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.
