Zac Efrons comment that kids who watch HSM brought back musicals- Page 3

[justagirl2]

Posted: 3/30/09 at 11:38pm

Really? People are really upset over this?

As everyone else has said, much more eloquently than I ever could, he was speaking...to kids. Thanking them. High School Musical is incredibly successful whether "theater people" want to admit it or not. I grew up with the Disney musical which, while far better made than HSM, was not realistic. They were cartoons, they were princesses. Talking crickets. It's not something you can necessarily relate to, but it is something you can enjoy. High School Musical is something that kids can BOTH relate to and enjoy. I don't think he's implying that High School Musical saved the genre, but rather that it made KIDS, its target demographic, aware of this art form out there. Sure, the movies are awful. But as these fans grow up, who knows what deeper, more sophisticated musicals they'll flock to? It's a gateway to the musical, not the be-all-end-all of art forms. And I don't think Ephron or anyone else thinks that.

[bubbleblonde]

Posted: 3/31/09 at 9:16am

No. He's wrong. He's a bullfrog with tranny makeup and greasy hair. Musicals were being made popular long before his slit eyes were anywhere near disney back when disney movies were good and animated with musical sequences.

[Craww]

Posted: 3/31/09 at 10:00am

I love the irony of the erudite objections of musical theatre snobs always becoming so petty and immature when lodged against a youth product like HSM.

Anyone with a little perspective knows he's basically right. Even in the spots where he's wrong, it's hardly a mark of hubris. Kids. Choice. Awards. Consider the audience.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 3/31/09 at 11:55am

In our local theatre we are actually rethinking our decision to perform HSM this spring because we're having a hard time selling tickets. In comparison - last summer our company performed West Side Story and Guys and Dolls, and we had to add performances

So the logical conclusion is "High School Musical sucks" instead of "Our subscription base is made up of rich white old people." Of course.

40 years from now, the kids who grew up on High School Musical and Wicked will be the rich old people seeing theatre. These musicals will have just as much nostalgia for them as older audiences now have for Bye Bye Birdie and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and High School Musical will be selling out every matinee performance.

[nearthestage]

Posted: 3/31/09 at 1:29pm

So the logical conclusion is "High School Musical sucks" instead of "Our subscription base is made up of rich white old people." Of course.

I make no such conclusion. I don't know enough about HSM to say whether or not it "sucks." I was commenting on Zac Efron's comment - not the show. I pointed out a difference between our productions last season and one in which we are trying this season.

Your conclusion that our subscription base is made up of "rich white old people", is offensive. In the first place, we have no subscriptions. We are a new company, 2 years old, made up of all volunteers, and are located in a college town in NY. Our company and audience are largely college students and as it was their input and suggestion that we followed last season, so it is this season. We just love theatre and are doing the best we can to put on quality shows. Our prices range from "Please donate what you can" to $15.00 tops. Our thought is just to allow people to see as much affordable, hopefully good theatre as possible. In the process, we hope to introduce theatre to those who had never cared to see theatre. Hence, the suggestion of HSM from our college members. I repeat, the interest isn't there - yet. Being a young company we get the jitters when announced shows generate little interest - which is the case here.

I hope that clarifies my previous comment. No judgement on HSM was meant.

Also, after having read the varies posts and rethinking the issue - if you will, I realize that taken in context, his comment was perfectly appropriate, not meant to be offensive nor ego-maniacal, he was just playing to the crowd. Hell, we've all done that at some time or another.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 3/31/09 at 2:54pm

You weren't the only one in this thread that expressed that sentiment, you just had the best pull-quote.

[nearthestage]

Posted: 3/31/09 at 3:10pm

Sorry orangeskittles - I took it personally (obviously). Thank you for clarifying.

[kristinchenofan570]

Posted: 3/31/09 at 8:46pm

You weren't the only one in this thread that expressed that sentiment, you just had the best pull-quote.

really? What was so great about mine? Personally I thought it was kind of boring but guess not!

[Gobstopper]

Posted: 4/1/09 at 12:35am

Oh, dear. For the love of god, it was an off-the-cuff remark aimed at CHILDREN! Why are you all taking this so seriously?

If this were a legitimate statement, I would argue that very few real theatre fans have been made as a result of "High School Musical." It's the same as "Grease." Plenty of people love "Grease" but are completely ignorant of/hate other musicals.

I think musicals like Spring Awakening, Rent, and I suppose Wicked and Hairspray have been far more effective gateway musicals. They have brought kids into the world of theatre who eventually grow to love other shows.