The boy from oz: McKenny or Jackman
Sat, 22 May 2004, 07:50 pmWalter Plinge7 posts in thread
The boy from oz: McKenny or Jackman
Sat, 22 May 2004, 07:50 pmI was out raged when Todd McKenny was no longer the principal lead in "The Boy From Oz" and was replaced with Hugh Jackman when the show hit the US. Could someone please fill me in on how this happened and if you agree or disagree.
Re: The boy from oz: McKenny or Jackman
Tue, 8 June 2004, 02:22 pmWalter Plinge
Dear “Young Actress”,
I assume from your pseudonym that you are no older than early twenties. You are probably at that age when you think that all roles should go to the best actor for the job. I can remember when I was at this wonderful idealistic age, and I wish the world was actually like that, but I am afraid it is not.
Broadway in particular is a brutal and unforgiving world where careers, reputations and fortunes can be won or lost at the whim of fate, timing and critics.
While I think very few people would doubt that Todd McKenny made a better Peter Allen than Hugh Jackman. The show itself, and Todd in the lead, would not be enough of a drawcard in the buyers market that is Broadway to get people to see “Boy From Oz” over any of the other dozen musicals on at the same time. The show would open and close within a couple of months, tops!
With someone who is a genuine drawcard, like Hugh Jackman, the odds shift somewhat more in the favour of the show becoming a success. As it is the show has been less of a success than HughÂ’s performance. When Hugh took a six week break from the show, the producers actually closed the show for those six weeks because the ticket sales dried up dramatically for the period he was away.
This may be due to Martin ShermanÂ’s changes to Nick EnrightÂ’s script, but that is something we will NEVER be able to know for sure (although all anecdotal reports I have heard have been that the changes are VERY noticeable to someone who knows the original). But there was a reason they changed the script as well. Never overestimate an American audienceÂ’s intelligence.
Also there is the matter of the closed shop that is Acting on stage in America. Unless you have a green card it is almost impossible to get permission to perform in a big show unless you are North American. As it was the producers had to get special dispensation to allow Hugh to take the role, dispensation that would have been a lot harder to get for Todd (not being a movie star and all).
It is a shame that Todd didn’t get his chance for major limelight, but I was very impressed that at least Hugh Jackman mentioned him in his Tony acceptance speech. Without Todd there would have been no “Boy From Oz” at all, but without Hugh it could not have got to Broadway.
Congratulations to Hugh on his recent Tony, and congratulations to Todd for being the creator of a Tony Award winning role. A team effort well rewarded!
"It sucks to be broke and unemployed and turning thirty three,
It sucks to be me!"
Paul Treasure
PS Anyone who wants to do Avenue Q in the next couple of years (should rights become available) I would kill for that role!
I assume from your pseudonym that you are no older than early twenties. You are probably at that age when you think that all roles should go to the best actor for the job. I can remember when I was at this wonderful idealistic age, and I wish the world was actually like that, but I am afraid it is not.
Broadway in particular is a brutal and unforgiving world where careers, reputations and fortunes can be won or lost at the whim of fate, timing and critics.
While I think very few people would doubt that Todd McKenny made a better Peter Allen than Hugh Jackman. The show itself, and Todd in the lead, would not be enough of a drawcard in the buyers market that is Broadway to get people to see “Boy From Oz” over any of the other dozen musicals on at the same time. The show would open and close within a couple of months, tops!
With someone who is a genuine drawcard, like Hugh Jackman, the odds shift somewhat more in the favour of the show becoming a success. As it is the show has been less of a success than HughÂ’s performance. When Hugh took a six week break from the show, the producers actually closed the show for those six weeks because the ticket sales dried up dramatically for the period he was away.
This may be due to Martin ShermanÂ’s changes to Nick EnrightÂ’s script, but that is something we will NEVER be able to know for sure (although all anecdotal reports I have heard have been that the changes are VERY noticeable to someone who knows the original). But there was a reason they changed the script as well. Never overestimate an American audienceÂ’s intelligence.
Also there is the matter of the closed shop that is Acting on stage in America. Unless you have a green card it is almost impossible to get permission to perform in a big show unless you are North American. As it was the producers had to get special dispensation to allow Hugh to take the role, dispensation that would have been a lot harder to get for Todd (not being a movie star and all).
It is a shame that Todd didn’t get his chance for major limelight, but I was very impressed that at least Hugh Jackman mentioned him in his Tony acceptance speech. Without Todd there would have been no “Boy From Oz” at all, but without Hugh it could not have got to Broadway.
Congratulations to Hugh on his recent Tony, and congratulations to Todd for being the creator of a Tony Award winning role. A team effort well rewarded!
"It sucks to be broke and unemployed and turning thirty three,
It sucks to be me!"
Paul Treasure
PS Anyone who wants to do Avenue Q in the next couple of years (should rights become available) I would kill for that role!