Who can forget the infamous writers strike of 2007? I was watching my season 2 dvd of 30 Rock when I realized the special features had a taping of a live performance they did right before the strike ended. The performance was at the Upright Citizens Brigade theater and benefited the Production Assistants that were out of work during that time period.
The point of this post is recognizing the thought behind this production. I am a huge advocate for adapting great scripts from movie/tv to stage and vice versa, as long as they are done in a tasteful manner. For this show, it not only drew in critics and fans but it also attracted people who would not have normally watched it. I read a few blogs where people gained respect for the people in the show, and tv in general, due to the nature in which this live performance was carried out.
It was three weeks before the show was to air. The show was very laid back and the cast was not afraid to interact with the audience. Even though it was live, they had a keyboard and banjo for musical composition and a narrater reading the stage directions. In between acts they had a raffle and improved commercials. This cast is not used to filming in front of an audience, so it was great to see the casts reaction to applause and laughter.
This show was held one night but I believe there is something to this approach. Why can’t there be touring casts for these shows? I feel that if there is a strong enough fan base, or enough hype around the show itself it would draw in the appropriate audience. There is hardly any cost associated, besides that of the actors and the scenery is not needed. In their show they had no scenery or lighting and it worked. Hell, they were still on script and it worked.
So – Dear TV executives. Here’s something to consider. Before the world becomes completely digital, consider the possibilities in producing more of these live performances of TV shows. I know that I’d go.
