Year 3, Day 1

Please forgive the following exercise in self-indulgence...

If I were a Broadway producer, today would be the day I add "3rd Smash Hit Year!" to all of my advertisements!

Two years ago today, I sat at this very computer and started writing about something I love... theatre.  That day, I had no idea of the magnitude of what I was getting into.  That there are thousands of people out there who love the arts as much as I do; that so many of us write about it.  What a great discovery!

I have learned so much not only about theatre, but about myself.  And for that, I thank all of you who read this little piece of the blogosphere, regularly or when the content suits you.  Whether you stop by every day or once in awhile, I appreciate your taking the time. 

This time last year, I made three wishes for the year just past:

1. That I can continue to work on making this the best blog I can make it be.  I think I have made the quality of this blog better than ever, with plenty of room for improvement.  I hope I can continue to bring you all of the things you have come to expect and to make room for the things you would like to read about.  I look forward to more Broadway Boys and Ladies (your favorites), show reviews, and series.  And I hope to add more about regional theatre, national tours, and make better use of Twitter!

2. That more of you will share experiences and thoughts about my blog entries and theatre in general. PLEASE WRITE IN!  Well, you certainly made that wish come true!  Thank you all for your comments, feedback, emails and Tweets!  And thank you to all of you who contribute by sending in your favorite quotes from shows, your personal experiences at the same shows I see, and your contributions of reviews.  I also listen to your suggestions.

3. That all of us have the privilege and ability to see great theatre at any venue we are lucky enough to get to!  Boy, have I been lucky this year!  Every new musical that opened on Broadway last season... a couple of trips to the D.C. area to see regional theatre (Chess at Signature Theatre), the Kennedy Center (the National Tour of next to normal), and even a few National Touring shows.  I have also had the privilege of seeing some interesting local theatre (I never write about neighbors).  Goal met!  Of course, is there any way to see everything?  No way!  And so, I continue to expand! 

So what is ahead for JK's TheatreScene?  Well, as I said, I listen to you!  After all, you are who I do this for... so:

• More reviews of shows that are off-Broadway and beyond.  In fact, I have tickets for a few shows off-Broadway - The Submission at MCC, and tickets to TWO New York Musical Theatre Festival Shows.  And there is Carrie...


• More blogs about theatre legends... Who knew so many of you love Bob Fosse as much as I do?  Look for stuff about Carol Channing, Boris Aaronson and Michael Bennett this fall...


• And, yes, I will do more series about landmark shows AND flops (your response to Grind, Part I has been very encouraging).

• Look for more what you like: Broadway Boys, Girls and games. I promise I will do another crossword puzzle, soon! And, yes, more jigsaw puzzles! (If you only knew how easy those are to do!)


• And less about Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark (I will be reviewing the CD shortly, though), Stephen Sondheim, and no more Jeopardy! games.  I will do my best, but it will be difficult to talk  about Follies without talking Sondheim, and who knows what media blitz Spider-Man will come up with next?  So I can only promise that I will only write about them when they are newsworthy only.  Fair enough? 

Again, thank you all!

Jeff

P.S.: For my most ardent fans: The third Broadway show I walked out on at intermission was...  the revival A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum starring Nathan Lane.  He was NOT the reason why I left.  Stay tuned for the blog about THAT eventful day...

3.001

BROADWAY BLOG: Day By Day: The Godspell Blog

When it comes to other theatre blogs, I'm pretty choosy about the ones I follow.  You'll notice that there is a list of just 8 that I follow closely to your right.  You'd think there would be more, considering how many of us there are out there.  But very few fit my simple criteria: knowledge about theatre, the ability to express an opinion with back up (whether I agree or not!), and an overall passion for whatever the topic at hand is.

Ken Davenport

One of the blogs I love is written by a New York theatre producer, Ken Davenport, the man behind such Broadway shows as Oleanna and the upcoming revivals of A Few Good Men and Godspell.  He tells it like it is, has a sense of humor about it, and is completely practical.  He is also behind the most recent addition to my blog following list, a blog devoted to the behind-the-scenes details of bringing Godspell to its first preview on Broadway, October 13, 2011.

The Godspell Logo

The occasion was the 100th day prior to that first preview, and Mr. Davenport decided to launch a separate blog to allow theatre fans a chance to see what it takes to bring a show in.  He promises 100 days of decision-making, insider information, and lots of how-to.  Today will be day 98 - it started Tuesday.  In the two days so far, he's introduced the advertising/promotions team, who decided about a huge Times Square billboard (it'll be near The Phantom of the Opera), and talked about the minute decisions he faces in choosing a t-shirt maker and merchandiser.  It may or may not sound all that glamorous to you, but as a lover of all things theatre, I am enticed by the idea of learning from someone who actually DOES theatre!  At the very least, I'll gain an appreciation for all those hundreds of small decisions that are made before anyone even steps foot in the Circle in the Square Theatre for the first Broadway preview of Godspell.

To find out all about this new blog, click HERE.
To find out about Davenport's regular blog, click HERE.

Comments?  Leave one here, email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com or Tweet me!
Jeff
2.313

Ask Jeff: A Really Good Question

Hi, everyone!  I got a really good question from a reader yesterday, which I am going to answer, but I'd also like to hear from you on this question.

Jeff,

You've mentioned several times in your blog that you are seeing Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark again, and also have talked about seeing next to normal several times.  Besides it costing a lot of money, why do you like seeing shows more than once, and sometimes much more than twice?

Curious and envious,
Teri C.
Columbus, OH

Well, Teri C. that is an interesting question.  One that I have given some thought to lately, in particular with regards to Spider-Man and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, and the recently closed next to normal.  I think my multiple trips to shows can be categorized into three groups:

Hairspray: A personal favorite and a great "first show"

A. Taking friends and theatre newbies: This used to happen much more than it does now, but many times, I'll go to a show a second (or third or more) time because a friend will have an extra ticket to a show he/she knows I like.  Sometimes, I'm the "Bobby-baby-Bobby" who takes the wife of a friend to the show because the husband isn't interested.  (I'm gay and they realize I am no threat, plus they are relieved to not have to go!)  And many times, I'll go a specific show that I know would be a great starting point for friends who are just getting their feet wet with going to plays and musicals.  My sister and I, for example, saw both The Full Monty and Hairspray together because I felt pretty safe that she'd get the humor and sweetness of both, and you really can't beat male strippers and moms in drag!  It is funny that while she doesn't go with me often - we don't live close together and she has two small children - we have still managed to see 5 different productions of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat!  (It is her absolute favorite.)

