Weak Leads...- Page 2

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 3:45pm

This whole discussion just kind of bothers me.

What gets me the most is that some of people that are being mentioned (particularly Katie Clarke and Lauren Kennedy) aren't so much weak as they are very different from the people they replaced. Whether you like them or not, they should at least be commended for doing something different and making their roles their own instead of being carbon copies of other performers.

Threads like this are just plain mean spirited. Respectfully sharing different opinions is one thing, but to devote an entire thread to bash other people is just wrong. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.

Updated On: 7/21/06 at 03:45 PM

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 3:50pm

So cry me a river,
cry me a river-
I cried a river over you...

[Popular]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 3:56pm

"I hope you're happy now."

Uncageg - I'll be happy when this thread is deleted. Thanks for rising above and not contributing to the ugliness.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 4:11pm

There is no need to be so dramatic, I loved Brooke Shields in Chicago, and i loved Laura Benanti in The Wedding Singer, for some people they didn't work in a certain role. Big Deal! It is just an opinion. Take a chill pill.

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 4:18pm

It was not so much rising above as just not wanting this discussion between the two of us to go on here on this thread.

Posted: 7/21/06 at 4:28pm

"There is no need to be so dramatic"

Bravo. Chill out people. I've seen much worse threads where poster have taken shots at people's personal appearances remain on the board without any controversy.
No one is bashing anyone. People are stating their opinion on which performers underwhelmed them in a role. This thread isn't titled "Actors who suck" or "Actor who run over babies" so please drop the knee jerk reaction. If actors don't want people to debate their professional work, they should rethink their business. And that's all anyone is doing here; we're critiquing professional work. No need to throw a temper tantrum over it. No one is getting personal...except with other posters. Hmmm.

[Popular]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 4:39pm

"I've seen much worse threads where poster have taken shots at people's personal appearances remain on the board without any controversy."

I don't agree with those either.

"And that's all anyone is doing here; we're critiquing professional work."

I don't see any constructive criticism going on here, just people making a "weak leads" list.

That's really all I have left to say about this. Not quite sure what pleasure people get by contributing to this thread... sorry if my opinions ruined your enjoyment of seeing people getting called weak.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 4:46pm

I agree Popular. If someone were uttering intelligent criticism then maybe such a thread would be warranted. Instead, it's a throwaway, " Oh I don't like her." "She was bad." "He was terrible." There's nothing remotely close to a discussion who would be a weak lead and it's impossible to with most people basing opinions on one show. Total useless garbage.

[Shawk]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 4:57pm

I always find it interesting that people who have something positive to say rarely have others demanding a full-on critique to back up their opinion, yet if you have something negative to say, you better be ready with an essay.

But "basher vs. gusher" has been going on since far before this board, and I doubt it will end any time soon.

[Al Dente]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 6:01pm

Nicely put Shawk. There are many to mention IMO and most of the the glaring examples have already been mentioned.

[OSUBuckly]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 7:44pm

Call me crazy, but I believe in a little something called Freedom of Speech. Heaven forbid if somebody has something to say that isn't positive.

People should be able to complain all the want. Every opinion is subjective. The whole "this thread is hateful and should be deleted" attitude is censorship. If you don't like it, don't read it. But let other people express their opinions, even if they are negative.

Posted: 7/21/06 at 8:11pm

OSUBuckly and Shawk,
ITA. Well said.
A couple of my favorites were not received well by others in this thread but will throwing a hissy fit at those who don't share my opinion change their minds? Will going to the guilt trip card change their mind either? No way.
And for the record, no one is calling any one person weak. We're talking about instances when a performer has proved to be a weak lead. Sometimes a performer is a strong lead and sometimes they're not. No one is saying they're weak people overall. Quit generalizing.
If certain posters can't handle seeing their favorites in an anything but favorable light on a general theater board, perhaps they should develop thicker skin or stick to individual fan based boards instead.

Updated On: 7/21/06 at 08:11 PM

[Popular]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 8:21pm

Shawk - You do make a good point. I would agree that perhaps a double standard does exsist as far as that goes. I think most people would be happy to share why they liked a performance. And if someone said they liked someone's performance because their first name had three syllables and three was their favorite number I probably wouldn't put much weight on that opinion either.

OSUBuckly - You're right. People should be able to whine and complain and moan and state opinions. However, this is a moderated site which means that censorship will, like it or not, exist at a certain level. The first guidline of this site states: "Please post with courtesy (and common sense) - no use of profanity, obscenities, or name calling."

While "weak lead" may not be considered name calling to some, or even most, the intent behind those words and of starting this thread certainly isn't courtious. I wont even get into the commom sense part of the guidline (that's a big one!)... but it would be nice to see people use it more often.

Listen guys, I'm not saying you don't have a right to say someone is awful, but I have just as much of a right to think that simply stating that for no reason other than to say that they are awful is pointless and unkind. Let's just leave it at that.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 8:29pm

matt caplan in rent comes screaming to mind (not the early years but lately)
destan owens can be mentioned (althoug its probobly just because marcus paul james is utterly wasted as his understudy)

gary beach and gavin creel in la cage

matthew broderick in the odd couple

steve blanchard in beauty and the beast lately

Posted: 7/21/06 at 8:49pm

I thought of another one:

Sarah Jessica Parker in Once Upon a Matress She was weak on so many levels.

[mrkringas]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 9:27pm

Would you all stop with the Laura Benanti bashing!

Dissing her just cause its the done thing to do is not clever or cool. Oh arent we all smart cause we can criticise a great actress in a role that is so wrong for her that a broadway casting process cast her in the role!

She is bashed all the time about this or her attendance. Jealously is a bitch. Also I think the internet community is guilty of following the leader in a way. Lets prove ourself by bashing the same "in" things. Last I checked the audience around me when I saw Wedding Singer were delighted with her and didnt see a queue of people complaining that she was cold. What rot!

[Joshua488]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 9:34pm

Or perhaps they just don't like Laura Benanti's performance.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 9:41pm

I was extremely disappointed with Marti Pellow as Billy Flynn in Chicago.

[My Strongest Suit]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 9:54pm

i have to stick up for katie clark. i must say i enjoyed her. i thought she was very fresh and played the part naive like it's supposed to be. i thought her and victoria clarke had good chemistry, too. i liked her very much. i saw the show twice while i was there.

[.LittleWing. 0224]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 10:09pm

bump

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 10:31pm

bump

[defygravity2oz]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 10:37pm

Jenn Gambatese (sp?) in Tarzan...she sounds good but, she bored the poop out of me during the performance...

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 10:42pm

"gary beach and gavin creel in la cage"

Gary was nominated for a Tony, but well that doesn't mean too much, he was outstanding in my opinion.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 10:48pm

Would you all stop with the Laura Benanti bashing!

Dissing her just cause its the done thing to do is not clever or cool. Oh arent we all smart cause we can criticise a great actress in a role that is so wrong for her that a broadway casting process cast her in the role!

She is bashed all the time about this or her attendance. Jealously is a bitch.

Thank you! I agree with you 100%.

[AC126748]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 10:56pm

I saw Spring Awakening recently, and couldn't get over how unconvincing Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff were. Also, Michele was barely audible.

Shuler Hensley in Trailer Park instantly comes to mind, too. It was as if he were in an entirely different show.