christy carlson romano- Page 4

[honu]

Posted: 8/30/04 at 7:30am

Okay, I'm gonna toss my 2 pennies in on this. First, I have no experience whatsoever in the entertainment or music biz. Second, I am in no way affliated with Ms. Romano - I'm merely a fan. Third, I'm not going to get into the whole voice argument as everyone has differing opinions on that, besides which I have never seen the show so it would be unfair of me to critique it. And lastly, this is just my personal opinion on what I've read here.

To say that she doesn't belong there because she's a "celebrity" is wrong. There are a bunch of other celebs that are lending their talent to Broadway in hopes to draw people in to see the play. Yes, it is possible that her Disney work was taken into consideration when they cast her, but she still had to audition for the role which meant it wasn't just given to her. Also, I can't believe that the producers/directors would allow her to continue in the role if she were as god-awful as some feel. Nor do I believe her run as Belle would have been extended if she consistently gave less than stellar performances - I'm positive they would have replaced her should that have been the case.

Also, keep in mind that it is a DISNEY production based on the Disney rendition of the fairy tale - that means you are going to get a higher percentage of kids and teeny boppers, regardless of who's in the cast. That's a fact that can't be avoided. If you can't stomach the little ones, attend an evening show as was suggested or perhaps see an adult-oriented show.

She was never "pushed" on Disney like her counter-parts (Hilary and Raven). Yes, she's a self-proclaimed "Disney chick," but that's only her respect showing for an employer that has been good to her. She was never exploited like Hilary nor made out to be just a commodity.

Again, this was just my op on the issue at hand - nothing more, nothing less.

[Deeva]

Posted: 8/30/04 at 9:33am

Bravo Honu! I couldn't have said it better myself.

[Amneris]

Posted: 8/30/04 at 9:43am

WOW! A whole bunch of people who just joined this weekend in defense of christy. Hi Romano Family! I watched your daughter on Even Stevens when I was 14! woo go me

[Deeva]

Posted: 8/30/04 at 9:59am

They aren't family members, they're fans of Christy - who felt that the posts here were unfair. Interesting that some feel that only her family supports her, and yet the show sells out nearly every night.

I do agree with Honu about the fact that this IS a Disney production - GEARED towards the "younger" crowd. So having kids there shouldn't be a big surprise. This is definitely not an adult production.

Updated On: 8/30/04 at 09:59 AM

[Schuyler]

Posted: 8/30/04 at 11:00am

Christy was on Broadway years ago. She is very talented. She was in Parade at the Vivian Beaumont Theater.

[showstopper]

Posted: 8/30/04 at 11:08am

Oh my, all the "fans" are joining to defend her. This is very comical. Honu is right, Hilary was exploited by Disney and that's part of the reason she left. Disney is exploiting Christy in a way. That's why they are letting her do the show on Broadway. The theater is only selling out because all the little kim possible fans are running to see it. This isn't just a show geared towards little kids, it's a family show like all Disney shows. Up until now, the theater was selling out with a mix of children and adults (families) and the reason they extended her contract isn't because she is amazingly talented...it's because she is selling tickets to all her little fans from her tv show. So in a sense that is exploiting her also. I'm in no way a hilary fan, if they put her on Broadway it would probably be a disaster also. I can't wait until her replacement takes over. She's a real Broadway performer and that's what I want to pay to see. My little nephews probably wouldn't even mind sitting through Christy's performance because they wouldn't know any better like most of Christy's fans, but I have to sit there with them and I expect to see a talented singer in a lead role.

[Schuyler]

Posted: 8/30/04 at 11:27am

I believe Christy did theater way before TV

[showstopper]

Posted: 8/30/04 at 11:33am

Yes she did do theater way before tv. She was very young. Little kids sound like little kids. Twenty year olds are supposed to sound like Broadway singers. That didn't happen.

[ponine24601]

Posted: 8/30/04 at 11:35am

although i personally am not a big fan of christy's, i want you guys to realize something. christy is only 19. her voice has not matured yet. she's still learning. just cut her some slack.

