why does the new Hairspray tour seem like a secret???- Page 2

[nycdncr]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 9:58pm

i hate how they are saying it's 'broadway's big fat musical comedy hit'. HARDLY. it should read 'the cheap, knock off, non-equity version of broadway's big fat musical comedy hit.'

i've always felt that if a show is running on broadway, the tours should remain equity. only after the show has been closed for a year should a tour then be allowed to go non-equity.

[NJgirl]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 9:59pm

The commercial is driving me insane as I live in Jersey as well. They are playing the hell out of it here. If they were doing the full show, I would consider a venture to AC just for the heck of it. The "Tracy" in the commercial (she's wearing the finale dress) doesn't really resemble any of the previous actresses that I know of...but resembles photos I've seen of Keala in costume. Not sure if this is the Tracy for the tour or just a model for the commercial.
It definitely is not Marissa/OBCR singing bits of "welcome to the 60's" in the commercial...not quite sure who it is...but they have a "Dynamite"-esque tone to their voice.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 10:29pm

"i've always felt that if a show is running on broadway, the tours should remain equity."

I feel the same way! However, to quote another show, "it's all about the green" (getting and keeping as much as possible while paying the workers as little as possible).

[OnMyWay]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 10:46pm

How about we just don't EVER do non-equity tours?

[nycdncr]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 10:50pm

i'll second that!

[jimnysf]

Posted: 7/27/06 at 11:21pm

Me, three!

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 12:56am

"I agree there are many theatre fans in the middle of the US, however i have read the reviews of many tours that stopped by some of the smaller theatre crowd spaces that have praised tours that needed NO PRAISE what’s so ever"

Yeah, of course these places are gonna give Broadway shows great reviews! Number one, when you live no where near NYC, Chicago, or LA, you don't get that many chances to see a Broadway musical (good OR bad), so they can't afford to be so choosy. Secondly, in these places where theatre isn't very big, theatres are only functioning at all because of the donations of patrons and people of the community, so any encouragement to go to the theatre at ALL (whether it's to see a cut rate version of a Broadway show or a down-scaled, non-equity, second rate version) is to the entire community's benefit.

Most of us in middle America could care less if local critics give "Hairspray" or "Brooklyn" or WHATEVER a bad review, it's a lot better than no Broadway show at all!

[nycdncr]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 9:20am

"Most of us in middle America could care less if local critics give "Hairspray" or "Brooklyn" or WHATEVER a bad review, it's a lot better than no Broadway show at all!"

But, you can't even consider what your seeing in these non-equity tours Broadway quality at all. It that kind of settling for mediocrity that's killing the equity tours across america.

when i was growing up, our broadway series in Evansville, IN brought in all equity tours. granted, they were the bus and truck equity tours (yes, bus and truck tours used to be equity), but they were still backed by the union. nowadays, they only bring in non-equity shows. it makes me sad because i won't ever be able to play my hometown on tour....because of the rise of non-eq tours.

and what i don't understand is this: these touring shows get horrible reviews when they come thru my hometown, so why don't they bring in more quality shows?!?

[Here_I_Go_Again]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 9:32am

I have seen a few non equity shows that were very good (miss saigon, Rent when it 1st turned non Equity. Talent is not the problem here. THose guys had pleny of it... the issue is that when producers see that they can make more money sending HARD WORKING actors out at a fraction of what they should be paid they like the way that sounds. and for the most part no one ever knows. shows still sell out... most of these tours are on a season serises list. $$$$ iand greed is the problem!!!!

[season2episode13`]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 6:19pm

I just saw the show in Atlantic City and it was exccellent. The fact that it was Non-Equity really didn't play a factor. Yes it is unfortunate that the incredibly talented actors are being paid a whole lot less than they should be, but like someone else said, a tour is better than no show at all. Again, like Here_I_Go_Again said, talent isn't the problem. I saw an Equity production of RENT a few months ago and it could have been alot better.

So, I may be the only person in defense of the new tour. It was a excellent show, regardless of whether it was the original or Vegas version of the production and the Equity status of the actors. So, don't knock it until you've seen it is all I'm saying. And the tickets werent expensive at all. 60 bucks for fifth row? The only place you can get that in NY is a scalper or possibly a lottery somewhere.

[Here_I_Go_Again]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 7:56pm

which production of RENT did you see? (location)
I was really agreeing with you if you caught it. Cast of both NOn and equity shows are VERRRRY Hard working and VERY talented. Its the guy that drive the BMW's sitting in there penthouse office smoking a cigar that don't want to pay them. they figure out that they can make three times much more money and screw the hard working cast/crew

[emo_geek]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 10:08pm

Tell me...is this the person on the comercial?
http://www.myspace.com/timelesstome

[season2episode13`]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 11:17pm

I saw the tour cast in Norfolk, VA. From what I heard, they'd only been rehearsing for two weeks. Plus, you could tell that the Mimi was sick and that English probably wasn't her first language. All in all, it was good for what it was and was good for only a two week rehearsal, especially with such a vocally demanding show such as RENT.

[winston89]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 4:53am

The thing with RENT is that when it first starting touring they made it non equity from the start. That way, they could get more talent in the show. Now, they treat everything as if it was an equity tour. They have the same sets as on broadway and treat the actors as if they were on an equity tour.

I was looking on the equity website and found out something interisting. The studios that made both the hairspray and producers movies had a dead with equity bout both shows going on tour. The first few tours of both shows were equity but now they are not. Apperently, something fell through to make them that way.

[paphillyguy]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 8:44am

I know that this show is not being filled by everyone paying full price. Being from PHilly and going to AC a few times a year. I was offered free tickets, as were most of my friends. We are all going down at the end of the month to check it out. It is at a casino, so expect lots of comped tickets.