a Nederlander Theatre renamed idea- Page 2

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 1/17/08 at 5:21pm

Hell yeah Evita is a rock musical! If don't correctly!

Anyways, I don't like the idea of a name change. I like the idea of something more off-Broadway changing their name for Larson since he was all about being original and non-commercialism.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 1/17/08 at 5:23pm

Winston, as has been said before, many other musicals used "modern" music in their scores. Doing that hardly means someone should get a theatre named after them.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/17/08 at 5:23pm

"Larson since he was all about being original and non-commercialism."

And ripping off the Bible and Puccini.

[TomMonster]

Posted: 1/17/08 at 5:25pm

Hmmm, Porcini's La Boheme.

Mushroom pasta with consumption.

I'd order that...

[LadyRosecoe]

Posted: 1/17/08 at 5:26pm

Although there should be no renaming, I do believe we need to erect a statue and permanently leave the door posters up of the entire cast lined up, despite whatever show comes in next.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/17/08 at 5:26pm

"Mushroom pasta with consumption."

Angel hair pasta?

[PRFRMR20]

Posted: 1/17/08 at 5:34pm

Okay, some of you have a warped sense of what is a rock musical.

1. Hair is considered the FIRST rock musical. "The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical"
2. Godspell, listen to "alas for you"
3. Pippin is poppy with rock feel on some of the leading players parts
4. The Wiz - motown...???
5. Evita, though a pop opera has a rock feel to it and is much more of a rock musical than les mis - listen to "A New Argentina" and the end of "Oh, What a Circus"
6. Blood Brothers, Chess, Tommy - I am not going to go into all 3 but Tommy... it is written by The Who, it was a rock album before a musical!!!

I know that some of the sound of some of these shows isn't the rock music you are used to, but remember, even swing was revolutionary in its day. If there is a driving beat, electric guitars and synths... i think it is more rock than traditional broadway!
Updated On: 1/17/08 at 05:34 PM

[winston89]

Posted: 1/17/08 at 5:36pm

Thank You Mike,

Tommy ( the original, 1969) has a full fledged rock sound. However they sugarcoated it for the Broadway production to make it more enjoyable for those who didn't enjoy rock. And also to generally make it enjoyable for the typical musical theatre crowd.

Hair- Yes, it is a rock musical. I will agree with that. Even though I do have some beef with the composers I will still say that.

Superstar, Joseph ect are not rock musicals. They are more pop if anything else. And Evita ripe with power ballads isn't a rock opera. Patti said so just to sound cool.




I am not saying that they should rename the Nederlander just because Rent uses modern music. I am saying it because of the things Rent was able to do over the years. No show since Hair was able to hit what was going on in the youth world that strongly and it looks as if it isn't going to happen again for a while. It was also the first musical in a long time to win the Pulitzer.

It is things like that that I am saying they should re name the theatre.

And, Of course Larson didn't totally use original ideas. Rent isn't the first musical to be based off of something else.

And, I think that the whole notion of Rent being non commercial went right out the window when Daphine and Adam were on the cover of newsweek. As well as all the ads ect that came with the show going to Broadway.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 1/17/08 at 5:39pm

RENT was not "first musical to win a Pulitzer in a long time". SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE won a Pulitzer only ten years before.

And just because RENT hit a vein with youth does not mean Larson deserves a theatre named after him.

[LadyRosecoe]

Posted: 1/17/08 at 5:40pm

But Rent really doesn't have an entire score filled with heavy rock and hardcore sound, it's sugarcoated too. The majority of the thing is synthesized! I don't understand why Rent is made to sound like this completely groundbreaking new work.

[Liverpool]

Posted: 1/17/08 at 5:40pm

anyone suggesting the Nederlander be renamed to anything besides the Merman or the Sondheim is clearly derranged.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/17/08 at 5:46pm

I think it would be an insult to rename anything but one of the best theaters as "The Sondheim". Like him, love him or loath him, Stephen Sondheim is one of the most powerful influences on Broadway of the last century. A theater bearing his name should be in the heart of Broadway's theater district, not on the fringes.

And as for naming a show after the creator of "Rent", that concept is ridiculous. The man had one mediocre show which would have closed within a few months, save for the horrible tragedy of opening night. Comparing Larson to Sondheim is like comparing an editor from Reader's Digest to Tolstoy.

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 1/17/08 at 5:51pm

Cameron Macintosh is building a new theatre in London on Shaftesbury Ave (the heart of the West End) to be called 'The Sondheim' It's in advanced stages of planning at the moment.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/17/08 at 6:08pm

Imagine. The British beat us to honoring our own gods. It breaks the heart.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 1/17/08 at 6:09pm

How about the Lestat Memorial theater?

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 1/17/08 at 6:17pm

The Nederlander Theatre is NOT being renamed for anyone.

That theatre is owned by the Nederlander family and, just as the Shuberts, will keep one theatre named after them. So the talk about renaming this theatre is pointless.

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 1/17/08 at 6:20pm

I think the Nederlander is great name.

[Pascal/Menzel/Bundy]

Posted: 1/17/08 at 6:47pm

I like this "The Larson" idea. A lot.

Though I doubt it will happen.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/17/08 at 6:54pm

His contributions to the American theatre do not in any way warrant having a Broadway theatre renamed in his honor.