Victim of Broadway Blood Sport - newsday.com

[Rob]

Posted: 1/25/04 at 9:59am

https://www.broadwayworld.com/l.cfm?id=19480

An interesting read on her take of Taboo and what it was up against...

Also on the Taboo front, quotes about Rosie by Boy George @
https://www.broadwayworld.com/l.cfm?id=19481

Rob

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/25/04 at 12:07pm

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".

[Sunfish]

Posted: 1/26/04 at 2:15pm

Broadway is very aware of pecking order. They loved her as a talk show host, plugging their shows and bringing in the great unwashed...the middle-america tourists. But when she decided to produce, she overstepped her bounds. Yes, she made "business" mistakes but those mistakes did not deserve nor require the bile and bitchiness that every article about her and Taboo contained. Even the reviews used the first paragraph and a half describing her legal troubles and her inexperience as a producer. She was being put in her place for stepping out of her defined and accepted role.

The show was targeted before it ever opened; it never had a chance.

It wasn't a perfect show.....can't remember one that was...but it had fabulous music, extremely strong performances, fun and "freaky" costumes, highly energetic production numbers by the talented ensemble, brilliance color and movement. Personally, I was touched by the book and storylines, and found the dual storylines of Leigh and George complimentary, as they paralleled each other in many ways. It was surprisingly moving.

It might have been a better show, but I think it was a pretty damned good show as is. Updated On: 1/26/04 at 02:15 PM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/26/04 at 3:29pm

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.

[LC]

Posted: 1/26/04 at 3:40pm

I think it's kind of sad. Mainly because of a great score that ends up buried. Most of the performers will find other roles soon. BG will have no chance of writing for the stage again, as a result of this "sport".

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/26/04 at 4:59pm

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).

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

[LC]

Posted: 1/26/04 at 5:11pm

I don't think it was the bad reviews, so much as the bad press. Wicked and Boy From Oz also had bad reviews, but what is often forgotten, is that from the moment rehearsals started in the Summer, Taboo had an enormous amount of negative press surrounding it (some to do with the show, some not) in addition to the poor reviews that came later. There was also more reporting of the bad reviews, because 'Rosies' show gets bad reviews' is a story in its' self. How many people read the reviews, and how many read the reports of the reviews?

The marketing campaign was misguided and inadequate from day one, for a show that was obviously going to be a difficult (but not impossible, in the right hands) sell. Where was the focus on the shows great strengths, the wonderful score, and the fabulous young cast?

[lc1965]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 11:29am

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.

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 11:47am

LC, the diffrence is that WICKED rode into town on an enormous amount of goodwill. People were genuinely excited about the prospects of a brand new score by a veteran composer (I know I was) featuring a canny casting mix blend of old favorites and bright young things. The billiant ad campaign made it appear that here was a new twist on one of the most beloved films of all time (which it sort of was and sort of wasn't) which also excited curiosity. By the time most critics could register dissapointment, it didn't matter.

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. And as daring as the Urinal ad was, it turned off a LOT of people." Strange at it may seem, Boy George's Leigh Bowery makeup reminded one friend I know of killer clown Wayne Gacey.

In theory, a previously released CD of the score would have been smart, but that would have 'frozen' it before the cast and crew would have time to decided what songs would be in or out.

[LC]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 1:58pm

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

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 2:04pm

I re-read your post, and we ARE on the same page, LC! Thanks!

[LC]

Posted: 1/27/04 at 2:32pm