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| It seems that nowadays, you can’t go to a Broadway show without a big Hollywood name attached to it. It’s like: SEAN HAYES (in, ummm, what’s it called? Oh yeah, “Promises Promises,” starring some other people you may have heard of). Or CATHERINE ZETA JONES (in that musical written by that guy). Or, CHRISTINA APPLEGATE (in that Fosse-somebody revival). | Now, “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” THAT was a fantastic show! Sutton Foster (who won a Tony for her performance) is as actor-y as they get: amazing singer, great dancer and hilarious actress. I sat in the audience with a big smile the whole time in complete awe. I was even inspired to take tap dancing lessons! And I’ve been a stalker (ahem, pardon me, a fan) of hers ever since. | |||
| And what’s worse is that you pay your $125 million to go see Mr. or Mrs. Hollywood Whozy Whatsit in That Musical and they can’t even sing very well, or dance very well, for that matter. I know Broadway is hurting since the invention of movies and TV, but man, sometimes desperation just ain’t pretty.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m a celebs-on-Broadway whore myself. I admit it. I like to see my favorite movie stars on stage, where I can almost touch them if I were juuuust crazy enough to have a manic moment during a performance and walk up to the edge of the stage and poke one of ‘em in the ankle. But, you have to admit, that’s kinda sad; the fact that I’m only going to the theatre to see a movie star up close-ish when I can go see their two-story-high heads on the big screen for $13. And don’t even get me started on those actors who start out in the theatre, become big, wealthy Hollywood to-dos, and then come back to Broadway only to phone in their performances simply because they can. Nathan Lane (who I love madly, mind you) in “The Addams Family” musical, for example: Singing? Eh. Dancing? Nil. Overall performance? Funny. But what the heck accent was he trying to do? It sounded like a mix between Spanish, Mexican, German and Finnish. Let’s just get this straight: Gomez didn’t have an accent in the TV series. But the movie version of Gomez did (played by Raul Julia, who was from Puerto Rico and so, naturally, had an accent). Basically, the Broadway version of Gomez is based on the movie version, but really based on Raul Julia … and very possibly, Speedy Gonzalez. Ummmmm, confuse me? Whatever happened to just going to see musicals for the sheer genius of the music and the dancing and the acting? And, dare I say, the story? |
I’ve pretty much seen everything she’s been in. Doesn’t that say something? (For one thing, it says “cha-ching” for Broadway. They made a bunch of money off me right there; I went to see it twice. Plus,,I convinced all my friends to go see it too.)
And then there’s Hunter Foster, another great theater performer. He starred as Seymour (and won a Tony Award) in the 2003 revival of “Little Shop of Horrors.” He was fantastic. Everything you want and hope to see in a Broadway actor/singer/dancer. (Oh and he happens to be Sutton Foster’s brother. I swear I’m not stalking this family. It’s pure coincidence.) And honestly, I would go see them in anything. Why? To be inspired, to be reminded of what it looks and feels like to witness true passion being expressed live, right in front of your eyes, despite their relatively low pay and grueling schedules; to see a skilled master at work where there are no special effects or cutaways to mask them; to experience a live ongoing creation of pure and courageous art. Put more actors and actresses like that on Broadway, and they might give Hollywood a run for its money! (Ok, maybe not a run, exactly. But, surely, a light sprint. Which is still pretty good.) When you think about it, since most of Broadway is marketed by word of mouth (because they don’t usually advertise on TV), wouldn’t it make sense if Broadway spent more time and money on producing great stage actors to generate their own special buzz instead of riding on the TVand film industry’s back? Produce more stage gems like Julie Andrews, Zero Mostel, Bernadette Peters, Ben Vereen, Idina Menzel, and, of course, the Foster sibs, and Broadway could become BROADWAY again. |
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Tags: acting, Addams Family, Broadway, Foster Sutton, Movies, musical, talent, TV
Can’t say I am a huge fan of celebs or Broadway shows, but this is a solid piece. Well done, Lizzie. BTW, read your dating piece… let’s chat on match.com sometime, you’re hot.
We used to get mad ass back in the day… what with all our scores and stuff. That’s the genius of it, we wrote scores and then we scored (with the ladies). Good times.
The best one I ever saw was the original of Aida. The singers were so talented that the hairs on my neck actually stood up AND I bought the cd, something I never do. I have no idea who the stars were but they won loads of tonys for the show and were immensely talented. I’m all for a talented star taking to the stage but for more than $100 a pop for a ticket, Hollywood types can stay home if they don’t have the chops. Great piece.