Will ABC soap stars help improve attendance levels at Broadway's "Beauty & the Beast" ?

re: Will ABC soap stars help improve attendance levels at Broadway's "Beauty & the Beast" ?

Nancy Stadler — Mon, 15 May 2006 14:58:33 GMT

I think the one thing that people seem to be missing about the whole Tarzan thing is...quite simply it's no Beauty and the Beast. Nor is it a Lion King. I didn't have any big problems with Tarzan, but in my mind the film, the songs, the play has a long way to go to compete with Beauty and the Beast. The film, being such a landmark, stays with people. I love the Tarzan film, but ask my 65 year old mother, for example, she would barely know the film exists, but she knows Beauty and the Beast. The songs are some of the most loved in Disney history. That's why it's the 6th longest running play on B'way. It will continue to run, no matter who they stick in the cast, because, once again, quite simply...it's that good. I teach high school, and every year kids are still going to see Beauty and the Beast, even at their jaded age. It's become an icon. Despite its history in novels and films, Tarzan just doesn't have the same clout.

re: Will ABC soap stars help improve attendance levels at Broadway's "Beauty & the Beast" ?

Nancy Stadler — Mon, 15 May 2006 22:28:41 GMT

Seeing the line of soap opera fans lined up for their "dreamy" star, it did begin to suggest those gushy Harlequin/soap-opera moms who used to keep "Jekyll & Hyde" running for its hunk-of-the-month star--
IOW, not your prime discerning theater-community audience, but a cashflow if you're desperate.
(Ten bucks on when "Lestat" starts playing up the "name value" card.)

B&tB seemed like it never *was* about "who starred in it" (how CAN you tell who's inside the Candle Suit, and would it matter?), and Disney's attempt to use ABC synergy and "Jeckie" pandering to keep a franchise going--not to mention to help pay off some of "Tarzan"'s debt--pretty much confirms what we suspected about DT to begin with...They ain't from around town.

re: Will ABC soap stars help improve attendance levels at Broadway's "Beauty & the Beast" ?

Nancy Stadler — Tue, 16 May 2006 00:34:53 GMT

I think it is a great idea. As a soap geek, I would go and see my favorite actors. Less than a month ago, there were rumors that Jacob Young's contract with ABC is up in less than a year and would he re-sign? Soaps have a problem with actor continuity, which hurts ratings. If this is an additional incentive for the stars to stay on their current soaps and benefits the theater, it is a win-win situation. In addition, some of us soap opera moms are also the discerning theater community audience, and through our word of mouth we pull in the non-soap fans. I loved Aida so much that I convinced two other of my co-workers to go, who convinced their friends, etc. I think it is a great idea.

re: Will ABC soap stars help improve attendance levels at Broadway's "Beauty & the Beast" ?

Nancy Stadler — Tue, 16 May 2006 12:06:56 GMT

Personally, I've never heard of the guy, but I agree wholeheartedly with the theory. A name actor will always draw a bigger crowd than a cast of unknowns. I also think they should do whatever they can to keep Beauty alive and kicking, 'cause I don't think the Tarzan Musical is going to be around very long.

re: Will ABC soap stars help improve attendance levels at Broadway's "Beauty & the Beast" ?

Nancy Stadler — Tue, 16 May 2006 17:15:26 GMT

Perhaps in the theater, where actors are already used, a certain degree of curiousity will arise when a soap opera star is employed-- you are capitalizing from his sex appeal, I would think, more than anything, as soaps are not exactly the peak of artistic achievement. But doesn't your audience _already_ consist largely of uncultured, middle aged, middle class women? That would make the so-called strategic use of this star redundant. Although I am sure he makes a fine candelabra nonetheless…

As for the same strategy pertaining to animated film, I disagree completely. I feel this trend has resulted in an increasing decline in the quality of characterization in animated film. And for the record, I could not sit through the Tarzan animated feature. I found it agitating for various reasons too lengthy to describe here.

re: Will ABC soap stars help improve attendance levels at Broadway's "Beauty & the Beast" ?

Nancy Stadler — Thu, 18 May 2006 06:11:26 GMT

I think the whole thing makes perfect sense. At least three actresses from ABC soaps moonlight in Broadway shows such as Hairspray and The Color Purple. It seems like a great idea to use actors already working for Disney/ABC and possibly draw in soap fans at the same time.

re: Will ABC soap stars help improve attendance levels at Broadway's "Beauty & the Beast" ?

Nancy Stadler — Thu, 18 May 2006 12:14:06 GMT

While it may make sense from a strictly business point of view, artistically this idea of "parachuting" in name actors from TV or movies is killing the integrity of musical theatre. When you have so many young performers graduating from the many fine college theatre programs, each one of them with hopes and dreams of someday making it on Broadway, is it really fair to cast key roles with name actors who have virtually no training or experience in the art of musical theatre? I don't believe it is. There's few enough jobs in musical theatre today, without having even more taken away from hugely talented people who are as yet, largely unknown.

Furthermore, I felt that Disney's animated "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast" benefitted tremendously from casting Broadway performers like Jodi Benson, Samuel Wright, Paige O'Hara and Jerry Orbach in roles that required great singing ability. (I'll even add in a bravura performance from Jonathan Freeman as "Jafar" in "Aladdin" too) Of these performers, only Orbach would have been known outside of the theatre world, though this was well before his regular stint on "Law and Order" made him a household name. None of these roles would have been better played by TV or movie stars, in my opinion.

I just really resent "stunt casting" - placing some recognizable star in a role just to attract the unsophisticated masses.

re: Will ABC soap stars help improve attendance levels at Broadway's "Beauty & the Beast" ?

Nancy Stadler — Fri, 19 May 2006 01:05:01 GMT

That's such an ironic comment, Britt because Jacob's only in the show for a short time (I just saw the show again and he's great). Meanwhile Ashley Brown, the current Belle, is exactly the kind of young actress you describe. Disney took a chance on casting her as Belle and she's got an amazing voice. The program notes state that Ashley is making her Broadway debut as the lead in Beauty after recently graduating from school in Ohio. And I read online this past week that she's been cast as the lead in Mary Poppins for this Fall. So Disney Theatrical seems to be capable of casting both up and coming new talent as well as solid performers like Jacob from time to time who might bring in a new audience -- and if those folks enjoy theatre and see more shows, well that makes sense to me.

re: Will ABC soap stars help improve attendance levels at Broadway's "Beauty & the Beast" ?

Nancy Stadler — Fri, 19 May 2006 01:21:23 GMT

By the way, I just clicked on the "buy tickets" site above and it leads to stubhub.com which is a ticket broker and not the official box office for Beauty and the Beast. Stubhub and others like it sell tickets well over their face value. They are the ones who rip off unsuspecting masses. (I wonder if JHM gets money from them for advertising on here???) Anyway, buyer beware because I got great seats at regular price online from the official site and it was easy to do so there's really no need to use broker sites.