We read in some of the coverage of the stagehands strike the following statement - obviously referring to Les Mis and trying to be clever:
"So now ... the barricades are silent."
Uhm - the barricades don't sing. The barricades are inanimate objects. That's like answering the question, "So who are you playing in Les Mis?" with "Oh, the barricade."
"Hey, I just got cast in Camelot!"
"That's great! Who are you playing?"
"Camelot."
"Hey, man, haven't seen you in a while - what've you been up to?"
"Great stuff! Just got cast in the road company of Oklahoma!"
"Dude, that's great! Who are you playing?"
"Oklahoma."
Like: the barricades are ALWAYS silent because they are NOT ALIVE.
Anyway, we've been guffawing with laughter about this whole thing - first of all, the image of the barricades singing and then suddenly falling silent - and we have also had fun coming up with much better "puns" for the strike using Les Mis lyrics. We are amusing ourselves on this grey rainy day.
The Master of the House? There IS no Master of the House because the House is closed.
There will be "empty chairs and empty tables" on Broadway tonight due to the stagehands strike.
Do you hear the people sing? Actually, no we don't, because all the shows have closed.
How long will the strike go on? One more dawn, one more day, one day more.
24601 … more days of striking
Come to me, Cosette, the light is fading … because the lighting designers have gone home.
Exeunt.
We can't stop.
Posted by sheila | TrackBackThis is beautiful.
And now I'm feverishly trying to come up with clever lyrics of my own. So far, nothing. I do, however, have "I Dreamed a Dream" stuck in my head (the Patti Lupone version.)
Posted by: curly mcdimple at November 14, 2007 4:40 PMCurly - please do join in! I'm sure it'll be hilarious. We're being so goofy right now!!
Posted by: red at November 14, 2007 4:42 PMI dreamed a dream of days gone by
When the Broadway shows were playing
Negotaions were complete
And the stagehands were paid.
This is fun...
At the end of the day there's no Broadway shows running.
Posted by: melissa at November 14, 2007 4:57 PMWho am I?
Who am I?
I'm a stagehand on strike!
And there has to be one out of Black and Red...
Red, the theater's budget sheet.
Black, the theater's lights
Red, the striker's sign.
Black, the night that never ends.... (maybe)
red and black - HAHAHAHA
Posted by: red at November 14, 2007 5:09 PMThat memory of books? I have one of lyrics also... now I have the whole album running through my head phrase by phrase....
Posted by: melissa at November 14, 2007 5:11 PMLovely ladies - we're all out of work!
Chorus Line has closed and we have gone berserk!
Oh and naturally - this strike affects many people in my life personally. I am surrounded by striking friends right now. I do not laugh at lost work. I do, however, laugh at the image of the barricade opening its mouth and breaking into song.
Posted by: red at November 14, 2007 5:18 PMOf course. If any of the local stagehands went on strike, I'd have friends on both sides of the line. (And I do have friends in the Writers strike)
Posted by: melissa at November 14, 2007 5:34 PMStars
In your multitudes
Scarce to be counted
Filling the darkness
Now all out of worrrrk!!
Look down and crack your purse-y if you can
Look down, look down upon these poor stagehands!
"purse-y"?
I am drunk.
I am Javert.
I tried to commit suicide but without the swirling light and raising bridge I merely stood in the spot I was already in.
Brendan -- I can't stop laughing at that.
Posted by: tracey at November 14, 2007 6:10 PMThis is hilarious. (Especially to someone whose Glee Club spring show sophomore year was a super-medley of Les Mis.)
Don't forget about, "Aren't any floors for me to sweep"--'cos I'm on strike!
Posted by: Kate P at November 14, 2007 11:19 PM"Clear away the barricades
and we're still there..."
Um, no, you're not.
Posted by: Sal at November 14, 2007 11:56 PMHahaha this thread is hilarious. You guys are awesome.
Posted by: red at November 15, 2007 7:36 AMWithout them
the Broadway we know changes
The seats are bare
and everywhere
showpeople act like strangers
At the end of the day there's another show canceled
All we wanted to do was go to a play
It's a shame and a crime
Just sitting around all the time
'Cos the stagehands wanna get paid -
At the end of the day!
Well done!! These are all making me laugh. Love it!
Posted by: red at November 15, 2007 11:01 AMI spent a summer on the stage
My hopes were high
and fame was calling
Now the stagehands are in a rage
They stopped the shows
My hopes are falling ...
And out on the picket lines, all the burly stagehands delicately sing:
There is a castle on a cloud
I like to go there in my sleep
Aren't any floors for me to sweep
Cuz Broadway is now just like a shroud ....
Tracey, I am crying. I can't stop picturing that - the contrast of the burly dudes and that special little fairy tale song. I'm dying!!!!!!
Posted by: red at November 15, 2007 1:03 PM