nypost.com: There’s trouble in “Paradise.”
The cast of the new Broadway musical “Paradise Square” was instructed by their union, Actors Equity, not to show up to rehearsal on Monday, multiple sources told The Post. And it wasn’t so producer Garth Drabinsky could give his 40-strong ensemble some Presidents’ Day relaxation.
4 comments:
This is incredibly sad and frustrating news to hear. I personally don’t know much about how production companies run and how payments really work, but reading that Garth Drabinsky, who was in jail before for fraud, is producing a show again is worrying. Especially with multiple sources giving bad reviews, it becomes very hard to believe that the casts and crews are actually getting paid. Despite the effort in making sure none of this gets to the media and hiring a spokesperson full of pretty words, I believe that the casts are not that easily fooled. I think it is incredibly wrong for the company to lie to their performers and trick them into believing that they will be paid when it’s obvious that the tickets are not selling. The article mentions that the show flopped because of mixed reviews and bad marketing, which I guess is not the producers’ fault, but definitely have a significant impact on the performers’ income. They have every right not to perform if they feel that they are not getting the wages they were told.
This is horrible to hear. The last thing the theatre industry needs while struggling to get through a pandemic is a producer that causes these kinda of conditions for actors, designers, and the overall company. The fact that Garth Drabinsky was not somehow blacklisted from the theatre scene after serving jail time for his money swindling is a little astounding. And while everyone certainly deserves a second chance, it seems to me that he is one hundred percent bombing that chance. Reading quotes from people who have worked with him before about how his business is always shady and how it is always uncomfortable is really unfortunate. On top of that, the article mentioned how he is actively in the rehearsal space overpowering the director and making "offensive, tone-deaf remarks" is absolutely astounding. Many people have been "canceled" or taken off of jobs for so much less. It will be absolutely amazing to me if Drabinsky ever produces on broadway after this show, and I rather hope he doesn't.
I havent seen so many issues requiring union intervention in a really long time (maybe because I don’t read the news, but I’m not going to think about that). The fact that the actors were involved in the potential cover-up of the producer’s consistent financial abuses within the industry is sick. It’s so sad that stories about historical race relations are used by malicious producers to take advantage of actors and other creatives. He lied to them about their engagement and pay from their Chicago tryout and never received any information about the success of the piece. This is especially egregious when the response to the show was as cold as it was. I am also amazed at how this producer made this show into a power trip for him due to how controlling he was in the rehearsal room and how weak the director performed next to him. It's just so depressing when a piece of art is overtaken by someone who is just looking for an ego boost and a quick buck.
I'm unsure why a producer who literally went to jail for fraud on his productions was literally ever given a chance back into the industry, and then people are surprised when things go awry? I understand second chances are deserved by everyone, but in an industry as unforgiving as this I simply cannot understand why this was allowed to happen. All the circumstances surrounding the production are just sad. A show with a great concept that ended up being not very good, consistent misdirection by the producer involving money, marketing and management of actors, essentially taking control of the show by having a weak director next to him, this just seems so ridiculous. No wonder Actor's Equity got involved. This is well and truly a shitshow.
I feel bad for everyone involved in the production, cast, crew, artistic team, everyone. Considering with the money troubles that your pay is at stake, in an industry like this, I'd be incredibly scared.
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