In this issue: Voices in Contemporary Theatre: Awards, Recognition, and Hype CyberTheatre Monthly: What do you mean "Download da Funk"? Rubin's Corner: Broadway to Off-Broadway to London TRE Trivia, What's New in the Forum/Insider's Tips, Gossip Tidbits du jour ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Voices Meditation on Awards, Recognition, and Hype It's that time of year! Broadway is still catching its breath from the avalanche of new openings that hit right before the cut-off for Tony eligibility for 1996, but tongues are already wagging about the absence of Victor/Victoria & Big among the Best Musical nominees. Is it, or will it be perceived as, a snub of Hollywood-inspired material the way the Beauty and the Beast/Passion faceoff was interpretted as Broadway-snobbery a few years back? The answer to "Is it" - "probably not" There is an embarrassment of riches on the White-way stages at the moment - mostly new material brimming in content and entertainment potential, or revivals so fresh and insightful they can almost be considered new shows - and most of it is home-grown. Broadway can be feeling pretty good about itself, and in those circumstances its voter-ship is not likely to be sending any messages at all but simply voting its preferences. Rent, Bring in 'Da Noise, Chronicle of a Death Foretold, and Swinging on a Star are all superb theatrical offerings and one doesn't need a hidden agenda to vote for them. During Beauty and the Beast/Passion, the situation was very different - there were few new shows, many eligible shows were closing before the nominations were even announced, and long-running imports were everywhere. A defensive theatre-community was certainly in the mood to take a position: That American Theatre meant elegant Sondheim complexity not empty theme park glitz . It's also possible they honestly preferred the Sondheim - this being a pretty sophisticated audience that's not likely to be impressed by airborn fireballs and similar effects. And it is their award, to give to whomever they choose on whatever criteria they choose. So much for what is - what might be perceived is always a trickier issue. People like to make factions - and the press enjoys it even more. "The evil mouse-eared mega-corporation that stepped on toes bringing its own people into a closed & snobbish community and was punished with a shutout" made a great story. It got people arguing about the Tony Awards who don't normally give a hoot about live theatre. What will this year's selection bring? We have another content vers. Fluff situation. Rent, offers a pulsing, rock-&-roll score that's accessible to younger audiences; an artsy provenance in its adaptation from the opera La Boheme, and it includes the homeless, gays, and AIDS-afflicted characters that have become a virtual prerequisite for a professional-theatre-production these days. Bring in 'Da Noise... chronicles the Black experience in America, and as for its musical content: the second half of its title is Bring in 'Da Funk for a reason. Big, on the other hand, had to almost totally re-write its score after its disastrous Detroit preview, and its about a 12-year-old boy who wants to be big. Nevertheless, all those people who don't follow big-time New York theatre have heard of Big and Victor/Victoria - and they haven't heard of Rent. It is very possible Tonys night will come off as that insufferable New York artset snubbing what us-folks like in favor of pretentious depressing junk. On the other hand, if STOMP can steal the show at the Oscars, who knows - A Noise/Funk production number may start toes tapping from Ohio to Montana. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ CyberTheatre Monthly Download da Funk? The Public Theatre's celebration of Black history through dance, Bring in da Noise Bring in da Funk, did more than just open on Broadway last month - they attempted something more unprecedented in staging a simultaneous opening on the Internet. All real theatre-lovers understand that the "Live" of live theatre is one of those things that can't be captured on the Internet any more than on movies or television - even a live broadcast of a performance is a pale clone of the play as experienced by the audience breathing the same air as the actors. The folks at the Public understood this, and so created an event better tailored to bring some of the opening night excitement to those "attending" across Cyberspace - making a kind of Virtual souvenir program with pictures and sound-clips from the show, the history of its development, and of course the credits of all involved. More of the opening night flavor is added by a page