Let Us Plan An Exceptional
Student Package
DRAMA, DANCE, MUSIC or ART

100

100

 

Welcome to my 100th blog post. That’s only 16 shy of Susannah Mushatt Jones’ age. That’s right, a Brooklyn woman holds the current title of “Oldest Person in the World” according to the Guinness Book of Records. While my blog isn’t nearly that advanced, I’m humbled to hear that some of you have read every single one. And as a tribute to you and to this blog-ennial, I’ve put together, in no particular order:

 

100 THOUGHTS ABOUT THEATRE RIGHT NOW 

 

the financial model for Off Broadway is broken

there is a fine line between circus and theatre

LES MIS is better with the rotating stage

spin-offs and spoofs have more draw than they ought to have

high brow and low brow theatre don’t interact enough

the Pulitzer and the Tony don’t always get along

supporting actor categories are often the toughest to predict

some people liked THE VISIT

 

CONSTELLATIONS, Broadway
CONSTELLATIONS, Broadway

 

math and science are appearing more and more in the content of plays

Patti LuPone sells mobile phones at an undisclosed corner in Chelsea

known playwrights can raise money for the most undeserving new plays

producers used to trust original material more

ticket buyers used to trust producers more

technical awards are just as important as non-technical awards

sometimes they cast Kelli O’Hara correctly

Neil Patrick Harris can host the Tonys but not the Oscars

Not enough theatre people attend the opera and the ballet

 

FIVE GUYS NAMED MO, a former jukebox Broadway musical
FIVE GUYS NAMED MO, a former jukebox Broadway musical

 

the Broadway marketplace can accommodate no more than three jukebox musicals

Stephanie Block and Stephanie D’Abruzzo might work well together in SIDESHOW as the conjoined twins

playbills rarely make it home in pristine condition without effort

Some of the biggest on-screen stars fall flat on stage

Daniel Radcliffe is a good guy

it ain’t right that theatre-rooted Nathan Lane doesn’t always come out to sign autographs

no one respects the actor who skips the matinee

eleven o’clock numbers are getting too close to eleven o’clock

a good overture gets me every time

the average Broadway usher is female, about 100 years old, and as friendly as a black mamba snake

some people have Broadway careers and some people have a Broadway show

sometimes the biggest parts are less rewarding than a meaty spot in the ensemble

rehearsals are often poorly disguised group therapy

late arrivals to the theatre are the worst kind of people

I’ve never seen anyone unwrapping candy at a Broadway show

some seats are too close to the stage

good actors often spit when they speak or sing

it’s not your ears, singers go flat, even on Broadway

Hugh Jackman is better suited for musicals than plays

non-celeb working actors don’t make as much money as you think they do

too many people get awards based on an earnest performance and a British accent

 

Julie Harris and Charles Durning in THE GIN GAME, last time around
Julie Harris and Charles Durning in THE GIN GAME, last time around

 

more people pretend to be excited about classic play revivals than those who are actually excited about them

the understudy is just as good and has to work much harder with a lot less rehearsal

actors generally can’t figure out theatrical make-up

you should have your sides memorized and still hold the pages at the audition

the stage manager can be your best friend

 

Tyne Daly as "Mama Rose" in GYPSY
Tyne Daly as “Mama Rose” in GYPSY

 

stage moms do exist

very few kids are emotionally equipped to handle a role on Broadway

some producers pretty much “buy” a Tony award

yes, that is a man snoring in the seat behind you

nothing lasts at the Winter Garden anymore

Tituss is great on TV

breaking the fourth wall is almost always fun

when looking at educational theatre programs, look at the current alum and what they’re doing

no one really gets into Julliard-or, at least, keep telling yourself that

if you’re a performer in New York-even a non-musical one-know how to sing and dance a little

karaoke is not the place to try out your 16 bars of pop ballad

 

Shakespeare in the Park's THE TEMPEST
Shakespeare in the Park’s THE TEMPEST

 

Shakespeare in the Park is incredible but elitist-tickets are not really free

pick and choose the times to pay for an orchestra seat

there is an age limit for playing Hedwig—no, really

audiences love a stage animal even more when it performs poorly

the inconsistency of Broadway show times is out of control

God help you if you attend a performance and a summer camp shows up

it’s fair to judge a show in previews because producers charge for tickets; however, you must acknowledge that things may change radically

Joan Rivers was one of New York theatre’s great advocates

no more shows about James Barrie or Peter Pan

comedians and musicians can rent a Broadway house, but it’s not Broadway

you better get a recommendation if you plan to eat on “Restaurant Row”

it’s hard to do “scary” on stage-on purpose

there’s a disproportionate number of “baseball” shows

count on the theater to feel either like Death Valley or the eye of a polar vortex

Bruce Willis can’t come to B’Way fast enough

you can’t just throw money at a show

we all wonder about the mysterious Outer Critics Circle

Broadway houses will never add more stalls to the women’s restroom

chorus girl make-up is evil-clown-terrifying up close

Marty McDonagh’s play is going to be loud

there’s not necessarily a link between theatre literacy and talent

Manhattan’s Off Broadway theaters shouldn’t be eligible for the Regional Theatre Tony

ROCKY should have been a one act, basically the last 25 minutes of the show

we all should have invested in WICKED

SPIDER-MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK will never recoup

Julie Taymor will never stop working

 

vintage_new_york_city_theatre_district_signs_w_45_postcard-re4501bc1bb12449a8467e187567fcc92_vgbaq_8byvr_512

 

the theatre generation gap is defined by those who remember Charlie O’s and those who don’t

the South Park creators should have written a second musical by now

no one can play a better “Audrey” than Ellen Greene

leaving during the curtain call is rude

walking out in the middle of a bad show is fair game

Flying on stage is played out

The BIRDMAN theater was the St. James

it’s ridiculous that MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN has not already been adapted for the stage

An aisle seat in the theater is as good as an exit row seat on the plane

there should be a “time’s up” bell in studio rental spaces like Ripley-Grier

theatre tickets should be sent digitally to mobile phones like boarding passes

Broadway IS the theatre capital of the world, but the West End is still wonderful

no one really dreams of being a “swing”

 

über trendy HAMILTON
über trendy HAMILTON

 

HAMILTON will end up in a small space at New World Stages selling $35 group rate tickets to high school history classes in 2019

the Lincoln Center Broadway theaters are pushing their luck being so far uptown

it’s wise to preview out of town if your show might be a train wreck

stale musicals need to be totally recast every few years

there should be a museum dedicated to theatre arts in midtown

all the Broadway gift shops pretty much sell the same items

It’s sad that Colony Music closed but good that the Drama Book Shop has not

Sorry, comments are closed for this post.