"SHOW business" -- A Documentary on Wicked, Avenue Q, Taboo & Caroline at the Tribeca Film Festival

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/23/05 at 9:46pm

"'How do you measure,' Jonathan Larson's lyrics from Rent asked, 'measure a year?' Dori Berinstein's inspired answer is SHOW business-a chronicle of a year in the life of Broadway. The film tracks four original musicals: Wicked, the clever retelling of The Wizard of Oz from the witches' perspective; Avenue Q, in which puppets behave like, well, unemployed twentysomethings; Taboo, Boy George and Rosie O'Donnell's '80s extravaganza; and the pedigreed Public Theater transfer Tony Kushner's Caroline, or Change. By virtue of her unique stage door access to these shows and a host of others, Berinstein expertly conveys the creative and technical challenges of preparing a production for the twelve-block territory known as Broadway. As we follow each of these shows from inspiration to opening night, the truth of the notion that theater rests on the passion of its practitioners is borne out. And throughout the film, we hear directly from those arbiters of our own ticket-buying decisions, the seemingly all-powerful New York critics. Putting faces, and overblown pronouncements, to the bylines is almost as much fun as watching some of their Tony predictions proven wrong. And speaking of the Tonys, a.k.a. the 'finish line'-what a horserace it was last year. Would the groundbreaking Caroline, or Change best the upstart puppet show? Would either one have a chance against the million-dollar babies, Taboo and Wicked, and their marketing budgets? It was an unforgettable upset, and it is even more exciting from this vantage point. As one insider puts it-the risk/reward economics of theater are brutal. There's only one reason that people continue to produce it, and that reason is love, which is skillfully embroidered all over SHOW business."

It screens this Monday, Wednesday and Friday this week at the Tribeca Film Festival(http://www.tribecafilmfestival.org/index.html)

Here's an interview about it from the Times with George C. Wolfe, Jason Moore and Joe Mantello:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/24/theater/newsandfeatures/24gree.html

[CapnHook]

Posted: 4/23/05 at 9:47pm

I hope it gets a DVD release. I can't make it to NYC for it.

[Britt0913]

Posted: 4/23/05 at 10:15pm

I'm working the Festival this week. Hopefully I'll be able to see it!!!!!! :crosses fingers:

[Aigoo]

Posted: 4/23/05 at 10:24pm

Someone :coughecord-raycough: it for those of who are less fortunate and live in Illinois.

[BWayBoy88]

Posted: 4/23/05 at 10:26pm

I was just looking at their website today about this film. The only day I can go is Monday, but I dont think its worth $25 to see a movie once. Hopefully there will be a DVD Updated On: 4/23/05 at 10:26 PM

[CapnHook]

Posted: 4/23/05 at 10:47pm

I WOULD pay $25 to see a good movie.

I would have paid $25 to see BROADWAY: THE GOLDEN AGE - just one time.

I would have paid $25 to see MOULIN ROUGE - just one time.

And I would have paid $25 to see these films for a second time. Another $25 for a third time.

If it's good enough, I'll pay $25. Why not give it a try? Read reviews first. Ask others for their opinions.

[filmgirl325]

Posted: 4/23/05 at 11:02pm

I'm going to see it on Wednesday...I can't wait! Oh and the tickets are only 10 dollars, not 25.

[Corine2]

Posted: 4/23/05 at 11:50pm

I got my tickets the minute I heard about the film.
Can't wait till Monday.

[shira467]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 3:28am

I need this movie in LA. And now!

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 10:54am

Tickets for the first screening are $25, and they're $10 for the two following that. The website said you have to buy tickets for this one at the door, but then I heard they were sold out, as is the entire festival. I *really* want to see it, but I have no idea what to do. I really shouldn't be, either, because finals are coming up, but that's an entirely different story.

If anyone goes, please post!

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 12:45pm

Hopefully it will have a regional release, ala, Broadway: The Golden Age, or maybe find a life on cable somewhere.

[bwayfan3]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 12:48pm

As of now, the tix are "door only" That means seats are still available but you have to line up at least one hour before the screening time. I saw a little preview for it on NY1 yesterday. Looks really good. She was basically given unlimited access to the productions.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 1:46pm

The more I think about it, the more I think I might want to just go down and try.

[Britt0913]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 5:48pm

I'm crossing my fingers for tomorrow. I'm gonna go down there right after class. :::::::::wheeeee!!! I'm excited!!!:::::::::::

[whatacharacter]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 3:34pm

Any word on a wider relaease, or dvd release of this movie?

[ShuQ]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 3:48pm

They kept promising a release, they practically guaranteed it. But nothing has been heard yet.

[whatacharacter]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 4:04pm

[washu2002]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 6:16pm

yeah, is it available on DVD?

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 6:21pm

Not yet.

[alterego]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 6:34pm

This sounds terrific, lets hope it finds it's way to Film Festivals beyond the USA.

[bwayfan3]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 6:44pm

It will be shown at some film festival in Toronto in February.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 12:20pm

It's going to be shown at Makor on 9/12.

If you didn't get an opportunity to see this the first time around, I highly, highly recommend it.

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/101497.html

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 12:51pm

In all honesty, as fascinating as it sounds, I don't see the point. We already know what happened to those musicals. Taboo crashed and burned, Caroline or Change became another critically acclaimed flop, Wicked became the biggest blockbuster Broadway has ever seen, and Avenue Q won the Tony. But I wouldn't mind seeing it because I love Wicked and Caroline or Change.

[ShuQ]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 1:11pm

Well even though Matt just told me EVERYTHING that happened to those musicals...I am still wanting to know if we're ever getting a DVD release!

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 7:11pm

The point is seeing how they got to those points, Matt. There's a lot of backstage, pre-Broadway, interviews, and rehearsal footage, which a lot of people, myself included, found fascinating.

But, being that you think Wicked is the "biggest blockbuster Broadway has ever seen," I wouldn't expect you to discern that there's anything more to the story than the end.