Letter: With few exceptions, good theater is dying

Friday, Aug. 25, 2006 | 7:22 a.m.

David Leonhardt of The New York Times wrote an article that appeared in Wednesday's Las Vegas Sun about why touring companies have a hard time selling Broadway shows once these shows leave New York.

It's quite simple. The shows are mediocre at best. All the ads in the world can't make a musical sell without good tunes. The only good guys left are Webber, Sondheim, Hamlisch and Schonberg. The last good show I saw coming out of New York was the musical written by Sir Elton John, who wrote the score for the Broadway production of the opera "Aida." Another good one is playing at Mandalay Bay, "Mamma Mia!"

Listen to the non-melodic songs coming out of the television show "American Idol" and you'll understand why I say there are no good songs written today. Today's young people have been brought up listening to crap so they don't know any better.

James Altemara, Las Vegas

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