Ugh. Ryan Murphy wants to bring GLEE to Broadway.

[aasjb4ever]

Posted: 8/6/10 at 4:22pm

Well we've just lost a house for 5 years.

[jennafan]

Posted: 8/6/10 at 4:24pm

HORRIBLE idea.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 8/6/10 at 4:33pm

Um....theres no autotune on Broadway. Or maybe now there would be...

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 8/6/10 at 4:33pm

No. Just no.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 8/7/10 at 5:42am

Guys, you should get down on your knees....

And kiss Ryan's toes for the enormous boost "Glee" will give Broadway over the next few years. Suddenly BIG money is being freed up for musical projects. With two wars underway and a massive recession, I hear people talking about which composer Glee is going to pay tribute to this season.

And even though it's not really about "Broadway" or "Musical Theater" (the two greatest words in the English language) Glee has caused the world to understand the drive of the kid who just wants to sing or dance.

I'll bet there are a lot of kids out there in the wilderness whose parents may just 'get' them a little better because of Glee.

Those kids are me and - I'll bet - you.

Updated On: 8/7/10 at 05:42 AM

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 8/7/10 at 9:02am

In between this, RUNNING WITH SCISSORS and that EAT, PRAY, LOVE...thing I'd say Ryan Murphy seems to be grooming himself to be the next Joel Schumacher.

[aasjb4ever]

Posted: 8/7/10 at 9:16am

Guys, you should get down on your knees....

And kiss Ryan's toes for the enormous boost "Glee" will give Broadway over the next few years. Suddenly BIG money is being freed up for musical projects. With two wars underway and a massive recession, I hear people talking about which composer Glee is going to pay tribute two this season.

And even though it's not really about "Broadway" or "Musical Theater" (the two greatest words in the English language) Glee has caused the world to understand the drive of the kid who just wants to sing or dance.

I'll bet there are a lot of kids out there in the wilderness whose parents may just 'get' them a little better because of Glee.

Those kids are me and - I'll bet - you.

I see where you're coming from, but GLEE is only "helping out" those giant blockbusters like Wicked, Dreamgirls, and Promises, Promises. Little shows like, next to normal, or Ragtime, will never be sampled on GLEE because they're not recognizable commodities and aren't moneymakers because of the marquee value but the talent onstage. So, GLEE, like Disney, is making Broadway a commodity and not an experience.

[Edna Turnblad]

Posted: 8/7/10 at 9:23am

I like Glee, but I think they should stick with television, and then branching out to those concerts they did. Stage musical adaptations and books and everything else is just making me think that they want to cash in on as much as they can and are possibly hurting the integrity, and possibly quality, of the show.

[backwoodsbarbie]

Posted: 8/7/10 at 9:39am

aasjb--I love the way you worded that, you are exactly right

[byebyebaby12]

Posted: 8/7/10 at 10:20am

I agree Edna.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/7/10 at 10:36am

GLEE should stick to television and only sing covers of TV Theme songs. Rachel and Kurt's heartbreaking cover duet of the GROWING PAINS theme song will definitely win them top prize at regionals next year.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 8/7/10 at 10:53am

I see where you're coming from, but GLEE is only "helping out" those giant blockbusters like Wicked, Dreamgirls, and Promises, Promises. Little shows like, next to normal, or Ragtime, will never be sampled on GLEE because they're not recognizable commodities and aren't moneymakers because of the marquee value but the talent onstage. So, GLEE, like Disney, is making Broadway a commodity and not an experience.

Giant blockbusters like Promises, Promises? Seriously?

They've also done songs from shows like Cabaret, The Wiz, Funny Girl and Gypsy. They may not be songs from your current favorite shows (did you even consider the licensing issues?) but they have had a diverse Broadway catalog.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 8/7/10 at 11:04am

Not to mention Broadway is both a commodity and an experience. I'm with allofmylife here. In addition to what he said, shows like this one often end up being gateway shows for people who really haven't been Broadway fans before. They often end up coming back for more as a result. There was a thread a week or so ago about younger posters and their theater-going habits who bore out this theory. They start with Wicked or Rent and then, once hooked, move onto more substantial shows.

Anything that raises awareness of Broadway and gets people in the seats is okay by my books. If you don't like it, don't see it. I know I won't.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 8/7/10 at 11:45am

True. But what irritates me about the Gleetards is they seem to think Broadway should just be sooooo grateful that the big successful Tee Vee show is giving musicals a new audience. An assumption I'm afraid I disagree with...I think the only thing GLEE is doing is upping the ante for karaoke.

