| re: the reports in this thread have been kind... even generous... | |
| Last Edit: Chazwaza 02:46 am EST 02/22/24 | |
| Posted by: Chazwaza 02:37 am EST 02/22/24 | |
| In reply to: re: the reports in this thread have been kind... even generous... - reed23 12:37 am EST 02/22/24 | |
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| But that's my point... I don't think they needed a name to sell the show out. Frankly, while I applaud that they were sold out, the theater has about 360 seats. It's much bigger than many notable LA theaters, but it's barely more than half of Pasadena Playhouse for example, and less than half of the Mark Taper. I wouldn't want to be tasked with selling 1440 seats (spread out for 4 performances) at $65-$125 a pop (or whatever it was). But let's be clear they didn't sell out the Pantages, they didn't even sell out the Westport Country Playhouse, seat-wise. But I don't think there's any point to selling those seats to then present the show with a terribly under-qualified and under-prepared lead actor. It could have been LeBron James for all I care... the show itself would still have been sunk for it, it still would have been a hugely sabotaging move to prioritize celebrity box office draw over someone, famous or not, who could do the role with all it requires -- and there's plenty in between, Caroline O'Connor isn't famous but musical theater people know her, she stepped in for Beth Leavel who I'm sure would have sold just as many tickets to Mack and Mabel with her theater name as Dermot Mulroney with his film name... there are many TV, film, and stage actors with fan bases and name recognition who aren't *famous* per se but could have gotten buzz and sold enough tickets besides the title of the show selling them already. Thank you for the detail about Gower's staging of "Wherever He Ain't" ... maybe I'm alone, I just felt it was a very strange way to do the number. Knowing this, I have no doubt Thompson was referencing Gower's original staging. |
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