displaying the good-luck telegrams the company has received, reviews from the NY Times, Observer, New Yorker and Newsweek (these were available before the curtain rose, as Bring in 'Da Noise premiered last November), and A Web-based Bulletin Board that allowed website visitors to leave their good wishes as well. - And of course a giftshop to bring home all the Funk merchandise you can carry. Despite all the merch' and a "Virtual Ticket" page displaying more high-end browser attachments than is seen at the average Developers' Conference, the Event cannot be described as "too commercial". Unfortunately, while the aesthetics of all the Netscape and Real Audio download detours may not have been cumbersome, the cutting-edge aspects of the site are less successful than the Virtual Souvenir Program, being plagued with technical snafus and, paradoxically, being far less imaginative than the traditional program/opening night material. The sound required the highest version of Real Audio to be released, and the form that enabled its download was not functioning properly. A VRML Tour required the highest version of Netscape available (the $40. one) with a VRML extension that is not yet available for many computers (like Macs). The video of creatives behind the show, celebrity guests at the party, etc. was highly reminiscent of watching E!, the video-presskit channel. Without these disappointing features upstaging the more interesting material, the Bring in Da Noise site must be considered a great, ground-breaking success in bringing an event to the Internet. Bravo. Web sites mentioned in this edition of CyberTheatre Monthly: Links http://www.publictheater.org/cgi-bin/noifunk.cgi ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Rubin's Corner by Robert Rubin From Broadway to Off-Broadway... Savion Glover grew up in Newark, New Jersey far from the beat of Off-Broadway and Broadway. When he was twelve years old he became a star in The Tap Dance Kid. Mr. Glover was fifteen when he realized that tap dancing was an art. He has now brought his Bring in da Noise, Bring in the da Funk to Broadway after a successful run at the Joseph Papp Public Theater. Bring in da Noise was born during the 1992 Broadway hit "Jelly's Last Jam, when director George C. Wolfe took a good look at Savion Glover, the eighteen year old tap-dance prodigy. In the show Glover played a young Jelly to Mr. Hines mature character.. Wolfe realized that Savion could create a powerful folk tradition by using tap steps. He saw in him the dancing of Lon Chaney, Buster Brown, Honi Coles and Gregory Hines. The tap song that was developed by Glover and Mr. Wolfe is linked to jazz and the contributions of the Black-American to society. The set designer, Riccardo Hernandes discarded the idea of an elaborate set for Broadway. He chose a simple setting in reaction to the dance and music. The lighting designers, Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer decided to light the set to visually express the music. Robin Silvestri, projection designs, found images to project onto the screens at the back of the stage. She found out that black culture is not well documented. Wolfe points out that although the show played for three months Off-Broadway, this is like bringing a whole new show to Broadway. The small stage of the Ambassador Theater and the difficult sight lines from the balcony has already change the show since its downtown run The show has already received three Outer Critics Circle Award Nominations. The show itself was nominated for the best Off-Broadway Musical. George C. Wolfe received a nomination for the best director of a musical. Mr. Glover has received a nomination for the best choreography. The hope is that it will receive at least these nominations and possible a few more when the Tony nomination are announce in early May. And the Latest New From London's West End... By Jeeves the rewritten musical by Alan Ayckbourn and Andrew Lloyd Webber is expected in the West End in July Jesus Christ Superstar is hoping to open the newly renovated Lyceum in November. Heathcliff with rock star Chill Richard starts its National tour in October. It open in London on February 12, 1997 at the Apollo Hammersmith. The CD is now available on EMI Records. This disk has a special guest appearance by Olivia Newton-John. Sylvia by A.R. Gurney open at the Apollo on May 20th. It will star Zoe Wanamaker as the dog. Martin Guerre is now set to open on July 10th. Previews will begin on June 21st. A four week work shop production will be presented in London during the month of May. The cast includes Juliette Caton and Ian Glenn in leading roles. Beauty