The Early Days of the BWW Board: Any Info??- Page 2

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 7/25/10 at 12:22am

We would chat for about 3 hours a night and it NEVER got boring.

[TTL]

Posted: 7/25/10 at 12:41am

Ahhh... this prompted me to write a little bit! I joined in August of 2003. Back then was still in H.S. now, a college grad and adjusting to adulthood! Been distant due to not seeing shows as frequently and now they are on my bill, not the parents and such. Anyways thanks to whomever posted this thread. So out of the theater loop I always say... I need to update my profile here too! Haha.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 7/25/10 at 12:55am

I remember when someone offered me $10 via paypal to kick someone in the shins at the stage door. I did not take them up on it.

Good times, man.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/25/10 at 12:57am

Who? Who? Who?

[sundayclothes2]

Posted: 7/25/10 at 2:46am

My original account had a join date of mid-2004 although I have been reading the board since the days of Broadway.com (I was too young to join).

The main difference between then and now is that in the early days the posters were people who were all very knowledgeable about theater and the discussions were great. Not so much anymore. Now, for every one knowledgeable poster there are three idiotic posters wasting space. Suleen is right - many of the posters who really contribute to the board have posted since they were much younger. It has been great to watch posters like Yankeefan007 and Ljay develop and mature and become great assets to the boards. I also remember (and miss) the days of the rabid Wicked fan girls, Rath, Jose, the late night chatroom summertime discussions, Brenden Stryker, Jay*, fAnadu madness, and the porn star hackers.

[E.Davis]

Posted: 7/25/10 at 3:42am

I had an original account too I do not go back as far as most of you but I began lurking in mid 2004 after my first broadway show.....but now what I remember the most and it is more recent would be MTF1's crazy obsession with Emma Zacks...

But the good poster's have filled me with such knowledge and because of this board I am my areas resident theatre nut....lol

[B3TA07]

Posted: 7/25/10 at 4:40am

Please tell me this is for a paper for school.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/25/10 at 9:38am

Can it be that it was all so simple then
Or has time rewritten every line?
If we had the chance to do it all again,
Tell me would we? Could we?

[esparza 333]

Posted: 7/25/10 at 10:49am

While I Have not been around as long as some, I do remember the days of MargoChanning, BigFatBlonde and all those other posters. I remember reading for so long anticipating when I would join the boards so I could engage in discussions about theatre. While I have been attacked (hasn't everyone??) I have also got in some lively discussions and learned so much. Initially my first threads weren't well received and god knows that still happens but it really is a pleasure to write on these boards and in the end of the day, the snark and sock puppet antics are all worth it. I was 11 when I joined and am 14 now. There have been many highlights in my message board life thu far and I wanted to make this thread not only to learn more about the beginning days but also to remember when our conversations were different and how so any posters gradually left without ever officially saying farewell. It is a pleasure to write on this board.

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 7/25/10 at 11:05am

I feel like we knew each other better in the "olden days." This place had more of a community feel than it does today. Sure, we bickered, A LOT, but we were like a big internet family with all the baggage that entails (including the crazy, slightly perverted uncle).

The chat room was part of that. So was the BWW angels threads, and the getting to know you "poster of the day" threads. Rob and Craig were also more directly involved with the board and posted frequently which contributed to the community "feel."

When is the last time we had a BWW picnic?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/25/10 at 11:09am

I actually credit BroadwayWorld with helping in the development of my writing.

I can't believe that 6 years have gone by since I joined. I miss the old days, when one could actually learn something - something other than which Elphaba cover is performing tonight in Saskatoon - by reading posts.

It seems to me - currently - that the site runners are more interested in the site's expansion and getting "news" out there before everyone else (no matter how shoddy it is) than the message board. Updated On: 7/25/10 at 11:09 AM

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 7/25/10 at 11:18am

It seems like both posts and board views have been way down as of late.

I remember hating to be away from the board for even 24 hours because so much would happen and I would never be able to catch up. Now I can check the board once or twice a week and threads I've posted on are still on the first page.

Does anyone know why activity has declined so much recently?

