DISers Love Broadway!

[mentos]

More Hammy stuff, mostly rehashed from historian review in 2015/2016... which is really pushing me to read the Chernow book now (I put the audio book on hold at the library, I'll give that a try).

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/06/...page&contentCollection=AtHome&package_index=1

 

[mentos]

Anyway, I know there’s been a lot of criticism of Disney’s theme park related handling of the pandemic, including from me. But the things they’ve been doing on Disney+ are really quite special. I understand that Hamilton was meant for a theatrical release next year, and, as *the most* in demand theatrical production in the world (and deservedly so), I have to think that Disney lost a lot of potential revenue by releasing it a year early by streaming service instead. Maybe I’m giving them too much credit and there is a secret profit here somewhere, but it really is just so neat and unprecedented, and I still can’t quite put my finger on why Big Corporate did it, that I wanted to give at least a little credit where credit is due. And to anyone who hasn’t watched it yet — you’ve got homework

I realize the thread has taken a different turn, but I saw today that Disney+ had a 70 something % increase in downloads this weekend. While I’m sure that’s a drop in the bucket compared to what they would have gotten had this been released in the theater in normal times, something is better than nothing. And, they come off as looking good for making it accessible to people who otherwise probably wouldn’t have seen it (like me).

Okay I sort of have an answer here, some of it already known, some of it slightly new to me.

June 25 article in NYT -- Basically, they shopped the film around in 2018, got a ton of offers... declined them all. Bob Iger was approached, and he's a fan (apparently has grandkids that have the show memorized, sound familiar? hahah). He flew out to NYC, made the pitch... got the rights.

Fast forward to 2020 - Disney announced the theatrical release, as pandemic started, asked if they could release on D+ (because the lack of production = lack of content = death of D+ going into the streaming wars), Seller/LMM said no. As pandemic shut B'way through 2021, came around and said yes.

Per Iger, the contract was "adjusted" due to a lack of theatrical release -- probably means a bit of a discount for Disney. Also claims that, it's not just about money, this was a bit of a prestige IP to own...reading between the lines, Disney didn't fully recoup its acquisition cost in this deal.

Good read if you're nerdy about this stuff.

 

[mouschievous]

@mentos - Good call on trying the audio book!

 

[EmJ]

Okay I sort of have an answer here, some of it already known, some of it slightly new to me.

June 25 article in NYT -- Basically, they shopped the film around in 2018, got a ton of offers... declined them all. Bob Iger was approached, and he's a fan (apparently has grandkids that have the show memorized, sound familiar? hahah). He flew out to NYC, made the pitch... got the rights.

Fast forward to 2020 - Disney announced the theatrical release, as pandemic started, asked if they could release on D+ (because the lack of production = lack of content = death of D+ going into the streaming wars), Seller/LMM said no. As pandemic shut B'way through 2021, came around and said yes.

Per Iger, the contract was "adjusted" due to a lack of theatrical release -- probably means a bit of a discount for Disney. Also claims that, it's not just about money, this was a bit of a prestige IP to own...reading between the lines, Disney didn't fully recoup its acquisition cost in this deal.

Good read if you're nerdy about this stuff.

That is a great article, thank you for sharing! It sounds like both parties lost some anticipated revenue by foregoing the theatrical release, but gained significant goodwill and hope that future subscriptions/ticket sales will offset any monetary losses. Incidentally, I participated in a loooooong survey yesterday for the big city theater that hosts all the national touring productions about what safety measures, short of a vaccine, would make me feel comfortable returning to the theater, and about alternate options for viewing productions such as live-streams of performances. I'm all for streaming performances, but I don't know how safe it would be for the performers and musicians themselves.

 

[mouschievous]

The Hale Center Theatre in Utah is up and running. A friend of mine, who is a theatre critic, saw Bright Star there the other day. I asked her if she felt like it was safe and she said yes, even though there didn't see to be any special precautions taken re: seating.

 

[EmJ]

The Hale Center Theatre in Utah is up and running. A friend of mine, who is a theatre critic, saw Bright Star there the other day. I asked her if she felt like it was safe and she said yes, even though there didn't see to be any special precautions taken re: seating.

They had the whole theater full? You're lucky if you're six inches away from your seat neighbor, let alone six feet.

Honestly, I'm getting more worried about the growing evidence related to airborne transmission. I mean, on some level, we've always known this is the case. It's why outdoors has been safer (not safe, but safer) than indoors since the beginning. However, being in a theater now, I'd be more worried about 2,500 people sitting together, plus performers, musicians, crew, and employees, for hours, just breathing, than I would be about touching anything. One of the questions on my survey yesterday is whether a better air filtration system would make me feel safer, and yeah, sure, I'd love if they could put in a HEPA filtration system and maybe some UV lights for good measure, but how are they ever going to afford that?