Kiss Ryan Murphy's toes? Really? Any show that has a "Britney Spears Episode" should be yanked from the air.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 8/7/10 at 12:06pm

Okay, full confession. I've never as much as seen a single full episode of Glee, and I'm definitely not getting on my knees and kissing Ryan Murphy's toes. I won't even put him on a pedestal to do it. I do think, however, that Glee is making people who would not otherwise be interested in Broadway, interested in Broadway, even if it's by appealing to the lowest common denominator.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 8/7/10 at 12:12pm

Well if you read the actual article from the Times, it only says that Fox's new deal with Murphy gives him the option to mount GLEE on Broadway, it doesn't say at all that he's actually doing it or not, neither do they have a quote or a suggestion saying that he's in fact interested in this idea. This is just BWW once again trying to make a story out of nothing and failing to display any sort of good journalism.

Having said that, I'm sorry but I think a GLEE Broadway musical would be a disaster.

[timote316]

Posted: 8/7/10 at 12:18pm

Yeah, the article says nothing.... as usual. And I'd bet, if the show were to come to Broadway.... it'd likely be a concert. I don't think the show's audience would be all that interested in seeing anybody other than Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Amber Riley, Chris Colfer, etc belting out the songs they've heard on the show, and I'm assuming they wouldn't get the cast to commit to any run longer than a couple of months.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 8/7/10 at 1:51pm

Borstalboy, et al

You seem to forget that this is show business. And historically, the B has always trumped the S.

What we may be seeing here is a re-alignment back to the way it was in the 30s, 40s and 5os when Broadway, radio and movies were in lockstep. Seemed to work pretty well then (he recites the list of fabulous shows, many of which were either partially financed by or promoted to the hilt by the other arms of the biz).

And frankly, all news, good or bad is great publicity. I don't care WHAT get the great unwashed to come to the theatre. We really need diverse audiences back.

Oh, and about small shows not getting a break. There have always been people bemoaning the fact that "long runs" have tied up all the theaters. It's just that nowadays, the runs are longer. I don't believe for one minute that the Shuberts would replace "Phantom" at the Majestic with any small show if they could get another big, long run in there.

More of the B, less of the S is their position.

[aasjb4ever]

Posted: 8/7/10 at 2:19pm

But that's just it, shows like Phantom really are just commodities and staples in Broadway now. And you're right, if one super-successful show just runs and runs and runs it'll keep going, and outlets like GLEE draw in tourists to see the big shows and not the quality ones. GLEE covers songs with their actors and the sheeple, or GLEEtards (thank you, brostalboy, great word), buy into the fact that they are the best and the originators and eventual successors won't, are not, and can't be near the "quality" that is GLEE. It sickens me, and I hope it fizzles away but it won't, it just churns out crap that the sheeple eat up and call it incomparable.

*end rant*

[allofmylife]

Posted: 8/7/10 at 3:04pm

Strangely enough, people said similar things about Rodgers and Hammerstein during their careers. As much as they were loved, they were loathed (pap for the masses, sugary-sweet, lowest-common-denominator-theater, enough of that damn Mary Martin, she's ridiculously too old to play a novice) and yet now they are regarded as legends. And frankly, Next To Normal, Spring Awakening and all of Sondheim is still considered as pretentious crap by, I would suppose, a majority of Americans.

There is nothing wrong with a bridge. Like General Patton, I'll take any one that is intact, thanyouverymuch.

Here's a thought. "Glee" may be remembered fondly and with respect for decades to come. Who know what the public will embrace? Mull over that shocker.

[blaxx]

Posted: 8/7/10 at 3:35pm

And frankly, Next To Normal, Spring Awakening and all of Sondheim is still considered as pretentious crap by, I would suppose, a majority of Americans.

Whoa! Would you like to think about that one twice?

Because your statements make it sound that no matter how bad, dumb or artistically poor - if the masses buy it, then it's a good thing.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 8/7/10 at 6:00pm

OMG!! List your casting ideas for "Fake Lea"!!

[aasjb4ever]

Posted: 8/7/10 at 6:02pm

ZOMGEE! VANESSA HUDGENS?!

[jennafan]

Posted: 8/8/10 at 1:05am

Well, RYAN MURPHY signed a new contract recently with Fox for 24 million and I believe this was one of the items in the contract (to try and take the show to Broadway).

Another thing Ryan plans for next summer is to film the GLEE tour and sell it.

GLEE is going to be a money making machine and they are going to make every dime they can.

If Ryan wants his 24 mil, according to the contract he really needs to do as many things as he can with GLEE.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 8/8/10 at 1:18am

This is just a terrible idea in my opinion. No matter how successful the TV show has been, this is not Broadway material.

Updated On: 8/8/10 at 01:18 AM