Passion: From Snooze to Thrilling

B.  Some shows are complicated and really need to be seen more than once to really absorb them:  I find all of Sondheim's musicals to be in this category - even shows I've seen before, because each director has a new take on it.  Passion is a show that DEFINITELY fits this category.  I saw a late preview of it.  I HATED IT.  I mean HATED it.  BUT I knew that it was a Sondheim show and that you can't even scratch the surface of understanding, let alone deeper meaning on one viewing.  So I dutifully purchased a second ticket and saw it right after it opened.  A world of difference!  I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it.  I knew what I was in for, and what to look for and what I could pay less attention to and more attention to, etc.  I ended up seeing Passion 7 or 8 times.  I often joke that I kept the show running a week longer.  (There are only two other composers that I, without even thinking about it, will give a second chance viewing to no matter what: Michael John Lachuisa and Adam Guettel.)  Both Spider-Man and Women on the Verge fall into this category.  The former because I have to see what they fixed, and I have a feeling there is much more to it, just that the special effects overwhelm the content; the latter because I wanted to see the end result, and because I think they were so close to something awesome.

John Doyle's direction of this Company

really needed more than one viewing to

take in the sheer brilliance of the concept.

Women on the Verge: Were they on the verge of making

it all make more sense?  More funny?  More meaningful?

C.  They strike a chord in me and I love them so much I have to see them again and again:  Now mind you, I will never be one of those fans that sees every single performance of a show, or one of those obsessed ones that honestly believes that the cast will miss them if they aren't in Row A, Seat 1 at every Saturday matinee.  I have been the kind of fan of a show that I go back to see replacements or specific understudies (both A Little Night Music and next to normal fit in this category).  Over the years I have had several of those: The Mystery of Edwin Drood, A Chorus Line, Sweeney Todd, West Side Story to name a few. 

A Chorus Line, Drood, West Side Story:

I just can't get enough!

It is this last category that even some of my friends think is odd.  But I always say, "Don't you have favorite movies that you watch over and over?"  "Yes," they always say and launch into a list.  Well a show is the same thing for me.  The difference is that most shows aren't on DVD so I can't just buy it and watch it over and over that way.  And don't get me started on movie versions of musicals.

An embarrassing sub-category - I won't publicly disclose how many times I've seen Cats and Les Miserables.  Both shows I'm not even sure I can say I like anymore...

J. Robert, Alice, Jason and Marin all brought so much to next to normal,

I wouldn't have missed any of them for the world

The most recent show that I have seen 5 or more times is next to normal.  That show fits all 3 categories.  And there are several shows I regret not getting to more than once: The Scottsboro Boys being the most recent. I will likely get to see many productions of both in the years to come.  In the mean time, I have the cast recordings to take me away and to ponder.

Thanks for writing, Teri, and for letting me share with everyone!

Now it is your turn!  What shows have you seen many times?  Why?  What shows to you wish you had seen more than once?  Write in and tell me.  (If you don't want your response blogged, tell me that, too and I won't share.)  Am I the only odd ball out there who sees shows over and over, and every different production I can get to?



Answer here, email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com, or Tweet me!
Jeff
2.150

BLOGJACK: The Dramatists Guild Fund's Legacy Project

Yesterday, during my ritual of hitting all the major theatre websites and blogs, I came across an entry from Playbill.com's "Play Blog" about a fascinating new interview series.  It is called The Legacy Project and it is produced by the Dramatists Guild Fund.  In the series of 10 interviews, modern masters like David Zippel, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Brian Yorkey interview true legends of theatre - playwrights like Edward Albee, and composer/lyricists like Stephen Sondheim, Bock and Harnick, and John Kander.  Underscoring the importance of such a series is the noticeable absence of Fred Ebb, and the presence of recently deceased Joesph Stein, among others.  Apparently more are planned as everything about the current set indicates that it Volume 1.

Unfortunately, upon further investigation at http://www.dramatistsguildfund.org/, I found that the entire series is only available at colleges and universities with performing arts majors.  Understandable, of course - and I hope you college kids get to use this invaluable resource - but disappointing for theatre enthusiasts beyond their college years!

Still, even the 2 or 3 minute samples of each are interesting and insightful.  Notice the gleam in the eyes of the younger set as they prepare to meet their lifetime idols!  That even comes across in this introduction to the series:



To whet your appetite, I also thought I'd post this most interesting snippet of the Arthur Laurents interview.  The notoriously crabby genius shows a surprising side to himself and a pretty nice self-deprecating wit.



To see all of these gems, The Dramatists Guild Fund has their own channel on YouTube.


Comments?  Leave one here, email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com or Tweet me!
Jeff
2.144

What If Football Fans Were Like Broadway Fans?

Last week, I sort of tongue-in-cheek asked the opposite of today's question, marvelling at the fervor and accoutrement of fans of the gridiron, and wondering how it would be if fans of Broadway had that kind of stuff and passion.  Little did I know, that less than a week later, I'd find out the answer to the very opposite of my question!

Yes, this past Sunday afternoon, a series of very serendipitous events conspired to find me in the very front row - a floor seat the ticket says - at the Circle in the Square Theatre for a performance of Lombardi (Read yesterday's review to see what I thought of the show).  It was a half hour until curtain when I arrived and joined the excited (an much louder than usual) crowd lined up to get tickets scanned and take the escalator down to the theatre in the round.  As I descended, I began to notice that the entire lobby was decorated much like a museum exhibit.  Giant, iconic photographs of the subject, Vince Lombardi, adorned several walls and the enormous pillars that hold the building up.  Along the walls going down with the escalator were large quotes spoken by the man, each football-specific and pointedly universal.  Someone had done their homework, I thought. 