[Deeva]

Posted: 8/30/04 at 11:38am

First of all, regardless of the fact that I am a fan, I AM an adult, and like I've said before, I've worked in the entertainment industry for over fifteen years, so I do have some background.
I do have one question to ask though, if Christy is so horrible, why would the people from the League of American Theatres and Producers have asked her to co-host the "Broadway on Broadway" event? I seriously doubt they would want such a terrible performer representing the whole theater world. And this has nothing to do with Disney.

[bwaykid]

Posted: 8/30/04 at 11:42am

okay first of all, you have everyright not to like christy as preformer and that's NOT what her fans are angry about. It's the fact that you THINK you know her, you DONT. How do i know this? Well obviously you havn't heard her do opera, She's pretty darn good with it, whether or not

now,Luckily whether or not some people like her voice, She has the experience beyond disney to back her reasons up. Compared to certain actors currently on broadway.. I DO hope these people who didnt care for the show go back and enjoy the other preformers but most of all i hope those kids and people who went for christy keeping going to the show without christy being in it. Because to me it's a show that NEEDS to do well for Disney.

Finally, she went for BATB and OTHER broadway shows, Yes DT probably picked her because she's on disney however, Disney itself did not start using her as a "disney starlet" until they saw she could bring the crowds. But sadly for them, kim possible is done production, she's for the most part done with Disney.

Okay now, i dont want to target any members but this one knows who she is, You realize you have lost ALL credibility with your posts, Because whatever beef you have with Ms.Romano isnt to be taken out on her as a preformer - Seriously, you said she was bad in school but that's a lie, because let's be honest, If you really heard her she was GOOD.

finally, i also noticed nobody here liked Susan Egan as Belle, and She was supposed to be the BEST belle? Well maybe it's not the preformers you don't like

Updated On: 8/30/04 at 11:42 AM

[chauvelin128]

Posted: 8/30/04 at 12:08pm

Here are my two or three cents...I saw Christy in the role a couple months ago, and I will say objectively and with confidence, unfortunately, that her performance was extremely sub-standard in comparison to the multitude of other Broadway actresses who handle much more difficult roles 8 nights a week. In her defense, she is only 19, and whoever talked about her voice still having time to mature is absolutely right.

About arguments like "why would the producers keep her in the show if she is awful:" Beauty and the Beast was hardly put on Broadway and maintained there for its artistic value...it is what it is...it is a flashy Disneyland-style show with huge sets and happy-go-lucky production numbers that is family friendly and brings in tons of money from tourism. Christy Romano has no doubt brought in major numbers of the people for whom the show is intended: families of tourists. Christy was not cast for the artistic value she would add to the show- the producers brought her in for a purpose, and she is accomplishing that purpose, so why would they pull her from the show early, even if her performance was tragic? A 10 year old girl who admires Christy's character on the Disney channel is not going to care if she is flat on her high notes. The same goes for Broadway on Broadway: the event is made to entice people to come out to Broadway shows...any TV "celebrity" has a pull, especially one who is currently in a Broadway show. Maybe Christy is awful...maybe her hosting Broadway on Broadway is a gross misrepresentation of the talent on Broadway...but the fact remains that her name alone will bring people to a Broadway show who might otherwise not have gone...maybe in the end that's not such a bad thing...

[ponine24601]

Posted: 8/30/04 at 12:11pm

amen to that!

[showstopper]

Posted: 8/30/04 at 12:14pm

ok ponine, this isn't time to cut her some slack because she's only 20 and she's still learning. There are people that have been on Broadway that are her age and have done a superb job. Jessica Grove, Laura Benanti...to name a few. There's no excuse. If she's still learning and isn't ready to handle a Broadway role...she shouldn't be there. This isn't regional theater or summer stack, it's BROADWAY, where you expect to see the best.

[ponine24601]

Posted: 8/30/04 at 12:16pm

ok i'm done with this thread now. if you want to act immature go ahead.

Updated On: 8/30/04 at 12:16 PM

[Deeva]

Posted: 8/30/04 at 12:43pm

I just have one more thing to say, everyone is entitled to their own opinions - being a frequent Broadway visitor doesn't make you, or any of us, THE expert on the subject. The posts from Christy's fans shows she has loyal supporters in everything she does, the posts from people against her show that they really don't care about Christy one way or the other... everyone has made that fact perfectly clear.

