BROADWAY NYC PRODUCTiON ADDRESSES **7/12/09 - UPDATED!!!***

[Johnny's Fan]

Rumor has it a very prominent producer (I forget his name) intends to bring Ms LuPone over to revive the musical GYPSY, which I got to see her in twice. Wait til you see her in that / YouTube that one. Incredibly .. perfect, errie almost. When I saw it the first time I have to admit I wasn't necessarily familiar with the show besides a song or two, but when I saw it the second time - goosebumps. She was scary ..and scary good! Hopefully it'll transfer!

I just don't like how Patti lets her diva-status get in the way -- Elaine seems snarky, but very kind. Ms Close is .. fine Haha.

I saw one clip of her in Gypsy from the Tony Awards. Haven't got a clue in what context the song is used, but she was pretty commanding, and she still has that great voice. It must be awesome to be in the same theatre as someone like her as she has such a presence, and that's just how I feel watching her on a computer!

Hmm.. well from the interviews I have seen and read, she seems like a pretty nice lady and I've not heard anything bad about the way she works or anything. I know she has a definite opinion about people photographing and recording durings performances, but I guess she is right about that. It's really annoying when you see in the dark, little camera or mobile screens being turned on as it's distracting. I honestly don't know how someone had the guts to be taping her shouting at someone earlier this year for taking pictures and putting it on youtube.

I'm actually in the middle of trying to write to her now, I'm just going to have to make sure that I let her know any clips I've seen of her singing have been from TV shows and DVD's and not due to people recording her in the theatre.

[TheScarletPimpernel]

^^ Good call .

People bootleg Broadway shows ALL the time. ESPECIALLY Wicked...and then they trade them for other bootlegs. It's messy, but that's how they end up on YouTube - trades to someone who actually will put them on YouTube.

[Johnny's Fan]

Yes, I thought so. I got lucky that on the Broadway's Lost treasures DVD's, there are 3 of her performances on there so I can mention those as well as Sweeney Todd.

I understand it must be difficult to record a show for DVD, and you either lose a performance because you don't have the audience there while you're filming, or you disrupt a performance for the audience if they are there, but I do wish more productions were allowed to be brought to DVD. I heard years ago most shows didn't want to do it beause people wouldn't want to go and see it. I don't know if that is true, but recently I watched two productions filmed on stage for DVD - Oklahoma! and Sweeney Todd - and neither of the film versions really made me go "wow, I want to see that" but seeing the stage versions really did. And then there is Cats. I managed to get through 2 videos and a DVD because I watched it so much, and I couldn't believe it when tickets had been bought for me to see it on stage. There is no way I would ever not watch a show if I'd "already" seen it on DVD.

I don't know if releasing some shows on DVD would help to combat people recording in the theatre and putting them on the internet but I think it would make people want to see the shows more. I know playbillstores do sell a lot of DVD's, but mostly they are just film and not as many recorded shows as they seem to advertise.

This is actually probably down to some deep rooted resentment I have, that certain shows I would have killed to see, don't seem to have been recorded for the future. I probably mope about long lost shows more than is healthy actually.

[TheScarletPimpernel]

Yes, I thought so. I got lucky that on the Broadway's Lost treasures DVD's, there are 3 of her performances on there so I can mention those as well as Sweeney Todd.

I understand it must be difficult to record a show for DVD, and you either lose a performance because you don't have the audience there while you're filming, or you disrupt a performance for the audience if they are there, but I do wish more productions were allowed to be brought to DVD. I heard years ago most shows didn't want to do it beause people wouldn't want to go and see it. I don't know if that is true, but recently I watched two productions filmed on stage for DVD - Oklahoma! and Sweeney Todd - and neither of the film versions really made me go "wow, I want to see that" but seeing the stage versions really did. And then there is Cats. I managed to get through 2 videos and a DVD because I watched it so much, and I couldn't believe it when tickets had been bought for me to see it on stage. There is no way I would ever not watch a show if I'd "already" seen it on DVD.

I don't know if releasing some shows on DVD would help to combat people recording in the theatre and putting them on the internet but I think it would make people want to see the shows more. I know playbillstores do sell a lot of DVD's, but mostly they are just film and not as many recorded shows as they seem to advertise.

This is actually probably down to some deep rooted resentment I have, that certain shows I would have killed to see, don't seem to have been recorded for the future. I probably mope about long lost shows more than is healthy actually.

Essentially all shows are filmed - but for the Lincoln Center Archive (NYC) purposes only.

The real problem, well there are two:

Firstly, cost. David Hasselhoff funded the filming of my favourite show (Jekyll & HYDE) when he starred in it - he's .. pretty awful in it, but one of my favourite actresses (Coleen Sexton) atleast got preserved with the production - which although isn't the show at it's best, is still the show.