As I turned to face the room after getting off the moving stairs, there was an electricity in the room that one very rarely feels outside a Broadway show.  And I don't think it was all because the lobby had been transformed into an actual museum exhibit, courtesy of the National Football League!  It struck me at that very moment that this audience was unlike any other I had ever been in.  Men, dozens, hundreds, outnumbering the women probably 3 to 1, and every one of them grinning madly, and letting out squeals (yes, squeals) of delight as they discovered treasure after treasure - real 1960's Green Bay Packers uniforms, photos of long ago heroes, and the centerpiece of all the commotion: the ACTUAL Lombardi Trophy that the winners of the Super Bowl receive, along with an actual Super Bowl ring were in display, and these gentlemen couldn't have been more excited and honored to be in its presence.  Each took turns being photographed with the trophy.  It reminded me of the time I saw an actual Tony Award in a glass display case.  I said the same things these guys were saying: "Can you believe that that is the actual trophy?"  "Wow!  It looks so much bigger on TV!"  "It may be small, but that's the f'ing Lombardi Trophy!"

It was then that it hit me.  Like a ton of bricks.  Football fans and Broadway fans ARE like each other.  One man's Super Bowl ring is another's collectible Opening Night Playbill. One man's old-school football jersey - wool with satin numbers - is another's "One" hat from A Chorus Line, both valuables carefully stored behind glass.  And the sheer reverence for the event is exactly the same as the excited expectation as waiting to see a brand new show for the very first time.

But fate wasn't done with me yet.  I entered the theatre behind a group of very excited men, all about my age, each in authentic Green Bay Packers jerseys.  And each had the same reaction as they rounded the corner and saw the space for the first time: "Holy shit!  It looks just like a freakin' football stadium!"  They were right, of course, and I felt just a bit out of my own element.  Man, were they excited.  And then, as one they became as quite as church mice when the usher asked for their tickets and handed them Playbills ("Here, Joe, take a book, already!").  As it turns out they were in the same "end zone" as me, but just to my left, so that I could see them staring, pointing things out, and looking just a bit unsure.  It was pretty clear that these guys, like many in the theatre that afternoon were there at their very first Broadway show. 

For about 5 minutes I sat alone in my two seat row, and I took in the various people.  Many groups of men sitting together unable to hide both their unsure discomfort and their excitement.  There were lots of women, too, talking football AND theatre etiquette, clearly enjoying this rare opportunity to share worlds collided.  And, perhaps best of all, there were several father/young son pairs - the future of both Broadway and NFL audiences.

Then I was joined by a rather large guy (and I am not exactly tiny), who looked rather uncomfortable and alone. "Um, I think that is my seat."  "Sure, let me get up."  I stood and we both laughed.  How were we going to fit?  But we managed.  That laugh broke the ice, and the conversation went something like this:

"So..uh... is this your first time at a show?"

"No!  I go to shows all the time." I note his look of disappointment, and go on, "but I've never been to one about football before."

Look of relief. "Oh!  Man, I go to the games every chance I get, but tickets aren't cheap, you know?"

"I've heard that.  Broadway tickets aren't cheap, either."

Laugh, not a chuckle, an outright laugh. "This was $115, right?  That's NOTHING compared to a football game."  I didn't want to mention that I only paid $79 for mine, because I felt, for the first time ever that maybe Broadway wasn't as elitist as I thought it was!

Then he got quiet and very serious.  "I've never been to a play anywhere, ever.  I was always the guy in school who made fun of the plays and the drama."  Oh God!  My worst nightmare - confronting a bully!
"But" he continued "so far this isn't bad.  I mean it even looks like a football stadium in here, you know?"

"Um, no, I don't know..." I mumbled, "I've never been to a football game..."

A relieved look then a hearty laugh, "Are you [expletive] me?  Man, you gotta try it.  Really.  I mean here I am trying this.  You gotta try a game sometime... not even on TV??" 

"No."  He shook his head at me as the lights went down.

Being that the show was in the round, I could see the fans watching the play, each giving it such concentration and staring at Dan Lauria as if he really was Vince Lombardi.  I could see the relief on their faces when they realized it was funny and they could laugh, and their pride at being able to follow all the football talk.  But they also paid rapt attention to Judith Light, and I knew they were, to a person, into the play, when they reacted physically and verbally to a few rotten things Vince said to Marie.  The entire cast had them in the palms of their hands.

As the curtain call started, I noticed my companion looking uneasy again.  I leaned over and said, "If you liked it applaud, and if you really liked a certain actor go ahead and cheer."  He smiled and practically screamed when Keith Nobbs took his bow.  Well, I was super impressed with Ms. Light, and stood, as did many of the audience.  I looked back, and we exchanged a look that said it was OK for him to stand, too.  And he did, again yelling his approval for both leading players and the final company bow.

We were gathering our things, and I asked, "Well?  How was your first Broadway show?"  "Excellent!  I mean it, man.  Excellent!  I think I'm going to try another one soon.  Maybe take my wife.  She's at that Wizard of Oz show next door.  She loves this stuff.  She's right.  It is better than the movies!"
I laughed and smiled.  Don't you love looking at the newly converted?

And then he said something I will never, ever forget.  "So, how about you?  When are you going to a game?  I went to this.  Fair is fair!"  I'm not sure if I mumbled something or not, because the next thing I knew my hand was lost in his giant gloved hands as he shook mine, and said a simple, "Thank you."  He left as I was still putting on my coat.

As I exited, it was great to see lines of football jersey-ed men lined up at the merch stand buying Lombardi t-shirts.  And then it hit me for real:  fans are fans, no matter what they love.  The same passion, excitement and reverence.  And then it really hit me: I am such a theatre snob.  Shame on me.

Whoever you are, thank you, sir.  You will be on my mind when I go to my first game next year.  I promise I will go to one.

Fair is fair, indeed.

(Photos taken by me!)

Comments?  Leave one here, email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.co, or Tweet me!
Jeff
2.141

RANT: Of Previews, Postponements and Patrons' Rights

Of course, right after I bought tickets to the very first performance of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark after February 7th, it is announced that the opening will be March 15th!  Ah well, such is life.  At least I'll be able to see how much work has actually been done on the show since the 5th preview, and I suppose, again after it finally opens (it's my money, shake your heads if you want!).

