Shady Dracula article in the NY Times...

[suzycat]

Posted: 8/15/04 at 9:05pm

Hmm... I was under the impression that journalism etiquitte states that you don't write about a show while it is in previews, only after it's opened. Well, in today's NY Times, there is a big article about Frank Wildhorn and how critics have hated all his shows. In the first five paragraphs the writer makes it sound like based on Wildhorn's past works, Dracula is destined to fail.

Here's a quote:
'In recent telephone interviews, three theater critics elaborated on their published invective. Linda Winer, of Newsday, said that Mr. Wildhorn writes "dunderheaded musicals for people who find Andrew Lloyd Webber too difficult." Ben Brantley, of The New York Times, allowed, "They're fine if you're in the mood to be emotionally knee-jerked." And Charles Isherwood of Variety said of Mr. Wildhorn: "His natural home is in Las Vegas. That might be his most sensible career move. Skip Broadway altogether."

But, undeterred, Mr. Wildhorn, 46, is once again up at bat with "Dracula," which opens on Thursday at the Belasco Theater, directed by Des McAnuff and starring Tom Hewitt and Melissa Errico. If history is any judge, the reviews will be bruising, his fan club will rally, the box office will sputter, and Mr. Wildhorn will be back at it before long: "Frankenstein" and "Cyrano" are next in line.'

Hmmmm.... the rest of the article give a nice little bio of Wildhorn, but I think this was an underhanded move by the Times. (i've seen Dracula and can't say that it will be a success, but it just isnt fair for this writer to cast it off before he's even seen it). What do you think??
Dracula Article

[musicalfandukie]

Posted: 8/15/04 at 9:14pm

even tho most of his shows have gotten bad or mixed reviews they have all done pretty well on broadway. fans seem to like them so who cares what the credicts say.