Disney’s High School Musical? Is that an artistic expression worthy to be at Neptune? Are the majority of your subcribers 13 year old girls? You continue to alienate the artistic community with this Disney cash cow. High School Musical is a movie, ice show (ice show being emphasized) and is being put on at high schools and living rooms all over America. Way to sell out. I thought more of Ron Ulrich and the staff at Neptune.
This article appears in Apr 3-9, 2008.
I would like to know what constitutes worthy ‘artistic expression’ ?? Something written by a local?? Something foreign or with nudity and cursing?? This attitude of ..if it’s “Disney” or “Hollywood” it’s crap, is so damn annoying. Maybe I shouldn’t even be commenting here, as I’ve never seen High School Musical, and although it’s really not something that would interest me, I can’t see how getting a younger generation interested in supporting local talent at Neptune can be a bad thing????? Just because it’s Disney, doesn’t mean it’s Shit!
It’s been very popular in many larger centers and I think Neptune is smart for bringing it to halifax. We often get criticized for not getting popular/big name entertainment here, and now when we do, we get criticized too. huh.
The thing is, there are good shows, good musicals, good writing, AND NOT. How we judge what is ‘good’ (more influential intellectually, emotionally, spiritually…) and what is not (fluffy, made-for-TV trends) comes not from common sense or thinking we know what we’re talking about, but training, experience, education. Would you try to tell someone what makes an excellent surgeon from a lousy one if you didn’t go to med school or see enough (I say enough, not some, enough) versatile surgeons, all kinds of them, giving you the capability to contrast and compare? If you say, go to theatre school, immerse yourself in the work of Tennessee Williams or Stephen Sondheim or Judith Thompson and have the language, the knowledge to back up your judgments and opinions besides getting defensive about Mickey Mouse or siding with what’s ‘popular,’ it is plain to see that this choice was not made with artistic merit in mind. Money, money, money! Yes, the big spring musicals are all about fun, about making the dough to support say, One-Light or Zuppa Circus put on shows at the Studio stage. This is a known fact. But at least the shows picked for the last few years have been written FOR THE STAGE. That is why local theatre actors, writers, etc. are getting upset. Our craft is being undermined for something made for the Family Channel! It is not fair, in any way, to give up the biggest stage we have to something not even intended for our medium.You give your kids sugar, as my acting teacher says; they’re going to want sugar. Sugar gives us cavities and makes us fat if we do not enjoy in small doses, as a treat. HSM is just an unnecessary piece of artificial, sugar-coated candy that is rotting the artistic teeth of this province.
Wow, what a smug bitch.So the only people who have the right to an opinion are those who studied theatre? What about the AUDIENCE? The people who actually PAY to see these productions? Yeah, who cares about them when here are NSCAD students to cater to…
wow, my point exactly qwerty! It’s people like meg here that were in my film school that thought everything that was “indie” was wonderful and anything mainstream or “popular” had no artistic expression and anyone who supported big budget was “selling out”!So, to meg… I’ve immersed myself into film (and I’ve done the WORK) and my opinion is this, I’ve been affected intellectually, emotionally, and spiritualy by both big budget AND independant film and theatre. You’re opinion stinks…it’s not always about money…Just a question for you…how do you feel about broadway??? Is there too much fluff there too? Do you not appreciate talent unless they’re not making much money doing it?
Shakespeare gave them the sugar back in his day, and now look at him. Pabst Blue Ribbon!
Fuck, I hate ‘art snobs’. You know what? I liked watching Gladiator AND The Seventh Seal. It is possible. There are differences between good and bad pop culture. Check it out. Pabst Blue Ribbon!
Lori and Qwert are right, you are smug, narrow minded and snobbish!!! You’re also painfully naive!!! I work in an architecture/engineering firm, and while we ocassionally get comissioned for that amazing once-in-a-lifetime, one-of-a-kind, dream-inspired building design, it’s not nearly often enough to keep the company afloat. These projects are NOT what provides the money that is required to keep the office running. We are sustained by the more boring mainstream projects like shopping malls and large-scale housing developments. Are you seeing the parallel here?The Neptune NEEDS these popular big money productions every so often to stay open!
