Theatre is a growing interest to the American public. In the past few year, movie-musicals, or rather, movie's based directly off a Broadway show, are becoming increasingly popular.
Shows that have become motion pictures vary from The Phantom of the Opera to Rent to The Producers. While it is debatable how well these shows communicate through film, people can agree that theatre is becoming more and more commercialized.
Big, elaborate musicals seem to be the only money makers. When walking down Times Square, the advertisements for shows are the norms: The Phantom of the Opera, Beauty and the Beast, Movin' Out, etc. Along with this, there is usually an advertisement for a celebrity (from film or TV) who is currently staring in a Broadway production.
I'm sure this technique applies to the tourists who have no knowledge of theatre. It may be the star that attracts them to the show, but then more tickets are sold and more money is made, so who is going to complain?
If you are the type of person that pays attention to the media, you would probably notice America's obsession with over manufacturing anything that will sell. For a while in the 1990s, it was boy bands.
There was one group that started doing very well, and then all the producers started making and then looking for the formula. The music and lyrics were not written by the band, and none of the instruments were played by them. It isn't too artistic, is it? Then it was reality TV shows.
One works, then it seems like thousands are made. In
Hollywood, it almost seems to be impossible to make a movie, without a sequel.
I mean, any motive made that does moderately well at the box-office, gets a sequel. Why not let a good thing go? Now in theatre it is big musicals based on a music artist or group, (usually with all their songs used in the show). Corporate America seems to be taking over everything.
Theatre is the artist's way to express them-selves, performing in shows that question, that answer, that illustrate real life. The independence of theatre is being taken over because it is making more and more money.
Where will the creativity go, when the focus will no longer be on creativity, but on money? It started with Mama Mia (using ABBA songs), then there was Movin' Out (Billy Joel), now there are shows about Elvis, Johnny Cash, and a show called Jersey Boys. However, I am not saying these aren't good (from the ones I've seen, they were very good), and the performers are very talented and creative.
But, from looking at history, Broadway could fall into the same trap as the rest of the media world. Patrons of theatre must make sure that theatre stays independent from the rest of the media world. Keep the theatre as a place for freedom for artistic expression, as a place for originality and creativeness, keep the arts alive.
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For free tips and information from professional actors and acting students visit Brittney at: http://www.acting-1.com Dare To Dream!
Written by: Brittney Dunn
