How will you spend your Thanksgiving break?
People who are serious about theater are not, on a whole, enthusiastic about seeing celebrities in plays.
Though today it's overwhelmingly common to see familiar names up on the marquee, many theatergoers feel it is their prerogative — even their obligation — to voice their passionate opposition to the apparent poisoning of theater. Their reasons are numerous: Celebs are often far less qualified than other, lesser-known actors, stars can detract from the integrity of a play and this casting attracts an unappreciative audience.
While these arguments are all valid, I think the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages. Now, to be perfectly clear, I'm not talking about stunt casting, where long-running musicals cast any big name they can get their hands on in a desperate attempt to stay afloat. I'm talking about hiring famous actors from the beginning.
If the director chooses these actors, you can be assured that you're in, at the very least, adequate hands. Many movie stars that are familiar to audiences for their work on the silver screen often have a lesser-known past in the theater; they are going back to the stage to return to their roots.
A quick look at shows on Broadway right now reveals that stars rule the scene. One might think this is a bad thing, but reviews of Arthur Miller's "A View from the Bridge" with classical actor Liev Schreiber and Woody Allen-favorite Scarlett Johansson are notably positive. The newest production of "Hamlet" with Jude Law was similarly well-received. And the excellent Laura Linney, who has many stage credits to her name, is acting in an ensemble cast in the new play "Time Stands Still."
I know some people who will only go to the theater if a favorite actor is onstage, and that's not fair, but it's a fact of life. Famous people do attract a big audience, and when that audience is there, they often develop a greater appreciation for the other unknown actors, the playwright and even theater in general. When stars do good work, it spreads, and fans who initially went to a show just to see their celebrity crushes are often pleasantly surprised and get hooked.
Celebrities have been on Broadway for years, and this trend shows no sign of stopping. It can be argued that the best theater going on in New York City right now can be found anywhere but Broadway, so what happens there matters increasingly less. Therefore, some argue, movie stars can have Broadway, where they can wallow in the wasteland that this former pinnacle of theater has become.
But I think Broadway still has some life in it yet, especially as interesting and original plays like Tracy Letts' "August: Osage County," Conor McPherson's "The Seafarer," Stew's "Passing Strange," Neil Labute's "reasons to be pretty" and Sarah Ruhl's "In the Next Room (or the vibrator play)," however flawed they may be, find their tentative footing up there alongside "Mamma Mia!" As these playwrights, both seasoned and new, find a home on the Great White Way, so too do the film hotshots who grow tired of stale scripts and long for the excitement of theater once more. These talented stars belong on Broadway, where they have another, different kind of moment to shine.
