#blacklivesmatter and Broadwayworld

[broadway213]

Thank you Broadwayworld team for showing your solidarity and support for #blacklivesmatter and justice for George Floyd below.

https://www.facebook.com/126634689416/posts/10158279666879417/?d=n

I know our community unfortunately has some members who might be uneducated on and/or spread unnecessary backlash to the movement but I think it is so important for us as a community to support our fellow black artists, administrators and audiences.

I hope to see more shows, theater publications, and theater companies make statements and show their support as well.

Theater is inherently political. We have spoken up for and fundraised for the queer community (And still do) in support and now it is time to support the many Black men and women who are also essential in the storytelling we do!

Thank you BROADWAYWORLD! lets all keep speaking out and donating!

[Sutton Ross]

Hadestown just tweeted their support and also provided a website to help.

DismantlingRacism.org

[broadway213]

Yes- Hadestown with a powerful statement.

 

And wicked...Really not reading the room. Wouldn't want to make those midwestern tourist mad by referencing Black lives at all!! 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CA1RQPslotN/

[LizzieCurry]

Bonnie Milligan is right:

https://twitter.com/BeltingBonnie/status/1266855651843756034

[Call_me_jorge]

broadway213 said: "Yes- Hadestown with a powerfulstatement.



And wicked...Really not reading the room. Wouldn't want to make those midwestern tourist mad by referencing Black lives at all!!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CA1RQPslotN/"

Did Wicked delete the post? What’d they say?

[JP2]

Yes, they just deleted it after getting dragged on twitter and  instagram the last hour.

[Jordan Catalano]

Any chance you wanna share what it said?

[LizzieCurry]

The same thing they said for a totally different issue:

https://twitter.com/theryanhallett/status/1266914441632919552

[Sutton Ross]

OH SHIZZZZZ!

[Call_me_jorge]

What’s striking is how quiet Hamilton has been.... Where’s Jeff Seller when you need him?

[amandap213]

Am I the only one who feels like these shows shouldn't be praised for doing the right thing, especially considering most of these shows waited quite a long time to say something? I mean jagged little pill put out a direct, clear message two days ago, that said their names! Shows like Hamilton and the Lion King who employ large numbers of black and non-black poc performers have yet to say anything. I appreciate what some other shows are doing, but as a woman of color, I can tell when it is performative. 

[Sutton Ross]

I think they don't want to get political and possibly lose ticket sales in the future. It's gross as hell. 

[itsjustmejonhotmailcom]

Sutton Ross said: "I think they don't want to get politicaland possibly lose ticket sales in the future. It's gross as hell."

I think it's more that the shows aren't paying the ad agencies, who in turn laid off the majority of their staff. Back when things were "normal" there were several people who needed to approve a social media post and that took a while. Now that a lot of those people aren't there anymore it's not that easy to post something asap. It's not like the producer has the login to the Twitter account.

[Sutton Ross]

Good point. 

[Alex Kulak2]

LizzieCurry said: "The same thing they said for a totally different issue:

https://twitter.com/theryanhallett/status/1266914441632919552"

Good lord, who the hell is running their social media?

[LizzieCurry]

Probably whoever wasn't furloughed or laid off.

[LizzieCurry]

Good comments here in LaChanze's public FB post:

https://www.facebook.com/lachanze/posts/10222934279209877

[TheGingerBreadMan]

For those curious, Wicked's post was an image of Elphaba's hand clasped with another hand and the caption referenced something to the effect of defying gravity and being in it together - don't remember it verbatim (sorry).

It did seem like a marketing tactic as much as anything else, what with the reference to the iconic song and all - that's what many people didn't like about it. It didn't come across as genuine or heartfelt at all. Plus, the hand that Elphie was grasping was a white hand, which I'm sure didn't help.

Kudos to the shows and stars who are using their platform for the benefit of those suffering. I hope more step up in the coming days.

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Update: Found a screenshot. I haven't verified this, but it appears that this isn't the first time they've used this image. Tone deaf for sure.

 

[imeldasturn]

I'm sure the Wicked team did it with the best intentions, but the cheesy, childish image and caption are condescending and reductive to say the least, there is a time and place for that kind of disneyfied crap and it's not now.

[everythingtaboo]

If stars of shows want to address BLM but I don't have any expectation for a show to provide a statement. Wicked used what they had on hand, without having to hire their marketing team to hire an artist to create something. Yes it failed but they meant well. That said, I love what Company did:

 

"alone is alone, not alive."

To be silent is to be complicit.

Black lives matter.

You are not alone.

 

https://twitter.com/CompanyBway/status/1266834399384997888

[InTheBathroom1]

Not surprised but disappointed at the silence from the West Side Story revival, which has a whole sequence on police brutality.

[uncageg]

As a black person, I get what WICKED is saying. I notice that on twitter practically all of the negative comments are coming from white members. With that said, it does come off a bit as an ad for the show using the song lyrics. But the book and the show deal with what would be considered racism against the green girl. I look at the overall message it is sending. I am assuming young girls still love this show. A perfect way to get the message to these young girls.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

TDF, Playbill, The Actor’s Fund, BroadwayWorld, TheaterMania, TodayTix, etc. have all made statements or social media posts.

Where the **** is Broadway.com? Another reason to not give them a single click. ...In addition to the fact that they are a complete scam of a company. 

[uncageg]

WiCkEDrOcKS said: "TDF, Playbill, The Actor’s Fund, BroadwayWorld, TheaterMania, TodayTix, etc. have all made statements or social media posts.

Where the **** is Broadway.com? Another reason to not give them a single click."

Are these statements on Twitter? I don't see them on their websites. (I don't do twitter or IG)

If possible, can you post them for those few of us who are not on Twitter?