Haines His Way

DRPANNI - haven't read much about SPAMALOT - but then haven't been looking for info either.  Hmmmmmmmmm....

Such lovely photos from MB and BEN!

Late late late....time for bed, I guess.  yes, it is.

Which other scores have disappointed you?

I answered, being careful to point out that my assessment of Children of Eden's score was based on playing through many of its songs, not seeing it.  It's not yet been produced in New York.

You countered that there's a real surprise in the way that God learns from his children, which, I'm guessing, is an aspect of Children of Eden's book as I've not encountered a Stephen Schwartz song featuring such a surprise.

It well may be that some shows are good enough for New York, but not good enough for regional and community theatre.  I don't know much about regional and community, as I've seen very little of it.  Most people seem to believe that some shows (Proposals seems to be an example) are good enough for regional and community, but not New York.  You want to believe differently, that's fine.

It's also fine to prefer recent Schwartz (Wicked, Children of Eden, Gepetto, The Prince of Egypt) to the old Schwartz (Pippin, Working, Godspell, The Baker's Wife, The Magic Show).  I'm rather fond of the five from the 1970s, three of which were among the longest running shows of that decade.  It may be a question of semantics, but I tend not to refer to individual pop songs as "scores" - I do admire Crowded Island and Life Goes On.

And if I ever heard "In Whatever Time We Have" at a wedding, I'd naturally assume either the bride or the groom is terminally ill.  

It well may be that some shows are good enough for New York, but not good enough for regional and community theatre.  I don't know much about regional and community, as I've seen very little of it.  Most people seem to believe that some shows (Proposals seems to be an example) are good enough for regional and community, but not New York.  You want to believe differently, that's fine.

Huh?  Somehow, you've twisted around what I wrote.  I was stating how some shows, Children of Eden in particular, play well in regional and community theater, without having a NYC run, not that they aren't good enough for NYC.

There are a number of shows that have played very well elsewhere that fail in their NYC runs.  Two examples: Kat and the Kings won the Olivier in London, and was a hit there, but in spite of every effort couldn't get a successful run on Broadway.  Likewise, Accomplice by Rupert Holmes was a solid hit at the Pasadena Playhouse, extending it's run.  Broadway turned up it's nose.  (Both were shows that der B and I enjoyed.)

It's really too bad that you aren't familiar with regional American theater.  Who knows, some of your own shows might get an audience "out there."  They don't seem to be getting much play where you are now.

There were a few things I wanted to respond to after reading all the posts, but my mind is starting to shut down, so...

Goodnight.

I'm back from dinner with our very own set designer Melissa Ficociello - who needed some sage career advice.  Instead I gave her some parsley, rosemary and thyme advice.

You'll be errant and truant until the second week of January?  How come?

I do wish that after all this time, the snippiness with some posts here would abate.  I find it completely unnecessary - a difference of opinion is fine, but when that difference gets snippy, I find it puts us in a league with other sites - it's not what we're about here and once again I'm asking everyone to be careful of that sort of thing.  There is simply no reason for it at a site such as this.  Thank you.