[esparza 333]

Posted: 7/25/10 at 11:24am

I think in addition to posts becoming less meaningful I think this past season brought us down quite a bit. It was the worst season in years and I think their was a lack of interest on the whole about the current shows on broadway. I am optimistic that will change as next season looks extremely promising with as many as 10 new musicals coming in.

[Boq101]

Posted: 7/25/10 at 11:58am

It is true that this place doesn't quite jump like it used to. When I first joined I was used to having to be here all night to end a conversation. Nowadays it takes me a while before I actually ever feel compelled to answer to a thread. I miss jay*.

[Link Larkin Wanabe]

Posted: 7/25/10 at 12:00pm

This thread makes me oddly nostalgic. What Would MargoChanning Do?

Akiva

[tazber]

Posted: 7/25/10 at 12:03pm

There was definitely a more communal feeling back in the early days. But it was new and didn't have as many members as it does now.

There are so many moments and memories I couldn't even begin to list them all. And I think a lot of the posters who we miss still read but don't have the patience to deal with all the snarkiness and idiocy.

I'm not judging that btw, sarcasm, instigation and a general intolerance for differing points of view are simply part of any message board culture. You either learn to ignore it and focus on conversations and posters that you like or you get frustrated and stop posting.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 7/25/10 at 12:11pm

I miss Margo Channing and BigFatBlonde. I didn't know that BigFatBlonde passed away.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/25/10 at 1:31pm

Who usually organizes the BWW picnics? It'd be great to do one this year once the heat goes away and before the cold fronts move in! I wouldn't mind assisting with the organization of a gathering...

Indeed I do remember back when I would have to check BWW every half hour (when available) just to catch up on threads! If I were away mid-day, I would have about 4 pages of threads to catch up on at night. Over the years...and especially these past two years...there's only been about 1-2 pages of new threads per DAY. And most of those are either questions about shows or ridiculous "which is your favorite...?" inquiries. I definitely miss the more informative and intelligent conversations. Especially from MargoChanning! I hope he is OK.

[algy]

Posted: 7/25/10 at 2:07pm

Not been around as long as some (and not posted as much either because I'm in the UK), but just thought I'd weigh in about the incredible volume of threads and posts when I joined. I was even warned how fast moving the place was by the friend who told me about BWW - and such was the level of knowledge of the posters it took me months to pluck up the courage to join and even longer to post!

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 7/25/10 at 2:10pm

I just did a search and it looks like the last picnic was in 2007.

I don't think anyone really was in charge of planning the picnics. Someone just started a thread (usually on the OT board) saying "Hey, let's have a BWW picnic" and everyone tossed out the best dates for the event until some consensus was reached.

[JudasIscariot]

Posted: 7/25/10 at 2:47pm

I was 14 when I first joined this site, and I'm 20 now. This site has really been the source of knowledge on theatre for me since I first started getting into it. All that I've learned about shows, theatre, etc. had been from this site up until the point where I started majoring in it in college. While this site has always had a few mean spirited people, I've always been genuinely impressed whenever someone comes on here with a real problem and everyone is always very eager to help.

I have this site to thank for so much that I now know. While I've never really felt part of the community, even having been here since 2005, I'm constantly lurking this site almost every day. I don't post much, but I like reading what everyone else has to say, and I have read some pretty great debates on here. I'd like to get more involved, but many of the topics around here just don't compel me to actually post anymore.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/25/10 at 3:44pm

Most online communities have suffered with the rise of the mega-social-networking sites.

We used to come here to connect. Now we are connected 24/7 through our cell phones and computers.

But no matter how many comments I get on a Facebook status about a Sondheim revival, nothing will ever replace coming on BroadwayWorld and arguing passionately about it.

[GatorNY]

Posted: 7/25/10 at 5:04pm

I think i started lurking in late 2004. I was a bit too intimidated to post back then, but remember learning so much from reading posts, especially Margo's. I didn't start posting until about 4 years later. I think a picnic sounds cool. Can we have it when Dramamama is in town? I'd love to meet her.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 7/25/10 at 9:38pm

CapnHook: think wall and playbills.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/25/10 at 9:41pm

Huh?