Posted: 4/28/15 at 10:08am
If anything, this makes Diane look even better. She is the director of this big Broadway musical that is raking in millions. Plus, regardless of the tony awards, people are loving the show. And Diane already has shows lined up for her! I <3 Diane
Posted: 4/28/15 at 10:10am
"If anything, this makes Diane look even better. She is the director of this big Broadway musical that is raking in millions. Plus, regardless of the tony awards, people are loving the show. And Diane already has shows lined up for her! I "
You are correct Philly. While not a critical hit, FN is a commercial success and that is a gold star on anyone's resume.
Plus she's got tons of clout from her previous work.
It would have been nice for her to get a nom, but her career is thriving and now shows she can do commercial as well as artistic.
Posted: 4/28/15 at 10:23am
Harvey knows better than anyone that sometimes your movies gets a ton of nominations and sometimes your movie gets nothing. The difference is that he doesn't have the clout in the theatre industry that he does in the movie industry. I'm sure his reputation will build if he keeps at it.
I'm much more concerned about Diane Paulus. She's a wonderful artist but she has turned her non-profit regional theater into a place where commercial productions go before they hit New York. That's icky to me. It's one thing to transfer a show every few years. It's another to program a 5-show season with 2-3 big money productions hoping for commercial runs in NY every year.
Posted: 4/28/15 at 10:27am
I doubt NEVERLAND is "raking" in dough. It made a million but the nut is probably close to $700,000 and they are pouring money into advertising like crazy. Casting Morrison and Grammer was a "costly" decision, (Salary wise) A million does not go very far these days, and it's only been running a few weeks, it's a little early to say it's a "commercial smash" (yet) As for Ms. Paulus, this was a chance for her to prove she could direct a show other than a revival and help create and develop a "new" show. I'm not saying her career is over, but this snub has to hurt.
I get your point Dramamamama, and I agree.
Posted: 4/28/15 at 10:27am
He will start his own award show. It will be called the Harvey's and in its first year FN will be nominated for everything - even best revival - and will win every award handed out. The after awards will be held at Joe Allens
Posted: 4/28/15 at 10:31am
"He will start his own award show. It will be called the Harvey's and in its first year FN will be nominated for everything - even best revival - and will win every award handed out. The after awards will be held at Joe Allens"
I thought that was Cameron Mackintosh's plan - after the Miss Saigon revival didn't win any Olivier Awards.
Posted: 4/28/15 at 10:33am
Diane Paulus...the empress has no clothes. And Vespertine is right, she has turned A.R.T. into a Broadway-obsessed tryout house. You know, Boston DOES have the Colonial Theater not too far away.
Updated On: 4/28/15 at 10:33 AM
Posted: 4/28/15 at 10:34am
Did Pippin play A.R.T?
Posted: 4/28/15 at 10:38am
Where is Forbidden Broadway when we need it?
Posted: 4/28/15 at 10:38am
It did indeed.
Posted: 4/28/15 at 10:39am
yeah they did. They do broadway-bound stuff, but what is the problem with that? They still mostly do creative, interesting, different theatre, and stick to their mission which is "expanding the boundaries of theatre." I think what Diane has done with the ART is amazing really.
Posted: 4/28/15 at 10:50am
JV
I thought the Colonial closed a few years ago. Did it reopen?
Posted: 4/28/15 at 10:52am
It did indeed. Citibank now has its name attached to it, but at least it's open.
Posted: 4/28/15 at 10:53am
The Colonial theater doesn't produce anything (or at least not that I'm aware of)....it's a touring house.
The ART community loves what has happened with its little theater. Its exactly what she was hired to do.
I'm not so sure why this is seen as a bad thing. and as a director, you know not all of your work is going to "click"...and usually you have a pretty good sense of what you've done. It makes no sense for her to publicly talk about a current show in anything but glowing terms.
Posted: 4/28/15 at 10:55am
"The Colonial theater doesn't produce anything (or at least not that I'm aware of)....it's a touring house. "
It never did produce anything. It was always rented by producers for out-of-town tryouts. I was making a little (bad) joke about A.R.T. replacing what the Colonial used to be.
Posted: 4/28/15 at 10:58am
Good news indeed. A beautiful theater.
Posted: 4/28/15 at 11:04am
What else has come from A.R.T over the past few seasons?
Pippin
Finding Neverland
The Glass Menagerie
All the Way
Porgy and Bess
Posted: 4/28/15 at 11:13am
5 Broadway transfers in 3 years is incredible for any non-profit institution. The Public doesn't even have that kind of record.
The Heart of Robin Hood was supposed to play Broadway. The Tempest and Witness Uganda had commercial aims. They're also responsible for bringing Sleep No More to America.
Posted: 4/28/15 at 11:16am
I'll be fair and say that one of those transfers was downright brilliant (THE GLASS MENAGERIE) and one was highly entertaining and featured a great lead performance (ALL THE WAY). Funny how those are the two that didn't involve Diane Paulus as director.
Updated On: 4/28/15 at 11:16 AM
Posted: 4/28/15 at 11:16am
People keep saying Finding Neverland is a commercial success, but its way too early to tell. Plenty of shows over the years here in the UK and broadway start out strong and then fade. If its still doing a million a week in a year (and when its two stars have left) then id say its a commercial hit. I can see this surviving whilst it has its stars but closing soon after, like Addams Family
If it had been a good show im sure the weinstein effect wouldnt have mattered so much, but im struggling to see what they could have possibly been nominated for. I didnt like it at all, but friends I saw it with did, and even they said they couldnt say what would be award worthy...it was just a nice evening in the theatre
Also if it had been a labour of love, it should have been better. It felt much too paint by numbers on how to try and do a family musical
Posted: 4/28/15 at 11:33am
Porgy and Bess and Pippin were fantastic productions. All of the shows that come out of ART are great and win awards because they are good. I don't know why it should be looked down upon because they have so many transfers. That should be seen as a good thing because people want to see the shows
Posted: 4/28/15 at 11:38am
okay Liza-Mr. Smith-Annette whatever profile you're using now
Posted: 4/28/15 at 11:49am
NOT getting a director nod certainly does not make Paulus look better, no way, no how.
ART has a good rep (right now) for transferring but it brings up the old question: Is the purpose of regional Theatre JUST to do shows with the aim for Broadway. Of course these days when a show opens in Podunk Iowa (no offense) the first question is WILL IT TRANSFER?
And "laughing all the way to the bank" can also mean sitting home crying in the dark on TONY nomination morning.
Posted: 4/28/15 at 11:53am
I find the complete shutout appalling, but not surprising. The critics and the nominators had it in for Harvey ever since he muscled his way onto last year's telecast. The ensuing backstage drama must've ticked the hearts of the critics, who loved the storyline it created, and the Tony voters, who were probably dying to finally flex their muscle back when it became time to pass out the nominations.
Sure, it's making hand over fist, but that's like a drop in the bucket to Harvey. They hit him where it hurts, and that's in faint praise, and lack of shiny things to put on his shelf.
I happened to love this show, so I was really disappointed.