Of course II, this has and will re-open the debate about when to review, and is it fair to the public to see a show in previews, blah blah blah.

Earlier this week, Ken Davenport ran a blog post about the public's true opinion about whether or not a show being in previews mattered.  He did a un-scientific poll of people standing in line at the TKTS booth, and found that the vast majority of people polled didn't care as long as the show was good.  One of my favorite blog-buddies in the entire world, GratuitousV, took exception to the poll and is vehement that the public is being duped by shows that aren't ready being sold at full price. 

I can see and understand her point, and I even agree with her that stars of shows vacation schedules should be made universally known ahead of time so people can plan trips to see their favorites.  (Kudos, by the way to A Little Night Music and Women on the Verge of Nervous Breakdown; both shows posted vacation schedules for Catherine, Angela, Patti and Brian Stokes before a single ticket was sold to the public.)  And I also think it would be great to go back to the old days where there was a preview schedule of prices - again kudos to Women on the Verge, it wasn't much, but previews were cheaper.  And I do feel for people who plan whole vacations around a performance that gets cancelled.  Full refunds are never enough to equal that disappointment.

But the chief argument GV and so many others make that really frosts me, ESPECIALLY when they invoke the "draw of Spider-Man to crowds of children and tourists" is that people simply do not know the show hasn't officially opened and is in a state of flux. FOUL!  Spider-Man has been on the NATIONAL news almost daily for weeks.  If you don't know that the show hasn't officially opened, then it is on you at this point.

In an effort to be more fair and balanced about this topic which has so many of us in an uproar, I ran this past my friend Mike, who is much more practical in his love for theatre and whose opinion I value immensely.  He had this to say about my rant: "One specific thing that I maybe disagree about is your suggestion that, due to all the publicity, ticket buyers should know that the show is in previews. To be honest, a lot of the coverage I've seen has actually been misleading or inaccurate on this point, using phrases like "since the show opened..." or "the early reviews are...." So I don't think the coverage has helped educate people about the difference between a show in previews and one that's opened. But I do agree that there probably aren't too many people who care."


Then too, is the idea that the show itself isn't ready to the point that what you will see at given preview is ill-prepared.  Somehow, the theatre gods smiled upon me and I actually attended two previews - one of Verge, and one of Spider-Man, where they made headlines for a pre-show announcement that not everything would be working, and that the company hadn't done the whole show the whole way through many times, if at all.  In both cases, the only things that didn't (eventually) work were the things that ALL shows in previews have not working: the story and the music need more attention.  BUT did I not see a full production of both?  I sure did!  In BOTH cases, the show stopped for technical problems.  In both cases, everyone involved was highly professional - it was cool to see cast and crew work as one, and to actually give the hard working crew their due.  Also, in BOTH cases, the stoppages did not cause a single person to break character, lose their place in a song or scene, and never once did they lose composure.  Not a single person had a script in hand, no one in either show was ever in the wrong place, dances were sharp and crisp, not a lyric was dropped.  So, to say seeing a show in early previews - in these highly publicized cases, anyway - means you are seeing an inferior performance is ridiculous.  OK, both shows need/needed to be worked on as far as the book and music.  But who's to say that even if both shows open/ed to rave reviews that you won't still hate the book and the songs? (No matter how much you rave about The Phantom of the Opera, you won't make me love the book and the score.)

Further, it has been suggested but not a few people - though I will quote GratuitousV because she is well spoken and because I know she understands I'm not attacking her personally - that the public should be made fully aware that a show in previews might have the following issues.  And I have seen each of these separately from other bloggers and online chatters.

"Would you want to see a show in which some of the actors may not know their lines, the sets may get stuck, forcing the show to stop, and songs or dialogue may get added or cut as performances progress toward opening night? That's what a "preview" really means in some cases."

Let me address each element:

• Actors may not know their lines - as I said neither thing happened in Verge or Spider-Man.  But I can say that it has happened many times in my experience to shows ALREADY open - to a full-price paying all-knowing audience.  And frankly, I think I find it more objectionable for a running show (though I generally find such bloopers the very stuff that makes LIVE theatre so great), especially when said performer is legendary and actually embraced for not knowing her lines for the entire run.  I'm talking, of course, of Elaine Stritch.  Didn't know lines, labored over her one song, and had the balls to mug happily over being so ill-prepared.  Why is it that she is applauded for it, but an actor in Verge or Spider-Man should be taken to task for it?  I have seen dozens of actors flub lines and lyrics, and always had fun watching them work through it.
• The sets may get stuck - this can/does and will continue to happen.  Ask the guy at the Globe theatre, who fell through an open trap door during the opening of one of Shakespeare's plays.  We got a whole saying out of that - "Break a Leg!" means good luck now.  And that was waaayyyy back.  More recent examples that I can verify for having witnessed them myself:  At Les Miz, the revolving stage got stuck, causing a 20 minute delay, an offer of full refunds, and about 2/3 of the show done with the actors doing their best to recreate the feel without the movement.  Legally Blonde - Paulette's beauty parlor got caught in a curtain, bringing the show to a halt for ten minutes.  I saw Cats TWICE when the tire didn't levitate, and Wicked on tour when Elphaba didn't actually defy gravity. Watching the remainder of Act One of Grease (94 revival) when they couldn't get Greased Lightning out of the way was a real treat - Rosie O'Donnell's ad-libs were PRICELESS.
• Songs or dialogue may be added or cut - Really?  You mean it isn't 100% done the first dozen or so times the show is performed?  How about AFTER the show opens and changes are made?  Ask Julie Andrews about Camelot or Victor/Victoria.  How about adding an unlisted song as a finale!!??  Ask the folks at American Idiot or Shrek: The Musical.  Then there's The Lion King AND Les Miserables who both cut whole songs and scenes out of their shows well into their runs.  All of these happened AFTER previews, and people weren't calling for beheading or even refunds.  And I won't even go into the whole Scarlet Pimpernel thing where one version was being performed while another was being rehearsed...  And what about when shows leave Broadway and are changed for the tour?  Whole songs and scenes are dropped and/or re-worked.  Talk about getting ripped off - people think the National Tour is a replica of the Broadway production.  Again, no lines for refunds... no public outcry.

