Why the competition?

This is a little off-topic, but in a way, it's not. Why is there competition over who is the biggest Brodway geek and things like that? What do people accomplish from putting others down to claim that title?

I got an email yesterday telling me that I wasn't a real Broadway fan because I've only been interested for about 5 years. I think that it doesn't matter how long you've been a fan. The point is that you are a fan and you appreciate the work. Broadway might mean more to some than to others, but it means something to us all. People should be happy that Broadway is getting the recognition it deserves. Your degree of being a fan may differ from someone else's but at the end of the day it doesn't matter. What matters is that the love of Broadway is being shared.

So that's my opinion. What do you guys think about this competition and if it really matters or not?

It has nothing to do with Broadway or theatre. It has to do with human nature. There are baseball fans who criticize other fans for not knowing the starting lineup on opening day, and sci-fi fans who criticize others for not knowing the complete cast list of the first season of Babylon 5.

There area always competitive people in every corner of life.

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Updated On: 6/13/06 at 03:23 PM

^Agreed.

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Your right. It feels wrong though that Broadway is a place that tries to teach acceptance and people don't accept that.

I would LOVE to know what the person who emailed you that considered a "Broadway fan." Ask them for a year count. Ask them for a number of play count. Ask them for a cast recordings count. I'll be willing to bet you there are dozens of people on here who are more "Broadway fans" than this person is - by a mile. (The point being that anyone who would send such a ridiculous email clearly couldn't be as "real" a "broadway fan" as they think they are).

And I know the grammar in that paragraph sucked - we need to all agree that "they" is a perfectly acceptable gender neutral word until/unless we come up with something better - the "he/she" nonsense and "only use he" garbage doesn't cut it. Sorry for the complete threadjack from the enraged English teaching-BROADWAY FAN.

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I agree with all of you, I do.


BUT I think we can also agree that someone who jumps up and down and screams and hollers "OH MY GOD!! Wicked!! I love Broadway! It's why I'm born! I've loved it for ages!" and then you ask what they think about Guys and Dolls...and they've never heard about it...isn't really a fan.
Obviously you can't just be inspired by one show and suddenly know all there is to know. It takes a long time to learn other shows and keep up and such. But it IS rather obnixious when people say things that aren't true...because they think that loving musical theatre is something to rub into people's faces. It's not. It's a passion just like anything else.

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I agree about the Wicked fans -- BUT, anyone who jumps up and down about Wicked - and then gets asked about Guys and Dolls - and says "What's that? Tell me more..." - THAT is a Broadway fan.

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Yeah! Exactly!

But look now. Even people who aren't into musical theatre have heard about Guys and Dolls. I guess I was kinda exaggerating.

But really. I can't stand people who try to use musical theatre as a way to be individual. I mean, yeah it does make you an individual, but when you press it in people's faces..it tends to be annoying.
Example A: I consider myself a Broadway fan. That's the only music I listen to or care about, I go to a performing arts high school, I read about it, etc etc. But I don't jump in people's faces about it. So this one time in algebra, there was a group of our high school's "theatre crowd" and they were SCREAMING Little Mermaid. Whatever floats your boat, is what I say, so fine...do your scream fest. But then my friend said something funny (not about them, about math...) and I laughed. They thought I was laughing at them. So they come over and yell at me about how I don't appreciate real musical theatre and I'm obviously dimwitted not to appreciate that kind of music.
The fact that they didn't know my dedication is besides the point. You shouldn't do that to people. Defend yourself if you must, but that's just rubbing it in.

Be proud, but don't obnixiously flaunt it is all I beg of you.

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I get the feeling whoever sent that is enjoying this thread.

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It was a myspace message. They don't even know that this site exists.

It's kind of more. Because this guy was friends with my friends.

And I wish I could delete this thread because I feel like what I'm getting is advice, when I just asked a question. And I know I brought that upon myself.

Jeeze, I'm surprised that person hasn't sent me an email. I've been a fan of Broadway for less than a year. However, I've been a fan of theatre my entire life. Ugh. I can't stand people who judge.