Month: July 2015

Bad Behavior by American Theatre Audiences is Nothing New US Theatregoers Cited as far Back as Late 18th to Mid-Nineteenth Century

by Paul Mroczka

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Hand to God recently had an incident with an audience member.

So many reviewers, columnists, and performers are bemoaning the recent bad behavior of Broadway audiences. It’s as if having people in the audience who distract other audience members, upstage the show, and act in ways that detract from the live stage performance are something new. These actions are not. Such behavior is actually normal in the American theatre. If, somehow, you manage to not have anyone act inappropriately, then … (read more)

Broadway Musical Hamilton – Not about the Future, about the Now in America Hamilton is Many Things and in Its Very Being, this Musical Says Everything about Who We Are Now

by Paul Mroczka

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hamilton543The new Lin-Manuel Miranda (In the Heights) musical Hamilton has garnered a lot of attention and praise. It almost immediately sold out its Off-Broadway run at the Public Theatre, was designated for transfer to Broadway just after it opened to five-star reviews, and now that it’s in previews on Broadway every celeb wants to be seen at what is considered to be a groundbreaking show.

Getting the obvious out of the way, this is a piece of musical … (read more)

Where Is Broadway Headed and Do We Need To Do Something About It? Art, Ticket Prices and the Next Generation

by Paul Mroczka

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BROADWAY 15Broadway is this amazing amalgam of shows, ticket prices, theatres, artists, producers, marketing and branding agents, and more. For the past 50 years or so there’s been a lot of concern as to where Broadway is going and what will happen to it. The fact is since the 1960s Broadway has fluctuated from periods of financial stability and growth to decline.

Whatever the case may be in the future, the fiscal, moral, artistic, and spiritual wellbeing of Broadway are all … (read more)