The Business of ShowBusiness

Saw a great documentary last night: Dori Berinstein's "ShowBusiness: the Road to Broadway." Berinstein basically interviewed everybody she could get her hands on involved in four high profile musicals during the 2003-04 Broadway season: "Wicked," "Caroline, Or Change," "Taboo," and "Avenue Q."

Now, I'm not sure how impartial I could be about the content of "ShowBusiness" given that I'm into its subject. I had seen three of the four shows, had interviewed most of the same people who Berinstein interviewed, knew a lot of the back stories. I mean, if you like this world, you'll be in hog heaven because that's where the filmmaker places you. Rose and Boy George vs the world? "Q" bests the witches of Oz? Bring it on!!

I confess I felt like a bit of a super geek given that I was sitting in a very expensive frou-frou theater (Landmark's new Westside Pavilion) watching a work intended for, ahem! a rather specialized audience. I've seen "ShowBusiness: The road to Broadway" but not the latest "Pirates of the Caribbean."

I wasn't however as embarrassed as some my east coast critical brethren should be. The cream of NY's theatre reviewing crop were filmed sitting around restaurant tables dissecting _ at great lengths and with huge amounts of pomposity _ the works in question. Yeah, I guess it must be nice to be a little splufricated with your own perceived power.

It doesn't work that way here in L.A. We critics don't close shows. They do that all by themselves, usually after about 4-6 weeks.