Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Titantic

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luvtheatre2
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Topic: Titantic - Successful or Not?
Posted: 9/14/10 at 9:23am

I'm curious to hear from those of you who have staged Titantic. I've heard both good and bad from those people who have seen it; however, we are in the process of choosing our season, and we need a blockbuster season. This is one show that I'm unsure of. If you have staged it, was it a success from a box office standpoint? Thank you, in advance, for your input.

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Lazy Bee
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Posted: 9/16/10 at 9:40am

I've not been directly involved in a production, but I saw one locally* about six months ago which played to packed houses.
I think it's attractive to audiences as people know the rudiments of the story, so they've a fair idea of what they're getting. (People like being told what they already know!)
As a theatre piece it's unusual in that the audience knows what's going to happen: the point is for the production to make the audience care about the outcomes for the individual characters.

* I'm in the UK, and the production I saw was staged about 20 miles from the starting point of the original voyage.

Stuart
Lazy Bee Scripts
http://www.lazybeescripts.co.uk read complete play scripts on-line

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edh915
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Posted: 9/16/10 at 6:04pm

I don't really care for the show, but a local group did it a couple of years ago and it was a mega hit for them.

You might have an edge advertising this, too, because (as I understand) James Cameron is reworking his existing "Titanic" to be shown in 3-D. I'm not sure when it's supposed to hit the theatres, but it might tie in well

(Or might it hurt - a local group chose "Doubt" a year in advance of production, then the movie opened one month before their production - wrecked their box office totally)

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luvtheatre2
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Posted: 9/17/10 at 5:57pm

This is great input! Thank you!! This is exactly what I was looking for.

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JoeMc
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Posted: 9/18/10 at 2:21am

A small piont if you use the morse code distress signal as a sound effect, the wireless operator Officers [John(Jack) Phillips & Harold Bride] used the CQD [all stations alert] signal;-

-.-. / --.- / -.. // -- / --. / -.--

C Q D M G Y

Instead of ;-

... / --- /... // -- / --. / -.--

S O S M G Y

[MGY] is the Marconi designated call sign for the 'White Star Line' Titanic, which was swapped prior to the voyage by the Marconi Company from the US vessel 'Yale'.

Although the last message recieved was;-

"CQD CQD SOS SOS CQD DE MGY MGY",

.-..-. -.-. --.- -.. / -.-. --.- -.. / ... --- ... / ... --- ... / -.-. --.- -.. / -.. . / -- --. -.-- / -- --. -.-- .-..-. --..-- / -- --. -.--

['DE' (this is)] However it took over one & half hours of sending the 'CQD' distress signals, for the R/O to eventualy include 'SOS' in the message

Edited by JoeMc - 9/18/10 at 11:18pm

[western] Gondawandaland
"Hear the light & see the sound!
TOI TOI CHOOKAS
{may you always play to a full house!}

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bnk01
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Joined: 9/05/09
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Posts: 32

Posted: 9/19/10 at 11:10pm

But a counterpoint to Joe's "correct" version of the morse code transmission: what does the music do? There's a song where the morse code blends into the music in the first act. Whatever the actual Titanic transmission was is secondary to the intent of the playwright and composer. If the incorrect "SOS" signal conjures up an emotional response and the correct "CQD" version pulls some of the audience out of the scene wondering "did they make a mistake?" then it's wrong for the show. Just sayin'.

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JoeMc
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Location: Australia
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Posted: 9/20/10 at 5:04am

Your right!

It was only an abstract thought if the background sound effect is used.

It was a story that my uncle taught me years ago, who was a Radio officer [ships sparky]with the Cunard Line during the war, when he was teaching me how to do morse code [send/receive] as a young bloke.

I'm sure there are still a few of us old codgers knocking about & members of your audiance who can still read morse code.

I don't know the show so have no clue want is in the music or if the radio signal is heard during the dialogue/music.

I remember doing a show eaons ago where semiphore flag signaling was use & they had a bit of flack from the audiance in the local rag. From memory they spelt out a

word unkowingly & kept repeating it during the scene.

Sorry it's just me being a pathetic old fart!

Edited by JoeMc - 9/20/10 at 5:11am

[western] Gondawandaland
"Hear the light & see the sound!
TOI TOI CHOOKAS
{may you always play to a full house!}

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tech_director
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Posts: 53

Posted: 10/01/10 at 9:25pm

I've looked into the show several times. I'm facinated by the story of Titanic. If you can get a cast who can play all the parts well, and can get a decent set design, combined with the stunning music, you will have yourself a sell out.

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TZine
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Joined: 9/17/10
Location: United States
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Posts: 11

Posted: 10/02/10 at 12:29pm

I saw it at a mid-size community theatre in the Midwest U.S.. It sold well, but the story and music didn't seem to interest the audience much once they actually saw the show. (Owing nothing to poor direction or performance - it just didn't really grab the audience.)

For what it's worth - I heard the show sold well for the rest of it's run, but not as well as the other two musicals they produced that summer. And, while I heard people talk about the other two shows for the next couple years, I barely heard mention of "Titanic" again.

And, when it comes to playing off a film's publicity - that can be unpredictable. I produced/directed "Doubt" two months after it opened in theatres, and we sold out the whole run. People who wouldn't otherwise have recognized the show already had some basic knowledge of it, and even people who saw it in the theatres had liked it so much there that they decided to see what it would be like "live." Most of them liked it better onstage! (A testament not to our production or performances, I think, but to the power of live theatre vs. cinema. But that's another conversation...)

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Author	Message
luvtheatre2 Walk-On Joined: 9/13/10 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Topic: Titantic - Successful or Not? Posted: 9/14/10 at 9:23am
	I'm curious to hear from those of you who have staged Titantic. I've heard both good and bad from those people who have seen it; however, we are in the process of choosing our season, and we need a blockbuster season. This is one show that I'm unsure of. If you have staged it, was it a success from a box office standpoint? Thank you, in advance, for your input.

