<p>I have the utmost respect for all the talent and hard work that goes into theatre productions, especially on the Broadway level. But as alwaysmom said, not everything that gets produced is a winner, even on Broadway.</p>
<p>One of the things I found most amusing about all the tweets, reviews, blogs and CC comments that were written on the SOM was the absolutely referential regard people had for Broadway and its actors.</p>
<p>In contrast, Carrie Underwood, who did not have Broadway credits, was regarded at such a lowly level from the start. It would have been near impossible for her to raise her stature to the vaulted levels of a Broadway veteran, even if her performance had more dazzle. </p>
<p>Now truly, how much Broadway did many of these harsh critics actually witness over the years? Seeing only hits and multiple times at that certainly doesn’t count! Because the truth is that there is plenty of bad to be seen on Broadway, too. And I am not stating that as a criticism, but as a way of having people realize that without experimentation and failed efforts, theatre would remain stagnant and people won’t take chances on something new or discover and develop new talent. So for every hit on Broadway–and many of these shows are not the most acclaimed by critics–there are an even greater number of poor to mediocre Broadway shows and performances. That is the reality of Broadway, but it is also the reason for its survival. </p>
<p>So, it is nice to hear that NBC will officially create more live Broadway musicals annually. And I would expect to see “stars” at the helm who are not just Broadway veterans. I think we should give them more of a chance to succeed next time out.</p>