Also, the actors generally, as also when they do the cast recording, get paid about two-weeks salary I believe the rule is. Factor this in with the marketing and production, camera costs .. most Broadway shows cannot cover it. LCArchives are generally done with 3 cameras and cover one .. maybe two performances, as opposed to professional filming which is usually done over 4 performances with enhanced sound and video equipment.

Secondly, it infringes on the show's abilities to have a national tour or get revived. If something has a big enough cult-following, like ReNT (although I'm not included in that group..don't like it!), people will always see to get the live feel. Obviously worked for Jekyll & HYDE too - it's still done ALL over the world. Something like Les Mis, however, might suffer from it - hmm revive a multi-million dollar show and have to pay $125 and sit through 3 hours of it, or stay at home and rent the movie fror $5. It could go either way - it's a gamble.

[Johnny's Fan]

Really? I didn't know that. There is hope then, that maybe one day they may release something like The Music Man with Robert Preston so I can see him on stage. Admittedly, I am probably being greedy with that one, as at least I have the film version whereas others I just have the CD.

Yes, I figured there would be problems that I probably wouldn't know about or understand. Someone else once told me it was because they prefer theatre performances to stay in the theatre and not to be shown on TV, so I'm glad that's not one of the reasons. And I can imagine that DVD's would hurt certain productions more than others, something like Cats obviously hasn't suffered or was not expected to, otherwise I'm sure Lloyd-Webber wouldn't have allowed it to be filmed.

It's nice to have a little rant about it here though - I think people where I am are a little tired of my constantly bemoaning the "lost" shows and performances that I can't see. I shall have to make do with buying playbills I guess and treasuring the clips I can find on youtube.

[stellar_fuse]

DON'T SEND until Sept. 8/9th ish, as even then you are very closely sending it - often times mail gets lost within the first days! But good luck to anyone who tries!

Thanks for the info, SP.

I guess as it takes about 4 days to get to America, I would have to send a few days earlier than the 8th/9th September.

It probably takes that time for my mail to get to London second class... it can be unbelievably slow. Good luck

[TheScarletPimpernel]

Really? I didn't know that. There is hope then, that maybe one day they may release something like The Music Man with Robert Preston so I can see him on stage. Admittedly, I am probably being greedy with that one, as at least I have the film version whereas others I just have the CD.

Yes, I figured there would be problems that I probably wouldn't know about or understand. Someone else once told me it was because they prefer theatre performances to stay in the theatre and not to be shown on TV, so I'm glad that's not one of the reasons. And I can imagine that DVD's would hurt certain productions more than others, something like Cats obviously hasn't suffered or was not expected to, otherwise I'm sure Lloyd-Webber wouldn't have allowed it to be filmed.

It's nice to have a little rant about it here though - I think people where I am are a little tired of my constantly bemoaning the "lost" shows and performances that I can't see. I shall have to make do with buying playbills I guess and treasuring the clips I can find on youtube.

Well - the whole thing about staying in the theatre is true...Look at the movies of the past musicals for instance:

Something like PHANTOM OF THE OPERA which has been playing to hundreds of thousands every year +++ released tthe movie when it's grosses were at it's lowest .. and now they are climbing back up still. Even Mamma Mia! - people just want to know, how could a chandlier fall on stage? What would Mamma Mia! be like in person? etc.

Look at Hairspray: They release the movie and it barely got ticket jumps from it, and closed within a year of it, because there's no .. pull. Why pay $120+ to see them sing / dance on stage, when I can see them do the same exact thing in a more -real life setting in the movie for $5.

[Johnny's Fan]

No, I meant that it was more because the theatre is it's own art form, and is sort of too "good" to be allowed to be filmed for TV for everyone to see. That's what I was told anyway. Albeit, by a somewhat biased person I think.

There are definitely pro's and cons I think to all this. I know the film POTO made me want to see it onstage, and it did the same for my sister-in-law and see eventually saw it on Broadway. But I can also imagine it satisfied some people, so they weren't too bothered about going to see it.

I suppose really what I would like to see, are older productions, so when and if the revivals come along, the older show might look dated slightly, so with a new cast and more contemporary look, people would still want to see it on stage.

Thanks stellar_fuse. Yes, sometimes the post over here is not too great. Especially when the postman leaves my autographs on my doorstep or in a bucket in the garden on a day when it's raining.

[stellar_fuse]

Especially when the postman leaves my autographs on my doorstep or in a bucket in the garden on a day when it's raining.

I hope I get a response from DC this time, too. {thumb2}

[Johnny's Fan]

Exactly.

Does he usually sign VV? I seem to recall seeing a couple of successes from him when he was filming.