 4:29pm

Let's face it- there is nothing the folks associated with Addams Family could do that would please theater insiders. So much hatred you'd think Mel Brooks created it.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 12/24/09 at 5:05pm

Yeah, I believe Riedel called Sesma and Arden 'shoo-ins' for Tony nominations.

[BrianS]

Posted: 12/24/09 at 6:19pm

bk, I don't know what you do in theater so I obviously don't know if you've been involved in the development of new work, but the idea that there is no benefit to getting some distance from something and then coming back to it is just not my experience at all.

These people aren't freezing the show and going off to the next project like the TLM team. It's a couple of weeks off after a lot of hard work. Come on... just because Michael Riedel has a column due and makes it a big deal doesn't mean it's a big deal.

The good news with this show is that due to the unique production design where the set morphs so easily, they aren't as locked in as some shows that have a bunch of unique one-off set pieces. They could easily make significant book changes and not be tied down by the technical aspects.

[bk]

Posted: 12/24/09 at 7:46pm

"[BK posted this same rant on another chat board so I've included my response here as well:]

I'm a bit mystified by the uproar here. If Riedel is even reporting the truth -- and to my knowledge, NONE of us verifiably know if he is -- it's clear both from what I saw onstage in Chicago, from what's been said on this board, and from what the critics said, that the show needs some fundamental structural and story changes. It's not the level of change that is just about going off and writing one new song or one new scene. This sort of change is not going to happen overnight.

And purely on a practical level, even if the authors had taken last week to do a first pass of extensive rewrites in consultation with a show doctor, with the holiday performance schedule they are playing in Chicago this week and next, there isn't really much time to put in changes until the week of January 4 anyway.

So where's the harm in having a show doctor come in and see the show during the week after it opened, having some creative meetings about what needs to happen, everyone going off to do the work that they each need to do over the holidays (from what's been said and from what I saw, that would be bookwriters, composer, choreographer) and then reconvening in Chicago on January 4 to begin implementing those changes (which I imagine will continue into the several weeks of rehearsals they have when they are back in New York)?

As for the collective critique of what OOT tryouts have become, I've responded to BK at length on that other board as well and it's not worth re-posting in its entirety here. But in short, what exactly is the alternative? The authors write the shows and the designers design the shows that call for effects that can only be accomplished with a certain level of technology. Whether we like it or not, 21st century audiences aren't satisfied by circa 1960's production value. So if that technology and production value hampers OOT tryouts, how can producers limit their financial exposure in developing a show that may not yet be fully completed? I agree -- don't just invite friends and family to workshops...but what else besides developmental productions, enhanced regional productions and bona fide OOT tryouts? "

And I've responded to you on the other board. I suppose you could call my post a rant, and all the other posts on that board posted before mine which basically said the same thing - I suppose you could call those rants (some of which were stronger than mine) - I think of them as opinions. You used the word "bitter" on that board. Sorry, no bitter here and none in the post. Just the way I see things, and, given some of the folks who completely agreed with me, it seems that others feel as I do. You don't, and that's fine, too.