Yes, a preview means all of those things.  But all of those things could and do apply to officially opened productions, too.

And changing the opening night, which started this rant in the first place, is also their right.  Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark IS, and I can verify it, the biggest, most complicated show EVER.  Bumps, starts and stops and postponements are going to happen.  Usually, people moan and groan when a producer won't stand behind his own show (The Scottsboro Boys, anyone?) and let it find an audience, or complain because more time to work on a show is needed but not given.  And yet, here we are slinging arrows at a producer who is putting his money where his mouth is.  He's letting his team get the show where they want it.  And, I understand that any performance that was halted - even the notorious one with Christopher Tierney plunging to serious injury - FULL refunds have been offered or seats to another performance have been given.  Not bad in that case, because the audience only missed 7 minutes of the entire show - the ending, which is/was incomplete at the time, anyway.  I also understand, though I can't verify it, that partial refunds have been offered to folks at those first few previews as well. 

All of that said, I can see and understand people's ire over the ever changing date, and that yes, there is plenty of blame for this to be laid at everyone's feet.  But at this point, what difference does it make, really?  It is a sellout almost every night, and looks to be around for awhile no matter what.  Hell, Beatlemania never officially opened and ran for years, anyway!

As for me?  Well I rank the early previews of Women on the Verge and Spider-Man amongst the most thrilling, exciting times I've had in the theatre.  There is nothing more LIVE than LIVE theatre at its rawest and most vulnerable.

Comments?  Leave one here, email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com or Tweet me!
Jeff
2.136

What If Broadway Fans Were Like Football Fans?

As you probably know, even if you've only read a few of my blogs, I am not knowledgeable AT ALL about football.  Like the cast of Lombardi, before I go to that show this winter, I will need to read Football for Dummies.  But it is around this time of year when I start to feel a little left out.  Everyone, it seems, pulls out the stops for the playoffs and, of course, the Super Bowl.

I see it everywhere - sweatshirts, sweaters, team jerseys, hats, pins, buttons on people of all shapes, sizes, colors and creeds.  Homes are adorned with full-sized team logo flags, front yards have inflatable football players in the appropriate team colors.  And even cars are done up!  Everything from painted slogans on windows to football helmet door magnets, and those little flags - one on each side of the car - that flap elegantly in the breeze as the car goes down the highway.

My favorite is the arm carrying the football on the driver's side door!

As someone who enjoys being a fan of certain things, I whole-heartily approve of such excitement, loyalty and plain old fun.  Heck, in my neighborhood alone, the only time the guy next door to me on the left even speaks to the guy next door to me on the right is the few weeks each year that the Pittsburgh Steelers are in the playoffs.  Lately, that's been nice, but a few years there it was like the Hatfields and McCoys with years between truces.

Imagine that kind of fervor for Broadway shows!  The Tony Nominations are like the playoffs... we all pick "teams":  last year, I'd have been Team Memphis.  The Drama Desks, Outer Critics Circle and Broadway Audience awards are like those nifty bowl games.  And, of course, the Tonys would be the Super Bowl/

Picture Team Memphis in T-shirts - logos AND slogans, faces painted in neon pink, red and blue.  We are all wearing knit caps or baseball caps, and we are all screaming "Huck-adoo!"

Team Addams Family would have been eliminated in last year's playoffs, but picture everyone dressed as Lurch, Morticia, and Uncle Fester!  The banner? A nasty cobweb, of course!

And Team Fela! would have been, hands down the most colorful on the field!

And just imagine the half-time show...

I think I'm going to find investors for my show logo car door/bumper magnets.  I bet people would buy them.  You can probably guess which show would be on my bumper!

(Merchandise pictures from footballfanatics.com and playbillstore.com)

Comments?  Leave one here, email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com, or Tweet me!
Jeff
2.134

RANT: Human Error

The potentially tragic events in recent weeks at Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark have caused quite a stir, and justifiably so.  Between the concussion suffered by Natalie Mendoza a few weeks ago and Christopher Tierney's much-publicized plunge near the end of the show on Monday, lots of things have been brought into question.  Just how safe is the stunt work in the show?

The findings by OSHA, Equity and the production team that the latest incident occurred because of "human error" only point out even more that regardless of safety equipment, computer overrides and protocols in triplicate or higher, there will always be a risk because nothing is 100% safe.  Nothing.  Humans are not perfect.
I feel for Mr. Tierney, Ms. Mendoza for obvious reasons.  I also feel for Jennifer Damiano, who was hanging by her wrists helplessly as the accident unfolded inches from her.  I can only imagine the very real terror she must have felt knowing what was happening and being unable to do a damn thing about it.  The producers at the very least should offer her some counseling.  (Have you seen the footage of the accident?  They played it on my local 11 o'clock news.  Disturbing.)  I hope that their injuries will not be in vain, and that corrections will be made to insure that the chances of repeat accidents are at an absolute minimum.  But they will never be 100% safe.

When it all comes out in the wash and everything is in place, I think it is a safe bet that all of us wish the entire company nothing but injury-free success.  But it irks me to no end to hear continued laying of blame at any number of people, including Julie Taymor.  Her response wasn't enough, I'm reading.  A brief public statement in support of her cast is all I've officially seen from the woman.  What more to people expect?  A televised self-flagellation in Times Square?  Do people really think that's all she had to say or feels?  I won't even offer conjecture as to what is going on behind the scenes.  But I will again repeat what has become a mantra : "If you weren't there and you are not directly involved, why are you saying anything?"  Heartfelt best wishes and concern that everyone is or isn't doing their job is one thing, but wholesale monster hunting is ridiculous, unproductive and takes away from the important thing:   Ms. Mendoza will recover (as well as the two other stuntmen previously injured) and pertinent issues are being addressed.  Mr. Tierney, sadly, remains in serious condition, with hourly observations being done.  (Per Playbill Online as of 2PM, 12/22/2010)

All of this public selfishness reminds me of an incident that occurred during a preview of Mary Poppins that I attended.  Her much-heralded ascent over the audience for her final exit did not happen.  The wires were obviously wrong; all of them slack and unmoving, even as the now visible stage hands were trying to hand crank Ashley Brown up in the air.  They finally gave up, and Ms. Brown came out for the curtain call from upstage with everyone else.  It was a little disappointing, but hardly worth the very vocal audience's reaction.  People were demanding money back, and calling the whole show a disappointment - the very same group that gave a scattered standing ovation to Bert dancing on the ceiling.  "How could they let us see the stage hands?" people asked.  Um, hello?  Ashley Brown plummeting several feet onto a crowd of children would have been preferable?