and the Beast comes to the Dominion Theater in March, 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TRE Trivia * Which of the Jellicle Cats was first played by Broadway's first Beast, and who is he? * In Sweeney Todd, what is the secret ingredient is Mrs. Lovett's meat pies? * Who wrote the musical version of Candide? Who wrote the original novel? * What teen heart throbs appeared together as brothers in Blood Brothers? * True or False: American Buffalo is about Indians who will do anything to get their land back? Answers to last month's trivia: The original Eliza Doolittle was played by Julie Andrews The Boys from Syracuse adapts Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors. The longest title in Broadway history is The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade, universally referred to as Marat/Sade for obvious reasons. Playwrights Peter Shaffer (Amadeus, Lettice & Lovage) and Anthony Shaffer (Sleuth) are twin. In West Side Story, the rival gangs are the Jets and the Sharks. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ W H A T ' S N E W in the Theatre & Performance Forum TONY'S COUNTDOWN GAMES If you can translate: "Greetings, Barbie" into "Hello, Dolly" or know who was Broadway's original King of Siam, you're going to love this trivia game. BROADWAY'S BACK Julie Andrews refused her Tony's Nomination! What's the common thread in Beauty and the Beast, Phantom of the Opera, and Passion? Find out just what the Encore Concert Series is and why they've got the best talent the big apple can offer. There won't be any nonsense about the theatre being dead at this year's Tony's: More than a dozen new musicals and plays have opened in the last several weeks - Follow the nominations and the buzz about who might win or be passed over. Young People's Mini-Forum Kids and Teens have a mini-forum right in the middle of Downtown Theatre and Performance. Young Performers can place to meet, seek advice from expert Theatre Educator Tim Hanes, announce their school plays and discuss their favorite mega-shows like Phantom and Les Mis through Bulletin Boards and Weekly Chats. Plus a special media-scrapbook for photos, sound clips and video from YOUR best performances. NEW CHAT CENTER If you haven't been to a Theatre Chat recently, you haven't been to a Theatre Forum Chat. Download this shortcut for a schedule of weekly chat-times. NEW REVIEWS: You can always find reviews of the latest New York shows (Chicago, Rent, The King and I, Seven Guitars, Getting Away with Murder, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Inherit the Wind) plus regional treats from all over...in the REVIEWS library. Society of Stage Directors & Choreographers Welcome SSDC - visiting Directors & Choreographers, run do not walk to this informative new kiosk. Forum on the FRINGE Did you miss our day-by-day coverage of the International Fringe Festival in Orlando - Or did you enjoy it so much you want to relive the memories - it's all still available for download - through June. Forum Insider Tips: * You can download back-issues of TRE from a special folder in the Forum Library. * It's a good idea to Show All Message, so you see all the previous discussion in a thread you're responding to. * Most bulletin boards are easiest to follow arranged by Subject ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gossip du jour... Rumor: Whoopie Goldberg could be returning to the New York stage in a Roundabout production with Roundabout veteran Frank Langella. Not a Rumor: The first beyond-New York production of Rent will be mounted by the original director Michael Grief who will use assemble a Canadian cast for a Toronto run which will then move to London. Rumor: Instead of touring with former Superman co-star Christopher Reeve in a production of Love Letters, Margo Kidder will star with Stacey Keech (of Mike Hammer fame) in Alfred Stieglitz Loves Georgia O'Keeffe in a new drama by Lanie Robertson (Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill) about the non-conformist artist of those sexy flowers. Not a Rumor: Simultaneous productions by different composer/lyricist teams are in the works for Martin Guerre: one in London and one at Chicago's Goodman Theatre. -London has the one by by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg (Les Miserables) Another Rumor: If ALW's remounted Jeeves is successful in London - it will make its American debut in a prominant Regional Theatre. Not a Rumor: Tommy Tune is busy working on a musical satire of the Barrymore Family: The Royal Family of Broadway ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Copyright 1996, Mersinger Theatrical Services