This past spring break brought me back to New York City, home to some of the best theater in the world. Those who are closest to me know that when it comes to theater, I have a critical eye and I am not afraid to share my often astute, but not always infallible, observations. Prior to business school, my analyses of those productions I attended frequently focused on actors' performances, tone and style of the production, directorial interpretation, dramatic structure, general aesthetic, etc. But now, carrying almost two years of MBA-level education with me, I sit in a darkened theater with a whole new level of baggage with which to deconstruct the show.
Shortly
into the program, I knew that my nearly superhuman powers were
developing further. With less than seven weeks of class behind me, in
October 2011, I attended the Boston-area premiere of Lucy Prebble's
play ENRON, a modern day morality play set against the events of the
recent corporate scandal. As I turned to my friend at intermission
expecting to bash the production's pacing and shoddy blocking, he, a
very intelligent undergraduate theater and political science major at
Boston College, admitted that he was having a hard time following the
plot. I then, unaware at the time of my pedagogical path, began to
explain this human tragedy in terms of a balance sheet equation. Yes - I
know. Who am I? With less than one semester of accounting under
my belt, I was describing plot by using terms like assets, liabilities,
and accounts payable. While Professor Pete Wilson is proud, I am pretty
sure Brooks Atkinson is rolling over in his grave. Alas, I have not been
able to view theater the same way since.
Below is a recap of some the thoughts that crossed my mind as I sat
through some of the hottest shows in town during this past week.
GORE VIDAL'S THE BEST MAN:
Producers are banking on an all-star cast comprised of theater royalty
(Angela Lansbury and James Earl Jones), former TV stars (Eric McCormack,
John Larroquette, and Candice Bergen), and well liked, current Broadway
go-to actors (Kerry Butler, Jefferson Mays, and Michael McKean) to draw
in the crowds. This breezy, timely piece may not be very memorable, but
its ensemble certainly is. In this case, the money is definitely on the
marquee. Though I sat through an early preview, the cast was already
beginning to find the rhythms of the banter. Though I had full faith
that this ensemble will have a polished political potboiler on its hands
come opening night, I sat there with bated breath every
time octogenarians Lansbury and Jones rose from a drawing room sofa.
Clearly their knees aren't what they used to be which leads me to wonder
what additional costs did the producers face when insuring this show?
DEATH OF A SALESMAN: Commercial producers love to dust off this
classic every ten years or so for another Broadway outing. This time
around Oscar winner Philip Seymour Hoffman carries those weathered brief
cases sullenly across the stage. Yet again, this production is counting
on star power to fill the seats. To capture even the teeny-bopper
audience, Andrew Garfield (from The Social Network) has been cast
as Willy's prodigal son, Biff. Clearly, not as strong an actor as
Hoffman (most of Garfield's scenery chewing performance in the second
act is caught in his throat), the young heart-throb should help bring in
young audience members eager to catch the star in action before he dons
the Spider-Man suit later this year in the comic book franchise's
latest installment.
As I prepare for job interviews during my last semester of business
school, one quote from Miller's play will ring loudly in my ear:
"The man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who
creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead. Be liked and you
will never want."
Here's hoping my interviews end happier than this play!
ONCE: Based
on the hit 2006 indie movie of the same name, this adaptation's
beautiful contemporary score does justice to its source material. Though
a moderate success during its theatrical release and a 2007 Academy
Award winner for Best Song ("Falling Slowly"), its base audience is
probably too small to truly leverage it into the hit musical
stratosphere. As I watched this musical, I applauded producers for
taking a chance on this unconventional romantic comedy. I assume this
musical made it so far from page to production, not for its effective
melodies and heart, but for its relatively low costs (at least by
Broadway musical standards). The writers have placed the action of this
production in one setting (a Dublin bar), though the scenes are
represented across multiple minimalist locations. Actors double as
musicians. And characters are capped at thirteen. With steady ticket
sales and modest operating costs, this musical could potentially see a
long run and a decent return. At this time, positive word of mouth is
needed the most!
ONCE also must be commended for its fantastic use of product placement.
While flipping through the program, I came across an advertisement
(picturing the musical leads) for C.F. Martin & Co. declaring to be
the proud sponsors of the ONCE guitars. Given the importance of music
and instruments, specifically the guitar, in this production, the
product placement not only in the program but in the script came across
as the most genuine and organic endorsement I have seen in years.
VENUS IN FUR:
VENUS IN FUR is a sexy, literate new play by David Ives and directed
adeptly by Walter Bobbie. A star is born in Nina Arianda's hilarious
performance as Vanda, a manipulative and talented young actress who
coaxes playwright/director Thomas (played by Hugh Dancy) into letting
her audition for him after-hours. Producers must have known they had a
hit on their hands with Arianda as this Broadway mounting is the
project's third production following two sold-out off-Broadway runs.
Setting up shop this last time at the Samuel J. Friedman Theater allows
both Arianda (as a Best Actress candidate) and the play to be eligible
for the coveted TONY Award come June - an honor restricted to Broadway
productions. With likely nominations and awards in its future to fuel
ticket sales, a small cast of two (low operating costs), and sunk costs
(sets, costumes, etc.) recouped during its off-Broadway iterations,
producers are hoping to cash in on this play while word of mouth is
positive and Arianda remains the critical darling of Broadway.
Unfortunately, with so many new works opening in the next couple weeks,
it is most likely that this humble comic production will be lost to
audiences in the sea of openings this spring. After all, this play is
"so last season."
THE JAZZ AGE: My
last stop of the week was at a private industry reading of a new play,
THE JAZZ AGE. Focusing its plot on a 'bromance' between F. Scott
Fitzgerald (played by Kieran Campion) and Ernest Hemingway (Pablo
Schreiber) with Zelda (Hannah Yelland) on board to complicate things.
Fully staged productions have promises of dancers, an onstage jazz band
to provide musical scoring, and projections. With only three principal
actors, cost for future productions look manageable but will certainly
increase with the addition of dancers in the ensemble and musicians.
Producers beware - doing this era right does not come cheap. While
listening to the reading, I tried to adopt the mindset of a commercial
Broadway producer. Would this story sell? Though I have a personal
affinity for this period and these authors (see my ongoing attempt to
adapt Fitzgerald's This Side of Paradise into a musical), I do
question how much mainstream appeal this literary circle has for today's
audiences (::ugh:: tourists with their neon fanny packs and orchestra
seats for MAMMA MIA) aside from the whimsical world embodied by Woody
Allen's brand of humor in last summer's delightful Midnight in Paris. Once
again, it all comes back to that balance sheet. Show me a production
that can be mounted well for a modest amount and then I might consider
an investment.
In short, it was a very successful and entertaining trip to New York. To
my theater friends who think I sold out by going to business school and
chastise me for only seeing dollar signs (and not art on the stage) - I
leave you with one redeeming thought. Despite a total of five Stephen
Schwartz and Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals currently playing on Broadway,
I escaped the big bad city without seeing a single one. There is some
hope!
