Death and Musical Theatre....
I've seen this show so many times... Worked on it on other theatres ( and on the road for a short bit... ) and now I'm helping tech a local production. I know that I have swing with the L.D. A wonderful woman who I've worked with for years and I kind of think of her as a favorite, chosen mother. But, the director and Choreographer... I don't know or work with them closely enough to say " hey, I think...I think you might look at this..."
Les Miserables is all about life, love and death..cruelty, usury.... Goodness and salvation. (The musicals emotional trussing, are human strengths and weaknesses' ) Minor characters life's and deaths are hinge points to the production. They lead the audience to the emotional end. And to make it work they have to invest in the characters. But, if they're deaths are flittered away, not seen as important or poignant. Then it's a gag. And an audience will laugh at a gag. Especially if it seems cheap.
And I'm seeing every time the show runs in previews 2 moments where there hasn't been that investment. And, I know the audience sees it too... Because they laugh... where they shouldn't be laughing. And it's wrecking it for me.
But, I'm a stagehand... I just work...collect a paycheck. move on.
I've seen this show so many times... Worked on it on other theatres ( and on the road for a short bit... ) and now I'm helping tech a local production. I know that I have swing with the L.D. A wonderful woman who I've worked with for years and I kind of think of her as a favorite, chosen mother. But, the director and Choreographer... I don't know or work with them closely enough to say " hey, I think...I think you might look at this..."
Les Miserables is all about life, love and death..cruelty, usury.... Goodness and salvation. (The musicals emotional trussing, are human strengths and weaknesses' ) Minor characters life's and deaths are hinge points to the production. They lead the audience to the emotional end. And to make it work they have to invest in the characters. But, if they're deaths are flittered away, not seen as important or poignant. Then it's a gag. And an audience will laugh at a gag. Especially if it seems cheap.
And I'm seeing every time the show runs in previews 2 moments where there hasn't been that investment. And, I know the audience sees it too... Because they laugh... where they shouldn't be laughing. And it's wrecking it for me.
But, I'm a stagehand... I just work...collect a paycheck. move on.
_risforrad:
That sucks to see a show you love get handled in a way you disagree with. I know where you're coming from feeling like you shouldn't say anything - that's got to feel frustrating!