I have the same concern with schools, but my kid has to be educated, so that's a risk we're just going to have to accept and limit our risks in other places.

ETA: Have I mentioned how much I hate this stupid pandemic? I hate it so much

 

[mentos]

I'm all for streaming performances, but I don't know how safe it would be for the performers and musicians themselves.

Oof... streaming live theater performances is like drinking a milkshake through one of those cocktail stirring things. You'll get something that tastes/feels like a milkshake, but most of it will be stuck in the cup.

 

[mentos]

I asked her if she felt like it was safe and she said yes, even though there didn't see to be any special precautions taken re: seating.

In my best Jungle Cruise voice: "sounds like someone's in.... de-nile"

badumpshhhhh, tip your servers, i'm here all week!

 

[EmJ]

Oof... streaming live theater performances is like drinking a milkshake through one of those cocktail stirring things. You'll get something that tastes/feels like a milkshake, but most of it will be stuck in the cup.

Yeah, but it's better than no theater at all. My governor's been more conservative than most. I'd be surprised if movie theaters reopen before next summer, let alone live theater. And they have to make money somehow, especially the little theaters, or they might not reopen at all.

 

[mouschievous]

They had the whole theater full? You're lucky if you're six inches away from your seat neighbor, let alone six feet.

She said it was about 70% full. It doesn't sound like they were leaving seats between parties or anything. That's one of my current strategies to try to persuade the powers that be that we can be open - set it up so we seat every other row, and leave 3 seats between parties. I don't think it's going to go over though.

In my best Jungle Cruise voice: "sounds like someone's in.... de-nile"

badumpshhhhh, tip your servers, i'm here all week!

Oof... streaming live theater performances is like drinking a milkshake through one of those cocktail stirring things. You'll get something that tastes/feels like a milkshake, but most of it will be stuck in the cup.

Yeah, but it's better than no theater at all. My governor's been more conservative than most. I'd be surprised if movie theaters reopen before next summer, let alone live theater. And they have to make money somehow, especially the little theaters, or they might not reopen at all.

Agree on both points (and I love the analogy, @mentos !)

 

[mouschievous]

Also, a friend just sent me this gem...

 

[theluckyrabbit]

... There are a number of musical films that I enjoy very much (Greatest Showman being the most recent...

Forgot to mention earlier, but did you know that this will be coming to Disney+ soon? (And, as a self respecting Hugh Jackman fan, you must see him in "Oklahoma!")

 

[mentos]

omg what have I just committed myself to

29 CDs?!?!?!


photo host site

 

[mouschievous]

omg what have I just committed myself to

29 CDs?!?!?!


photo host site

Resort back on if it's a decent audio book please! Maybe I'll try listening if it is.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

omg what have I just committed myself to

29 CDs?!?!?!


photo host site

At least you have plenty of healthy snacks to accompany your reading/listening. Did you also get some nice unhealthy snacks?

 

[theluckyrabbit]

So, who's going to be streaming Bernadette Peters today?

https://www.theatermania.com/new-yo...etter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=09jul2020
And, as some extra treats:

 

[mentos]

At least you have plenty of healthy snacks to accompany your reading/listening. Did you also get some nice unhealthy snacks?

I try to hide the unhealthy ones and keep the healthy ones out on the counter for me to see, haha... trying to trick my brain, but they know exactly where the Doritos are!

I brought disc one to work, i'll try to listen and do some work, we'll see how this goes.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Disney just released Lion King choreography and other activities:

http://link.disneyonbroadway.com/u/gm.php?prm=tanDd2uPX8_767568573_2063028_216191

 

[EmJ]

Disney just released Lion King choreography and other activities:

http://link.disneyonbroadway.com/u/gm.php?prm=tanDd2uPX8_767568573_2063028_216191

I love the Lion King!!! Top 5 again, lol.

Okay everyone, what are your Top 5 favorite musicals? Mine are, in rough order, (1) Ragtime; (2) Rent; (3) The Lion King; (4) Chicago Before They Changed It; and (5) The Book of Mormon. Nothing too out of the ordinary there, I think. Hamilton would probably bump either Chicago or BOM, but I have to see it live first.

 

[sophy1996]

I love the Lion King!!! Top 5 again, lol.

Okay everyone, what are your Top 5 favorite musicals? Mine are, in rough order, (1) Ragtime; (2) Rent; (3) The Lion King; (4) Chicago Before They Changed It; and (5) The Book of Mormon. Nothing too out of the ordinary there, I think. Hamilton would probably bump either Chicago or BOM, but I have to see it live first.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Return to the Forbidden Planet
Chess
Les Mis
1776