| According to Michael Riedel's book "Razzle Dazzle" ... | |
| Posted by: tmdonahue 08:38 am EST 02/17/21 | |
| In reply to: What was the Nine vs. Dreamgirls drama about? - bobby2 12:04 am EST 02/17/21 | |
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| ...it was about the impending destruction of three theaters, including the original Helen Hayes Theater plus the Morosco and the Bijou, to build the Marriott Hotel. (The Bijou was rarely a legit theater by this time, used for spells as a movie house and a television studio.) The city fathers were in favor of the hotel, hoping it would be the first step in cleaning up 42nd Street and the Broadway neighborhood. So were the theatrical unions except for Equity. "Dreamgirls" was supported by the Shubert Organization, which was in favor of the hotel. "Nine" was supported by Nederlander, which was not. I was at that time going to the theater when I could get to NYC and I remember the protests, Joe Papp leading them, with actors lying down in front of bulldozers. So, the Tony voters, per Riedel, voting for "Nine" to thwart the Shubert Org over preserving the old theaters. Riedel also says, if I remember, there was existing animus against the Shubert Org. but Shubert was so powerful that few theater folks would say it out loud. The anonymous Tony vote was a way to say "Fuck You!" to the Shubert Org and still keep working on Broadway. None of this saved the theaters. The name of the Helen Hayes theater transferred to the Little Theater, so it remains in name at least. |
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| Previous: | What was the Nine vs. Dreamgirls drama about? - bobby2 12:04 am EST 02/17/21 |
| Next: | re: According to Michael Riedel's book "Razzle Dazzle" ... - Singapore/Fling 01:16 pm EST 02/17/21 |
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