Anonymous
Post 01/14/2025 15:10     Subject: Walls school musical canceled
This is just a huge mistake.

Hadestown? Unbelievable.

Who is running things there?
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2025 14:44     Subject: Walls school musical canceled
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Another huge debacle at SWW…at this point are they just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic?


Ah, the DCUM Walls hater strikes again. At what point does this topic turn to "bring back the entrance exam" and/or "BASIS is so much better"?

OK, but back on topic: I really think the school could have found *something* to perform, now that they've got a cast and everything. These kids have got to be super disappointed.

I think having the kids write their own show, which a PP mentioned, is a great idea!


There are TONS of shows available for which they could easily secure the rights. This is a huge cop-out.

That said, have they tried having the kids write a letter with a heart felt plea to the rights holder and/or whatever theatre company is blocking the rights? Ultimately it's a public school not even focused on the arts; this is not competition for a professional show (if anything, in my experience, it drums up more interest in a "real" version of the show among the school community). Have they really, really pushed to see if there's anything they could do/any kind of agreement they could reach (e.g., not advertising outside of their school community, not charging for tickets, whatever the company's concern is?)? I have been in a similar situation where we reached an agreement pretty easily.


The adults in the room needed to apply a dose of realism and really communicate that getting the rights to a currently running debut is nearly impossible. I’m worried that the drama staff were delusional enough to think they’d get Hadestown, and I’m really disappointed for the kids, who can’t know better.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2025 14:22     Subject: Walls school musical canceled
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Another huge debacle at SWW…at this point are they just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic?


Ah, the DCUM Walls hater strikes again. At what point does this topic turn to "bring back the entrance exam" and/or "BASIS is so much better"?

OK, but back on topic: I really think the school could have found *something* to perform, now that they've got a cast and everything. These kids have got to be super disappointed.

I think having the kids write their own show, which a PP mentioned, is a great idea!


There are TONS of shows available for which they could easily secure the rights. This is a huge cop-out.

That said, have they tried having the kids write a letter with a heart felt plea to the rights holder and/or whatever theatre company is blocking the rights? Ultimately it's a public school not even focused on the arts; this is not competition for a professional show (if anything, in my experience, it drums up more interest in a "real" version of the show among the school community). Have they really, really pushed to see if there's anything they could do/any kind of agreement they could reach (e.g., not advertising outside of their school community, not charging for tickets, whatever the company's concern is?)? I have been in a similar situation where we reached an agreement pretty easily.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2025 12:50     Subject: Walls school musical canceled
Anonymous wrote:Another huge debacle at SWW…at this point are they just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic?


Ah, the DCUM Walls hater strikes again. At what point does this topic turn to "bring back the entrance exam" and/or "BASIS is so much better"?

OK, but back on topic: I really think the school could have found *something* to perform, now that they've got a cast and everything. These kids have got to be super disappointed.

I think having the kids write their own show, which a PP mentioned, is a great idea!
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2025 10:14     Subject: Walls school musical canceled
Anonymous wrote:When something like this happened at our high school, the drama director had the kids write a play. I don't think it was a great show, but we learned a lot.


That's an amazing idea!
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2025 10:08     Subject: Walls school musical canceled
When something like this happened at our high school, the drama director had the kids write a play. I don't think it was a great show, but we learned a lot.
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2025 20:35     Subject: Walls school musical canceled
Anonymous wrote:The show was Hadestown.


Oof. They were sure they could get the rights to a current Broadway musical with an active National tour? That seems… like someone had no idea what they were doing. Those kinds of rights are always tricky. Assuming they were going for the teen version, the site itself acknowledges all sorts of restrictions… I wonder if they didn’t qualify for some reason.
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2025 20:13     Subject: Walls school musical canceled
The show was Hadestown.
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2025 14:43     Subject: Walls school musical canceled
What was the show? Surely lots of people know if they did auditions? This really doesn't make sense unless a prof tour is coming through. My guess is that this would still be salvageable unless there are parts of this story missing.
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2025 14:41     Subject: Walls school musical canceled
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Unbelievable.

Heads need to roll!


I'm hoping this is sarcastic....


I mean... It's actually kind of a big deal for the affected kids. Though I'm surprised that they couldn't work something else given that it's a public HS. Like really the rights-owner wouldn't work with them even following a mea culpa? I find that surprising. And they're sure there's not a secondary version/rights holder? What was the show?


The issue is usually that School A wants to do a popular school show like The Little Mermaid, Jr. but Middle School B across town is already doing it, so School A can't get the rights. Having to change shows happens a lot, but usually the director figures it out before auditions.


But two schools can do the same show... It's really only local pro/semi-pro theatres that limit rights. And that's where I'd be surprised if a local theatre wouldn't work it out with a public HS. I think there has to be more to this story.
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2025 14:40     Subject: Re:Walls school musical canceled
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Two schools can’t do the same show?


Not within a small geographic area.


Why not? It's not like they are competing for the same audience.

And I don't understand why they can't choose a different play.
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2025 12:21     Subject: Walls school musical canceled
Anonymous wrote:Another huge debacle at SWW…at this point are they just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic?


Hardly..doesn't even register for the majority. Now if it was Ellington, you'd have a point. The arts are it's primary purpose.
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2025 12:19     Subject: Walls school musical canceled
Another huge debacle at SWW…at this point are they just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic?
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2025 10:51     Subject: Walls school musical canceled
Anonymous wrote:Terrible thing. But ought to be able to find another show? Not a great show, but something.


Do a revival or something. When DD lost her show due to Covid in 2020, it was horrible. Don’t do this to the kids.
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2025 10:50     Subject: Walls school musical canceled
Terrible thing. But ought to be able to find another show? Not a great show, but something.