Can you imagine the headlines?  Have we all forgotten that "Live Theatre" means that there are alive human beings performing?  Nothing can replace a life.  It is, for all its glory, just a Broadway show.

Christopher Tierney

I wish nothing but the best to all concerned, and join in the collective prayers sent on behalf of Mr. Tierney.  And I wish everyone involved much success in fixing every single problem so that everyone on both sides of the footlights can enjoy a truly spectacular production.

Jeff
2.109

Broadway Birthdays: December 6 - 19

TheatreScene will return in full next Sunday.  Here's what a few of you asked for in its place... enjoy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:

December 6: Tom Hulce, Actor (A Few Good Men), Producer (American Idiot, Spring Awakening)December 7: Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Actor (Avenue Q)
December 8: Graciela Daniele, Director/Choreographer (The Goodbye Girl, The Mystery of Edwin Drood)

Donny Osmond (with Marie) in

Donny and Marie: A Broadway Christmas

December 9: Donny Osmond, Singer/Actor (Beauty and the Beast)
December 10: Kenneth Branaugh, Actor/Director (The Play What I Wrote)
December 11: Rita Moreno, Actor (The Ritz, The Odd Couple)

Cathy Rigby in Peter Pan

December 12: Cathy Rigby, Actor (Peter Pan, Seussical)
December 13: Dick Van Dyke, Actor (Bye Bye Birdie)

December 14: Lee Remick, Late Actor (Anyone Can Whistle)
December 15: Heath Lamberts, Late Actor (Beauty and the Beast, Once Upon a Mattress)

Tony winner Adam Guettel

December 16: Adam Guettel, Composer/Lyricist (Light in the Piazza)
December 17: Sarah Paulson, Actor (Collected Stories)
December 18: Katie Holmes, Actor (All My Sons)
December 19: Mel Gussow, Late Theatre Critic/Essayist The New York Times

Jeff
2.106

An Intermission...

Let's call this next week my "opening cold" week of blog-performances. I am actually going on a vacation! Not a quick trip to NYC, but a go somewhere away from home for a long rest vacation.


And so... because the show goes on, and this is my "opening cold" week, I'm not sure when performances will stop and start again. (I learned from Bartlet and Julie this year!) So rather than risk injury to the blog by rushing little blogs, let me leave it at this:

You may not hear from me tomorrow or the day after... but I have a full blog already scheduled for Tuesday, so be sure to stop by - especially if you love a ceratin show that takes place in the 80's. And I know that at least one other day I have something scheduled.

I also know that I can't go days without writing...it is a habit I love. So as soon as I can get to a decent computer, you'll hear from me.

And regardless, you guys will never be too far away in my thoughts! (And the guy in the picture is not me! I fly inside...)

Oh! I better get going...they are trying to unhook me from my bungee cord/websling... I am an insect on the verge of missing my plane!

Hugs and happy theatre-going this week!

Jeff
2.102

The Schadenfreude of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark

When this posts, it will be less than 24 hours since I actually saw Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.  In a couple of days, after I get my thoughts together I'll probably post something about the experience, though I will not be posting an actual review until I have seen a finished product.  And so now I post the following thoughts and ideas I've had since all of this began, more than a year ago, based solely upon things I've read and actually seen with my own eyes.

Avenue Q (a musical that MANY thought would never be a success beyond the fringe and semi-masses of off-Broadway-only fans) has a song in it called "Schadenfreude" which is all about taking pleasure in another's failure.  And I think to a large extent, S-MTOTD is a victim of such a thing.

Before the show even booked a theatre, and was announced solely as a concept, I read blogs and message board posts that said things like: "I hate it already." and "I refuse to see any show about a super hero."  OK, maybe the second is simply a statement of opinion over a genre, like saying "I refuse to see any film based on a Nicholas Sparks novel because I hate his books."  But the first - which I read dozens of times in various forms - really?  A dismissal before anything has even been announced? .... hmmm.

Then the bashing continued with the announcement that Julie Taymor was on board.  I respect anyone who has an opinion about a body of work, provided that they have seen said body of work.  A lot of people have seen The Lion King, an astonishing theatrical achievement, even if you don't like it.  But did you see The Green Bird?  Juan Darien?  Probably not.  And her movies, while equally stunning to look at, have their detractors, too.  So, I can fully see people saying things about her style or "vision", etc., but I do have a problem with the bashing of her character.  And for this simple reason:  unless you have worked directly with her, and I mean directly, not "my friend was a swing in the show at The New Victory and she heard the actors talking about Julie on the street," or "my aunt is an usher at the Foxwoods and blah blah blah"... unless you actually are in her show and can speak honestly about her as a director, why are you talking about her alleged ego, self-praise, and drive?  You know, they used to say the same things about Bob Fosse... Lucille Ball...William Shakespeare.  Maybe Ms. Taymor should be thrilled with the public vilification her reputation is getting in the press and all over the Internet.  She is in superb company.

Creators The Edge, Julie Taymor and Bono

Like Spider-Man, previous "whipping boys" Titanic and Cats and Starlight Express before it, all of these shows were, in their time, the most expensive ever produced.  Is that the issue?  The $65M budget also seems to be a bone of contention with folks.  Is it your money?  Has the government offered taxpayer bailouts to the show?  Are you forced to buy a ticket for a preview, an actual performance or the closing night?  The answer to all of those -unless you are a producer - is NO.  So while you may say things like "what a shame to waste so much money on any Broadway show, good, bad or indifferent during these hard times," and be perfectly justified in saying so, no one but the people who could actually lose everything by investing everything they have in the show has any right to print a single word about the budget.  SIDE NOTE:  Julie Taymor does not print the money she spends.  Producers give it to her.  She is not the problem there, either.  They can say "no" at any point.