“it is plain to see that this choice was not made with artistic merit in mind”I’m sure everyone involved in the production would appreciate that statement.
No shit, eh Beav?Seriously though, how many kids (or even adults) might get turned on to live theatre by being exposed to something a little more accessible? Think about it. Pabst Blue Ribbon!
PS Meg,You might also want to recognize that most of these people starring in the cheesy High School Musical likely have a very similar (or even better, perhaps) education to yours, Unfortunately there isn’t enough of a demand to employ them all in reproductions of various works by Judith Thompson or Tennesse Williams! I wonder if you, likely a struggling (since you live in Halifax, not exactly a city world-famous for it’s stage productions!) performer, would turn down a lucrative offer to get your face/talent recognized by starring in a mainstream production such as HSM for the sake of your art.
Good point, NMH. It’s easy enough to be a non-conformist when nobody’s dangling dollars in front of you, isn’t it?
I was not undermining audience members or theatre-lovers/theatre-goers. I was also not saying that this production or other bigger productions cannot move us. HSM will probably touch many people’s hearts. There was a previous attack about why people (actors, writers, theatre-lovers, etc.) were getting upset about the CHOICE of doing this show, and the fact it was not written for the stage was my argument. I love indie productions, I love Shakespeare, I love EVITA, I love theatre! I am not saying the people who will be involved in it are going to suck. I look up to a lot of the actors I see on that stage and hell if Ron Ulrich gave me a part I PROBABLY would take it. NMH you said “The Neptune NEEDS these popular big money productions every so often to stay open!” and this I know. But seriously, it is a theatre, lets stick to things that are meant for that.
I do not think all of you should be making personal attacks at Meg.She was stating her opinion and it is a good one and makes a very valid point. Majority of Theatre goers are not children, they are adults and I do not think many adults on a friday or saturday night will be thinking “Hey, lets go see highscool musical at Neptune”. I am not a theatre student, but a theatre goer and personally compared to the musicals they have had in the past HSM doesn’t even compare and for those of you bitching at Meg should know this. Yeah it is great for the children? But what about the adults? They are the one’s who bring the money in for the theatre. I think it is very immature that you are all making attacks at Meg’s persona over the internet. Clearly she is stating her opinion about the choice of production, not the people involved in the production. Open your fucking eyes.
join the club on personal attacks, that is what they do best here for people they don’t want on their territory
I have a question: how many of you actually attend theatre at Neptune on a regular basis? I don’t mean that as a judgement, I’m just curious. I’m a theatre maker and student in Toronto originally from Halifax, and having gone to see shows at regional theatres in Canada for over ten years, you soon see that the Subscription mainstream audiences are all the same across the country- the audience is made up of predominantly older folks, parents with school-age children- depending on the show- and theatre snobs and “geeks” like Meg. Everyone else is home watching American Idol. In this way, Neptune does need to know its audience. And alienating the theatre snobs and geeks is not a smart move to make. They may not make up a large percentage of the population of the city- but for theatre they are *it*.You can predict that new, *mainstream* people will venture into the audience if you do shows like “High School Musical” but, to be honest- most people won’t pay $65.00 to see the Halifax Neptune version when they can watch the DVD they already own for free.It’s also interesting to note that Neptune’s Artistic Director, Ron Ulrich is stepping down in August. The theatre community has had some concerns with the direction he’s taken the company recently and it looks as though those in charge of the money and the buisiness with Neptune the Company have made their choice as well.Neptune is beginning a new chapter in its history.The theatre community in Halifax is small. The theatre community in Canada is small. Whether you’ve seen Meg onstage or not- and how do you know you haven’t- she no doubt CAN speak about the opinions of other artists in the city- as they are most likely her friends and her peers.