	IP Logged

Lazy Bee Star Joined: 2/21/07 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 89	Posted: 9/16/10 at 9:40am
	I've not been directly involved in a production, but I saw one locally* about six months ago which played to packed houses. I think it's attractive to audiences as people know the rudiments of the story, so they've a fair idea of what they're getting. (People like being told what they already know!) As a theatre piece it's unusual in that the audience knows what's going to happen: the point is for the production to make the audience care about the outcomes for the individual characters. * I'm in the UK, and the production I saw was staged about 20 miles from the starting point of the original voyage.
	Stuart Lazy Bee Scripts http://www.lazybeescripts.co.uk read complete play scripts on-line
	IP Logged

edh915 Celebrity Joined: 11/19/09 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 325	Posted: 9/16/10 at 6:04pm
	I don't really care for the show, but a local group did it a couple of years ago and it was a mega hit for them. You might have an edge advertising this, too, because (as I understand) James Cameron is reworking his existing "Titanic" to be shown in 3-D. I'm not sure when it's supposed to hit the theatres, but it might tie in well (Or might it hurt - a local group chose "Doubt" a year in advance of production, then the movie opened one month before their production - wrecked their box office totally)
	IP Logged

luvtheatre2 Walk-On Joined: 9/13/10 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 9/17/10 at 5:57pm
	This is great input! Thank you!! This is exactly what I was looking for.
	IP Logged

JoeMc Celebrity Joined: 3/13/06 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 832	Posted: 9/18/10 at 2:21am
	A small piont if you use the morse code distress signal as a sound effect, the wireless operator Officers [John(Jack) Phillips & Harold Bride] used the CQD [all stations alert] signal;- -.-. / --.- / -.. // -- / --. / -.-- C Q D M G Y Instead of ;- ... / --- /... // -- / --. / -.-- S O S M G Y [MGY] is the Marconi designated call sign for the 'White Star Line' Titanic, which was swapped prior to the voyage by the Marconi Company from the US vessel 'Yale'. Although the last message recieved was;- "CQD CQD SOS SOS CQD DE MGY MGY", .-..-. -.-. --.- -.. / -.-. --.- -.. / ... --- ... / ... --- ... / -.-. --.- -.. / -.. . / -- --. -.-- / -- --. -.-- .-..-. --..-- / -- --. -.-- ['DE' (this is)] However it took over one & half hours of sending the 'CQD' distress signals, for the R/O to eventualy include 'SOS' in the message Edited by JoeMc - 9/18/10 at 11:18pm
	[western] Gondawandaland "Hear the light & see the sound! TOI TOI CHOOKAS {may you always play to a full house!}
	IP Logged

bnk01 Lead Joined: 9/05/09 Online Status: Offline Posts: 32	Posted: 9/19/10 at 11:10pm
	But a counterpoint to Joe's "correct" version of the morse code transmission: what does the music do? There's a song where the morse code blends into the music in the first act. Whatever the actual Titanic transmission was is secondary to the intent of the playwright and composer. If the incorrect "SOS" signal conjures up an emotional response and the correct "CQD" version pulls some of the audience out of the scene wondering "did they make a mistake?" then it's wrong for the show. Just sayin'.
	IP Logged

JoeMc Celebrity Joined: 3/13/06 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 832	Posted: 9/20/10 at 5:04am
	Your right! It was only an abstract thought if the background sound effect is used. It was a story that my uncle taught me years ago, who was a Radio officer [ships sparky]with the Cunard Line during the war, when he was teaching me how to do morse code [send/receive] as a young bloke. I'm sure there are still a few of us old codgers knocking about & members of your audiance who can still read morse code. I don't know the show so have no clue want is in the music or if the radio signal is heard during the dialogue/music. I remember doing a show eaons ago where semiphore flag signaling was use & they had a bit of flack from the audiance in the local rag. From memory they spelt out a word unkowingly & kept repeating it during the scene. Sorry it's just me being a pathetic old fart! Edited by JoeMc - 9/20/10 at 5:11am
	[western] Gondawandaland "Hear the light & see the sound! TOI TOI CHOOKAS {may you always play to a full house!}
	IP Logged

tech_director Star Joined: 10/19/08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 53	Posted: 10/01/10 at 9:25pm
	I've looked into the show several times. I'm facinated by the story of Titanic. If you can get a cast who can play all the parts well, and can get a decent set design, combined with the stunning music, you will have yourself a sell out.
	IP Logged

TZine Player Joined: 9/17/10 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 11	Posted: 10/02/10 at 12:29pm
	I saw it at a mid-size community theatre in the Midwest U.S.. It sold well, but the story and music didn't seem to interest the audience much once they actually saw the show. (Owing nothing to poor direction or performance - it just didn't really grab the audience.) For what it's worth - I heard the show sold well for the rest of it's run, but not as well as the other two musicals they produced that summer. And, while I heard people talk about the other two shows for the next couple years, I barely heard mention of "Titanic" again. And, when it comes to playing off a film's publicity - that can be unpredictable. I produced/directed "Doubt" two months after it opened in theatres, and we sold out the whole run. People who wouldn't otherwise have recognized the show already had some basic knowledge of it, and even people who saw it in the theatres had liked it so much there that they decided to see what it would be like "live." Most of them liked it better onstage! (A testament not to our production or performances, I think, but to the power of live theatre vs. cinema. But that's another conversation...)
	TheatreZine:Theatre news for busy people. A free triweekly e-mail newsletter with the latest, most important theatre news. Subscribe. Stay in the loop. http://theatrezine.
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Topic: Titantic - Successful or Not?( Topic Closed)