I DO NOT, however, agree that the League of American Theatres and Producers would ask her to co-host the Broadway on Broadway event unless they felt she was up to the job. This is an anual event, and "word of mouth" could really destroy their reputation as a highly commendable group. There are COUNTLESS performers that they could have asked to do this, that would have brought in the crowds - namely a lot of the Tony winners from this past year. Why Christy? Think about it. They obviously have faith that she can pull it off.

[chauvelin128]

Posted: 8/30/04 at 1:40pm

Broadway on Broadway is not meant to attract regular Broadway theatre-goers. They already know Broadway is there and what shows there are to see. While a large number of the people in attendance at Broadway on Broadway WILL be regular theatre-goers, I think the event is mainly designed to market Broadway as a source of entertainment to a broader audience. Utilizing the names of Wayne Brady and Christy Romano is much more effective for this purpose then using people who are known, however well, only in the Broadway community. It has nothing to do with talent. (Although Wayne Brady rocks.)

[Ediger03]

Posted: 8/30/04 at 6:23pm

As far as the whole kiddies thing is concerned, correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't familes more kids than they are adults? Also, wouldn't it make sense that only one or two adults would go to the show with a bunch of kids, such as the friends of their own children as well as their children? So, just because it's "family oriented" doesn't mean that there are going to be an equal number of adults and children. I do agree that Christy brought in a bunch of people who wouldn't have normally gone to see a broadway show, but I disagree that that is the only reason that she is there. Yes she's 20 (not 19 like some of you have posted), and yes there are things dealing with the voice that are still being worked on. However, everybody, no matter what their age, can still learn a thing or two about their voice.

I agree that the League of American Theatres and Producers wouldn't have asked Christy to do the Broadway on Broadway thing if she were as bad as you are saying. It doesn't matter if she can bring in the crowds. If people hear a bad performance in something like Broadway on Broadway, then they more than likely aren't going to go to anything that even the slightest bit to do with the League of American Theatres and Producers, no matter how badly their kids want them to.

If you don't like Christy as a performer, that's fine, but don't go bad mouthing every little mistake that you heard or saw. I bet you anything that on any performance you do, no matter how long or hard you worked on it, I would be able to find some flaws. However, I would not blow them out of perportion, and harp on them. The only reason I would do that is if I didn't like you as a person at all, or if I had a grudge against you. However, being the strong Christian that I am, I wouldn't even do it then. I would say, "There were some flaws and mistakes that need to be worked, but other than that, good job." I obviously don't know for sure, but it certainly seems that some people here are jealous for one reason or another. Either that, or they have a warped sense of talent.

Since I have never said it, I will say it now. I am just a fan, nothing more, and nothing less, because I have never meet Ms. Romano. Lastly, I think this will be my last post cause I'm starting have difficulty controling myself.

[honu]

Posted: 8/30/04 at 8:26pm

This whole thread is fast becoming a peeing match. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and entitled to express them. However, they are going to be varied and not everyone is going to agree with each other. If you don't like her, that's fine, but don't post your feelings expecting to go unchallenged. There will always be someone who feels the exact opposite and they will respond.

To suggest that only her family members are the ones speaking up for her is ludicrous. If a fan finds out his/her favorite anything (artist, car, book, etc.) is being, in their eyes, bad-mouthed, of course they will jump in and defend them to no end. Yes, there has been a number of Christy Romano fans joining to support her, but I believe that would happen in any forum that exists today, regardless of who or what is being discussed.

[TakeMeAsiAm]

Posted: 8/30/04 at 10:13pm

I must say Christy isnt pefect but she isnt entirely horrible, i DID enjoy watching Kim Possible but after a while i lost interest in the show and Christy. Not everyone is made for Broadway and, Beauty and the Beast as a play itself is getting old. I think what Deeva, Honu, Tahnee and every other Christy fans are getting at here is, maybe shes not PERFECT as Belle, but shes giving it her all. Even if im no longer a BIG fan of hers i still respect her as an Actress. Oh and as much i hate too say...Hilary Duff isnt all that bad either...shes just young and nieve and....ill stop there...but if your getting any ideas about me being a FAN of Christyz...your wrong and you should get a life and stop obssessing about people you dont know Personally in ANYWAY...

Posted: 8/31/04 at 2:08pm

I’ve been reading what has been said in these forums for a while now, and I felt the need to express my opinion. I realize that’s pretty stupid because I don’t know anyone on this forum, and once people make up their minds about something, they normally don’t accept any other ideas, especially from a stranger but whatever.

