This week, I’ll briefly touch on musical theatre and discuss my “obsession,” as one person termed it, with the Broadway musical “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson.” The show, written and directed by Alex Timbers with music and lyrics by Michael Friedman, takes a comedic and anachronistic look at our seventh president. Benjamin Walker, an up-and-coming young star, bravely slips into the tightest pants on Broadway to portray “Old Hickory.”
Off-Broadway and the Broadway Reaction
The show originally appeared Off-Broadway at The Public Theatre and was critically acclaimed. Most of the cast stayed with the show when it moved to Broadway and the Off-B’way cast recording is available from Sh-K-Boom & Ghostlight Records. I strongly recommend checking out the cast list and making a note of the actors' names. The cast is filled with young talent and I believe many (if not all) of them will be big stars in the coming years.
Sadly, the B’way audiences haven’t embraced BBAJ the way it deserves and the show will be closing on January 2, 2011. So, why am I writing about it? I firmly believe this show is one of the best musicals I’ve ever seen. Timbers and Friedman have crafted a show reminiscent of Warner Brothers “Looney Tunes,” with multiple levels of comedy but also some serious, thought-provoking questions, dialogue and song lyrics.
Changing My Mind
I’ll admit to not loving the show when I first saw it. Our first encounter with BBAJ was at The Public during its Off-B’way run. I was somewhat taken aback by the language, the anachronistic touches and the irreverent humor. I enjoyed some material but was offended and confused by other parts of the show. And, I'm quite certain that is the reaction the creators were seeking when they wrote the show.
When the show moved to B’way, Jen said she’d like to see it again, since we hadn’t seen a show move to B’way before. I agreed, thinking a comparison of the two performances could be interesting. Plus, the Off-B’way audience clearly loved the show and many, including the people sitting behind us, had seen the show multiple times. At least, that’s what we concluded since they were singing throughout the Off-B’way performance.
Seeing the show a second time was truly the right decision. It allowed us to catch some of the humor and social commentary we missed the first time. And, I learned just how important the audience is when seeing live theatre. The B’way audience, at a preview, matinee performance, had no energy. They didn’t laugh, rarely applauded and genuinely seemed confused by the show. The cast, who runs around the stage singing and dancing with no intermission for 90 minutes, poured their hearts and souls into their roles. Yet, the audience gave them no reward. But, despite the pathetic audience, Jen and I fell in love with the show. So, we determined to see it again, with a better audience.
The Best Performance Yet
We succeeded, beyond expectations, for her birthday in late October. The cast that night gave a great performance and the audience rewarded it with laughter and applause. We even had a chance to chat, briefly, with one of the cast members as he collected funds for a Broadway charity. Her birthday celebration was given top-notch treatment, thanks to the incredible cast and audience that evening.
Again, why am I going into all this? First, I want this post to stand as a testament to the brilliance of the cast and creators of BBAJ. Once upon a time, a group of talented young actors created an amazing show but, because their show demanded that people think, it closed far too early. Truly, it is an amazing show, filled with humor. But it is also one that also demands the audience do some thinking about often unpleasant topics like war, politics and America’s treatment of Native Americans.
Why Live Theatre?
And, I want to underscore the power of live theatre. I’ve been thinking about that difference quite a lot recently. I’m thoroughly disgusted that a show like BBAJ is closing after only a few months while other shows, based on Hollywood-style blockbusters, get all the press and box office sales. Live theatre is not the same as seeing a movie. When I attend a summer blockbuster, I’m looking for lots of thrills, action and great special effects. But, I have different expectations for the theatre. There, I want to see characters come to life despite the limitations of the stage. I don’t have much patience with the recent Broadway trend of bringing movies to life on the stage, currently crowned by the show “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.”
Perhaps I’m too conservative in my tastes. Or, maybe I’m a snob, as some have stated. But, I think audiences no longer understand the difference between film and theatre. And, their lack of understanding has prompted producers to fund shows that shouldn’t be on the stage. And, it has killed those works that naturally fit in a theatre.
What is Acting?
The theatre is not the same medium of delivery as film. Actors who succeed in the one may not in the other. And, audiences need some sophistication so they understand the limitations and purpose of each. I’m not saying that theatre is better than film because that isn’t necessarily true. Theatre is better suited to telling certain types of stories than film is. Conversely, film is a better medium for other material. I love watching movies. And, I love attending theatre. I just wish producers in each medium had a better grasp of what their medium does well and would stop pandering to the least sophisticated members of the American public.
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