d-r
<font color=red>l|ll|||ll||ll||<font color=purple>
- Joined
- May 31, 2000
Universal puts actors out on the street
By Robert Johnson
Orlando Sentinel Staff Writer
August 24, 2002
A new generation of street entertainers at Universal Studios, who earlier this
year replaced look-alike actors impersonating Marilyn Monroe, the Marx Brothers
and Charlie Chaplin, are getting the hook.
The lively characters, including Latin bombshell Sarita Bonita, singer and
dancer Rico Suave, and dancing sword fighters called the Swashbucklers, were
supposed to keep visitors entertained between rides and stage shows.
"When you try new things, you don't always know what will be successful,"
Universal spokeswoman Susan Lomax said.
Rico Suave was pulled from his Hollywood Boulevard performances a few weeks
ago. "He just didn't work," Lomax said.
But she said the other characters are simply going on hiatus and will be
brought back later.
Lomax said the Swashbucklers and Sarita Bonita -- originally introduced as
Chiquita Bonita -- received good reviews from guests in surveys. But she said
recently thinner crowds detract from the "energy and excitement" needed to
create the right atmosphere in which to present the acts.
"The actors feed off a big audience. When there aren't enough guests there, the
performances just aren't the same," Lomax said.
Sarita Bonita's last performance will be Sept. 14.
The strategy of putting an act on hiatus during slow periods is unusual, some
theme park experts say.
At Walt Disney World, for example, when crowds decline the frequency of
appearances by certain street performers is reduced, but the acts are not
eliminated entirely.
"You want your guests to have the same entertainment experience whether the
park is busy or not," said Pete Stapp, an attractions consultant who has worked
at both Universal Studios and Disney World.
None of the changes are because of the recent upheavel for parent company
Vivendi Universal in France, which recently replaced its chairman. The
conglomerate has seen its stock plummet and is shopping for a buyer of its
entertainment assets.
Bob Gault, the new Universal Orlando president who green-lighted the new acts
as part of a $1.6 million addition to the attraction's street entertainment
budget, wasn't available for comment.
Lomax said management's current plans are to possibly bring back some of the
characters during the expected busy tourism season that runs Thanksgiving week
to Jan.1. She said management would try to find other jobs for the displaced
actors.
But some actors' contracts, originally scheduled to run until Dec. 31, have
been terminated, Universal employees said. Lomax said any contract terminations
were done on an individual basis and not as part of widespread layoffs.
Some annual passholders at Universal criticized the introduction of the new
characters earlier this year because they replaced several actors who
impersonated historic movie personalities such as Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and
Hardy and Marilyn Monroe.
The new characters are original creations of Universal Studios, unlike most
street performers there previously who had Hollywood film pedigrees.
Several other street acts introduced gradually this year will survive, at least
for now. They include the Lucy and Ricky Ricardo singing and comedy routine,
the "Street Breaks" dancers and the Men In Black rappers.
Lomax said that even more new street performers may debut soon, but she would
not identify them.
By Robert Johnson
Orlando Sentinel Staff Writer
August 24, 2002
A new generation of street entertainers at Universal Studios, who earlier this
year replaced look-alike actors impersonating Marilyn Monroe, the Marx Brothers
and Charlie Chaplin, are getting the hook.
The lively characters, including Latin bombshell Sarita Bonita, singer and
dancer Rico Suave, and dancing sword fighters called the Swashbucklers, were
supposed to keep visitors entertained between rides and stage shows.
"When you try new things, you don't always know what will be successful,"
Universal spokeswoman Susan Lomax said.
Rico Suave was pulled from his Hollywood Boulevard performances a few weeks
ago. "He just didn't work," Lomax said.
But she said the other characters are simply going on hiatus and will be
brought back later.
Lomax said the Swashbucklers and Sarita Bonita -- originally introduced as
Chiquita Bonita -- received good reviews from guests in surveys. But she said
recently thinner crowds detract from the "energy and excitement" needed to
create the right atmosphere in which to present the acts.
"The actors feed off a big audience. When there aren't enough guests there, the
performances just aren't the same," Lomax said.
Sarita Bonita's last performance will be Sept. 14.
The strategy of putting an act on hiatus during slow periods is unusual, some
theme park experts say.
At Walt Disney World, for example, when crowds decline the frequency of
appearances by certain street performers is reduced, but the acts are not
eliminated entirely.
"You want your guests to have the same entertainment experience whether the
park is busy or not," said Pete Stapp, an attractions consultant who has worked
at both Universal Studios and Disney World.
None of the changes are because of the recent upheavel for parent company
Vivendi Universal in France, which recently replaced its chairman. The
conglomerate has seen its stock plummet and is shopping for a buyer of its
entertainment assets.
Bob Gault, the new Universal Orlando president who green-lighted the new acts
as part of a $1.6 million addition to the attraction's street entertainment
budget, wasn't available for comment.
Lomax said management's current plans are to possibly bring back some of the
characters during the expected busy tourism season that runs Thanksgiving week
to Jan.1. She said management would try to find other jobs for the displaced
actors.
But some actors' contracts, originally scheduled to run until Dec. 31, have
been terminated, Universal employees said. Lomax said any contract terminations
were done on an individual basis and not as part of widespread layoffs.
Some annual passholders at Universal criticized the introduction of the new
characters earlier this year because they replaced several actors who
impersonated historic movie personalities such as Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and
Hardy and Marilyn Monroe.
The new characters are original creations of Universal Studios, unlike most
street performers there previously who had Hollywood film pedigrees.
Several other street acts introduced gradually this year will survive, at least
for now. They include the Lucy and Ricky Ricardo singing and comedy routine,
the "Street Breaks" dancers and the Men In Black rappers.
Lomax said that even more new street performers may debut soon, but she would
not identify them.
