COUNTERPUNCH LETTERS : Come See the Individual and the Show

Re “Come See the Show, Not an Individual,” the March 4 Counterpunch commentary of Calvin Remsberg, a cast member of “The Phantom of the Opera”: I can’t agree with Remsberg’s reply to the letter writer who had been in a crowd of theatergoers demanding refunds because Michael Crawford missed a performance.

Whether or not Remsberg believes that he’s advancing the cause of “Phantom” understudies, what he’s really doing is slighting the contribution of the star of the show and passing on erroneous information about the box office.

Remsberg advances non sequitur arguments that are as disappointing to his own fans (of whom I was one) as they must be to fans of Crawford or of theater in general. During Crawford’s eight-month hiatus from the show prior to his return last December, ticket sales were so sluggish that the production’s L.A. run was jeopardized.

Demonstrably largely because of Crawford’s return, both sales and advance-sales dates have jumped forward. It’s an easy matter to chart the course of the box-office decline in the weeks before Crawford announced his return and its upsurge in the weeks after; one need only refer to issues of Variety.

Also, contrary to Remsberg’s assertions, it’s perfectly all right to attend the theater “just” to see an individual. The Ahmanson and other theaters would be sure to agree; after all, don’t their managements often try to get the “big-name draws” and “best” performers, all to attract an audience?

If every performer were “generic” and interchangeable with others, we wouldn’t have the recognized greats.

DANIEL MERTESS

Beverly Hills