There was an interesting article in the New York Times Arts section about the appeal of Broadway plays. Lately I’ve noticed a lot of celebrities starring in Broadway shows, which I thought was a good thing because it helps theater appeal to a wider audience. If your favorite movie star was starring in a Broadway show, wouldn’t you want to go see them.

This article, however, talks about the destructive effects stars have on the longevity of these plays. Once a celebrity finishes their run on a successful Broadway play, they are usually replaced with lesser-known actors, and subsequently, ticket sales dive. I don’t think this is very fair, as the actors who replace these stars are just as good (and in some cases better). Nevertheless, this has happened on many different occasions, and it is known as the “Producers” syndrome, which is named after (you guessed it) The Producers. The original show starred Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, and was a hit. But as soon as they left the show, ticket sales dipped by ten percent, and then continued to drop even more over time.

Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick in "The Producers"

Producers of Broadway shows are already trying to figure out how to avoid this problem. Producers for “The Addam’s Family,” are focusing their advertising on the Addam’s Family brand, instead of the actors in it, so that when the actors are replaced, it won’t be such a big deal. Personally, I think that the “star-power” of an actor should have no effect on the success of a show. Seeing a show with a major star does not necessarily guarantee that it is a good-quality show.

What do you guys think about this?
Article

I have long treasured The Great Gatsby as one of my favorite pieces of literature, so I’m sure you can imagine my delight upon reading in a recent New York Times article that Gatsby is currently being presented in theatrical version at the Public Theater in New York City.

But it’s not quite pure theater.

“Gatz“, as it is called, is a seven hour performance piece presented by the Elevator Repair Service theater group through the end of November. It consists of a full reading of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and is “more a dramatization of the act of reading itself — of what happens when you immerse yourself in a book” than an actual reading or play.

“Gatz” begins with a man in an office who discovers a copy of this classic and begins to read as he waits for his computer to load. This man becomes more interested in the novel as the reading progresses. He begins to imitate character voices. Soon, other people in the office become involved in the reading, “becoming” Fitzgerald’s characters, taking on lines and personas.

The entire performance serves to represent what happens when you get lost in a book- “you hear it in your head, and it takes over your waking existence a little, so you can’t wait to be done with whatever you’re doing and immerse yourself in the pages again.” The performance is about imagination, about how one creates his own characters based on people in his life and on past personal experiences.

Some people may not see the appeal in sitting for seven hours in a theater, but personally, I think the idea of this performance is a fascinating one. It is an experience I do not plan on missing!

This is nothing you have ever seen in opera. On Septermber 27th, Wagner’s “Das Rheingold” will open at the Metropolitan Opera for the very first night and will introduce the first new “Ring” cycle in nearly a quarter century. Produced by Robert Lepage, this may be the most complicated production to ever be put on stage. What is so special about this particular set-up is the 45 ton structure composed of rotating planks and a rotating platform that the performers would have to keep balance while performing their pieces. It is obvious that Lepage is attempting to convey the advancement of technology since the last showing of the “Ring” Cycle many years ago.

The success of this new “Ring” Cycle is questionable because a lot of pressure from the MET’s budget deficits has given many the hope that this production will alleviate those issues. It was only after watching a video of how this new structure is going to be used during a performance that astounded me. The way the scenery and costumes will be set up as shown in the video looks amazing as well. Therefore, I, like many other critics might have to agree that this show will definitely be a success.

NY Times Article.

Thought you had seen enough of Spider-Man after the big-screen trilogy? Well, there’s more. Coming Soon: Spider-Man the Musical, titled “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.”

This isn’t going to be any ordinary show. In the history of Broadway, nothing like this has ever been produced. First of all, as a $60 million investment it will be the most expensive production Broadway has ever seen. Not one of the “mega-musicals” – like “Phantom of the Opera,” “Wicked,” and “Shrek the Musical”- have even cost half of that amount. Secondly, this action-packed musical will literally go above and beyond the stage. The show will include “aerial battles between Spider-Man and the Green Goblin, swinging at 40 miles an hour to landing spots on the mezzanine and balcony levels. The show will have about 150 pieces of moving scenery and a three-dimensional set that looks like a pop-up New York.”

While the all of those details about the show amazed me, I was just as interested in learning about how much financial business goes on behind the scenes of any production. As The New York TImes article explains, whether The Rolling Stones are putting on a rock concert or a theatre group is putting on a musical, much of the world of art overlaps with the world of business. While the organizers of any show want to create an artistic, creative final product that influences the audience, part of the motivation behind many works lies in the profits.

For example, Michael Cohl, the main producer of the upcoming Spider-Man musical, sees the Broadway production as an investment. Tens of millions of dollars are being poured into the show, purely in the hope that it “will swing from New York to worldwide arenas that are traditionally the preserve of rock stars and Cirque du Soleil productions. The potential for profit is significant, he believes, justifying the extraordinary front-end costs for New York.” Thinking about art from a business perspective can take away from its mystique. However, I am still as excited as anyone to see Spider-Man live, soaring over my head, like every boy dreams of growing up.

In case you are anticipating this show as much as I am, performances will begin on November 14th at Broadway’s Foxwoods Theatre.

Read more about it here

Anyone who reads the Ethicist on a regular basis in the New York Times is familiar with the blather of Randy Cohen. It is unlikely that he has any real qualifications to write such a column, but that hasn’t stopped him. It is not surprising, therefore, that it has not stopped him from attempting other pursuits such as ‘playwriting’. Here is a review of his one man show.
click here

Please comment below and tell the class your thoughts about the three one act plays you saw on August 25 as part of your Macaulay orientation. Did you love them? Hate them? Did the themes resonate with you? In what ways?