Really long essay about the state of theatre in toronto
I was sitting in a rehearsal hall a little over a month ago listening to introductions. The usual "my name is so-and-so, I will be playing tree number 3, and this is why I am here." It was interesting to listen to my friends say, one after the other, that they were all the way in Oakville because there was no theatre in Toronto. Statements in this past week's little transit newspapers have echoed these thoughts, they haven't however dug further into the state of the theatre to discover why exactly this is.
Sophie Nicholls, a writer for 24 Hours, focused in on the Blue Man Group's recent announcement of a final show date. They cited poor ticket sales as a reason for closing the show that has run since last year and moving on. The city is left wondering why we can't "hold down big broadway productions." People are quick to blame SARS, the dollar not being in our favour anymore, and even poor promotional practices for the lack of ability that Lord of the Rings (which closed after 6 months) and Blue Man have had to draw in crowds like Lion King, Mama Mia, and Phantom did in the past.
One thing that I was surprized that Nicholls failed to mention was the reception that Blue Man was met with in T.O. They were not greeted with open arms but rather with boycotts and picket lines. The Actor's Equity union slammed a boycott on them for the hiring of non union workers from outside of the Toronto area. Their website (found at www.caea.com) updates the boycott information regularly. They have been successfull with many important and influential people. "Richard Ouzounian, Toronto Star theatre critic, cites the Blue Man Group as #2 on his 2005 "Ten things we'd rather forget" list.
"This worldwide success story blotted its Toronto copybook by an ugly confrontation with our city's performing-arts organizations over hiring non-union members to staff their show. What should have been a slam-dunk smash became better known as a contentious labour flashpoint. Everyone wound up singing the blues."
Toronto Star, December 26, 2005" (from actor's equity website). They also got hotels such as the Delta Chelsea, who are well known for directing tourists to theatres, to remove all promotional materials from lobbys and guestrooms. The boycott continues at www.bluemanboycott.com . Blue Man might have wanted to pass them off as angry, bitter out of work actors who had nothing better to do but complain that they couldn't get hired....but just maybe they did have something to do with the low ticket sales. After all I didn't even know that Blue man was still running. I thought it had closed ages ago.
The Mirvish production team, who put up Lord of the Rings, tried a little harder to please but has also failed. Tickets for LOTR were sold out for its first month of performances but it was already being lovingly refered to as "Lord of the Flops." It would seem that in their enthusiasm to create a specticle the production team forgot that they have to have a strong plot and story. In their desire to build the show quickly they put out open calls for performers, no union contract needed here folks they will buy your points for you. Many tallented young kids came out, got cast with very little to no experience, and now wander the streets with Union status but only one credit on a resume. Word spread quickly that the show was interesting to see for the technical aspect but not worth it from the point of plot and performance. Now there are many young actors left to look for work...but they won't find it in Toronto. Many expected LOTR to draw in tourism. However one of the reasons shows like Lion King and Phantom were such a big draw was that they were strong productions with amazing reviews before they hit the Toronto stage. Can't get tickets in New York? Maybe Toronto would have some. There was no draw for a show that was getting bad reviews...who wants to travel up there when you can go to NYC and see something that won a Tony.
Mirvish keeps us happy with touring productions that are selling well but unfortunatly all of the touring productions lend little to the city (they cast in New York and tour) and are gone in a month. The tourism draw is lacking because people can see these shows anywhere they want. New York, Vegas, or heck just wait till it comes to your town in another 3 months. We desperatly need a residential show, for our actors and for our tourism. My suggestion would be for someone to back a production of The Drowsey Chaperone, a musical sweeping broadway conceived by (gasp) Canadians! They need to find a newer show that already has it's feet wet that they can draw people back in with again or put a new twisit on an old favourite. Broadway has seen many a revival run very successfully with the right direction (unless of course we are talking about an un-jewish production of Fidler).
The theatre in Toronto needs to find a rebirth after this past season has left so many theatres dark. Walking down King street and seeing the Princess of Whales without a banner on it's huge marquis is enough to give an actress chills. More and more performers are leaving due to the lack of residential shows and so more and more theatres are becoming empty and unused. As a grade 8 child I remember walking into the lobby of the Delta Chelsea hotel and losing count of the number of productions displayed and advertised on the hotel chalkboard. Today I would hate to see all the theatres with no production next to their name. We need to lend stronger support to the artists who make their home in Toronto or the theatre will never thrive again.
