You are so wrong toronto- Page 2

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 2:32pm

^ Los Angeles and Chicago think your post is hilarious.

[NewSynchopation]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 3:54pm

^Let's not forget San Francisco

[adam.peterson44]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 4:06pm

It is unclear whether the original poster read the threads from the Toronto Aladdin run, but i'm inclined to doubt it, since that thread had plenty of posters (myself included) talking about how much we loved it. But there isn't any show that has unanimous opinions - it might be more helpful to try to find posters who like the same shows that you do and then see which new shows they like. Going by the opinion of random strangers on a show that has more than one opinion expressed seems pointless. I never read the show threads on this board until after I have seen the show for myself and formed my own opinion.

As for Toronto's reception of Aladdin - it sold out a two-month run in a >2000 seat theatre with no discounts or rush. (Our theatres in Toronto have 're' at the end of them.) It received thunderous applause, cheering, and standing ovations, as reported on here by people who attended. Not sure what else you could have wanted as far as reception goes. They couldn't extend the run there because of the date with Broadway that was already lined up.

Updated On: 3/25/14 at 04:06 PM

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 4:24pm

So, bottom line: ALADDIN is goodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgood. Disney is still G-D and Toronto is STUPID.

[Brian07663NJ]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 4:29pm

One person's treasure is another person's crap.

Some people love (fill in the name of show) - others hate (fill in the name of show).
What's the surprise?

[Demitri2]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 5:06pm

And let's not forget Seattle was the first home of pre-Broadway runs of SHREK, YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, THE WEDDING SINGER, JEKYLL AND HYDE, HAIRSPRAY and even the notorious SAVING AIMEE (a.k.a. SCANDALOUS). The last show I saw there was ALADDIN (before it was remounted in Toronto) which by the way the audience loved.

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 5:17pm

"But there isn't any show that has unanimous opinions - it might be more helpful to try to find posters who like the same shows that you do and then see which new shows they like."

While your comment makes sense, I personally try to find the poster who has posted his or her opinion the most times across the most threads and follow them. If someone is willing to post 35 times across 4 different threads over and over that they didn't like a show, then that show must really stink.

As far as Toronto is concerned, they have the Hockey Hall of Fame so they will always be at least a little cool, but making me feed the parking meter continuously ON A SUNDAY while visiting said Hall of Fame was not appreciated. So I honor Toronto for its Hockey Hall of Fameness but not for the policies of the Toronto Parking Authority. There, I said it.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 5:25pm

"If someone is willing to post 35 times across 4 different threads over and over that they didn't like a show, then that show must really stink."

Unless you have found yourself regularly agreeing with that poster in the past that is not always a good plan to follow. There are some people who vehemently despise certain composers or directors or actors and will loudly and repeatedly assert their opinion that said composer/director/actor is the absolute worst and is destroying American musical theatre and nothing they do has any value.

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 5:29pm

"There are some people who vehemently despise certain composers or directors or actors and will loudly and repeatedly assert their opinion that said composer/director/actor is the absolute worst and is destroying American musical theatre and nothing they do has any value."

On this board? I find that hard to believe. But I'll take your feedback to heart and perhaps reconsider my approach.

[ARTc3]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 5:35pm

FishermanBob and NewSyncopation, Toronto is the third largest market for live theater. Not sure why you thought my post hilarious. Check the statistics and you'll see that I was only stating a fact. Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco are great cities (well, I'm not that fond of LA) and I don't wish to demean them or their theater consumption, they're just not #3, Toronto is. Check. You might find yourself surprised, and a bit educated.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 5:35pm

Another case where we need a sarcasm font, because I can't tell if you are serious or not about that, FishermanBob.

If you are serious and want to see an example in action just start a thread about a Sondheim show, or just Sondheim in general. You'll see some knives come out.

[ARTc3]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 5:42pm

AEA AGMA SM, I believe FishermanBob was being sarcastic. I arrive at this conclusion using his own theory of multiple repeat posts: doing some research you you will soon realize that many of FishermanBob's posts are sarcastic. Based on this theory of what is and isn't "true" (multiple repeats on many threads), I deduce that he was being cheeky.

FishermanBob, no offense meant.

[ARTc3]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 5:47pm

From the Encyclopedia Britannica...

By the 1990s Toronto had quietly become the third-largest theatre centre in the English-speaking world, after New York City and London. With a population approaching four million in the metropolitan area, Toronto had come to serve as host to a wide range of theatrical activity, from fringe festivals in the summer to several midsize, not-for-profit theatres, national and international festivals, and, in 1994, four long-running, full-scale Broadway musicals. By 1994 there were more than 70 full-time theatrical venues in the city and an average of 75 productions every month. More than seven million tickets were sold during the year, half of them to tourists. The gross revenue for Toronto’s commercial theatres was more than $200 million, accounting for 10% of all sales in North America, second only to New York, and the total economic impact on the Toronto economy was estimated at $1.2 billion.