Related to the budget and Ms. Taymor:  She, herself, has said, "People expect to see Spider-Man fly in a certain way.  A $25M "Spider-Man" wouldn't give them what they want to see."  And that is true, 100%.  People want to see Spidey move like he does in the movies, which may never ever happen live.  But to give it a close approximation, whole new technologies have been invented and re-worked for live theatre because of this show.  Are glitches going to happen?  Sure.  Ask they guys who invented the airplane, the light bulb and air conditioning.  All three were met with injury, public outcries and detractors.  Can you imagine life without those three things?  And we are only talking theatre here, at least the flying apparatus doesn't change life as we know it... but who knows how it can be used in future shows?  We've come a long way from metal boards being pounded for thunder haven't we?  Still, had the design team and Ms. Taymor come up with anything less, she'd be taken to task for that, too.

So far, the only legitimate arguments for or against S-M:TOTD that I've read are those accounts written by people actually there, and who actually tell the WHOLE story.  Sadly, this does not seem to include the legit press.  The New York Post, for example, reported, factually, that a heckler at the first preview yelled out a comment about the show during a stoppage.  What they did not report (even in a full article about the woman in later editions) is that the audience solidly booed the woman for being woefully inappropriate in her behavior.  And that kind of half-fact thing is running rampant in the press.  The New York Times ran an article whose title and opening paragraph would lead you to believe that the owners of the Foxwoods Theatre are actively seeking new tenants.  Anyone who read further, or who actually is in the business of producing shows would know that new owners extend that courtesy to all theatre producers.  It's called "getting your name out there."  And it has nothing to do with the owners' faith in a show.  The Times article actually contradicted itself.

Finally, and of seriously legitimate concern, is the injury of actors during a show or rehearsals or whenever.  No one wants that to happen.  To suggest, though, that anyone cares more about the show than the people in it - to the point that accusations of gross negligence is occurring - is really inappropriate, not to mention libelous.  If it turns out that the actors injured (both of whom, I believe, are back in the show) doing stunts were injured because proper precautions weren't taken or the mechanics were faulty, then those in charge of it should be held responsible.  If it turns out that Natalie Mendoza was FORCED to perform on Tuesday, I hope those responsible are dealt with appropriately.  But to speculate about such things is harmful and unnecessary.

And let's not forget that injuries during shows and rehearsals are common.  James Carpinello in Xanadu, Christina Applegate in Sweet Charity, Gwen Verdon in Chicago, Sandy Duncan in Chicago, Mary Martin in Peter Pan (her flying cost her a broken arm and permanent back damage...she still did 8 a week... and two TV movies...), Susan Egan fell through a trap door during the wolf chase scene in Beauty and the Beast, and Adrian Bailey is still in court over injuries sustained during a trap door malfunction during The Little Mermaid... how about Idina Menzel and her trap door injury during Wicked?  The casts of Cats, A Chorus Line and Starlight Express often playing three roles at a time because so many actors were out with injuries?  Most tragically, a stage hand was killed when scenery malfunctioned during a tech run at the original production of La Cage aux Folles.  But what is funny is that not one of those shows had the public screaming, "Close it!  It is death trap at the theatre!"  (That is a direct quote from a message board about Spider-Man).  So what is the difference?

It just seems to be that this is the show this year that, no matter what happens, people are going to beat at it and batter it until it closes.  Last year, it was The Addams Family.  Several years ago, it was Titanic: The Musical.  The headlines were national when, at the first preview, the boat didn't sink.  And some of the same so-called professionals in the press sharpened their knives over that one, too.  Then it went and did the "impossible".  It won the Tony Award for Best Musical (and several others), and not a few in the community were shy about boasting that Broadway beat Hollywood in the race for Titanic-mania. 

All I am saying is this.  Have your opinion. Express it loudly and proudly.  Don't like the changes to the traditional Spider-Man story?  Think the book is a mess?  Hate the score?  Fine.  Say so.  But only do so if you have actually seen the show or are working on it.  Otherwise, why are you talking at all about it?

If it ends up a fast flop, so be it.  If it ends up being a huge hit, so be it.  After I've seen it, I will feel free to love it or hate it.  But even if it is the worst thing I've ever seen, I won't laugh at it.  A lot of people are employed because of it.  The surrounding economy of it stands to make the city and local merchants a lot of money in these hard times.  And artistically, no one will be able to accuse them of not putting everything they have into it.

If it is a fast flop, I guess the naysayers will have the last laugh.  And there is a certain pleasure in watching the mighty fall, I guess.  But are the powers that be at one Broadway musical really "the mighty".  "Schadenfreude" they call it.  But there is another term that people might want to consider as they do their happy dance each time something goes wrong.  That term is "karma."  And I hear it can be a real bitch when it is your time.

Please let me hear what you have to say!  Leave comments here, email me or Tweet me.
Jeff
2.97

Ask Jeff...a Personal Question

Yesterday, I wrote about the frequently asked questions I get from readers.  Today, though, I wanted to share this question and try my best to answer it.  I think it is kind of brave of this reader to ask, and in this current "It Gets Better" atmosphere, who knows?  Maybe it'll help someone else. (And, yes, I asked if I could answer this publicly!)

Dear Jeff,

My name is Jason and I live in a suburb of a small city in the Northeastern United States.  I am a sophomore in college, and just before I left for school this fall, I came out to my parents.  Telling them I was gay was the hardest thing I've ever done.  Like most guys who are gay, I think I've always known, and was too ashamed or embarrassed to admit it.  And I probably was gay before I even knew what it was.  I mean, I guess I am the stereotype: I am really neat, I wear nothing but the most current clothes, and before I even knew what they were exactly, I liked musicals and videos and stuff.  Most guys I know had a hidden stash of porn under their bed.  My stash was DVDs of musicals. The first one I ever bought was Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with Donny Osmond.  Then I got every show I could find on DVD.  But I hid them for fear that my parents and my older brothers would find out that I liked that kind of thing and know I was gay.  Since college started, though, I have found that there are a lot of people out there that are just like me, who love musicals and movies and all kinds of stuff that people in my town wouldn't even start to understand.  Now that I am out, I think I want to change my major to something to do with theater and business.  I don't want to act, though it would be cool, I guess.

