Will Raul Esparza's name finally be above the marquee?
Will Raul Esparza's name finally be above the marquee?
#0Will Raul Esparza's name finally be above the marquee?
Posted: 10/11/06 at 12:31pmI recently received a mailing offering discount tickets to "Company". On it, it says "Raul Esparza in Company", with him standing upon a large pile of cubes. To me, this infers that his name might be above the marquee! If so, it will be nice to finally see him get some recognition that is well deserved!!!
#1re: Will Raul Esparza's name finally be above the marquee?
Posted: 10/11/06 at 12:31pm
I'd be VERY surprised if he were.
#2re: Will Raul Esparza's name finally be above the marquee?
Posted: 10/11/06 at 12:32pmI don't think his name will appear on the marquee (because it's already up and he's not), but his name will certainly appear above the title.
#3re: Will Raul Esparza's name finally be above the marquee?
Posted: 10/11/06 at 12:32pmI think it is. According to the posters and such, his name has always been put above the title! Yay.
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#4re: Will Raul Esparza's name finally be above the marquee?
Posted: 10/11/06 at 12:36pmHe must have an excellent agent. His name above the title, yet he has no Tony Award and no recognition outside the Broadway community.
#5re: Will Raul Esparza's name finally be above the marquee?
Posted: 10/11/06 at 12:37pm
His name is on the marquee. Above the title.
Here, see:
I'm sorry, the second one is massive.
All of the billing thusfar has had the same thing; "Raúl Esparza in Company: A Musical Comedy," and so forth.
I think the philosophy behind this is to push his status up a notch, so to speak -- to get him to be in focus with the Tony nomination committee and the voters, and to make his name at least a little more powerful.
#6re: Will Raul Esparza's name finally be above the marquee?
Posted: 10/11/06 at 12:39pmAh! Pleasant surprise! I looked briefly from 7th ave last week and squinted to see if it was there, and it appeared it wasn't. Sorry for lying to you all.
ashley0139
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/3/05
#7re: Will Raul Esparza's name finally be above the marquee?
Posted: 10/11/06 at 12:46pmThat's very cool for him!
#8re: Will Raul Esparza's name finally be above the marquee?
Posted: 10/11/06 at 12:51pmMassive stroke of the ego, too. =P He totally deserves this.
SorryGrateful
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/10/05
#9re: Will Raul Esparza's name finally be above the marquee?
Posted: 10/11/06 at 12:51pmHe deserves it. He's going to blow everyone away in this role!
theatreguy
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/31/03
#10re: Will Raul Esparza's name finally be above the marquee?
Posted: 10/11/06 at 12:59pmBut wasn't he above the title for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as well? It's not like this the first time.
#11re: Will Raul Esparza's name finally be above the marquee?
Posted: 10/11/06 at 1:03pmYes. He, Erin Dilly and Phillip Bosco were above the title in the Playbill (I just checked), but his name didn't appear on the marquee or any of the advertising stuff. Besides, you couldn't argue that any great number people were seeing that show because of him, which I think is what the case will presumably be with Company. Putting a name above the title like that indicates that people are coming to see the performer just as much as the show itself.
#12re: Will Raul Esparza's name finally be above the marquee?
Posted: 10/11/06 at 1:04pm
I don't think anyone was billed above the title for Chitty Chitty.
Glad to see he is above the title for Company though! I'm glad he'll be getting the recognition deserves.
#13re: Will Raul Esparza's name finally be above the marquee?
Posted: 10/11/06 at 1:12pmDidn't see his nmae on the marquee for Chitty....
myManCape
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/26/05
#14re: Will Raul Esparza's name finally be above the marquee?
Posted: 10/11/06 at 1:14pm
Raul Esparza, Erin Dilly and Phillip Bosco in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Yes he was
#15re: Will Raul Esparza's name finally be above the marquee?
Posted: 10/11/06 at 1:15pm
It's really odd that he's getting it, though.
As mentioned, he's starred in what? Taboo? Chitty? Arguably not ways in which one gets above the title suddenly.
#16re: Will Raul Esparza's name finally be above the marquee?
Posted: 10/11/06 at 1:18pm
I agree, bway. I was shocked when I walked by the theater and saw that.
Much more experienced and well-known actors don't get their names above the title.
#17re: Will Raul Esparza's name finally be above the marquee?
Posted: 10/11/06 at 1:19pm
Above the title, yes. On the marquee, no. On any of the major advertising, no. Big, big difference.
Not at all, Bway, but like I said, I think it's like going backwards; that he'll become a name that just automatically goes above the title if they stick him there and force it to happen... which is not a bad idea, I guess, so long as he gets attention. From what I understand, this is sort of the push to 'stardom,' and a publicity stunt as much as it is anything else. I think the powers that be are banking on the Tony, too, early as it is.
#18re: Will Raul Esparza's name finally be above the marquee?
Posted: 10/11/06 at 1:25pm
So does this mean that if he's out, you can get a refund?
So glad to see his name up there! Thanks for the photos (wife will be thrilled! - She loved him in Taboo and The Normal Heart, liked him in Chitty)
#19re: Will Raul Esparza's name finally be above the marquee?
Posted: 10/11/06 at 1:27pmThat's the rule, yep.
Smaxie
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/26/05
#20re: Will Raul Esparza's name finally be above the marquee?
Posted: 10/11/06 at 1:37pmI don't understand the hand-wringing that goes on over here over Raul Esparza's career. He's been on Broadway for a mere six years. Very very talented, but all of this talk how he's owed over the title billing, and how his Tony Award is long overdue seems grandiose.
#21re: Will Raul Esparza's name finally be above the marquee?
Posted: 10/11/06 at 1:40pm
I think it has to do with the "very, very talented" remark.....
In Taboo, "Petrified" was amazing.....
#22re: Will Raul Esparza's name finally be above the marquee?
Posted: 10/11/06 at 1:43pm
Speaking for myself, I certainly wouldn't say it's "long overdue," because he's -- relatively speaking -- very young. I think he got screwed over the first (and only other) time he was nominated, which is sort of where my personal opinion that he "deserves" one comes from, totally separate from the fact that this performance is absolutely nothing short of award-worthy. And I know that people are skeptical to believe that until they've seen it -- that's fine and more than understandable.
Additionally, when I say he "deserves" the billing, it's certainly not because he's been a veteran for decades or whatever, but because I think he's just damned talented enough to get it. I think he deserves every bit of praise and attention he has gotten and will get from this show, because he has the capacity to be a huge, huge star. There's a media clipping out there somewhere that said it best; that looking at this guy's career is like watching proof that the theater can still breed a star.
#23re: Will Raul Esparza's name finally be above the marquee?
Posted: 10/11/06 at 4:24pmIf anyone deserves their name on the marquee and above the title, it's Raul Esparza. I'm so happy for him!. I think it is about time for this.
#24re: Will Raul Esparza's name finally be above the marquee?
Posted: 10/12/06 at 8:10amJust bought my "after opening" tickets for Company. Already have them for first night of previews....
Videos