The Roundabout is what happens when you don't have an artist as your artistic director. Yes, they have done some fine shows but they have flat-out crapped on others. And their hit-to-turkey ratio is honestly pathetic.
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/25/06
> You know, its the luck of the draw.
Oh, i'm really sorry, but i have to disagree with this. utterly.
this isn't a lottery ... it's a professional company in the theater capital of the word. if their "hit" ratio can't be better than "the luck of the draw" they are doing their donors, subscribers, patrons, artists, staff, and craft a gross disservice.
people who don't (or can't) know what they're doing are subject to the luck of the draw -- for professionals, the bar should be a bit higher than that.
I can see how any theater company will have a few shows that for one reason or another aren't as successful as they would like, but I have to completely agree with whatever2. The quality of work they've put on the stage of late, for the most part, has been shameful to every single person involved in creating it and those watching it. As I said before in these hard times, if they're going to spend the money anyways, WHAT IN THE WORLD are they doing spending it on dreck like this?? Put on a play or musical that you know is good, or at least care about instead of productions like this HEDDA GABLER, THE PHILANTHROPIST, ACCENT ON YOUTH etc.
To be fair, Accent On Youth, which is surely the most inexplicable of those three, was a MTC production.
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/4/04
You know, its the luck of the draw.
That would come as a big-time shock to all the artists who worked on these productions. Good theater isn't a lottery - it depends on the skill of the people making it. Yes, sometimes a bunch of estimable artists can mysteriously come out with a dud, but I don't think it's too much to expect a company like Roundabout, which regularly gets the best actors, directors, and designers on Broadway working on its shows, to have at least a 50% success rate.
I feel pretty disappointed by RTC as well. Before I moved here 2 years ago, I was lucky enough to catch CABARET and NINE on visits to the city. I can easily say these productions were stellar and rank in my top 10 lists for sure. But once I moved here (and after talking the company up to my b/f) I've been nothing but underwhelmed by most of their shows:
Ritz
39 Steps
Hedda
Godot
Joey
Philanthropist
The only stand outs were
Bette and Boo and Distracted (and I'll gibe them SUNDAY, tho I saw an off night for the production.)
I'm hoping for better next season!
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/17/06
I just stopped subscribing to Roundabout; I wound up selling more of my subscriber tix than I was using, and the only thing that was really good this season for me was Godot. I've given up on MTC as well, although I enjoyed Ruined and Humor Abuse. If I was wealthy, I'd support them all, but I've found there's nothing worse than having paid for a ticket to something you are now obligated to see, but REALLY don't want to, like Hedda Gabler or The Philanthropist. Still supporting Atlantic Theater Company however; they're my fave and rarely let me down....
I got the expected call the other night about renewing my subscription. I flat out told the caller that this season stunk and I work too hard for my money to throw it away on awful theatre. I have seen shows in my community theatre that were better productions than anything I saw at Roundabout this season. His response was something like I can assure you that next year will change my entire opinion of Roundabout. Unless they are giving out some freebies for subscribers, I doubt it.
Videos