OLTL: Discussion for the week January 18

[chyti]

I agree I don't think she cares where it was rated or wouldn't want to come back to it since she has done it before, but maybe she doesn't want to commit to something that takes up that much of her time. Yet I am sure there are actors living in New York who love acting and want to maintain a career who would never dream of working on a soap, regardless of it was the top rated or not.

[EricMontreal22]

Actually Broadway doesn't have that snobbery--the fact that THE top talent in Broadway--this past year examples include Cahrlotte D'Amboise and Marc Kudish had tiny day parts on OLTL speaks volumes. It's a paycheck that helps them between finding shows and Iknow many in the theatre community are really upset and even worried they are losing their New York soaps to help do this. To theatre goers names like Charlotte and Marc *can* sell tickets(they are FAR better known in the musical theatre community than REG). You won't see this in LA. Ruth Warrick spoke a lot about it in an interview in the 70s, saying that in the 60s there was some stigma about "serious" theatre actors doing soaps, but since the theatre scene started to be less successful (a trend that starteed on Broadway in the early 70s and sadly has never been remedied) that stigma went away.

[DeeeDee]

Todd harassing Marty & barking at Rachel?

Die Todd.

[Scotty]

You forgot to add Jackie Hoffman and Lea DeLaria. And ITA with your post btw.

[EricMontreal22]

I totally did about both ladies--who I love.

[chyti]

I agree with what you are saying I am sure Broadway actors don't have any problem doing soaps in between shows I have heard of many doing so, but NY hosts many actors outside of the theatre who don't feel the same way. I doubt that alot of tv actors are going to be auditioning for roles on OLTL during their off time.

[SFK]

And as I said in Another Thread, musical theatre people aren't exactly who we're referring to when we talk about the great "Broadway" actors of yesterday being cast on Lemay's Another World or who conversely refused to "stoop" to soaps. We're talking about those Methody, Actors Studio types (and wannabes) who did moody psychological dramas, straight plays, mostly in smaller off-and off-off-Broadway theatres.

[SFK]

NY is becoming less and less and less of a television town, so if you book Law & Order on Monday, you have no problem auditioning for OLTL on Tuesday. Anything to make a buck. If an actor is going to be snobby about the TV he or she does, they don't belong in NY anyway. There's a lot more opportunity in L.A.

[Vee]

I think REG will crawl back if OLTL will have her, if the show lasts long enough. I think the only thing that's kept her away is their lack of interest, but I wouldn't be surprised to see her back given the current stories. I'd welcome her, actually, if they played the character's flaws more honestly (which Cris and Layla as the underdog couple certainly allows for) and if she could expand her, um, repertoire. She could be a very unique presence in OLTL's minority cast as opposed to the plastic saint full of holes that she was written as before. I'd had very high hopes for her when she started - even with Todd! - but a combination of mediocre acting and horrid writing destroyed that. Singer first actress second. But that can change.

I think OLTL's (muddled, confused) POV on Todd was echoed in Starr's script yesterday; she said he did horrible things but was capable of good and golly gosh gee that must mean something about him is good. That is almost verbatim what RC himself said in his recent interview with Daytime Confidential. It's extremely simplistic, and could apply to the pre-Tarty Todd, but not Todd today. They're taking a very lazy approach with Todd, and clearly have no [!@#$%^&*] clue what to do with him since Tarty; they're just winging it, hoping people will let him go back to romance and the 'lovable rascal.' That's why they almost always downplay what he did, like with Rachel, who should despise Todd and Tea - Todd for his actions in college, and for terrorizing her and dragging her around by the hair during the Georgie Phillips debacle, with Tea taking his side over her friend. Tea, Blair, etc. do all the real action in these stories, Todd is passive now. That's a signal that the writers are adrift with him. The only authentic note in months were the scenes where Danielle asked how the hell Tea could prefer him as her dad to Ross, and how sick she could be; also, the big Todd/Marty confrontation today which seemed like a reaction to those loathsome "shrink me" scenes last fall. They didn't go far enough, though, and Todd's behavior was repulsive, alien - like they want us to hate him, when I know they don't. TSJ does, though.

[EricMontreal22]

Well I meant modern times--when most majour musical theatre stars--ones whohave to tackle LaChiusa or Sondheim are at least as well trained with methody type stuff--though remember Eileen Herlie won her only Tony for a musicalback in the day. But yes your point is valid (tghe only examples Icould think of on OLTL this year with names I knew werebig musical stars)

[Vee]

I remember Terrence Mann, a fairly big Broadway name, I believe (I know him best from Critters, personally), playing Rae Cummings' ex Daniel Faulkner during the JFP era. Even he looked too young for her. Susan Misner, who played Grace Davidson, was also a prize Broadway dancer from Chicago.

[EricMontreal22]

Terrence Mann is a big name for sure (and married to Charlotte D'Amboise)--he also had a role for a few months on AMC--in 97 I think? I think it was tied into the awful Tanner Jordan story. (Brent Barrett who is another big role--I saw him in Chicago with Charlotte was Tony Barclay, who caused Jenny's death on AMC, and the handsome Anthony Crivello, who has likewise been in a ton of major Broadway shows--notably Kiss of the Spider Woman and Marie Christine opposite Audra McDonald was Johnny Dee Hesser on One Life, and of course there's the wasted Tonya Perkins from AMC who is one o fTHE finest Broadway actresses, musical or not, of her generation--again just randoms off the top of my head)

Vee, I agree with your view about how they write Todd 100% which makes the way they've thrown Powell under thebus--TWICE--to help redeem Todd all the more ridiculous IMHO (I still find it odd Vicki always stands up for Todd but never has for Powell)

[Vee]

Well, I didn't have a problem with Powell the psycho rapist; I always found the original tack they took with him - "but he's the good rapist!" - creepy, and I never bought that he should've been let out into society. I think the mewling, puling weakling who raped the girl anyway just because someone told him to is the most dangerous, and the hospital rapist story justified that. The KAD story from last year, however, was godawful and could've been excellent if they'd gone another way with it. I'll never get over how they gutted Rebecca Lewis, and her relationship with Todd. There was literally no explanation for her behavior, and no respect paid to her past with Todd and what she meant to him. The recast actress was also absolutely horrible. If I had my druthers I'd pay Reiko Aylesworth in blow and platinum to pre-tape a couple months a la James Franco in order to do some sort of productive story with Todd and fix those two characters, if that's even possible.

[DRW50]

She didn't even stand up for Tina, much less Powell.

As for Rebecca, they could always say Powell found a disciple and had her get plastic surgery to look like Rebecca. She wouldn't have to be an exact match to that awful woman from last year; I'm sure viewers would overlook that if it cleared up some loose ends.

[Vee]

No, enough people identified Rebecca. And Powell would've known, as would Todd (not that he was terribly interested). Kyle believed it was her. Me, I'd blame her madness all on Mitch somehow. Rebecca has a background with cults.

I didn't blame Viki for kicking Tina out after the Tess debacle. That was really beyond the pale. Unfortunately it led to Tina's exit from the show, and if RC had had his way she'd still be here today. Tina would be a welcome addition to this Mitch story.