MSG

So the anticipation leading up to our run at Madison Square Garden was pretty intense. We endured meetings with the producer and general manager, discussions about what the unions were going to do to our non-union production, worries about what the New York critics would say, and just a bunch of chatter about "playing in New York" for the first time.

Now that we are a week into the run I can say that it has been rather a let down. All of the worries about the unions have so far been unfounded. Nobody has thrown rotten eggs at me or tried to picket our show. I have read 4 different reviews now, and they were much better than I expected. It seems like we are being treated more as if we were Dora the Explorer Live than a serious piece of musical theatre. The real let down turns out to be the actual "playing in New York" experience.

We might as well be playing in any city given the audience behaviour here. They talk during the entire show, sit and eat their popcorn, peanuts, crackerjack, and they come and go as they please. In fact the audience has been noticeably bigger at intermission of every show than it was at the beginning. Where are these people coming from? But worst of all is the picture taking. It never stops. I am not talking about covertly snapping a picture with no flash. This is picture taking that is brazen and obnoxious with the brightest flash possible and no regard for the performers whatsoever. In fact there have been people in the front row blinding the performers with their flashes. I actually watched an usher go to the front row to tell a patron not to take pictures, and by the time he go back to his position on the wall she was right back at it. I really wish they would start dragging people out by their camera straps!

I hope that there is no significance to the trash can's placement!

The box office has more of a yellow brick road than our stage does. Hmm?

For those who don't know, Madison Square Garden is actually two different venues. There is the arena which is where the Knicks and Rangers play. It is also where the circus performs, as we have learned. Yes they booked the Ringling Brothers in the arena during the same two weeks as our show, and they have been disappointed by ticket sales! Hmm I wonder why. I also no longer need to wonder what stale elephant vomit smells like. All I have to do is enter the backstage door to know! But I digress...

The other space is what is now called the WaMu Theater. It is a more conventional theater space that can handle theatrical shows better than the arena. Over the years the musical version of A Christmas Carol played here as well as a different production of The Wizard of Oz. You might notice in some of the advertisements above it says, "Back after ten years". That is a bit misleading since our production is completely different than their production. Oh well these audiences are probably glad to get pictures of a different show!