So...is Broadway not dimming its lights for Jan Maxwell?- Page 3
So...is Broadway not dimming its lights for Jan Maxwell?
#50So...is Broadway not dimming its lights for Jan Maxwell
Posted: 2/16/18 at 6:37pm
Call_me_jorge said: "The response I got from Charlotte....
”I truly appreciate your thoughts. Our committee continually struggles with these decisions. I must admit, I would dim for everyone but at the end of the day, a dimming a week would take away from the specialness of the dimming would be gone.
As I’ve attended many dimming.....some at one theatre and some at all theatres, I love the ones where the family and the community join at one theatre together. It’s the way we come together.
I’m sorry we disappointed you with the committee decision. KNow that we care.”
this is BS"
What a b i t c h
#51So...is Broadway not dimming its lights for Jan Maxwell
Posted: 2/16/18 at 6:46pm
It's just awkward. So dimming the lights is 'special' if it's someone who is famous but only appeared on the Broadway stage a couple of times (and often not for DECADES). But it's not 'special' if it's a genuine hardworking Broadway actress who has worked in almost a dozen Broadway theatres and been nominated for every acting Tony award (and all somewhat recent too). We aren't talking about someone who spent a career being in the ensemble of Phantom or Chicago (no offence to them). To me the lines aren't that blurry.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
#52So...is Broadway not dimming its lights for Jan Maxwell
Posted: 2/16/18 at 6:47pm
...
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
#53So...is Broadway not dimming its lights for Jan Maxwell
Posted: 2/16/18 at 6:53pmApparently Jan isn’t special enough for Charlotte and the League. Disgusting.
#54So...is Broadway not dimming its lights for Jan Maxwell
Posted: 2/16/18 at 7:09pm
This is absolutely appalling. A truly terrible decision. I am speechless.
"There’s nothing quite like the power and the passion of Broadway music. "
#55So...is Broadway not dimming its lights for Jan Maxwell
Posted: 2/16/18 at 7:19pm
https://twitter.com/aeapresident/status/964650366787837952
https://twitter.com/audraequalitymc/status/964653489120006144
#56So...is Broadway not dimming its lights for Jan Maxwell
Posted: 2/16/18 at 7:26pm
Anakela said: "https://twitter.com/aeapresident/status/964650366787837952
https://twitter.com/audraequalitymc/status/964653489120006144"
#dimforjan needs to start trending
#57So...is Broadway not dimming its lights for Jan Maxwell
Posted: 2/16/18 at 7:27pm
adamgreer said: "Anakela said: "https://twitter.com/aeapresident/status/964650366787837952
https://twitter.com/audraequalitymc/status/964653489120006144"
#dimforjan needs to start trending"
It's ridiculous that we have to make a hashtag for this in the first place.
DIM. FOR. JAN.
#58So...is Broadway not dimming its lights for Jan Maxwell
Posted: 2/16/18 at 7:32pmDonna Murphy is tweeting it, too.
#59So...is Broadway not dimming its lights for Jan Maxwell
Posted: 2/16/18 at 7:37pm
I just don't understand why they wouldn't - is it really inconvenient or costly or SOMETHING that makes it warranted not to dim the lights? I'm asking genuinely because Ms. Maxwell deserves this as much as any of our great stage actors.
ghostlight2
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/5/04
#60So...is Broadway not dimming its lights for Jan Maxwell
Posted: 2/16/18 at 7:51pm
"I just don't understand why they wouldn't - is it really inconvenient or costly or SOMETHING that makes it warranted not to dim the lights?"
It's a hassle to coordinate, but it doesn't cost a penny. Pal Joey nailed this one. It's a commercial thing now.
#61So...is Broadway not dimming its lights for Jan Maxwell
Posted: 2/16/18 at 7:56pm
Lin knows what’s up... https://twitter.com/lin_manuel/status/964664611252383745
My father (AIDS)
My sister (AIDS)
My uncle and my cousin and her best friend (AIDS, AIDS, AIDS)
The gays and the straights
And the white and the spades
#62So...is Broadway not dimming its lights for Jan Maxwell
Posted: 2/16/18 at 10:07pm
I emailed St Martin and tweeted the hashtag. I really thought they’d get this one right. 
#63So...is Broadway not dimming its lights for Jan Maxwell
Posted: 2/16/18 at 11:15pm
What Adam said. Their motives can't be more transparent. They only want people who are recognized as TV and movie stars. I can't believe they're turning their backs on actors who have devoted their lives to the stage.
RexInLights
Chorus Member Joined: 3/30/17
#64So...is Broadway not dimming its lights for Jan Maxwell
Posted: 2/17/18 at 12:02am
I am disgusted by this decision. Jan Maxwell is an icon of the stage and was nominated for 5 Tony Awards. If she doesn't deserve this honor than I'm not sure who does. The motivations behind this decision are obvious and gross. Shame on them.
#65So...is Broadway not dimming its lights for Jan Maxwell
Posted: 2/17/18 at 12:28am
Either #dimforJan or Jan Maxwell has been in the top 10 NY trending topics on Twitter since at least 9pm. 12:30am and it's still going: https://imgur.com/a/3OsoU
Lovely to see all the support, even if it's not from the Broadway League.
