<p>I did not say lipsynching occurs in live theatre. I said that it is common for pop singers to do some lip synching or partial in their shows because some offer a very strenuous show where its just them on the stage for several hours with rigorous dancing etc. In MT there may be strenuous dancing combined with singing also..but its rare that its one performer the entire time. I think that many pop singers like MT performers are capable of singing and dancing at the same time..but its hard to do for a continual stretch night after night if its just one person.
And of course there are some pop singers who are created in the studio and would be totally incapable but that is a different story.
I saw Lion King and was thinking how tough those roles would be. To sing, wear heavy costumes, move about like they did. But they get some relieve when other characters come on.</p>
<p>As far as Britney being successfully performing in a broadway show..well I think she is a good entertainer but not a great singer. I guess it will all depend on the material she is given. I just like to see her get a fair chance at it.
Personally I think Britney's best pop days are behind her. But she lasted a long time so she could surprise me.
Taking the stage again may be a way of reinventing herself to keep the public interested..though I think if I see one more cover of Britney and Kevin on a magazine I will scream! Unless its Angelina and Brad and Jennifer..in which case I will scream harder..</p>
<p>Speaking of screaming and a little off topic here..THE ART OF THE SCREAM has been released to teach singers how to scream without hurting their voices.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Now remember firmly what I am going to tell you: the theatre on account of its publicity and spectacular side, attracts many people who merely want to capitalize their beauty or make careers. They take advantage of the ignorance of the public, its perverted taste, favouritism, intrigues, false success, and many other means which have no relation to creative art. These exploiters are the deadliest enemies of art. We have to use the sternest measures with them, and if they cannot be reformed they must be removed from the boards.
Constantin Stanislavski
[/quote]
Maybe she can be reformed, but she needs to start at the bottom like everyone else. There are too many serious artists who have suffered and starved for entirely too long to have some pop star that sold out and got famous by posing for a calendar spread eagle in a cheerleader outfit in the back of a pickup truck to suddenly use their art to reinvent herself. Beyond that, Im not even a musical theatre performer just a straight actor - but her songs and dance moves are easy enough that even I can effectively pull them off. We actually used to goof on them all the time in my high school studio. If she cant do those - even for an extended period - without needing to lip sync, shes gonna be lost ... Then again, if Christina Applegates sloppy, self-conscious performance in the Macys parade the other day is any indication of what shes been doing in the theatre, most people sadly wont know the difference. Its bad enough that so much of Broadway has already been dumbed down and Disneyfied. Now theyre gonna turn the rest into a freakin Wal Mart? Bleh ... Lock her in a box, destroy the key, and bury it deep in a peat bog. ;)</p>
<p>I would just have to say that I would guess that someone like Britney Spears (a mega popstar) would probably not have to go through the same things that other, MT-only performers would have to go through to "land a role," if you know what I mean. In other words, she might be able to get the part because she IS Britney Spears and not because, on the whole, the musical's producers, etc. are absolutely convinced she would be amazing in the role. The objective would be, of course, to lure some of Britney's gigundoly fan base into the theater, causing tickets sales to skyrocket for that production. It's certainly a smart move financially. Not sure what kind of decision it is artistically. <g>
Certainly there are many film/movie/TV/music stars who began their careers in musical theater, and Britney Spears is one. (She was, as someone else noted, in Ruthless on Broadway.) I guess it's only fair to give her a chance. <g> However, I cannot help but think of all the truly qualified, much lesser known musical theater actors there are out there who would give their eye teeth for a similar chance, but won't get it if it's handed to BS.
Lisa</g></g></p>
<p>One more...