Sophie Nicholls, a writer for 24 Hours, focused in on the Blue Man Group's recent announcement of a final show date. They cited poor ticket sales as a reason for closing the show that has run since last year and moving on. The city is left wondering why we can't "hold down big broadway productions." People are quick to blame SARS, the dollar not being in our favour anymore, and even poor promotional practices for the lack of ability that Lord of the Rings (which closed after 6 months) and Blue Man have had to draw in crowds like Lion King, Mama Mia, and Phantom did in the past.
One thing that I was surprized that Nicholls failed to mention was the reception that Blue Man was met with in T.O. They were not greeted with open arms but rather with boycotts and picket lines. The Actor's Equity union slammed a boycott on them for the hiring of non union workers from outside of the Toronto area. Their website (found at www.caea.com) updates the boycott information regularly. They have been successfull with many important and influential people. "Richard Ouzounian, Toronto Star theatre critic, cites the Blue Man Group as #2 on his 2005 "Ten things we'd rather forget" list.
"This worldwide success story blotted its Toronto copybook by an ugly confrontation with our city's performing-arts organizations over hiring non-union members to staff their show. What should have been a slam-dunk smash became better known as a contentious labour flashpoint. Everyone wound up singing the blues."
Toronto Star, December 26, 2005" (from actor's equity website). They also got hotels such as the Delta Chelsea, who are well known for directing tourists to theatres, to remove all promotional materials from lobbys and guestrooms. The boycott continues at www.bluemanboycott.com . Blue Man might have wanted to pass them off as angry, bitter out of work actors who had nothing better to do but complain that they couldn't get hired....but just maybe they did have something to do with the low ticket sales. After all I didn't even know that Blue man was still running. I thought it had closed ages ago.
The Mirvish production team, who put up Lord of the Rings, tried a little harder to please but has also failed. Tickets for LOTR were sold out for its first month of performances but it was already being lovingly refered to as "Lord of the Flops." It would seem that in their enthusiasm to create a specticle the production team forgot that they have to have a strong plot and story. In their desire to build the show quickly they put out open calls for performers, no union contract needed here folks they will buy your points for you. Many tallented young kids came out, got cast with very little to no experience, and now wander the streets with Union status but only one credit on a resume. Word spread quickly that the show was interesting to see for the technical aspect but not worth it from the point of plot and performance. Now there are many young actors left to look for work...but they won't find it in Toronto. Many expected LOTR to draw in tourism. However one of the reasons shows like Lion King and Phantom were such a big draw was that they were strong productions with amazing reviews before they hit the Toronto stage. Can't get tickets in New York? Maybe Toronto would have some. There was no draw for a show that was getting bad reviews...who wants to travel up there when you can go to NYC and see something that won a Tony.
Mirvish keeps us happy with touring productions that are selling well but unfortunatly all of the touring productions lend little to the city (they cast in New York and tour) and are gone in a month. The tourism draw is lacking because people can see these shows anywhere they want. New York, Vegas, or heck just wait till it comes to your town in another 3 months. We desperatly need a residential show, for our actors and for our tourism. My suggestion would be for someone to back a production of The Drowsey Chaperone, a musical sweeping broadway conceived by (gasp) Canadians! They need to find a newer show that already has it's feet wet that they can draw people back in with again or put a new twisit on an old favourite. Broadway has seen many a revival run very successfully with the right direction (unless of course we are talking about an un-jewish production of Fidler).
The theatre in Toronto needs to find a rebirth after this past season has left so many theatres dark. Walking down King street and seeing the Princess of Whales without a banner on it's huge marquis is enough to give an actress chills. More and more performers are leaving due to the lack of residential shows and so more and more theatres are becoming empty and unused. As a grade 8 child I remember walking into the lobby of the Delta Chelsea hotel and losing count of the number of productions displayed and advertised on the hotel chalkboard. Today I would hate to see all the theatres with no production next to their name. We need to lend stronger support to the artists who make their home in Toronto or the theatre will never thrive again.