Your take on The Weissler's

[DavidMegg]

Posted: 9/14/03 at 1:13pm

I think we're all in agreement about Melanie in Chicago, and ditto for Grease when it was on the boards, but I was thinking about how much slack Barry and Fran get and while I agree wholeheartedly with much of what is said, I can't help but think that despite the constant stunt casting, they actually are doing a (dare I say it...) service to Broadway with their $$$. Here's their bio from the Chicago playbill... I didn't even know they produced the Tyne Daly GYPSY back when. Do you agree, or do you think they should hang it up?

FRAN & BARRY WEISSLER are the recipients of five Tony Awards. Broadway productions: Othello with James Earl Jones and Christopher Plummer, My One and Only with Tommy Tune, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof with Kathleen Turner and Charles Durning, Gypsy with Tyne Daly, Fiddler on the Roof with Topol, Zorba with Anthony Quinn, My Fair Lady with Richard Chamberlain, the Tony-winning production of Falsettos, Grease! with stars including Rosie O'Donnell and Brooke Shields, Seussical and the Tony-winning musical Annie Get Your Gun, which starred Bernadette Peters and Reba McEntire. The Weisslers have productions of Chicago in London and Montreal.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 9/14/03 at 1:31pm

Yes they have done many shows and have brought in mnay new audiences.

BUT!

They are cheap and penny-pinching and seem to hate to spend cash on anything but a star name. Fred Mertz times 2 anyone?

[CJR]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 12:25am

There's a reason why we all call them 'The Weasels'

Updated On: 9/15/03 at 12:25 AM

[WSS2]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 1:58am

Yes..they produce a lot.

BUT.....

Notice all the shows they produce. Most have a star name attached. And even the ones that didn't start with one (Sussical) soon got one.

Do you think they would have put Marrisa in "Hairspray" instead of Tori Spelling? Or Colm Wilkinson in "Les Miz" instead of David Lee Roth? Ground breaking they aint.

[alterego]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 2:01am

Whatever we might think of them they are producing shows, be they good, bad or indifferent and are successful. They are also providing a lot of employment.

Did anyone ever see the documentary about producing Chicago in London? While the cast and crew were working away at the Adelphi Theatre someone sent Fran away in a cab to scour London to look for a venue for the opening night party. Every now and then there would be a shot of Fran outside some seedy looking nightclub saying things like "this one could be good" or " I don't think thisone is for us". She was like Aunt Clara from the old bewitched TV series. Very funny. How old would she be anyway?

[catcher]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 2:01am

Was there a big star in Falsettos that I am forgetting? I don't think so...

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 6:37am

Ah, but did FALSETTOS make money? I liked the show, but I'd be very curious (and surprised) if it paid back its investment.

[Zola LaPlaya]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 10:34am

They are LOATHSOME CRUDE CRASS and MISERLY. Take it from one who knows them all too well.

[Amneris]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 10:43am

fran got a nice face lift from her chicago money haha jk.. im sorry but, i was watching the opening of chicago on bravo a while ago...and she was just so conceited. I was so happy when her cast made fun of her at the Easter Bonnets 2 years ago.

[Zola LaPlaya]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 10:47am

She is a PIG. He is a TROLL.

Last word on the subject.

[WOSQ]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 10:51am

Having worked for them lo, these many years ago, the Weisslers deserve no respect since they give none unless they perceive that you are better than they are. Nota bene: that list is very short; people like big stars and the likes of Gerry Schoenfeld.

Nothing is ever their fault. There will always be people to blame and people to sue for their mistakes.

The musical of their life could be called "When Good Things Happen To Bad People".

Schaudenfreude (look it up; its a wonderful term if you don't know it yet) is made for of the Weisslers. My idea of theatrical bliss would be a show of theirs that runs for years--decades even--just breaking even each week, but returning no profit whatsoever. Talk about "They have it comin'."

Horrible people.

[logan30]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 11:12am

Stars love them because they are major brown-nosers and they treat their stars like royalty (with the exception of Richard Chamberlien who barely spoke to them during the run of MY FAIR LADY). Rosie O'Donnell has had a longtime love/hate relationship them -- this goes back to GREASE when she receiving a star salary but was shocked to find out that even the actors playing Danny and Sandy were being paid scale. This is one of the reasons they are so disliked by actors. While they pay their stars big salaries (and demi-stars less) the rest of cast whether chorus kid or principal receives scale.

[emmamia]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 12:31pm

i think they are cheap .... i would love to take their tony awards and well ya know :)

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 12:42pm

Can you say...Evil!!

[Amneris]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 1:09pm

Jerks,...Cheap,...Facelift,....Scale pay,...Weisslers...

STAGE DIRECTION: (out walks castmembers from Suessical and Chicago singing together who are eating Polly-O String Cheese from not being paid enough)

They had it coming...they had it coming...they had it coming all along...

they are so nasty...and their the inspiration for this song..

(all to the tune from their show) feel free to add on. Updated On: 9/15/03 at 01:09 PM

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 2:04pm

You are too funny, Amneris. I'm at work and I can't stop laughing at the lyrics to your song. Thanks for the laugh.

[rlbgbc]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 2:32pm

You know, I AGREE with everything everyone said about Fran and Bar. I've had indirect contact with them, too, and they are horrific.

But...IS ANYONE SURPRISED? IS ANYONE SHOCKED? Maybe their crassness, rudeness, and general ooginess is what made/makes them so successful. Everyone hated David Merrick, too (not that I'm comparing the two, mind you).

It's been my experience that to be successful in this business called show, niceness and decency are definitely NOT prerequisites. More often than not, they are hindrances.

[Amneris]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 2:56pm

im glad i could make u laugh haha...i had to make myself laugh for once it's been such a crappy day oy!

[WOSQ]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 3:17pm

I have friends who worked for Merrick. He was an SOB and hired General Managers to do his REAL dirty work. People were petrified of him.

But no one ever denied that David Merrick didn't have a nose for good shows and that he knew how to turn a middling show into a financial hit (Sugar) or at least wring some kind of run out of some the worst sow's ears (How Now, Dow Jones). Feared yes, but respected. One friend who worked for him in the early 60s said he was actually a very shy man and that it was easier to get off the social hook by being a real prick. She was never afraid of him and they got along swell.

Merrick also took risks and through his producing foundation brought in some surprise hits that might not have seen the light of day otherwise. Plays like Philadelphia, Here I Come and Marat/Sade.

The Weisslers essentially produce star revivals. Any new work they have put up have been critical and financial failures. Falsettos had a low overhead and also wasn't new and had Mandy Patinkin stuffed into it late in the run.

Caveat emptor if you have to have dealing with them.

They give producers a bad name and if you think about that phrase, it is saying a LOT.

[Zola LaPlaya]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 3:20pm

Yes, darlings, it is all too true. They are positively horrendous and unctuous. Their staff accurately reflects their values. Have any of you ever dealt with that Scott Moore in their office?

[mamamia sammy]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 3:34pm

Scott Moore is hot.

[Amneris]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 3:41pm

scott moore likes cobb salads too. Updated On: 9/15/03 at 03:41 PM

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 4:15pm

At least David Merrick spent money on his productions. An SOB he might of been, but I don't think I've ever heard someone describe his as cheap.

[emmamia]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 4:38pm

amneris - you never fail with your witty lyrics ... if acting never works out ... be a lyricist (sp) you are amazing!!!!

[Amneris]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 4:57pm

emmamia i emailed u LOOOOOOOL FREEDOM OF SPEECH i love that!!! "FIRE CROTCH"