Kevin Richardson, of Backstreet Boys fame in "Chicago" on Broadway and in London's West End Production as Billy Flynn, however if you want to get technical...his roots are in MT anyway as he was both a Ninja Turtle AND Alladdin at Walt Disney World Florida. He is also an accomplished pianist and ballroom dance instructor. He also had a voice over & song credit in the animated production of "Rugrats in Paris."</p>
<p>Seriously! These are facts I know personally, not heresay.</p>
<p>Then there is Broadway straight-drama category, Ashley Judd in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at the Musicbox Theatre, opened in Spring of 2003, which I believe brought her much critical acclaim before she broke her foot in a performance and had to step down[no pun intended].</p>
<p>Of course there is Bernadette Peters in Annie Get Your Gun, which I never saw but...heard great things, not like she was some critically acclaimed actress before that. And what was Kathy Lee Gifford in??? Oh and Kathy Rigby in Peter Pan.</p>
<p>Did Ashley Judd star in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" to "critical acclaim?" Though I admit to not having seen the play on Broadway, I heard that some serious drama afficionados considered her a real lightweight in the role. In fact, didn't one of her more seasoned co stars (the guy who played Big Daddy, whose name escapes me right now) say something to that effect, bringing criticism raining down on his head, though many agreed?
Don't get me wrong: I think Ashley Judd is lovely and I have enjoyed seeing her in various movies. I also don't always agree with the critics. I just had to quarrel <g> with the notion that Judd earned 'critical acclaim' for COAHTR.</g></p>
<p>I'm personally not a fan of Brittany Spears or the show sweet charity in general, but I think it would actually be a good thing for her to get involved with a show. There is no doubt that her being in the show would bring more people to see the show. I don't know about you guys, but I think it would be great to have more people share the same interest as I do. There is nothing wrong with more people liking musical theater. I guess there is an argument that people who go to see Brittany Spears are not "true" musical theatre fans, but who really has the right to judge that. I really enjoyed many shows that had really famous people in them, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, RENT, Wicked, The Boy From OZ, thorougly modern millie...i really was not offended by the screen actors/vocalists "invading" the stage. I feel no differently about brittany.</p>
<p>Millie,
I agree it would be great if more people were drawn to see musical theater productions in general. And yes, Britney Spears's presence would no doubt do that. I am not sure if fans of her music would come see her, discover a love for musical theater in general and continue to buy tickets and occupy seats at other shows once they were there, but you never know! More people coming to the theater is a good thing. In the best of all possible worlds, however, people would come to see a certain <em>work</em> of art -- a particular show -- and not just a particular performer. I am not saying this well, but what I mean is, the theater, in its purist sense, ought to be about the work (the words, how they come together with the bodies and voices of the actors working in unison/as instruments to putting forth the writers' visions and themes) and not about one particular pop star or movie star, etc. That's not to say that performers are interchangeable: certainly, all of us MT fans here have favorite performers who are amazing and who we might go to see no matter what they are in! (I feel that way about Donna Murphy. I would go to see her in almost anything. What's she doing these days, anyway? ;)
When I hear that Britney Spears might step into the starring role of a large Broadway musical, however, I cannot help but think of all the amazingly talented and struggling young women of musical theater who would give their eye teeth for a crack at the role, and won't get it, because a name brand pop star might be, well, popped into it! Of course, that's how things work.
Lisa, the idealist!</p>
<p>Lisa, I agree with you about your best of all possible worlds scenario. Sadly, it isn't reality in the theatre world. These productions are so very expensive to produce and to keep running, and too many of them fail financially, an overwhelming majority, in fact. So it's not too surprising that producers look for ways to boost ticket sales and keep their shows open, even if it means bringing someone in like Britney Spears or Drew Lachey or Joey Fatone. </p>
<p>As to the issue of pop stars like that bringing in and creating new theatre fans, I've seen it happen with both Drew and Joey, so I wouldn't be surprised if some of Britney's fans would have loved it enough to see other shows as well. Unfortunately, she has turned down the role and the cast has pretty much been told that the show will end with Christina's last show. So, all of those hardworking actors are out of a job as of the end of December, most likely.</p>
<p>p.s. The last time I saw Donna Murphy was at a concert to benefit Friends in Deed, about a year ago. Marin Mazzie and Michael Cerveris were also there. It was a magical evening. :)</p>
<p>You mean, the show has to CLOSE because Spears refused the role? Urgghhhh! That is too bad, for everyone, but especially for the hardworking actors, singers and dancers (not to mention everyone else) who make up that show. That's awful news and I am sorry to hear it.
