SDG Informing You

Register or Login to Hide This Ad for Free!
What happened to discussing the so-called reasons why they have to get more performers? Didn't they already have them in place and then...cut loose (allegedly)?

I'm taking my own side. I don't care for the Entwined>KK direction. I do like the Giardino Magico>Night Beats direction, though. Is there any relation?
 
chickenking said:
What happened to discussing the so-called reasons why they have to get more performers? Didn't they already have them in place and then...cut loose (allegedly)?

I'm taking my own side. I don't care for the Entwined>KK direction.
Click to expand...

That would be terrible casting mistakes.
 
Cedarva said:
People, in the same thread, are complaining about cutbacks and financial woes then in the same breath complaining about the park spending money in different areas. Pick a side already as waffling from side to side on every other point doesn't work from any logical standpoint.
Click to expand...

I do not see the issue of complaining about this when the trend is moving towards shafting long time loyal performers (who are fed up with the crap going on in Ent). I have plenty of info independent of what is posted here about misallocation of funds to enable this stuff. You know I am not going to go after a topic without having numerous angles presented to me outside of items posted.

Party Rocker said:
This exactly. It's nothing new. The only new thing is they are replacing a large amount of performers than usual.
Click to expand...

The level of what is going on, how it is going on, and what it is doing to long time outstanding loyal performers is the issues.
 
Ok- everyone is getting into a heated discussion and we need to relax a little. Everyone please stop getting mad at each other. We all have opinions here.

As for my opinion on the issue:

First of all, I think the performers at Busch Gardens, past and present have all been amazing. I'm sure the future performers will also be great. There is no issue with the performers- at all.

However, the issue is that replacing anyone for the sake of "replacing" is just wrong to me. It is a management issue.

Busch Gardens to me is a place that used to be "family" and that the park embraced all their workers as one amazing hard-working unit. The direction it seems to be going in entertainment worries me more than anything!

Performers used to work at the park for years. It was a good place to start and looks great on their resume. When BGW starts to look bad for future employers given the reputation of the park; there is some major concern. When you hear that actors and performers would rather go to Kings Dominion because they get treated better.. that has me worried.

Busch Gardens has been the place where great actors/ musicians/ performers/ singers/ dancers.. and so forth to get their foot in the door to a career in entertainment. It was a launching post to something better. It was never an assembly line that was mass produced for the sake of profit.

That is what I worry is happening now. Out with the old- in with the new without just cause. Moving forward is never a bad thing, but never at the expense of a person's career! There are people who have and are giving 100% everyday to their craft and they do not deserve to be treated as yesterday's news.

I look at Killarney Kommotion as a very talented group of musicians who are forced to lip sync and mime playing an instrument; not to mention dance around when they are not professional dancers. I look at acrobats that are fabulous and so talented it makes me cry to see them do minor entertainment tricks. Busch Gardens already has talent.. I just wish they would use it to their full potential in a "well themed" show.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Peter R., flamanar, Haberdasher1973 and 9 others
I'm not saying replace just to replace.

I'm saying replace for better talent.

Yes we have great talent, but if there is better than go for it.
 
Besides KK, I only know one show that had lip-syncing, and they did that for "ghostly" sound effects. I hate seeing the park stoop to this level. I can only hope and pray that action is taken sooner rather than later.
 
  • Like
Reactions: flamanar
Honestly, I felt like the entire thing was just a big air guitar party. It's much less "talent" than it is "Why aren't they applauding when I move my arms in sync to the soundtrack?"

:exclamation: I'm using this usually unused smiley to say we're veering off-topic. The topic hasn't hijacked the thread yet (the topic sort of pertains to SDG's information), so I'll let the "Thread Hijacked" guy wait out a bit longer. But mark my words, I'll use him if this derails much more! Let's get back on the topic of SDG's info.:exclamation: See, admins? There are more ways than just using the usual Thread Hijacked guy to help a thread!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nora
I think people are trying to use KK as an example that the park is going to waste talent.

While KK certainly does not use much live singing, this does not mean all future shows will turn out this way.

In fact, KK is the first show I personally have ever known them to lip sync. I prefer they sing live and if audience reaction isn't clear enough, more shows like this won't be happening.

I took a friend who loves dancing and enjoyed the show but felt awkward because the crowd sucked and had no reaction.

All in all, don't use KK as an excuse to say the park will waste it's talent. It is only one show that probably won't be around in the future.

Now to get back on track, I feel as though hiring new talent is beneficial as long as the talent is better than what is currently and I they have the funds to do so. Don't spend money you don't have for no reason.

That is my tale on the situation.
 
Party Rocker said:
I took a friend who loves dancing and enjoyed the show but felt awkward because the crowd sucked and had no reaction.
Click to expand...

Blaming it on the crowd now? I bet they did have a reaction and it was more "WTF IS HAPPENING" than anything else. You have forgetting about Entwined. Better performers will not help a show that has a failed concept and execution from the get go. It is a cop out.
 
  • Like
Reactions: flamanar, b.mac, Mushroom and 2 others
Some rambling comments below, I may come back in later and touch up on some specific points. But if anyone has questions about the theater industry in general or Amusement Park Theater specific I can answer since that is my current career and has been for the last 5 years.

