Ok, I want to hear ALL the horror stories on this guy!
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
These "guys" more like it -- Fran and Barry Weissler are a husband and wife team.
SEUSSICAL CLOSING NIGHT:
"Do I hear two thousand dollars? Two - two - three - three - four - six....
yes, and the winning bid goes to the gentleman with the greasy hair and mustache.
Oh - I'm terribly sorry, Mrs. Weissler."
[Uncontrolable laughter from the audience.]
How about the Weissler's starring in a revival of Sweeney Todd as Todd & Mrs Lovett ?
was i supposed to understand that? lol
How about done to them? Marvin Hamlisch got them kicked from Smile! & brought in his own money people. ( Not that it helped heh heh he)
Broadway Star Joined: 3/8/05
I heard that Christina is Sueing the Weisslers over this whole thing.
Leading Actor Joined: 3/6/05
How about the Wonderful Town revival, Seussical, the Annie Get Your Gun and Chicago revivals, Falsettos, and the Tyne Daly Gypsy revival never happening because they weren't there to produce them.
Anyone think about that?
Updated On: 3/26/05 at 02:59 PM
I love that seussical quote capn. Cathy was great as the cat.
Broadway Star Joined: 3/8/05
Reasons Christina is apparently sueing them....
1. for the interview mr weissler did insulting her. This is common with the weisslers. They did this too when they replaced that guy who was playing the cat in the hat in seussical and they replaced him with her. He didn't even know that they were looking until he saw it that day on rosies show. Major f'd up.
2. the rumor is that she had a hardcore contract that locked her into the show and that it also stated that if she were to hurt herself during the show that when she was better she would return. However the weisslers saw something else when they decided to replace her permanantly.... so breaking a contract, thus bad press for show = just close it while you're still ahead. If it had leaked out she was sueing them... the show would have folded anyway. You know how broadway is when negativity is around. It affects the staging.
Stand-by Joined: 1/10/05
I didn't see any interview where Barry isulted her. The Weissler's have certainly had a colorful career in the producing business, good things have been said about them and bad. Producing is not a popularity contest and they all play the game. Bottom line, it is about money. They are in it to make money, pure and simple. If art happens along the way, that is great! How many bad shows have made millions? How many good shows have made little or no money? Those bills have to be paid every week and if there is no money or they can see that there will be no money, they really have no choice but to close the show. CHARITY is a really sad case. It almost didn't have a chance from the beginning. It seems that people were gunning for it from the get go, and when Miss Applegate broke her foot it just spiraled. I don't think that she has a foot to stand on in a law suit. The Weisslers are the producers and they have the right to do what they did. They are the money behind the show and they decided to quit before they lose more. Let's face it--the show was capitalized for 7. 5 million and they have lost that much already!!
Are we going to pick on all difficult producers, or just the ones who get the PR for it? Give me a break, people. This is business. When you're the ones losing 7.5million, then you'll have room to talk about other producers. Until your butts are on the line, - for that matter, until you have the slightest idea of what it is to mount a Broadway show - you shouldn't be judging people who are trying to provide you with the entertainment - the theater - which helps to fulfill your lives.
Stand-by Joined: 1/10/05
Well said, Rath!
Well, I believe this conversation is over.
Snaps for my sweet AR!
Updated On: 3/26/05 at 03:46 PM
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/4/04
Well said, Rath and Jim. C'mon, people. Do you really need to bash others to feel superior? Find something else to boost your self-esteem.
Very true Rath. If I was loosing money, I would close shop and hope that it's tax deductible. Producing a musical is not charity, it's a business.
JIM AND RATH ARE AWESOME!!!!!!!
well said guys. very well said.
I <3 Rath..she rocks my world like no other girl
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
Yes, but producers aren't just rich people who want to put on a show, they're people who know rich people and get them to invest.
Not that the Weissler's are in a good spot, but most likely, it's not (all) their money.
My many encounters with them at Wonderful Town were always very lovely.
No, DT, of course it's not all their money. Only Rosie O'Donnell is *brilliant* enough to actually invest only her own money in a show.
But the Weisslers, like all producers, have to answer to their investors, and will perhaps lose some major ones when it comes to their next venture. Believe me, they're not sipping champagne at McIndoe's right now.
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