First off, I think it’s immature to bash someone because they don’t fit the twisted image of the perfect person, or in this case, the perfect performer. Christy is a person, just like you and I. And by being a person, she cannot be perfect. Now before people say that I’m just another Christy fan defending her, I’ll admit that she may not be the greatest Belle Broadway has seen. I’ve been lucky enough to see Beauty and the Beast twice, once when Meg McGuiness was Belle and again when Christy returned to Broadway. Meg McGuiness has an amazing voice, one that perfectly fit the range needed to sing in this particular play, while Christy’s voice doesn’t quite fit Belle’s range. That does not mean that Christy has a horrible voice, it just means she has a different range, one not previously heard from past Belle’s. The great thing about Broadway is that while it requires one to be musically inclined, it also requires one to be a performer through acting and dance. To say that Christy ruins the show because of her “horrible” singing voice is an ignorant statement, because not only is her acting and dancing skills up to Broadway’s standards, there is a whole cast out there bringing the story to life. It’s hard to believe that ONE person can ruin the magic of Broadway.

Any person who makes it to Broadway deserves to be on Broadway. To say she is only Belle because of her experience with the Disney channel is unfair because unless anyone was sitting in on the audition, we really have no idea what was going on in the minds of those who made the decision of who is the next Belle. Maybe she is Belle because of her “Disney chick” status. And maybe Disney is exploiting her, but who cares? It gives her more exposure, which she deserves, and it brings her younger fans to Broadway, fans that may not have gone to the theater otherwise. No one loses.

Look at the whole picture. Christy did a fine job as Belle, because she worked hard to be her best, and was dedicated to her fans. That’s rare to find, especially today. Updated On: 8/31/04 at 02:08 PM

[Tahnee]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 2:30pm

I am getting really mad really fast here! I agree with honu and Deeva and Ediger here. If Christy was so horrible, she wouldn't be on Broadway and she wouldn't be hosting anything but, you know what? SHE IS! So there! How can any of you hate and dispise someone you don't know!?!I am beging to lose control here with you people! Some of us don't know her personally and others do. We all have our own opinions, you know there is something called Freedom of Speech! We FANS have our opinion and you have yours the fact that we disagree with some opinions stated on this board does not mean that you can put us down and call us immature! You are the ones being immature for doing something my 7 year old little brother would do! Look, I don't really know any of you personally but, if you are going to pick on an innocent performer then you should think twice! You don't see me dissing your favorites do you? You know what I am going to stop. My words are being wasted on you! You just wait because one of these days your words will come back to haunt you!

[ponine24601]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 2:35pm

*applaudes* thank you for being wise! i completely agree.

[Kelliexo90]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 2:55pm

Actually, no disrespect meant to anyone, but just because someone is on Broadway doesn't mean they deserve to be there. Melanie Griffith, anyone? I have never seen Christy, so I can't voice my opinion on how she sings as Belle. But I have heard her sing sometimes on Even Stevens etc. Sometimes I think she sounds good, sometimes I think she sounds bad. Judging from posts I have seen from people who neither love Christy or hate her, it seems she has had more off-days than on. But again, who am I to say?

And some of you are saying how you can't hate someone you don't know personally. In the threads I've read, no one really said they hate her.They just said she was not up to par for Broadway. And I completely agree that if she doesn't have the range to fit the part, she shouldn't be there. Maybe Christy would be AMAZING as Nessarose, a part with very little high notes required. Someone who was a Christy fan actually kind of contradicted what she said. She said Christy's range doesn't fit, yet she is good as Belle. That wouldn't really make sense, if she couldn't hit the notes.

Overall, I think everyone needs to respect each others opinions. Everyone is calling Freedom of Speech and being able to say what they'd like, but both sides of the argument are jumping down each other's throats.

[Jung Woo Park]

Posted: 9/1/04 at 11:38pm

I'm really pissed off. If they choosed Christy Romano to be Belle, why she would be not good enough? You're just jealous cuz she's so tallented. And those who says Christy's range voice isn't good enough, just shut up cuz she has one of the most awesomest voice i ever heard and i'm gonna buy the princess diary soundtrack just to hear her song on this soundtrack.