The link to the article is below. Just wanted to back up what I typed. Here's the proof.

Not so "hilarious", eh?




Toronto Third Largest Theater Audience

Updated On: 3/25/14 at 05:47 PM

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 5:49pm

No offense taken Art. I was being a bit cheeky. Sorry AEA, just having a little fun.

I don't doubt that Toronto has a lot of great theater but so does Los Angeles and Chicago and Seattle and Boston and San Francisco and..... I won't dispute the statistic you cited but there can be a lot of measures of what constitutes a great theater city (or "theatre city" as a nod to our northern neighbors) and I think calling Toronto THE third great theatre city is a bit of a stretch but we are both entitled to our opinion. Cheers.

Edit: Art, that data is 20 years old. I think you may be underestimating the growth of the theater scene in Chicago, L.A. and other cities over the last 20 years.

Updated On: 3/25/14 at 05:49 PM

[ARTc3]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 5:52pm

I wish to clarify my post... "English speaking"... No offense taken to any city that might be passionate about their theater and speak a language other than English. Perhaps, Paris? Just don't know.

[Alan Henry]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 5:52pm

FishermanBob, there's actually a parking lot right under the Hall of Fame. You only pay once - no need to keep feeding the machine coins. Actually, we have lots of reasonably priced underground parking downtown.

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 5:55pm

Thanks Bwayto. I don't think I saw that when I was there but it's been a few years. My larger issue is with ANY city that enforces their meters on Sunday. It's just wrong IMO.

[ARTc3]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 5:59pm

I was basing my use of "great" on these factors: 1. Money spent on theater; 2. Audience attendance; 3. Amount of "new" productions mounted; 4. Number of performances per year (both new productions and all productions).

I only did a quick google search to be able to quote the Encyclopedia Britannica article. In fact, there are tons of articles that discuss the significance of the Toronto theatre movement. The consensus of these sites - based on upon criteria - is that Toronto is the third largest theater center after New York and London (these two fight it out, but generally its thought that New York has an edge).

Anyway, of course you are entitled to have your own opinion and to base it on your own criteria. I just wanted our Torontonian posters know that at least one New Yorker here appreciated their incredible city.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 6:00pm

Where Toronto really shines IMHO is in their smaller rep companies and their experimental theatre, like the somewhat experimental "gay" Buddies in Bad Times company, or Soulpepper, and they're close to the reliable if only sometimes inspired Stratford Fest. But I suppose the same could be said for Chicago, which always seems to have shows I wish I could see.

(I do get over to Seattle sometimes but it tends to be for the big shows--I saw the Light in the Piazza premier, the very good Hugh Panero Company using the original script and orchestrations, the not very good Catch Me If You Can premier, etc...)

[ARTc3]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 6:02pm

^ agreed... there is a very healthy experimental and "new" theatre scene in Toronto. Of course, this could be said about Chicago, too, not so much with Los Angeles and San Francisco, though.

[Simon Damon]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 6:08pm

No I love Canada and Canadians this was really about how reviews and people speculating about how a musical might get reviewed. Its a little annoying this musical might get bad reviews and then it gets positive. Speaking of which is NYT positive or mixed??? its not a critic's pick that's why I am asking !

[ARTc3]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 6:12pm

Well, I think you're always going to find that any subjective art is going to get truly "mixed" reviews. Some people are going to like something and others aren't. That is just the nature of art.

In another thread on this very board, there is a discussion about trusting the "reviews" of the posters here. I can't tell you how often I used to arrive at a show with an "expectation" based on what I read here.

I'm smarter now and realize that was foolish on my part. In fact, more often then not, I find myself disagreeing with the majority of this board. Over time, I have learned which posters opinions are more aligned with my own and tend to consider their thoughts with a heftier weight.

I have also learned that those people - including myself - who don't respect other people's opinions aren't worth considering. I have personally made a huge shift and effort on my own part to be more respectful here.

Updated On: 3/25/14 at 06:12 PM

[Alan Henry]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 6:14pm

FishermanBob, I think we always enforce paid parking to encourage the use of readily available public transit downtown. While our transit in the suburbs is lacking, you can really get anywhere downtown fairly quickly using the TTC.

With a city growing so quickly, we just don't have the space for free parking all over downtown (especially when sunday is such a busy day.)

The large terminal TTC stations all offer parking for $2 all day as well.

[Simon Damon]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 6:19pm

bwayto you can as always delete this thread

[Alan Henry]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 6:22pm

I actually can't delete this thread. And why would I? We've opened up some good discussion.

Only Rob can delete a thread. My powers don't extend into the realm of the "boards."





Updated On: 3/25/14 at 06:22 PM