The Globe and Mail is certainly rooting for them. This marks the third or fourth article about Dancap in as many weeks. Even Richard, over at The Star, is filling his pages with Dancap news. Granted the latest news from Dancap is not entirely positive. Recent layoffs and no announcement as of yet about the 2011 season is worrying.
Despite setbacks, Dancap are still getting lots of press for South Pacific, which opened August 12th and runs till September 5th. The reviews for South Pacific have been glowing. And The Star is in love with Jason Howard, who plays the charismatic lead, Emile de Becque.
Mr. Howard, actually lives here in Toronto. He works in opera, primarily elsewhere, which is unfortunate. But, in my opinion that is a big boon for this productions, and DanCap. Ticket sales have been "solid" according to both The Star and The G&M. Last fall I saw the Tony Award winning production at Lincoln Centre. It was magical and difficult to reproduce on the road. But audiences and critics here are loving the tour. EAP's own Justin Haley is going to see it this week, so we are all eager to hear what he thinks.
I am glad that Aubrey Dan has found a way to keep Dancap downtown, at least for the summer. I think South Pacific and Miss Saigon were solid choices for the summer series at the Four Season Centre. Both shows are the right scale for that house. It is an opera house, lest we forget. So any musical that goes in there must have enough weight to soar to the fifth circle. Getting a contract for the next four years with the Fours Season Centre was a smart, safe move. Ensuring Dancap will stay relevant downtown and in a house that should carry big budget crowd pleasers. Otherwise known as money makers. It isn't the right theatre venue for a lot of the more contemporary musical theatre out there, which is a shame. But if Dan can continue to put solid blockbuster musicals up there it will definitely keep Dancap viable. What about a run of Ragtime or Sunday in Park with George for 2011?
On another note, it really is a shame that Dancap didn't win out against Mirvish for access rights to the Yonge Street houses. Don't get me wrong I am a Mirvish fan and respect their clout in the city. But isn't there room for Dancap and some healthy competition? Of course I don't know any of the details related to the legal squabbles over the Canon and Panasonic Theatres, but it still seems a shame to me.
Aubrey doesn't appear to be going anywhere though, admitting to a "few setbacks" but generally remaining optimistic, and assuring everyone that there will be a subscription series for 2011. And I agree with his and the Globe's assessment that, "Dancap’s presence as a 'proven entity' has forced competitors to raise the bar, benefiting Toronto’s theatregoers."
Mirvish responded in typical Don Drapper style regarding Dancap's impact on their business saying, “we haven’t raised or lowered our game in any measurable way.”
As for Aubrey Dan and Dancap - keep it up! Everyone is rooting for you.
image courtesy of The Globe and Mail
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