Wicked Mooning!- Page 2

[zzannahk]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 6:47am

i dont understand why this is such a big deal or why someone would tell a journalist. I could see if the audience noticed and then there was a writeup, but this seems pointless.

i'm not saying it shouldn't have happened, just that there was no need for it to appear in the paper
and just because they're professional actors doesn't mean they cant have fun. i'm sure other casts play pranks on each other than dont get press

[Adjie]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 9:05am

Awwww - come on - lighten up! Just so you know - these kind of pranks happen A LOT - by professionals to professionals - just a bit of fun - press shouldn't be involved.

Posted: 9/22/05 at 9:15am

I know, I know - 'stick in the mud' and all that.

I still don't like the disrespect for the task at hand. And I know it goes on all the time, but I don't have to like it.

If I were around when something like that happened, I probably wouldn't say anything, though. Just shake my head and walk away. In the big scheme of things, it really doesn't matter.

But I still don't like it

[Lizziemonster]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 10:33am

Is it not more down to the people involved and if they think there was a lack of respect than what some of us think? I mean, if Eden didnt get het up then why are any of us? If no one in the audience was bothered and the cast didnt mind then this just makes for a nice 'and finnaly' story
Updated On: 9/22/05 at 10:33 AM

[best12bars]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 10:47am

As funny as this is, those "mooning" cast members could easily be fired for that prank.

I had a friend who had been in a show for almost 2 years that was fired (this was about 10 years ago) for the exact same stunt.

So.. while I'm laughing about it along with you, they ought to know that they definitely put their jobs on the line for this cheap (however humorous) laugh.

[Bdwy24]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 10:48am

I think you'd all be very suprised to know how much of this kind of stuff happens in Broadway shows, etc....lol

Posted: 9/22/05 at 10:50am

That doesn't make it right - or acceptable . . . to me.

[Tenorman]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 10:53am

I would be so mad if that happened to me while on stage, but I would totally laugh off stage if not on stage!! Anything to keep the show fresh - hopefully they washed!!

I hope the butts were at least cute!
Updated On: 9/22/05 at 10:53 AM

[best12bars]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 10:53am

I'm not saying it doesn't happen. (I know from my own experiences in long runs of shows that it does.) I'm also not saying anything about it being funny or not.

I'm only saying that (regardless of the intent or the humor) they put their jobs on the line.

All it takes is one audience member to see them in the wings and report this "indecent exposure," and not only would they lose their jobs, they would run the risk of being legally prosecuted for a crime.

I wish I were kidding, but I'm not.

[mominator]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 11:39am

Another vote for not funny. And yes I do have a sense of humor.
This is a job. They are professionals. By your reasoning it would be alright if in the course of an open heart operation it would be fine and dandy if the scrub nurses all moone the doctors to ease the tention?
Sorry just not funny.

[justme2]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 12:53pm

eugloven,
Having or lacking a sense of humor has nothing to do with the fact that two members of a professional company behaved unprofessionally. Whether or not it was funny is besides the point. Cast members are paid to entertain the audiences, not themselves.

Also, most of us here have a terrific sense of humor. You have to in order to participate on these boards and read statements like:

"Because this is, may I remind you, an online forum!!!! Easy to make yourself sound big and self-righteous behind words."

Who is sounding big and self righteous here? It's called an opinion on an online message board. Some think it's a funny story, some don't.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 12:55pm

I think its funny. Even if you are a professional, you should still be able to have fun w/ your job.

[best12bars]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 1:30pm

I think everyone should have fun with their job.

But if these "mooners" are intentionally pulling a prank that could harm or threaten a performance, such as trying to make Eden break character and/or laugh during a show... as well as potentially having children in the audience who weren't expecting any form of nudity suddenly being in on this private joke...

You apparently still have no idea how that could screw up your whole career.

The worst-case scenario?

Eden laughs or stumbles on a lyric during the song. Everyone backstage laughs and thinks it's so funny.

If the stage manager, musical director, or Equity deputy knows why or what happened, probably at the very worst, Eden would be given a friendly reminder to do her best to stay focused, but since this was her last show, and clearly was a surprise to her, I doubt anything would be said to her about it at all.

As far as the mooners go.. .The Equity deputy (again in a worst-case scenario) could report them to the union. Fines could be issued. If an irate parent in the audience complained about their small child seeing a naked butt in the wings? Then you could have a potential legal case against the producers of the show. They would very likely fire the actors involved in the prank immediately, and if it got into the media, they would also have to issue a statement about their stance on such behavior. This is a "family show" remember?

Again, I'm not making this stuff up... I've seen similar "jokes" result in this kind of outrageous tailspin...

So the next time any of you are thinking of horsing around in the wings? Stop and think first. Is it worth it? Could I lose my job from this?

Just some friendly advise from someone in the trenches who's seen a lot of stuff happen.

Posted: 9/22/05 at 1:34pm

This thread reminds me of the discussions a while ago when some posters found it absolutely delightful when the leads in WICKED would break character and sort of stumble through a scene. I believe there was the same kind of tone being taken then with that scenario.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 1:36pm

I bet none of you laugh during the outtakes scenes on DVDs of your favorite movie when the actors play jokes on the others. They are professional, if they weren't then Espinosa would have reacted. She didn't. It's really no one's business what goes on backstage except those involved with the production. And no, one who works for Trump wouldn't get fired for swearing.

Posted: 9/22/05 at 1:42pm

Fosse - I actually love movie outtakes - but that's an incredibly different thing. iF Eden had 'broken', she couldn't say, "Ooops, I'm sorry, can we go back and re-do that?"

And you know, it's not so much that I find the situation itself all that horrible (actually, I think anybody who thinks naked butts are funny just hasn't been lucky enough to see many of them) - it's the cavalier dismissal of the professional environment - compounded by the defense of that choice.

From my perspective, they might as well have gone out and mooned the audience, because that's about how much respect they were showing them. It may be simply a matter of attitude, but I'd rather work with someone who respected each audience of each show than someone who didn't commit 100%.
Updated On: 9/22/05 at 01:42 PM

[justme2]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 1:42pm

Yes, I have absolutely no sense of humor because I don't think the behavior was professional. I never laugh at outtakes, I never laugh at jokes, I never laugh, period.

[Pippin]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 1:45pm

By your reasoning it would be alright if in the course of an open heart operation it would be fine and dandy if the scrub nurses all moone the doctors to ease the tention?


Please don't tell me you are comparing open heart surgery to a green witch singing her heart out.

compared to the prices, a broadway show is a drop in a very big bucket

Posted: 9/22/05 at 1:46pm

Pippin - the only thing she was comparing was having a professional attitude or not. Of course she doesn't equate the practices.

[best12bars]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 1:48pm

justme2, you're craking me up!

So much for having no sense of humor.

[Pippin]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 1:48pm

I know... I just like to play by the letter of the law sometimes

:)

[justme2]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 1:49pm

DGrant said what I was trying to say, and said it much better.

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 1:51pm

I, for one, do not consider Eden Espinoza a "big shot"...not anywhere near....

[justme2]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 1:54pm

thanks best12bars!

I had no idea just how humorless I was until this thread! How sad for me. Perhaps I'll learn to enjoy unprofessional behaviour some day....*sigh*

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 2:13pm

About seeing etiquette, they didn't moon the audience. So, get over yourself.