will a stage director ever film their presentation, for posterity's sake?

[sam2009]

Posted: 4/1/09 at 4:28am

I'm wondering, does anyone know if broadway directors or producers every make private recordings of either the actual play or dress rehersals of various versions of a play or musical, not for public consumption, but just to capture a brilliant performace that will never happen again? anyone know if that ever happens? i know the purpose of plays is that you go see it when you have the chance but if i was a director and i had a once in a lifetime cast and crew i would want to try to preserve my work for the future, or even for future reference. does that ever happen?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/1/09 at 4:50am

Most shows get recorded by the Lincoln Center library for just that reason. The only ones that wouldn't would be those that close too quickly to have it arranged.

A hand held vid wouldn't do a production justice, and personally hiring a film crew would be ridiculously expensive.

AS a director, I have never felt the need for it. My memory is a better place for any show to live on. You cannot capture a live production's soul on film. It's not the same.

Besides...that's what youtube is for! (Bwhahahaha)

Updated On: 4/1/09 at 04:50 AM

[Jon]

Posted: 4/1/09 at 12:53pm

Besides the cost of hiring a film crew, the actors woul dhave to be compensated. Equity has very strict rules about filming, even for "archival" purposes.

[joan331]

Posted: 4/1/09 at 2:43pm

Dramamama can you tell me more about the lincoln center library? Are you saying that they have hand held recordings of all the plays that have been on broadway? So an archivest there can pull up say Cat's final performance, or Daniel Radcliffes equus, the new version of Hair as compared to older versions?
I've always wondered if an archive like that existed, how else would a new productioin know if they are doing something totally new or not without referenceing the older works?

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 4/1/09 at 2:48pm

They wouldn't necessarily have a final performance of a show.

Also, not just anyone can get into the LC library.
You have to have a valid excuse.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 4/1/09 at 3:01pm

Also, the Lincoln Center Archives didn't start archiving/filming Broadway productions until the mid-1970's. As stated, not ALL shows that appeared on Broadway have been archived, etc. Some are of the national touring productions.

Also special note has to be made -- most archived shows do not feature the original Broadway cast. Some of these archives are made late in a show's run. The archive of XANADU features the final Broadway cast. The DREAMGIRLS archive also isn't of the original Broadway cast -- its the final Broadway cast.

So, unfortunately... there is no film archive of the original Broadway productions of THE SOUND OF MUSIC, BYE BYE BIRDIE, FUNNY GIRL, HELLO, DOLLY!, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, PROMISES, PROMISES, CABARET, etc.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 4/1/09 at 3:40pm

And yes, I am sure some of them have requested a private recording be made. There's one of Hedwig with the full Original Cast.

[Byron Abens]

Posted: 4/1/09 at 3:41pm

And if a director wanted to avoid charges of stealing another's work it would be best for them to avoid having seen the archives at Lincoln Center. I don't know how long they keep a record of who's seen what, but I can guarantee if I was a director on Broadway and thought somebody had stolen my work, that would be the first thing I would investigate.

As for some of the other rules. You can not view the archive of a production that is currently running, and when the archive is made the producers can choose to limit who is eventually able to view it.

As previously posted, it is true that not everything gets preserved. Some shows close before the arrangements and logistics can be finalized. Producers also have to be willing to pay for it, though sometimes if the library wants it enough they will also subsidize the cost, as is the case of the show I just finished working on that was taped during its final week.

It is not just limited to Broadway, either. They also will archive Off-Broadway and regional productions that they feel are of some significance, for example the world or US premiere of a play by an established playwright.

[D2]

Posted: 4/1/09 at 3:47pm

Rodgers and Hammerstein filmed the London production of SOUTH PACIFIC, with Mary Martin and Betta St. John from the original B'way cast, in 1952 for their own personal archives. There are a few clips from that on "the site that shall not be named..."

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/1/09 at 4:20pm

You have to petition TLC to get permission to see a video with the reason why...although I've heard it's not that hard to secure the permission once you do the required paperwork.

And I didn't say their productions were filmed with a handheld. I understand many of the (while not dvd worthy) are done very nicely. They are done with professional crews. I believe you are limited to ONE viewing of any given recording...and probably very limited to how often you can access anything.

I think above me, others gave you great info about what might not have been recorded.

[Byron Abens]

Posted: 4/1/09 at 4:23pm

Their crew is very professional. They were a delight to work with. They did a lot of work to make sure that they were as inobtrusive as could be when filming (which was quite a feat in a 98 seat house).

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/1/09 at 6:33pm

I go every now and then to view tapes for projects I'm working on. For example, I was writing an article about GUYS AND DOLLS, requested to view the tapes they had and was turned down, being told that I had to receive the Loesser estate's permission before they could allow me to view the tapes.

When I went at the end of the year to view a tape of a play I'm currently directing, there was no problem. I didn't even watch the whole play; I just needed to see how certain lines were delivered by the original cast (as the script has no parentheticals or emphasis on certain lines, I wanted to make sure I had answers to the inevitable "what does this line mean?").

[sam2009]

Posted: 4/1/09 at 7:15pm

what kind of credintials do you need to present in order to view the recordings? can a student use them for a research project?

also how much advanced notice to they need to let you in to see them?