Show Business - The Road To Broadway (Amazon Prime)

[BurlyBeaR]

Found this lurking in the nether regions of Prime Video. Documentary film following four musicals opening on Broadway in 2003.

Wicked, Taboo, Caroline, or Change and Avenue Q. Very showbizzy, lots of familiar faces and names from the original cast and creatives.

[alece10]

Thanks for that. I remember watching it a few years ago, must have been on terrestrial TV at some point as I am fairly new to Amazon but worth another watch as its quite facinating.

[kathryn]

Watching it now. Funny to see those critics panning Wicked and wondering who the audience is for Avenue Q!

[kathryn]

Wow, I’d completely forgotten what the outcome of the Tonys actually was. Actually cheered when Avenue Q won.

It’s completely hilarious how wrong the press critics are throughout - and how much they lament Taboo closing after sticking the knife into it. I wonder what happened to Euan Morton?

I think I must be suffering theatre withdrawal here...

[BurlyBeaR]

Rosie O’Donnell certainly had her fingers burned with Taboo didn’t she? $10m down the pan and it sounds from the brief references made that the whole thing was a nightmare. 

The various critics sitting round the dinner table drinking wine and bitching about shows “but who is the audience for Avenue Q?” “Who is the audience for Taboo?” when what they were really saying was “I’M not the audience for Taboo”. I wonder if that lack of imagination amongst critics still plagues the industry 17 years later. 

[firefingers]

Have it on DVD, cracking year to do it. Although I think the right show won Best New Musical, I will always be amazed Avenue Q got Best Score over Wicked.

[kathryn]

Jan 3, 2021 10:21:27 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

Rosie O’Donnell certainly had her fingers burned with Taboo didn’t she? $10m down the pan and it sounds from the brief references made that the whole thing was a nightmare. 

The various critics sitting round the dinner table drinking wine and bitching about shows “but who is the audience for Avenue Q?” “Who is the audience for Taboo?” when what they were really saying was “I’M not the audience for Taboo”. I wonder if that lack of imagination amongst critics still plagues the industry 17 years later. 

They really have a very limited view of the Broadway ‘audience’, don’t they?! They’re picturing middle-aged white people, and can’t conceive of the teenage girls who love Wicked or the Twenty-somethings who love Avenue Q actually going to a Broadway Show. Which is bizarre, since those demographics typically get expensive stuff bought for them twice a year (birthdays and Christmas) by their middle-aged parents.

[partytentdown]

Taboo on Broadway was a hot mess from start to finish. A prime example of leaving a small/intimate show as it is and not trying to scale up.

If you liked this doc you might like the much earlier book 'The Season' which follows all the shows opening in the 1967-68 Broadway season, from concepts to out of town tryouts, opening and closing nights and the awards.

[Steffi]

Jan 2, 2021 21:48:41 GMT kathryn said:

I wonder what happened to Euan Morton.

He was King George in Hamilton up until Broadway closed in March.
His son is Ian Armitage who plays Young Sheldon in the Big Bang Theory spin off.

[Deleted]

Jan 3, 2021 13:49:50 GMT partytentdown said:

Taboo on Broadway was a hot mess from start to finish. A prime example of leaving a small/intimate show as it is and not trying to scale up.

I much prefer the Broadway version of Taboo, i think it's a better streamlined story, getting rid of Billy's parents and Petal, and the cast recording is the one i listen to. Taboo has one one of the best original scores in years.

I'd love to see George write another musical.

[MrBraithwaite]

I love how Michael Riedel is basically wrong with his predictions on every front - and it is on tape forever to prove it.

[partytentdown]

If I remember there was a real Riedel backlash after this doc first came out (not that he was ever particularly loved by the Broadway community).