| It's rarely that simple | |
| Posted by: Amiens 05:10 pm EDT 04/29/24 | |
| In reply to: Do show doctors exist? - dramedy 02:39 pm EDT 04/29/24 | |
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| About 30-some years ago I was involved with a promising new musical at one of the NY non-profits. During techs it became clear that things weren't working and the theater brought in a very hot director who had had one of the biggest hit musicals of the past decade to advise and make suggestions (I believe as a favor to the Artistic Director). The original director had to sit there and listen to all of the new criticism, most of it very valid, but was ultimately fired when the new director agreed to take over the reins. But though he could pinpoint the flaws, he really had no idea how to fix them. Or perhaps the writers simply couldn't come up with the better material requested. It's easy to criticize but it's rarely easy to make positive changes, especially under the pressures of tryouts and previews. And then these days, the tech aspects are often so expensive and complicated, it further inhibits changes to happen smoothly and quickly. In my experiences over the years, sadly, the creative team can sometimes recognize the problems and issues but the talent and craft isn't there to turn around a flop into a hit. And show doctors? How many directors and writers are out there now who reliably know how to fix a Broadway musical? The days of show doctors with the ingenuity and experience of Neil Simon and Michael Bennett (or strong-headed producers like David Merrick and Alexander Cohen who have the guts and money to implement changes), are long gone and Broadway is really struggling to figure out what works, what audiences want, what makes money. |
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| Previous: | re: Do show doctors exist? - singleticket 05:50 pm EDT 04/29/24 |
| Next: | re: It's rarely that simple - WillCall 10:09 pm EDT 04/29/24 |
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