As someone who work full time in the theater industry, and even worked at Busch Gardens in the recent past, I will say that everything mentioned above about the industry is correct. EVERYTHING!

Just like every other industry the theater industry has both good people and bad people. Yes some producers will come in and just strip a show for no reason. Or because they didn't like the lead's new hair style. Or whatever.

But at the same time you have the old style of Busch Gardens where performers and techs LOVED to work, and would return year after year.

As for the casting call, it is common for productions to keep casting even after their show already has a cast, or even after they are already in production. You never know when you will have a performer drop out suddenly or an injury that now you have to replace someone, quickly. I am not saying that is what is going on here but it MAY be.

As to whether current cast were offered roles and then had that role recendid, I don't know. But if they signed a contract for said show (and Busch Gardens does use contracts for performers) then re-casting is not as easy as just saying, "Sorry we don't want you anymore."

But from past dealings with Busch Gardens, and Amusement Park theater in general, I know they hold the contracts till the very last minute. So anyone who has been "let go" probably has not had a contract for Howl-O-Scream or Christmas Town yet so it's not a problem that they decided to go with different talent. I highly doubt that anyone has been offered a contract for either sets of shows yet, those probably won't go out for a couple of weeks yet.

Something I am seeing a lot is designers and producers are coming in and if they don't get the chance to do an entirely new show, they at least want to recast. So that they feel the show becomes theirs. I know there was a shakeup in the Entertainment department this season so I could easily see some new people deciding to try out others and see if they can, in their opinion, improve the show.

As for KK, haven't seen anything but the video. Hated it but I also think this is closer to what most Amusement Parks are going for. Not to the level of Cedar Point's Luminosity but I bet that's what they were going for with NO time and NO budget. I doubt it will come back next year but if it does expect it to be MUCH improved.
 
  • Like
Reactions: chickenking, flamanar, Haberdasher1973 and 8 others
Are you ready?...I AM the source. I am there. The ONLY reason I have put this thread in the rumor section is no one “knows everything”. Meaning no matter if we were there that day, it didn’t necessarily happen in front of our eyes but it was another cast or department saying it happened. Therefore I will not in good conscience label EVERYTHING as truth but only because I didn’t see or hear it with my very own eyes. Truth is relative as well. I have seen pics of the world taken from space so I assume it’s round. But I have never been to space to look back and see if it is in fact round. Just trying to give a little perspective. But short of giving you my name I can only imagine the naysayers will continue. But now you understand why.

There is no end for what that man will do therefore I can never reveal who I am. This is not a game. And my intention is the truth. So what if I have an opinion about it. I don't need you to believe it. All I need is for the office to know their sins are being exposed and there is nothing they can do about it. They are running around like chickens with their heads cut off trying to stop it. And I would like to know who on here is closer to them than I am at the present moment. Are you standing next to them as I write this? Are you right under their nose? I really would love to know and most likely prove you wrong. Who knows. Are YOU ready to say your name?

So my apologies to those that don't believe. I am sorry I tried to force my "opinion" on you. Zach is right. We will wait and see...(twiddles thumbs). I want to try to keep my posts limited to info and not just talk so if anyone wants to discuss this further then please PM me.

As far as Emile Tremble goes God rest her soul. SG went into her office in the morning with his posse and said her services are no longer required and walked out. So yeah why would BG post on their page about her. I’ll let you figure that one out.

Let’s talk about the beautiful, caring, Linda Cuddihy. Wish she was here for real. She took pity on SG when he was an outcast stage manager here in the late 90’s. Since SG was good at his job, but they didn’t want to work with him, he was promoted. Since in those days you didn’t fire people just because no one in the office liked them. So that is how the birth of all of this turmoil began. Everyone loves a good origin story. But there is no need to get into more past right now.

With each passing day there are more meetings with the casts and HR and ENT. The office is retaliating in trying to tell casts they can’t even speak to past employees that have been fired. It is chaos and it will show itself provable in the end. I Love you guys. I now understand all of your comments. Speak…
 
  • Like
Reactions: flamanar, Haberdasher1973, Alf33 and 10 others
SDG said:
Let’s talk about the beautiful, caring, Linda Cuddihy. Wish she was here for real. She took pity on SG when he was an outcast stage manager here in the late 90’s. Since SG was good at his job, but they didn’t want to work with him, he was promoted. Since in those days you didn’t fire people just because no one in the office liked them. So that is how the birth of all of this turmoil began. Everyone loves a good origin story. But there is no need to get into more past right now.
Click to expand...

Look, I am not one to argue here or even put anyone down. But please understand that this quote above really seems harsh considering who these people were and what they accomplished.

The past is what makes the present relevant. Without Linda or Emile Tremble and other like them, we wouldn't have such a high standard to compare things to.

If anything, I want to hear more about people like this and why they are loved. It puts the whole issue into perspective. I agree this is not the place to discuss the "past" but I wish someone would.

"We study the past to understand the present; we understand the present to guide the future." -- William Lund
 
  • Like
Reactions: chickenking, Haberdasher1973, Alf33 and 8 others
Is there a way to weed out the posted rumors instead of having to read through several pages to find out what has everyone so riled up?

Could SDG update his OP with each new rumor, that way it is easier for those just to glance in see what the fuss is about.

Just a suggestion.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Consider Donating to Hide This Ad