Scott Rudin is returning to Broadway- Page 4

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 10:54am

Seeing the reactions certain shows are getting right now, that comment seems directly pointed at them. 

[Kad]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 10:55am

I had the same reaction to that statement. Even if Nobile/Seaview obviously aren't the only ones doing it, they've certainly made it the central pillar of their production model... not unlike Rudin in the 2010s.  While I agree with his assessment about it not being sustainable, he also is the one who proved it works very well.

Updated On: 3/28/25 at 10:55 AM

[mills3]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 10:56am

Even the ones who you would expect to speak out didn't make any actual statements. Wasn't it suspected that they were under NDAs? 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 11:04am

Hopefully he’s changed. It’s happened before with another very very well known Broadway producer who was known as a terrible human being but from all accounts, completely turned the behavior around and has been wonderful for a long time, now. 

If we’ve learned anything over the past few years, it’s that “cancel culture” is completely arbitrarily and basically means nothing. And I’d venture to say that most folks who say they’ll never see a show Rudin’s name is attached to are either nowhere near NYC or not regular theater goers. Like it or not, he (mostly) gets the quality along with the names. 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 12:01pm

LOLZ

[verywellthensigh]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 12:03pm

He's maybe the smartest Broadway producer since Hal Prince.  It'll be good to have him back.  

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 12:10pm

Scott Rudin is 66. When was the last time a rich, successful 66-year old changed about anything? 

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 12:11pm

His comment in the Times article is dead accurate. Yes, his productions often had a celebrity or two, but it was never at the expense of talent or production quality. I think of something like Three Tall Women - which starred three “celebrities,” but not by any means A-listers - that seemingly popped up out of nowhere and was an embarrassment of riches, from acting to direction to design to revival of exceptional material. Everything felt thought out, intentional, and like a passion project for all involved. And the work spoke for itself and rode on excellent word of mouth to a successful run and award love.

Updated On: 3/28/25 at 12:11 PM

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 12:16pm

Maybe he doesn’t want Nobile to win more Tonys than him. ;)
 

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 12:31pm

BroadwayGuy12 said: "Kad said: "Call_me_jorge said: "I’m just surprised another producer doesn’t/hasn’t filled the void Rudin left. Tom Kirdahy has come close."

Greg Nobile/Seaview is the closest analog in terms of what they’re producing and how, and likely wouldn’t exist without Rudin serving as a model."

Interestingly, the following statement from Rudin in the NYT profile felt pointedly aimed at Nobile/Seaview, although maybe I'm just reading too much into it:

“'I think the economics of Broadway have gotten tougher and tougher, and that some producers are throwing movie stars at that model as a way of cauterizing the bleeding,'he said. 'But I don’t believe it’s a sustainable model because overall, what has historically worked has been really good shows with really great people in them, whether they were movie stars or not. And I think using stars as a replacement for quality has a sell-by date printed all over it.'”

He said he worried that there was 'a paucity of work that’s truly, truly achieved'and too much work that feels 'first drafty.'”"

Where is the lie? Nobile/Seaview clearly think they’re serving event theater in the way Rudin did pre-Covid, but they haven’t even come close to reaching the heights of a HELLO, DOLLY! or THREE TALL WOMEN. 

Rudin may have been a monster, but there are countless people in this industry who are even worse than him - and get away with it. Let’s hope his comeuppance has humbled him a bit.

I’m ready for some more meat and potatoes on stage in New York, so I say bring it on. 

[Owen22]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 12:41pm

Where's A Little Night Music????? After seeing Cate in The Seagull I NEED her Desiree!!!!!!

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 12:56pm

Owen22 said: "Where's A Little Night Music????? After seeing Cate in The Seagull I NEED her Desiree!!!!!!"

Wasn’t that rumored for The National in London?

[inception]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 1:00pm

Caitlyn Jenner 

poisonivy2 said: "Scott Rudin is 66. When was the last time a rich, successful 66-year old changed about anything?"

 

[Owen22]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 1:11pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Owen22 said: "Where's A Little Night Music????? After seeing Cate in The Seagull I NEED her Desiree!!!!!!"

Wasn’t that rumored for The National in London?"

I don't remember that, but I do know Rudin held (holds?) the rights, I guess I had just assumed it was going to be Broadway. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 1:27pm

Well there’s a rumor that “Night Music” will be done this year at the Donmar this year. 

[Kad]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 1:44pm

Donmar = small production. We need a big lush revival.

[Luminaire2]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 2:41pm

Certain people just get away with everything. Especially if you are rich, and a man. 
 

We don’t have power to stop him from coming back, so now it’s up to the community to keep him accountable, especially the big names who will work with him. 

Updated On: 3/28/25 at 02:41 PM

[Jonathan Cohen]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 2:44pm

Jordan Catalano said: If we’ve learned anything over the past few years, it’s that “cancel culture” is completely arbitrarily and basically means nothing. And I’d venture to say that most folkswho say they’ll never see a show Rudin’s name is attached to are either nowhere near NYC or not regular theater goers. Like it or not, he (mostly) gets thequality along with the names."