A few more tweets...
https://twitter.com/LauraBenanti/status/964705415811477505
https://twitter.com/_mandygonzalez/status/964709945408212992
https://twitter.com/UzoAduba/status/964675003294810118
https://twitter.com/BebeNeuwirth/status/964691758608211969
A Director
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/18/07
#66So...is Broadway not dimming its lights for Jan Maxwell
Posted: 2/17/18 at 1:38am
Joan Rivers wrote and starred in TWO Broadway FLOPS! The first ran for 9 performance and the second ran for 50. She was a replacement in Broadway Bound. Those were her Broadway credits. Lights were dimmed for her. Good figure.
Dim For Jan!
Tag
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/19/05
#67So...is Broadway not dimming its lights for Jan Maxwell
Posted: 2/17/18 at 2:12am
^Perhaps you don't remember the controversy surrounding the dimming for Joan.
Updated On: 2/17/18 at 02:12 AM
A Director
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/18/07
#68So...is Broadway not dimming its lights for Jan Maxwell
Posted: 2/17/18 at 3:50am
I do remember the Rivers controversy. It was wrong to dim them for her; it's wrong to not dim them for Jan.
bwayboy22
Broadway Star Joined: 5/9/12
#69So...is Broadway not dimming its lights for Jan Maxwell
Posted: 2/17/18 at 4:14am
I think much of the reasoning behind dimming for Joan was not just her limited Broadway work, but her lifetime commitment to supporting the theater and being an advocate of the community. I think the honor was justified, although I do understand why people may disagree.
Jan Maxwell, however, unquestionably is deserving of the honor. I think it is a total disgrace that the Broadway League doesn't feel the same way. She was truly a Broadway star, and will be greatly missed. I hope, like Joan, that the public outcry will cause a reversal in their decision.
#70So...is Broadway not dimming its lights for Jan Maxwell
Posted: 2/17/18 at 8:06am
bwayboy22 said: "I think much of the reasoning behind dimming for Joan was not just her limited Broadway work, but her lifetime commitment to supporting the theater and being an advocate of the community. I think the honor was justified, although I do understand why people may disagree.
Jan Maxwell, however, unquestionably is deserving of the honor. I think it is a total disgrace that the Broadway League doesn't feel the same way. She was truly a Broadway star, and will be greatly missed. I hope, like Joan, that the public outcry will cause a reversal in their decision."
I didn’t care if they dimmed or didn’t dim for Joan. My issue is about the fact that if you’re going to dim for Joan Rivers, who hardly made her life in the theater, then you’d damn well better dim for Jan, a woman who devoted her life to the NY theater.
#72So...is Broadway not dimming its lights for Jan Maxwell
Posted: 2/17/18 at 10:46am
I do hope this scuttle will push the League to better define some perimeters on when it’s appropriate to dim the lights on Broadway. I understand the need to evaluate on a case by case basis, but truly most the celebrities mentioned in this thread- Joan Rivers, Carrie Fisher, Debbie Reynolds were not not Theatre luminaries. And I just don’t understand what perimeters they are using to disqualify a five time Tony nominee from the honor. They need some formal guidelines in place or the choices seem arbitrary and driven by the need for PR.
“I knew who I was this morning, but I've changed a few times since then.”
Updated On: 2/17/18 at 10:46 AM
#73So...is Broadway not dimming its lights for Jan Maxwell
Posted: 2/17/18 at 11:14am
Charlotte St. Martin: "I must admit, I would dim for everyone but at the end of the day, a dimming a week would take away from the specialness of the dimming would be gone."
"Specialness"... is adorable!
The Broadway League is about money, is anyone surprised? I like the idea of individual theaters making their own choice in the matter but wouldn't it be special if it worked the opposite way? The next time the Broadway League issues a directive to dim the lights for some hack a group of theaters could say, "Sorry Charlotte, not special enough".
Not going to happen of course. The theater community needs to come up with better rituals to honor brilliant performers, writers, directors, producers, etc.
John Adams
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/1/13
#74So...is Broadway not dimming its lights for Jan Maxwell
Posted: 2/17/18 at 11:43am
I tend to agree with JBroadway's view (comment #45) on this.
Moving past all the anger expressed regarding this situation, I hope friends and family of Jan Maxwell will see and take solace in the very loving tribute that is being expressed far beyond the traditional dimming of the lights.
Because of the decision not to dim the lights, an even greater tribute has happened.
Theaters have consciously chosen to defy the decision, and to dim their lights of their own accord. So many strangers (and let's face it, few of us were/are personal acquaintances or colleagues of Ms. Maxwell, or her family) have made outstanding efforts to speak up, to take action, to recognize, and to honor Ms. Maxwell.
Speaking for myself, I cannot possibly fathom that when I am gone, I would/might be as publicly honored by so many people.
To my mind, the League's decision is the catalyst that has inadvertently proven how revered Ms. Maxwell, and her work in the theater is (not was, mind you). The League's decision is rendered moot.
The honor and recognition is occurring in spite of their input, and in ways that go far beyond the "traditional" dimming of the lights.
What greater honor could one receive?
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