I can’t speak for everyone who responded to Meg’s comment, but what got my “panties in a bunch” (Gingerism) was her smug, condescending attitude, and this blatant charge that only ye who is versed in the study of theatre (pronounced thee ATE er, of course) should dare post an opinion about it:The thing is, there are good shows, good musicals, good writing, AND NOT. How we judge what is ‘good’ and what is not comes not from common sense or thinking we know what we’re talking about, but training, experience, education. go to theatre school, immerse yourself in the work of Tennessee Williams or Stephen Sondheim or Judith Thompson and have the language, the knowledge to back up your judgments
Wow. I have never, ever pronounced theatre thee-ate-er seriously in my life, first of all.Second of all, I did not tell anyone to go to theatre school, you mis-copied my words. I consider immersing and education of theatre to include going to a show. My point I suppose was not clear – I meant going to see lots of different works of theatre besides Neptune. There is so much more to see in this city than those shows, and very few people get up to the TNS Space or get out to the former Mollyz Dinner to see local companies put on awesome shows.I think passion is being confused for smugness in this case, but I didn’t log on to thecoast.ca to defend myself as a human being.
Yes I edited for space and clarity – that was one helluva run-on sentence you had going there. I meant so say so before I submitted – my bad.It was a very condescending post. I don’t know how you can not see that.
Although I can see both sides of the argument regarding the OP, I have to agree that showing HSM at Neptune is not a bad idea. I attend a few Neptune productions a year and have seen my share of “fluff” and “artistic brilliance” on the Fountain Hall stage. I don’t think bringing HSM to Halifax is a bad idea at all. to paraphrase Meg, “You give kids sugar, they’re going to want sugar” yes that’s true- but everything in moderation, right? Not every show at Neptune is popular culture “fluff”, so what’s wrong with bringing a fun, bright, popular show to the stage? The truth is that it probably WILL foster a love of arts in the kids, as they will associate seeing the show with going to Neptune and view the theatre as a positive, fun experience, meaning they’ll probably want to go again, and again. Don’t you think that means parents can gradually introduce shows with more depth and intelligence as the child grows? Start small and work up. Neptune always tries to put on at least one family-friendly show a year and it can’t always be Cats. If you want to see more artisitic productions on the stage, be sure to attend the Studio Series shows. They’re fabulous and never “mainstream fluff”.
I have to agree with the not renewing my neptune subscrption. When I found out that Neptune was doing High school musical next year I was extremely dissapointed. I love musical theatre and I think of many other plays that would be sold out in Neptune put them on: Wicked, Rent, Sweeney Todd, Spring Awakening, Mamma Mia, Hairspray, Cabaret, Gypsy, Spamalot, Annie and so many more. The only decent musical made out of a disney move in my opinon is the Lion King, which was breath taking. I’m really looking forward to seeing the Producers. Theres an ice show for high school musical bring that to Halifax, and Neptune should stick to to doing real musical theatre!!!
I think it would be wonderful if Halifax could get some of the touring shows into the Metro Centre. That’s the way things work in the larger cities usually as well, the regional theatre is typically used to showcase local talent in shows that walk the balance between being artistically fufilling and profitable financially and then twice a year or so the touring company of High School Musical or Cats comes in with its American cast and performs for a few weeks. Then everyone wins.
I find it ironic how people who claim to have such passion for the local arts scene, search so hard to find faults with it. I have a few points:a) High School Musical will employ a cast of around 35 people for a period of 3 maybe 4 months. Sure, some will argue that 40 percent of that cast will be from out-of-town, but the other 60 percent will be local. And any production that employs 15-20 local actors is going to be giving work to more Nova Scotian artists than any other fucking theatre in Halifax next year.b) High School Musical will attract a lot of people and make a lot of money. And that money will be used to stage the other plays that will be presented at Neptune next year. Plays that couldn’t be produced locally otherwise. Oh and by the way those plays will also employ, dozens of local actors, designers, etc… c) Last time I checked Neptune was a not-for-profit theatre. All its earnings go directly back into the local theatre community. Are people on this blog actually suggesting that Neptune purposely not try and generate revenue that supports local artists? d) I have an 11-year-old daughter. She really wants to see High School Musical, it will make her happy. Is that a bad thing? I can’t imagine why it would be…So if you are upset about High School musical, I don’t suggest you cancel your Neptune subscription. I suggest you just skip the play. Why? Because if you are really concerned about the arts in Halifax, you’ll realize that a Neptune season is about presenting 9 unique plays (year after year), not just one musical. And a lot of people depend on those plays!