The thing about cancel culture or getting canceled is people act like it's permanent, but the term is a reference to TV shows getting canceled, which is also not inherently permanent.  TV shows get un-canceled, spun-off, and rebooted all the time. 

My guess is Scott Rudin does return to Broadway but he doesn't seem so sure. The point of that New York Times article appeared to be giving Rudin a platform to pitch why people should let him come back - look at the all the cool projects I'll bring you if people stop complaining about me. 

Even if the average theatergoer doesn't care if Rudin is attached to a project, his comeback would be derailed if celebrities are shamed out of working with him. 

For example, in a vacuum casting Mandy Patinkin would have been enough to keep Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 open but because he wasn't comfortable with how producers treated Okieriete Onaodowan, he pulled out and the show closed. It didn't matter that the people still wanting to see Patinkin likely greatly outnumbered the people upset about Onaodowan getting fired.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 2:53pm

David Geffen and Barry Diller basically bankrolled all of his projects and they were forced to pick up the pieces when he pulled out of producing. I wonder if they’ll still back him or if they’ve moved on.

[jagman106]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 3:34pm

The discussion of the Rudin - Montello - Metcalf connection gives me hope that the revival of "...Virginia Woolf?" will resurface some point very soon. 

[mrshowbiz90210]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 3:52pm

You have Brett Ratner directing the Melania documentary, so why not have this predator come back

[joevitus]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 3:55pm

JSquared2 said: "Wick3 said: "Rudin was kindto the A-list stars but abusive to his staff.

Hopefully the people he hire have other options since given the public knowledge nowadays of his work ethics, I don’t understand why anyone would opt to work for him."

Apart from people who frequent these chat rooms, none of "the public" knows (or cares) about his work ethics. If he produces shows that people want to see, they're going to buy tickets. And they'll walk right past the 2 or 3 protestors standing around with signs."

Joan: I wouldn't be having to hear about his abuse if I wasn't in this chat room.

Bette: But cha are, Blanche!

I don't even understand the point of the original comment. No one has predicted his future work will flop based on his abusive behavior, just that they (we) are sickened by it and hate the idea of more people having to suffer that abuse becuase he wants to make more money or feel like he's doing something with his life. 

Updated On: 3/28/25 at 03:55 PM

[bear88]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 4:01pm

Jonathan Cohen said: "Jordan Catalano said: Ifwe’ve learned anything over the past few years, it’s that “cancel culture” is completely arbitrarily and basically means nothing. And I’d venture to say that most folkswho say they’ll never see a show Rudin’s name is attached to are either nowhere near NYC or not regular theater goers. Like it or not, he (mostly) gets thequality along with the names."

The thing about cancel culture or getting canceled is people act like it's permanent, but the term is a reference to TV shows getting canceled, which is also not inherently permanent.TV shows get un-canceled, spun-off, and rebooted all the time.

My guess is Scott Rudin does return to Broadway but he doesn't seem so sure. The point of that New York Times article appeared to be giving Rudin a platform to pitch why people should let him come back - look at the all the cool projects I'll bring you if people stop complaining about me.

Even if the average theatergoer doesn't care if Rudin is attached to a project, his comeback would be derailed if celebrities are shamed out of working with him.

For example, in a vacuumcastingMandy Patinkin would have been enough to keepNatasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 open but because he wasn't comfortable with how producers treatedOkieriete Onaodowan, he pulled out and the show closed. It didn't matter that the people still wanting toseePatinkin likely greatly outnumbered the people upset aboutOnaodowan getting fired."

Did Mandy Patinkin ever say he was uncomfortable with how the Great Comet producers treated Okieriete Onaodowan or are you assuming? I had always assumed Patinkin didn’t want to get in the middle of a firestorm that he didn’t start, not that he was necessarily offended - although it’s possible he thought the departure was mutual. But I don’t know.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 4:12pm

The other thing to remember is that Rudin is not alone in his behavior on Broadway.

That doesn't mean it's right, of course. But he sort of became the poster boy.

But there are plenty of other prolific Broadway power-players (men and women) who have behaved just as badly -- or nearly as badly -- as Scott, and for whatever reason haven't been exposed or were better at hiding it behind closed doors.

Updated On: 3/28/25 at 04:12 PM

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 5:02pm

I admit I’m finding some of these responses concerning.

 

Is Rudin alone in his behavior? Maybe, maybe not. I’ve seen/heard/experienced some lousy people and some wonderful ones, but I personally haven’t seen anyone get items thrown at their head or glass shattered out of anger. Doesn’t mean it’s not happening though!

 

But—why does this lighten our feelings on Rudin? Shouldn’t we just hold him as accountable as ever AND seek the truth about the others? 
 

It’s kind of disturbing to see so many go “well others act like it and we don’t know about it so 🤷🏻‍♀️ and at least he makes good theater.”

 

Btw those other people who are toxic will only feel enabled by Rudin—it shows you truly can get away with it.

 

I do believe people can change, and that sometimes the even deserve second chances. But has Rudin done anything to show he’s changed? Does *he* even know if he has, or is his behavior triggered by the exact addiction to power he has specifically when at the helm of major entertainment? What mechanisms are in place to protect people? 

 

I don’t know. I’m suprised to see how willingly some people are to shrug off his past just because he’s very good at his job.