As the era of the mega-musicals on Broadway wanes, theatres around the country that count on the shows to fill their seasons face difficult times. He bemoans the fact that Americans are drawn to productions whose values are based less on the words and the music than the length of the spectacle and the number of scenery changes. He is most frightened by the lack of serious plays on Broadway. In his opinion, audiences in London have broader tastes, attend more regularly and treat the theatre as enjoyment rather than a chore. The British hunger for challenging productions has helped to provide opportunities for new talent, from the West End to the fringe.
People come first.
New Chicago series mounts old Broadway musicals that haven't been produced in years. The classic shows are resurrected and produced in concert version. A new book finds British theater critics in a state of disarray. Some blame editors for making their jobs harder. Others report a dichotomy between older and younger critics.