Modern World Theatre

» Mike Mackenzie - Re: Cabaret A Tough Pill To Swallow

Thank you for your posting. I do appreciate it.

I want to point something out, and I'm not sure if you saw this in my Blog section. This past May I produced a showcase called "One Song Glory", which was a show to highlight the youth musical theatre talent from across Southern Ontario. We performed one show at the Diesel Playhouse with over 400 people in attendance, and it was a rousing success. So much so that we are thinking about doing it again. As well, I spent 3 years as the Artistic Director of a youth theatre company here in Toronto, and I worked at a music theatre day camp here in Toronto for 5 years. I do have a passion for working with young people, especially in theatre. I wish that my company and the Toronto Youth Theatre were around when I was a teen. I applaud their work with you and the other young people involved with TYT. I really do mean that.

I was invited by the Toronto Youth Theatre and their press representatives to review the show. I gladly accepted, and was honoured to be there on opening night. I didn't walk in with any pre-conceived notions about young people doing such a difficult piece like Cabaret, and when you boil it down, my opinion shouldn't matter all that much. If you and the show got a rave review from me, would that have changed the way you approached the show on a nightly basis? I don't know when you did read the review, and so I don't know if the negative comments I had any effect on your or anyone elses performance. I really hope that it didn't, as I do feel that actors shouldn't (but of course, they always do) take their reviews to heart. A review is one persons opinion, and is meant to be read by the general theatre audience to gain an insight into the positives and negatives of a production before purchasing tickets and seeing it. I was at the Young Centre the night after opening to review the Soulpepper show, and my negative review didn't seem to have any effect at the box office. The place was jammed with young and old alike, all lining up to see your show. That is fantastic! I'm glad to hear people raved about your show. I'm fine with people liking something that I don't think is that great - I mean, everyone is entitled to their opinion, right? It just so happens that mine ended up on the internet for the world to read.

I chatted with the parents of one of the ensemble members during intermission, and I was blown away at your casts dedication to rehearsals and such. To invest that time and effort should be commended, and that's why I stated that they "gave it everything they had" and I believe it. It's a great sacrifice to put that much energy into a show, and I applaud you for that.

In regards to the show choice, I think it did go over your heads. I think Cabaret is one of the most complex and fascinating pieces of musical theatre out there, but again, it's my opinion. I don't think that because you are young you should be doomed to perform "High School Musical" or "Bye,Bye Birdie" until you reach the age of 19. Not at all. The material didn't go over the heads of everyone. As you may have noticed, I said some very positive things about numerous members of your cast.

I am not trying to dash the dreams of anyone. I was there to do a job. I review 3-5 shows a week, and I approach each production differently, based on whether it's Shakespeare, a comedy, a drama, a musical, etc. I never once compared it to the recent "professional" productions that have come through town. I reviewed it based on what I saw up on that stage that night. Opening nights are never easy, with jitters, family and friends in the audience, and who knows what kind of technical problems may or may not come up. It's a lot to contend with, but it's the nature of the beast.

You said "I got to be in my favourite musical and I am grateful, that is what matters" and you are right. That is what matters.

I hope that one day I will see you up on stage in a big, blockbuster musical, and that you will blow me away. I'm confident that with your heart driving your ambition, you will.

Many, many thanks Kristen for writing.

Break a leg in the future - I wish you nothing but the best.

Mike