Mary Poppins and the Recession

Move over, Little Orphan Annie. Mr. George Banks is the new face of the current recession. That, at least, is the story in this perceptive BBC News article by Harold Evans. In short, he discusses the stage version of Mary Poppins as an analogy for all the Bernie Madoffs in the current crisis, going on to examine how Broadway itself is losing its luster: shows are shuttering as patrons, particularly tourists, are staying home. And that is certainly true; I have a friend who was slated to be the understudy for Tarzan in Disney's newest stage show, but the whole thing got shut down about a month ago--maybe it will see the footlights in a few years, when he can presumably audition again. But despite the loss of consumers, tickets around 42nd Street remain over $100 a pop, a price tag that has kept me from ever seeing a single show on Broadway in the three years I've lived in New York. Oh, to be a groundling...