Real Men Don't Eat Quiche While Listening to Showtunes...

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Lumberjack

I read an interesting article in The New York Times Arts and Leisure section last Sunday ("Spamalot Discovers The Straight White Way" by Jesse McKinley, Sunday April 10, 2005) about how Spamalot is bringing a new group of consumers to Broadway -- the "kinds of teenagers and 20-somethings who find jokes about fish, flatulence and the French absolutely sidesplitting and who normally wouldn't be headed to the theater unless dragged by a girlfriend, school trip, or court order."

Mike Nichols, Spamalot's director, is quoted as saying "They are what the movie preview experts call young males under 35...and we have them."

The article talks about how there are finally longer lines for the men's washroom than at the women's washroom. It goes on to say that groups of men without wives or girlfriends are going out for night of theater at the Shubert in New York. And industry officials say they ae impressed by the show's ability to draw men in their 20s, 30s, and 40s.

First of all, I think anything that gets anyone to go to live theater for any reason is a good thing. So way to go Spamalot!

But this isn't the first time we've heard about how men generally stay away from Broadway shows, especially musicals.

Is this whole "real men don't go to Broadway" thing a recent phenomenon? Wasn't there a time when men went to see shows, be it play or musical? And weren't those shows more than just people covered in blue paint banging on garbage pail lids?

Weren't men just as in awe with Marlon Brando in Streetcar, or just as stirred at the opening of a newArthur Miller or Eugene O'Neill play, or perhaps just as inspired by Oklahoma! (before they went off to fight), as women were?

But why did these guys in this article seem to take pride in the fact that they have never seen anything on Broadway before this? There have always been a myriad of sexual preferences represented in the theater. Why is it such a problem for men now to go? And why doesn't it stop them from going to the movies or rock concerts, which as we well know also represent that same wide spectrum of sexual preferences! Why are they boycotting Broadway? Did they use to stay away in droves or is this a recent thing?

I mean, for crying out loud they all chant Queen songs at sports games...either "We Are The Champions" of "We Will Rock You".


We Will Rock You

Browsing through the same paper I also noticed an article in the Lifestyle section about what you call it when two straight male friends have dinner together. ("The Man Date", Sunday Styles, Sunday April 10,2005). Apparently there are rules. Meeting for dinner is OK. Brunch is not. A walk is fine -- as long as one guy carries a ball. Wine by the glass is fine. Sharing a bottle is not.

Sharing a bottle of wine? Is this for real? Are you kidding?

How awful to have to be so aware of what's acceptable and not acceptable when planning some time with a friend. Again I'll ask the question -- has it always been like this? Or have we Neanderthal-ized these poor guys into such rigid roles? So guys, loosen up. Call up a male friend and go kill a bottle of wine at a cafe and then walk over to the theater and buy a couple of tickets to The Producers, and learn about how real men bond...

By Suzy Conn on April 17, 2005 4:19 PM | | Comments (0)


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