Victim of Broadway Blood Sport - newsday.com

One has to wonder whether Rosie was stupid or just naive. She made some obvious mistakes that anyone halfway familiar with Broadway could have and would have avoided. If she had paid attention to potential mistakes, she wouldn't have been a "victim of Broadway blood sport".

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I think it's kind of funny. Rosie is ripped to shreds for making mistakes producing her first musical, yet no one is still bitching about the seasoned producers who put on the much shorter-lived Laughing Room Only. I agree that Taboo was doomed the moment the press turned on Rosie. As soon as the gossip machines start turning, everyone goes in expecting a flop. Then it can be said that Taboo lived up to the critics' expectations.

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I don't believe that the critics in NYC are so almighty that they can bust a show. Had Rosie made better decisions, the show would have had better footing.

Let's take a look at some of Rosie's obvious mistakes:

1) Originally, the show did not open in London's West End, but a smaller venue. Once it built momentum in London, it moved to the West End. Had Rosie chosen a smaller venue in NYC, the show may have succeeded. (Remember Rent didn't start out on B'way. Did she approach The Public Theater or New York Theatre Workshop? Or even some of the smaller cabarets around town? Venues that may have been receptive to this show?)

2) She had the show revamped from the London run, thereby negating any positive buzz from London. People knew they weren't seeing the London show and were nervous about the changes.

3) She tried to hang the show on her name and Boy George. Had she played up Charles Busch's name more, it might have caught on. (There were enough people that saw "Tale of The Allergist's Wife" who maybe could have been pulled in.)

4) The publicity for the show was too little too late. When she finally did spend money for a tv commercial, the commercial was snippets of songs that make no sense ("dress to kill, kill to dress", not a song that entices people to the theater).

5) She offered no concessions. One thing that really boosted excitement for Rent was that the first two rows of the orchestra were being offered for $20. That information was plastered all over the subways. The offer created a line of people backed up all the way to Port Authority. It was news and it was a good thing!

5a) Did she try and target the show to tour groups? One of London's little tricks is to get tour groups into less popular shows. (How do you think Blood Brothers & Fame lasted on the West End all those years?)

6) She previewed the show in Oct. with an opening in Nov. She could have weathered the January doldrums by previewing the show in January, opening in Feburary. (Even big hits like Les Miz & Phantom offer discounted tix in January because they can't draw the crowds in). Had she opened later, she could have made a push to make it to the Tony Awards which would have been free national publicity for her.

7) Was the timing right? With a conservative Christian as President and anti-drug commercials running constantly on tv, was this the right environment to present this show? (Remember, Roundabout stalled Assassins because they didn't feel the timing was right).

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Updated On: 1/26/04 at 04:59 PM

Sunfish: Couldn't disagree more, respectfully. I really believe that Rosie O'Donnell was hung not because she overstepped her boundaries, but because she's a self-important, obnoxious person. Lots of people are "allowed" to particpate in the Bway community who have never been here before. We may laugh (P. Diddy) or look on w/ interest (Hugh Jackman) or simply not care (Livent, bad in the day). In Rosie's case, as in Disney's, we objected because of the arrogance of the entity/person involved. All that nonsense about putting her name on the ads! As if her middle America following would embrace a show about drag queens, drug abusers, & gay culture. Never stood a chance in that respect. As for the critics, I don't say I agree w/ their tact (in fact, I found it unprofessional & not to the point), but I don't think it's for the reason you state.

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MasterLcZ...I think we're kind of saying the same thing:

"the diffrence is that WICKED rode into town on an enormous amount of goodwill"

Whereas Taboo rode into town on bad press and negativity.

"From the start, TABOO did not know what kind of bird it was, and the ads (notably the "Walking Lima Bean wearing a Taco Chip") only confused people"

I half agree. Last September, Rosie and George seemed quite clear in their descriptions of what Taboo was really about (except perhaps Rosies' theatrical comparisons) However the advertising completely failed to get that across. I'd like to have heard the advice the marketing people gave Rosie. I didn't say the CD should have been released before openinmg, just much sooner, might have been helpful.

Updated On: 1/27/04 at 01:58 PM