The reason I am writing to you is that a couple of my friends here at school talked about finding your blog, and how fun it was and that you are openly gay.  I got on here, and I have read every single one of your blogs!  I am a real fan.  And I guess I feel like you understand me, because of what we have in common.  So I want to ask you a question that I hope you can answer.

My mom called me and said that she and my dad want to talk about my being gay when I go home for the holidays.  I'm scared, but I know there is no turning back.  I was thinking that maybe if I could explain my love of musicals, it might be a way to break the ice and help them understand why I'm not like my brothers.  So here is the question.  Why do you think gay people love musicals and plays so much?

Well, Jason, I am honored that you felt that you could share something so personal with me. I will try to answer your question from my own experience, though I hope you understand that everyone is different, and I would not presume to answer this like I am speaking for all theatre-loving gay people. Here it goes…I hope this helps.

Like you, I think I’ve always known I am gay, even before I know what that meant. And like you, I have always been drawn to theatrical things, especially musicals. When I was growing up, there were TV shows that regularly featured Broadway songs and huge production numbers with lots of dancers, fancy costumes and great singing. Friday nights always meant watching The Donny and Marie Show and Saturdays was always The Carol Burnett Show. Both shows had big numbers in them and I loved those the best.

But it wasn’t until high school that my awareness of what being gay was and my love of musicals came together. I was not much of an athlete, so joining the theatre department was pretty much the only alternative. Interestingly, our drama department was pretty well respected and every production I was ever a part of always included athletes who would do a show in their sports’ off-season. I bring that up because there was much less bullying and teasing about being a guy in shows than in most schools, I guess.

Anyway, it was then that I gathered my own “stash”: cast recordings of shows I never heard of to go along with those of shows we performed. (And big records are a lot harder to hide than DVDs!) I just loved them, memorizing every word and imagining these great dance numbers on the greatest stages in the world. So, I knew I loved it, even though my experience was limited.

Then, when I was in 10th grade, my best friend at the time, Samantha, took me to see the National Tour of A Chorus Line. It changed my life forever. It was the first time I ever saw people in a play who were like me. When Greg says, “I always knew I was a homosexual,” I gasped and laughed with everyone else. But when Paul did his monologue, I fought with everything I had not to react to it. I wanted to cry. My heart was pounding and I couldn’t breathe. My friend put her hand on mine, and we looked at each other, and she whispered, “I know what this must mean to you.” And the tears flowed. I couldn’t believe that anyone could understand me, and I couldn’t believe that I was in a room full of people who understood Paul, crying like me, and bursting into applause when he was finished. Sam was the first person who knew about the real me. What a relief!

Paul (2nd from the right, talking) on "The Line";

Paul leads the A Chorus Line "wedge" during the

"One" finale.  Lights!  Costumes! Singing! Dancing!

And it was right then that I knew why I loved musicals so much. And I think it comes down to three things.

First, musicals are so unreal, and therefore, not like real life. I mean, who really thinks the Jets and the Sharks would try to dance each other off their territory? And because as a gay youth, I spent so much of real life trying to hide and not feel, I loved the escape of the unreality. And all of the cool lights and costumes? Two hours or more living vicariously through the lives of people who wore the nicest clothes and went to the best parties and who lived happily ever after… what an escape!

Second, there is the emotional component. In a musical, emotions are so heightened, and when words fail a musical character, their emotions allow them to burst into song and dance. I don’t know about you, but when I was not out, I was an emotional mess, and relished the opportunity to sing along with my records and relive the emotions in each song as if they were my own. It was very cathartic, and still is.

And third, there is the communal aspect of musical theatre that really appeals to me, and really filled the void, whether I was in the show or in the audience. You see, when you do a show, everyone involved is working together to create the same magic. For that time, you are a part of the group, accepted, warts and all. And in my case, people knew I was gay before I ever dreamed of telling anyone… hence my best friend taking me to A Chorus Line, and meeting my very first boyfriend. Shows come and go when you perform them, but when you are in the audience the feeling is much the same. Where else can you go where a thousand people are there sharing the same experience with you? Where everyone around you enjoys the same escape? Best of all, there is no judgment against you for being there.

As a gay man, in or out of the closet, those hours spent in a world where the fantastic is possible, and where no one in the room hates you for being who you are, are among the most cherished moments of my life. And, I need to be perfectly honest with you, Jason, I am pretty sure I am still alive today thanks to those times.

I’m not sure I answered your question or not, but I hope it helps you to know that you aren’t the only one. Before I close this, though, I’d like to offer some unsolicited advice and a vote of confidence.

You are a brave young man, and you have already taken the hardest steps: admitting it to yourself and to your parents. It won’t ever be 100% easy to tell others, but you got the most difficult and important people to tell out of the way already. And, while I completely understand your fears and worries about talking to them, remember that you are lucky that they want to talk to you about it. Not everyone is that fortunate. Now, here’s my advice. You have had much longer to deal with this than they have. You have already worked through some anger, confusion and fear. They have not. So the very best thing you can do is listen without interrupting while they get out whatever it is that they have to say. And remember, they are struggling, too, so how they say something might come out wrong or be more hurtful than they mean it to be. Try to understand them as much as you want them to understand you. And if things get too emotional, don’t be afraid to stop, walk away and come back when things calm down.

I hope this helps, and on behalf of anyone who reads this - your letter and/or my response to it - and gets help from it, I thank you for sharing this. Please let me know how things work out.


OK, readers! If you have any advice or bits of wisdom to share with our friend in theatre, Jason, please write! I’ll be glad to forward messages to him and to post things here, too.

Jeff
2.81