Weissler's DIRT
Weissler's DIRT
Borstalboy
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/9/04
#0Weissler's DIRT
Posted: 11/30/05 at 4:44pmSo, I'm curious as to why all the hate for the Weisslers? Are there notorious stories.....has anyone heard "things"? As someone on the West coast, I'm anxious to know.
"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”
~ Muhammad Ali
ZONEACE
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/10/05
#1re: Weissler's DIRT
Posted: 11/30/05 at 4:45pmall they care about is money and sacrifice aart in order to make it.
when ducks grow thumbs then maybe my opinion will change.
Amneris
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/16/03
#2re: Weissler's DIRT
Posted: 11/30/05 at 4:47pm
We can all make fun of them till we're blue in the face but, they are A) major success stories.. sometimes for the wrong reasons
B) We might wind up working for them someday
Borstalboy
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/9/04
#3re: Weissler's DIRT
Posted: 11/30/05 at 4:51pmWhat did they produce that was such unforgivable crap?
"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”
~ Muhammad Ali
#4re: Weissler's DIRT
Posted: 11/30/05 at 4:53pmI met Fran in a salon once and I thought she was very nice--tough to please, but she was nice to me!
ZONEACE
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/10/05
#5re: Weissler's DIRT
Posted: 11/30/05 at 4:59pmBorstal, they are responsible for the current production of Sweet Charity, Putting Melanie Griffith in Chicago, Suessical, all the crap pseudo celebrities that were in the Grease Revival of the 90s and other theatrical atrocities.
when ducks grow thumbs then maybe my opinion will change.
#6re: Weissler's DIRT
Posted: 11/30/05 at 5:01pmYeah.. Let's all bash two producers who have employed thousands and have a love of the theater.
"A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men" - Willy Wonka
DAME
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/15/04
#7re: Weissler's DIRT
Posted: 11/30/05 at 5:02pmI was just going to say that.
HUSSY POWER!
------ HUSSY POWER!
ZONEACE
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/10/05
#8re: Weissler's DIRT
Posted: 11/30/05 at 5:05pm
Craig, love for money=/=love for theatre.
and yeah, employing all those actors is great, but when they pass over genuine, good actors for stunt casting awful celebrities, they don't deseve praise.
and I don't care how much heart or how adorable christina applegate is, she is not right for braodway. Her charity is weak.
when ducks grow thumbs then maybe my opinion will change.
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#9re: Weissler's DIRT
Posted: 11/30/05 at 5:08pm
"Are there notorious stories.....has anyone heard "things"?"
I have a few friends who have worked for them. No love lost on the actor's part.
"Let's all bash two producers who have employed thousands and have a love of the theater."
Love of the theater in a sado-masochistic way.
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
DAME
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/15/04
#10re: Weissler's DIRT
Posted: 11/30/05 at 5:08pm
Oh thats horse s**t. They have found a good balance of making artisticaly good, commercial theater. And they are good, savy , buisness people.
HUSSY POWER!
------ HUSSY POWER!
Updated On: 11/30/05 at 05:08 PM
#11re: Weissler's DIRT
Posted: 11/30/05 at 5:19pmIf money was their only goal, they sure as hell woudn't be producing theatre to achieve it.
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
DAME
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/15/04
#13re: Weissler's DIRT
Posted: 11/30/05 at 5:32pm
I agree with Craig, and Dame.
Thanks to Barry & Fran we have the hugely successful revival of CHICAGO. The most successful, and longest running revival in history. They had some stunt casting flubs, but they also had some VERY successful stunt casting. They are much better at stunt casting than the producers of a certain show who put Scary Spice, Joey Fatone, and Drew Lachey in their show!
They do love theatre, and I really don't believe they are as "evil" as some of you try to make them out to be. I've spoken to several people who have worked for them, and they never said anything terrible about them.
I know I can always count on the Weisslers for reviving a great family classic show.
Updated On: 11/30/05 at 05:32 PM
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#14re: Weissler's DIRT
Posted: 11/30/05 at 5:35pm
"Thanks to Barry & Fran we have the hugely successful revival of CHICAGO."
Technically, it's due to City Center Encores that we have the Chicago revival.
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
#15re: Weissler's DIRT
Posted: 11/30/05 at 5:36pm
Amen..
It's (too) easy to attack the "big guy" - they're in good company - microsoft, disney, walmart, etc etc.
For every "story" about them, I am sure there are at least the same if not more about less successful producers, directors, etc.
And Zone - like others have said - if it was just a money issue - they would be in a different business. I can tell you for a FACT that they have a genuine LOVE and PASSION for the theater. Do I agree with all their casting, no... but that's not unique to them. They just happen to be very visable in our community.
"A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men" - Willy Wonka
#16re: Weissler's DIRT
Posted: 11/30/05 at 5:36pmTechnically yes. But they are the producers who won the rights to the show. And have kept it running very successfully for almost 10 years now. Much of the CHICAGO success is because of them.
#17re: Weissler's DIRT
Posted: 11/30/05 at 5:37pmAmen my friend! Speak the truth!
Happy...Everything!
Kaye Thompson
#18re: Weissler's DIRT
Posted: 11/30/05 at 5:38pm
"Technically, it's due to City Center Encores that we have the Chicago revival."
But gotham - city center didn't spend millions on opening up the revival and keeping it going. Not saying CCE's role wasn't important - but let's not use that to discredit the Weissler's contributions
"A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men" - Willy Wonka
#19re: Weissler's DIRT
Posted: 11/30/05 at 5:39pm
^ Exactly.
There they are. I happen to REALLY respect these two.
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#20re: Weissler's DIRT
Posted: 11/30/05 at 5:44pmI guess it's all in how you look at things. If you think Broadway should be nothing but gimmicky revivals, then yes the Weisslers are good people. If you think Broadway should be the world leader in new musicals, then the Weisslers really haven't contributed much.
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
#21re: Weissler's DIRT
Posted: 11/30/05 at 5:47pmI think Broadway should be full of people watching shows of varying degrees of quality and style...there's room for everyone--they have to compete with Disney for chrissakes...
#22re: Weissler's DIRT
Posted: 11/30/05 at 5:52pm
FYI, While revivals seem to be the Weissler's "gig" (and revivals are just as risky as original works) they have produced some not revivals such as
Seussical
My Thing Of Love
Falsettos
Haarlem Nocturne
"A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men" - Willy Wonka
#23re: Weissler's DIRT
Posted: 11/30/05 at 5:52pmp.s. and they also have a few projects "in the wings" that are not revivals..
"A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men" - Willy Wonka
#24re: Weissler's DIRT
Posted: 11/30/05 at 5:53pm
Well the CHICAGO revival is quite a groundbreaking revival. I would not call it a gimmicky revival.
And Borstal asked what shows they produced.. from earliest to recent.
Othello
Medea
Your Arms Too Short To Box With God
Zorba
Andre DeShield's Haarlem Nocturne
Cabaret
Macbeth
Gypsy
Cat On a Hot Tin Roof
Fiddler On The Roof
Falsettos
My Fair Lady
Grease
My Thing Of Love
Chicago
Annie Get Your Gun
Seussical
Wonderful Town
Sweet Charity
A LOT of those are theatre CLASSICS. Shows like Gypsy, Cabaret, Chicago, Fiddler, My Fair Lady, Wonderful Town, and Charity.. are not "unforgivable crap."
Videos