Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Stage Reviews: Emotions boil over in 3 off-Broadway plays
Post Gazette: "After the varied attractions of Broadway musicals, from the sugary assault of 'Mary Poppins' to the bittersweet character studies of 'Grey Gardens,' you crave something a little less grand. This sends you naturally to plays, which are found, most naturally, off-Broadway, where plays are more at home."
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2 comments:
This article is completely true. We have so many shows on Broadway that are not about an actual story and just about Michael Eisner getting more money. It seems, however, that the fantasy line of musicals, Wicked, Mary Poppins, Tarzan, etc... seem to actually not be doing too bad. Thanksgiving week, Wicked grossed 1.7 million dollars, the most of any Broadway show in a week in history. I have seen Wicked, and it is a great show; however, I have also seen Off-Broadway shows, and, just like the article says, they are definitely more at home. So I will see Jersey Boys, and Wicked and what not, if I really want to see things fly, or microphones come out of the stage. If I was fleshed out theatre, I'll go off-Broadway.
Broadway, just as its off-Broadway and public theater counterparts, serves the audience with variety in the hopes to make money. You need the big 'tentpole" shows with huge amounts of capitalization because they are the spectacle that people need - you average "theatergoer" isn't a buff, they are a novice and their expectations are low....they want to be entertained. I would go as far as to say that it is because these big shows do so well - that off-Broadway and public theater continues to thrive. A lot of the board members and trustees of off-Bway/Public theater are big players (i.e. producers, financers) in large scale musicals on Broadway. Theater in NYC seems to feed itself with content and value -
and...Salvo's Snowshow gave me the hibbejeebes...
-J Bogush
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