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On Sunday, The New York Times published “Without Star, Broadway Shows Can’t Go On,” a story that examined how dependence on star casting has led many shows to close their doors earlier than desired principally because once the headliners leave, overall interest in the show dies. (And, so goes the show).

Replacing a star (or more) is the so-called Producers syndrome, according to the article.

Now, we all remember how big The Producers was when it hit Broadway in 2001. It was the hottest ticket in town, with most everybody going to see it for Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick and their supposed amazing chemistry. When they left a year later, though, advance ticket sales declined and slid even more over time.

By 2007, the show was put to rest. In Broadway years, that’s a good run. Yet don’t forget that a) Lane and Broderick returned to the production in 2003, and b) a film based on the musical was released in 2005. Had those things not happened, I’m pretty sure The Producers wouldn’t have lasted six years.

The article points out that the window seems to be shrinking for more recent hits. Promises, Promises, which stars Sean Hayes and Kristin Chenoweth, may close in January after nine months simply because its leads are “irreplaceable.”

Anyway, the longer I read over the story, the angrier I became. Sure, theater’s entertainment, but I don’t think a project’s cast should be the driving force to go out and see a show. The same goes for television and even film. Here’s why:

It’s the show, stupid

Forgive me, but I hold theater to a higher esteem than I do other media. The same goes for reading a novel over People magazine. The New York Times over your Twitter feed. It’s more intellectual.

To go to a show simply because Catherine Zeta-Jones (Night Music) is in it or even Julia Roberts (Three Days of Rain) misses the point on what theater should be. What it should be, of course, is the experience of sitting in an audience while trained professionals act out a story in front of you completely live. When done well, it’s better than a movie (big budget or not) because it’s more real than a film can ever be.

On top of that, there’s the show itself. The story, the plot, the characters and their dynamics. All of that’s probably missed when a fine lady like Mary-Louise Parker waltzes across the stage. Every time she appears, your brain distracts you with messages like, “Yo! That’s the chick from Weeds!”

But hey, maybe you’re OK with that kind of thing since she’s the reason you wanted to see Hedda Gabler anyway.

I relate it to a certain break-a-leg speech my high school theater co-directors would say prior to every new production – especially minutes before the “secret” show for parents held days before opening night. They’d tell us not to expect our parents to have understood what the play or musical was about because they were probably too preoccupied with our presence onstage.

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