And, alwaysamom, what you say about the tons of money it costs to produce and run a Broadway musical is very true. I have heard theater professionals bemoaning this fact, because it results in some really quality work never making it to Broadway and "commercial" stuff (in other words, stuff that will sell to middle America) being what ends up getting produced. (Please know I am not putting down Middle America. Half of my own family comes from the Mid West! <g>) I've spoken with a few theater professionals who think the best theater being produced is happening at a regional level, and that regional companies are the only places left where young actors can really learn their craft. I don't know enough about all this to know if that's true or not.
Lisa</g></p>
<p>I have followed this conversation with some interest and an enormous amount of sadness. To my mind, putting someone like Ms Spears in a musical with the MT pedigree of Sweet Charity for the sake of making a buck is a travesty.</p>
<p>Never was this more clear to me than yesterday when I had the privilege of sittng in the audience at the Schoenfield theater and watching Ms Chita Rivera strut her stuff in her show "The Dancer's Life," now in previews until its Dec 5 opening. I know that many will consider me "fuddy duddy" or "old school" and that I will be showing my age (55 and proud of EVERY freaking year!!!!) But I sat on the edge of my seat (a good one by the way - 6th row on the aisle - so I could see every expression, hear every word, every breath, etc) alternating between a grin from ear to ear and tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat.</p>
<p>This magical performer is 71 years old and she worked her butt off for almost 2 hours, sharing the highlights - and lowlights - of her life and career in an honest and unsentimental journey through Broadway's Golden Age and beyond. She had nine other dancers working with, alongside and behind her and I loved the fact that not all of them were under 25 - not even close! Now she can't kick her leg up to her ear anymore and she's lost some of her speed, but her attitude, her "pop," her energy, and her magnificent line are all there. She is a force of nature. And she danced up a storm - lifts, partnering, assisted slides across the floor, all while singing some great songs and not for one moment did she get out of breath. NOT ONE!! No lipsynching required by this great dame. And her body? We should all look half so good at 71 - what gams!, what arms!, what a back! and a smile that could make the polar ice cap melt. I imagine she may have had a little "fun surgery" on her face, but I don't know that and WHO CARES???? She was also up there dancing like this with 16 screws in her leg as a result of an old automobile accident.</p>
<p>Believe me when I tell you that I was one of the younger people in the audience and it was clear that she was beloved by all. I only hope that younger theater lovers and MT students will find their way to this show and perhaps begin to understand what it means and what it takes to become a TRUE and deserving Musical Theater legend.</p>
<p>You are, once again, right on. I am sorry if Sweet Charity closes (all over Brit?), but I am glad she turned it down. I think she knows her limitations.</p>
<p>TheaterMom, thanks so much for sharing about Chita and her show! I'd love to see it. She is INCREDIBLE. She would be even without her age but when you factor that in, wow. What a legend in the MT world. What I know of her story and how she started, it is all so fascinating and she is the epitome of a musical theater performer.</p>
<p>I used to kid around with my daughter because she seemed to keep getting cast in roles Chita had played (Rose in Bye Bye Birdie, Anita in West Side Story, and Liliane La Fleur in Nine) and I kept saying, what is it with you and the Chita roles? You should ONLY BE SO LUCKY to ever follow in Chita's shoes! What a person to emulate! And I didn't even know about the screws. My daughter has five screws in her pelvis/hip now too, due to an automobile accident :D. I think I will share about the screws with my daughter so she sees the hope that someone with such severe injuries who is a dancer, can still have a life on stage. I'm glad you shared that as it is an inspiration.</p>
<p>Theatermom,
Thanks for the captivating reflections of A Dancer's Life. I hope my D and I get the opportunity to experience this amazing performer! I also share your wish that our young MT artists in the making can understand the substance and power that comes from longevity, and a life-long commitment to one's craft.</p>