The malaise of the mainstream musical

I just finished reading  a 2-page article in the New York Times about how Broadway is scaling down their sets, lighting and other makings of the musical “extravaganza” due to budget frugality.  What surprised me  (and what prompted me to pen my rant here) was the fact that no one spoke of how talent, plot, and good musical composition would more than make up for the lack of flashy lights and sets.  How one didn’t need to worry because those things would make up for it.  In fact, those issues weren’t mentioned at all – were not even referenced in the entire article.  Are producers afraid that people won’t come if there aren’t flashy lights and sets?  Are they right?  

It seems to me that the cart is before the horse and that the Catch 22 looms.  Maybe producers feel that musicals are to be created for the sole purpose of mainstream entertainment, thus immediately thrusting them into an incredible budget and competition with mediums such as movies, television or the Playstation.  Should theatre (i.e. musical theatre) be solely produced for mainstream entertainment?  Or, (and this is the scarier scenario), is this what the public comes to expect because it’s what they are given?  Just last year, as I eagerly awaited the curtain to rise on Guys and Dolls, I was dismayed to find people in the audience, (in sweats!) eating candy as if they were in a movie theatre, and texting back and forth for the rest of the production.  I looked down at my evening dress and felt immediately out of sorts.  Broadway has changed and I didn’t get the memo.

I remember, at 15, being more moved by Les Miserable  (where the only special effects [back then] were cool flying flags and a huge wind machine) than by Starlight Express.  I have to believe that people demand more.  I wonder if people walk out of Jerry Springer, the Musical, feeling a little empty and cheated inside or if they throw up in their mouth a little at the thought of Greenday’s American Idiot, the Musical, hitting the Great White Way.  Theatres all over the country, including the ones speckled about Broadway are pulling out the revivals among everything else.  Why?  Hopefully because they know that people WILL go see them for the thrill of the romantic plot and the sweeping orchestration.

Monday Moment- My thoughts about audiences

I’ve already talked about what I loved about the Susan Boyle Video but I didn’t mention the audience, which was interesting in itself.  This reminds me of my trip to New York to see Guys and Dolls last month and the audience there – I’ll get back to that in a minute.  

As I’m sure you noticed, if you have been in, or gone to, classical or musical performances, how different the audiences can be.  Did the audience in the Susan Boyle video remind you of Parlimant or is just me?  Is this good?  Is it bad?  As shocked as I was with the openly vocal and negative response of the audience (was this just for television or for real?), I was torn with their reaction when she started to sing and when she was done.  As touching as it was to hear them eventually cheer her on, did it negate the heartbreaking behavior prior to that?  I would love your feedback. 

Now, back to New York.  Maybe it is me, but Broadway has always been a magical experience for me.  Now, as you know from my post here regarding the book, Making it on Broadway, it is not magical by any stretch, except by how the experience is perceived by the audience.  NEVERTHELESS, I draw the line at breaking out the movie snacks during the performance, which was what my seat neighbor was doing during Guys and Dolls.  As I started to look around, I noticed some people in cocktail dresses and others were in, well, sweats.  Really?  Will talking and heckling be next?  I shudder to even consider it.  It is an incredible feat to not only perform, but to produce a Broadway show, or any show for that matter.  Keep the twizzlers and sweat pants at home.

The cattle calls are calling…

I love cattle calls.  Not the ones in West Texas, but the ones that singers go through on a regular basis; especially those auditioning for musical theatre.  For me, these types of auditions help to keep me on my toes, keeps my head in the game, keeps my chops up and gives me a chance to perform.  Plus, I get to add more people to my contacts list with some nervous networking.  You know what I mean by nervous networking don’t you?  When you are so charged up and nervous before an audition that you chat everyone up – or maybe that’s just me.  If it’s an open call – even better.  Having everyone see you gives you an extra charge and nervous energy.  Seeing everyone else gives you some great ideas and, of course, helps you size up your competition.  With any audition, but especially open ones (for me) helps me learn to deal with the extra adrenalin and still be able to breath, perform, etc.  Plus, you get heard, sometimes you get feedback, you get to find out things about your chosen material that you couldn’t possibly have anticipated in practice (some good, some not so good)….. and did I mention you get heard?  I’ve just started scheduling auditions for the next round of shows coming up in the Spring, Summer and Fall and I know that the more I do this, the better I will get.  This time, I’m armed with some good audition coaching I received and an adjustment in my mindset about how this is an opportunity for me to sing.  The point is this:  Go and audition as it might be (hopefully not) but might be the only time you get to perform in the next 6 months.  Look at it as a way for you to get better, to fine tune and to hopefully enhance your resume with an offer.  Get out there and be heard!

Friday Fermata

One day a week, I like to take a pause and think about what I did that week to further my career or better myself as a singer.  It could be something as small as making sure I worked out every day to stay healthy or something bigger like preparing for an upcoming audition.  For me, I finally got the CD’s for the Musical Theatre Anthologies and am continuing the process of building the Song Book!  The iPOD, in case you don’t have one, is a great tool for singers!  I’ll be able to download all of the tracks on the iPOD and play them during my commutes.  Be sure to do something every day, or at least every week to make yourself better.