October 2007
Review: SHOW BUSINESS -THE ROAD
TO BROADWAY
SHOW
BUSINESS: THE ROAD TO BROADWAY
A Film by Dori Berinstein
Aficionados
of the modern Broadway musical should run, not walk to their nearest DVD dealer
and get this release on October 16th, 2007. This fascinating look at four
musicals running neck and neck in the 2003/2004 Broadway season is an edge of
the seat documentary, even for those of us who know the ultimate outcome of
these shows in advance. Seeing it told from an insider's perspective, the
general public can see how truly miraculous it is for any show to succeed in our
current Broadway financial and critical environment.
Using a
traditional "talking heads" format, director Dori Berinstein has carefully
edited the film to never lag or lose pace, keeping the viewer interested until
the final credits are done. Unlike some other documentaries of a similar nature,
the director lets the interviewees speak for themselves, letting their opinions
and quotes stand up for inspection without an editorial overview. But five
minutes into the film, you know you're in the hands of a gifted filmmaker who
truly loves their subject matter.
The four
musicals in the spotlight are AVENUE Q, CAROLINE OR CHANGE, TABOO and WICKED,
two of which are still running, despite prognostications from the featured
critics, and two of which are no more. Four more varied shows would be hard to
find, with a Sesame Street inspired adult puppet musical up against a searing
musical drama about justice, race & prejudice , versus the prequel to the Wizard
of Oz next to the semi-autobiographical story of Boy George in the 80's London
Club scene.
The DVD
intercuts with various stages of each show, from workshops and rehearsals on
through to opening night and awards ceremonies, all with incisive interviews and
a wide range of opinions, something everybody in and around the theater always
seems to have. Opinions are gathered from both near and far, from those
intimately involved with the show and those far removed who are perhaps hoping
for its failure. From the composers working at their various pianos to the
actual rehearsals and performance footage, this DVD gives a bountiful overview
of the process of taking an idea and finding a way to get it up on the Broadway
stage. The route is not always a direct one, and the film shows the sometimes
circuitous route many shows have to take to make it to the Great White Way.
Encircling this look at this quartet of new musicals is a much larger overview
of Broadway itself, with lots of geographic footage as well as fleeting glimpses
of other productions of the season, plus a sad montage of shows from the season
that had incredibly brief runs like PRYMATE and THE OLDEST LIVING CONFEDERATE
WIDOW TELLS ALL.
Another
ongoing narrative in the film is a series of roundtable dinner discussions among
several New York critics, including Michael Riedel, Linda Winer and others, in
which they predict what they think will succeed or fail, both critically and
commercially, often before they ever see it on stage. They are indeed a catty
group, with a tendency to dismiss a property as unnecessary or unimportant,
sometimes months before the opening. In retrospect it's interesting to see just
how off their predictions can be, and also how varied their personal opinions of
the performers and creative artists involved can be, often merely based on past
shows or their own bias.
Throughout
the film the director keeps the pace moving, wisely underscoring the action with
both traditional and offbeat versions of familiar Broadway tunes that add to the
emotion. A simple ritual like the presentation of the Gypsy Robe at each of the
four shows becomes a celebration with the addition of "Tradition" from FIDDLER
ON THE ROOF as a joyous underscore. These moments exemplify the fine
directorial skill at hand here, moving this at a brisk pace while lovingly
celebrating a topic that might not be the average Joe's cup of tea.
And of
course, there are lots of great moments from the spotlighted shows themselves,
allowing intimate views of performers in rehearsal and in performance. One sees
in the film just how tight knit the Broadway community can be, and it's rather
sweet to see how starstruck they get when AVENUE Q writers Jeff Marx & Robert
Lopez stop by the TABOO stage door and randomly encounter a fully costumed Boy
George sneaking out for a smoke!
The film
abounds with these kinds of moments, and New Yorkers (or frequent visitors to
the City) will recognize the many locations used for filming, including places
like the Edison Cafe, 890 Broadway and the softball fields at Central Park and
events like "Broadway on Broadway" or the Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall.
As
documentaries on theater go, this is by far one of the best, and the director's
unlimited access to the various aspects of the process sheds new light on the
topic, often warts and all. The rift between producer Rosie O'Donnell and
writer/star Boy George in TABOO is now legendary, and the documentary does not
shy away from various opinions on this and many other meaty matters. The
reactions of the casts to their reviews, both good and bad, is also shown in a
realistic light, evoking both laughter and sadness, depending on the show.
A cavalcade
of Broadway stars are featured in the film, revealing glimpses of their personal
lives that one seldom sees. Some moments with the stars are lighthearted while
others, particularly for Tonya Pinkins (CAROLINE OR CHANGE) and Euan Morton
(TABOO) are poignant and sometimes heartbreaking. Additionally, actors like
Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth are featured, with the rise of WICKED as a
theatrical juggernaut a central piece of the story, despite naysaying from the
critics and all around predictions of failure.
All in all,
it's a dazzling, dizzying and scary look at something many of hold near and
dear, the Broadway musical. With show budgets in the tens of millions and
tickets in the hundreds of dollars range, it's a wonder any show ever gets puts
on.
How lucky we
are that this idea came to fruition and this look at the season 2003-2004 is now
preserved for posterity.
Bravo!
