How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Youtube Clip from "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" by Rob Ashford

(Courtesy: CountessKarma)

This blog post is a response to the post made by Ángel at http://angel-stagedoor.blogspot.com.

The cast of "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" performs 'Brotherhood of Men' at the 85th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. After watching this clip, I was rather shocked to see Daniel Radcliffe take the lead role for a musical. I am not particularly a fan of Daniel Radcliffe, but this performance was well done and was a great showcase for the Frank Loesser adaptation. Despite being known for his role as Harry Potter in the Harry Potter movie series, he does a good job taking on the role of J Pierrepont Finch. He definitely has talent after working his way into the hearts of audiences with eight movies, and does a fair job with this performance. As adored as he is with fans, his singing needs improvement. As this is his first major musical, I am sure he will fine tune his voice for future performances. Aside from the criticism I believe this is a great opportunity for Radcliffe to put his hidden talents on display.

Having only seen a few Broadway musicals in my lifetime, I am not as qualified as others to fully critique the clip. The last show I saw was Larry David's "A Fish In The Dark" this past summer. What made it enjoyable was the cast, the underlying humor, and well developed plot. It was a show that I have recommended to others before and will continue to do so as I enjoyed it. So long as Ashford's new adaptation of the 1961 musical can meet similar standard, I am sure it can do well. Overall, I wish Radcliffe, Ashford and the rest of the "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" crew the best and hope they can exceed critics expectations.

Source: http://angel-stagedoor.blogspot.com/2016/01/another-opening-another-show-una.html

The Evolution Of Stage Entertainment

Youtube Video Of Various Vaudeville Performances 

(Courtesy: Galloping Alligator's Muck Pond)

After watching the video shown above, it is fascinating to see how Broadway has evolved from vaudeville, burlesque, and cabaret.

I was particularly impressed with the woman who could pick up a chair with her teeth and swing it around effortlessly. This is impressive by today's standards, as many people would usually break their teeth or be sent to the dentist expecting a hefty bill. It certainly holds weight against some acts seen on the television show America's Got Talent. This burlesque dancer could have made quite a living if she were born in the 21st century. 

Surprisingly, I enjoyed the footage and the various acts despite being from 1898 to 1910. The acrobat in particular is worth noting. She was able to fully exercise her talent and skill without any limitations or safety nets, making her performance exquisite and enthralling. Nowadays almost every professional performance artist has a manager who advises against many of the death-defying acts for the purposes of safety. In many cases, some acts do not get clearance and force the performer to limit their routine. This puts a damper on many performers who do not get a chance to fully express themselves. This as opposed to freelance exhibitionists, who seem to hold a reputation for doing whatever they feel inspired by and can pull off to draw a crowd, make headlines, or leave a lasting message.

Broadway is now reserved for large feature productions yet has deeply ingrained roots within vaudeville, burlesque, and cabaret. It is difficult to recognize a Broadway show for its brilliance without paying homage to the three performance styles that it has stemmed from. Today's Broadway shows are so elaborate and feature performance art, digital imaging, and an ensemble. Talent is just as good as it was as the art form developed over the years.

Edison Kinetoscope Films

Youtube Video of Edison Kinetoscope Films (1894-1896)

(Courtesy: Therese Grisham)

In the Edison Kinetoscope Films (1894-1896), a series of attractions can be seen. A couple, boxing match, strong man, serpentine dancer, cock fight, barber shop, doves, and seminary girls can all be seen in this cinematic clip. All of which can be appreciated for its simplicity and ability to set a precedence for all of the entertainment industry after. Prior to this post I was unaware that Thomas Edison created the Kinetoscope as he is primarily well recognized for the invention of the light bulb. Society should acknowledge the contributions he has made along with his colleagues towards the progression of modern technology on a daily basis. It is astounding that at the turn of the 20th century, so much was accomplished.

The Kinetoscope was made famous by Thomas Edison and his team for bringing a personal motion picture device using a confined space to display images on a perforated film over a light source in which an individual can view from a peep hole. This was a precursor to the earliest forms of video and projection. This film, despite its short length sets a standard for the industry as well as inspired future projects that would add to the history of cinematography and animation. My love for movies would not existed had this invention not been created. Overall, I thought the clips were well made, capturing the essence of life at the time of its filming in addition to drawing attention to a new medium that entertainers could reach their audience through. 

The Viewing of Minstrel Shows in 2016

Above is a depiction of what a Minstrel show performer would generally look like
(Courtesy: sideshowworld.com)

Today in class we watched Blacks on Vaudeville, a documentary on Vaudeville displaying its history and its correlation with minstrel shows. Minstrel shows, the poorly reenacted representation of how Black Americans, slaves, or "Negroes" entertained themselves during this time period. Beginning in 1843 and lasting till the mid-20th century, minstrel shows featuring musical and dance performances for crowds all over America (Minstrel Show, 2016).

Personally, I do not care for Vaudeville or minstrel shows either. As part of history I recognize minstrel shows as a point in Vaudeville's evolution, however, I cannot sit through a viewing without utter dismay. The shows reflect a point in time in which discrimination was very commended, with the specific goal of dehumanizing the Black American people.

The documentary highlighted the shows and its rising popularity in the 1840's. Before watching this segment, I had no idea that there were actually Black American minstrel performers. I always had the impression that it was a Caucasian person with black face, generating stereotypical propaganda to an all Caucasian crowd. To my surprise, I was wrong. Apparently the minstrel shows, featured some willing Black American participants, attendees and supporters. Understandably, for Black Americans at the time the wage was probably better than most paid positions, treatment was bearable, as well as the chance to perform on stage was rare. Some of these performers even used their talent, skills, and resistance to stereotyping to gain popularity amongst their community. As mentioned in the documentary, the Nicholas brothers are revered for doing just that.

The first minstrel performer to receive national recognition and have their performance considered that of a human was Bert Williams. In the documentary a frame shot is paused, displaying a quote by George Washington Carver, best known for developing a variety of uses for crops such as peanuts, then leading numerous speaking engagements as a symbol of African-American achievement (McMurry, 1991). The quote reads, "Bert Williams has done more for the race than I have. He's smiled his way into people's hearts" (Crazybluezzdaddy, 2012). As of 1910 he was the most respected comedians on the American stage and was the first Black American to be admired by people of all races. Overall, there is a collection of good stories of Black American performers leaving their impact on Vaudeville's history, however, those that were not featured are to be even more considered. With its racist and stereotypical motif, it is no wonder why minstrel shows began to disappear just as the civil rights movement started.

Below is a portion of the documentary by PBS, originally aired on November 26, 1997.

"minstrel show". Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britanncia Online. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 2016. Web. 24 Feb. 2016

McMurry, Linda O. "George Washington Carver." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 1991. Web. 24 Feb. 2016.

Crazybluezzdaddy. "Blacks and Vaudeville: PBS Documentary." YouTube. YouTube, 29 May 2012. Web. 24 Feb. 2016.