Swing Joined: 7/21/14
I, for one, enjoyed the entire show. It was funny and poignant. Closely followed the story line of the movie. And, if you didn't care for the love story, how could you not at least have loved Apollo Creed's (Terence Archie) "Patriotic" and Rocky's (Andy Karl) "Fight From the Heart"?!!! - which were in the first act. If all "you" wanted was to see a fight, "you" should have gone to a fight!
" but I'm sorry, you cannot take a movie with absolutely no reason to be musicalized..."
Oh and please tell us, oh wise one, what the criteria is for this "need".
Featured Actor Joined: 4/1/05
I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the final performance last night. The show was amazing and the audience was electric. The crowd was so into it, chanting Rocky,Rocky over and over. Since the closing was announced the crowds have been great, but unfortunately it was too little, too late. The cast gave their usual fantastic performance,led by the incomparable Andy Karl, who was brilliant in the role and has been from day one.
The only surprise was the fact that the show ended like it did every night.There weren't any speeches made or flowers given,etc and there wasn't an appearance by Mr. Stallone. He should have been there to show his appreciation to this wonderful cast that gave it their all every night, led by the incomparable Andy Karl. He was brilliant!!! Mr. Stallone not being there was very disrespectful to them. I was never a big fan of his and this sealed the deal. Rocky was his baby and brought him fame and fortune and made him a star. I know that was the movie, but this show was still his baby and he should have acknowledged it. He didn't care enough to support it, especially at the end. The show was never promoted properly.
As was pointed out on that other site, where you posted this same thing verbatim, Stallone is most likely promoting his latest movie, which was just released.
I would say that the last thing responsible for the failure of Rocky the musical was "poor promotion," but if that's the thought that gets you through the night, let it ride.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/28/13
"Mr. Stallone not being there was very disrespectful to them. I was never a big fan of his and this sealed the deal."
That's a pretty principled stand, not remaining a fan of someone you weren't a fan of... I hope you can always stay so true to your convictions.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/28/13
Seems someone is on the prowl, foaming at the mouth to relentlessly defend a flop that is now gone.
Rocky should not needed him there at like every performance, it should have been able to stand on its own. He clearly did support it, just not at the level good enough for you. He had to work last night, nothing more to it.
Swing Joined: 7/21/14
I don't understand the need to be nasty - sounds like a bunch of "Broadway Snobs" to me. Rocky brought joy to me, so say what you will, but I will always have the happy memories...
Ahh, just stick around long enough, grasshopper, and one day, you too shall be called a "Broadway Snob."
Broadway Star Joined: 3/5/04
Maybe Stallone was getting more plastic surgery on his face and was humiliated that few people cared about him or the character anymore. Or maybe humiliated cause he lost so much of his money producing it. Don't worry lovers of this show- there will be more productions of it in Europe.
Featured Actor Joined: 4/1/05
Why should i make a different post? Not everyone reads both boards or are on them religiously like I see quite a few posters on here are.
Featured Actor Joined: 4/1/05
Featured Actor Joined: 4/1/05
Featured Actor Joined: 4/1/05
Featured Actor Joined: 4/1/05
He wasn't needed at every performance, but the last one would have been appropriate!!
Featured Actor Joined: 4/1/05
You are correct, but I am done. That is why I never get into it with posters on the boards. Too much nastiness in general. Going back to reading and lurking unless something else strikes my fancy.
I think the fatal flaw is when fans of a show broadly tell everyone else why they were wrong to not love it as much, as though they somehow didn't get it. As soon as that door is opened, then you've pretty much challenged the naysayers to jump in and say why they didn't like it. The more you just say you liked without that extra element, the better your odds at a thread not turning nasty. Of course, the theme of this last season has been mixed reviews and polarized audiences, so nearly every show has people ready to say why a show is amazing/horrible whenever it is mentioned.
Updated On: 8/19/14 at 09:08 AM
I would add that, in several decades of Broadway theatre-going, I've only seen one true flop that I felt was an excellent piece of work all around - The Scottsboro Boys.
I'm not talking about flops that ran a long time to critical success but closed at a loss (like Follies, the original which I didn't see anyway), but real flops - generally panned, derided and closed before 250 performances (the "Mandelbaum Rule") - or even those that got good press but closed early (like Side Show).
There were other flops I liked (Grind, Play On, Fame Becomes Me, A Catered Affair), but could still see the flaws and why they didn't catch on (I can see why Scottsboro didn't catch on, too, but still feel it was an A+ show).
Based on that experience, my theory is that 99.9% of flops flop because they just aren't good enough to succeed with a large audience - it can't be blamed solely on marketing, bad weather, a zombie apocalypse, or any other external factors.
Updated On: 8/19/14 at 09:58 AM
I will remember ROCKY for its extraordinary set, the theatricality of its ending, and the absolute charm of Andy Karl and Margo Seibert's performances. It was a very good production of a mediocre musical. I wish it had made it through Christmas, I wanted to take my parents who loved the movie, but alas an expensive show has bills to pay and fiscal requirements to pay them or get off the pot.
I think Rocky, Bullets Over Broadway and Ghost's early closings are a cautionary tale to producers to worry less about stage craft and focus on music. Rocky was overblown-even with amazing performances from Andy and Margo, it was a mess in my opinion. Bloated on a technical level, I found the final fight mind numbing. I didn't feel much for the characters-the book and the score were weak.
The Bodyguard will suffer a similar fate if it transfers.
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/10/11
I saw it the Thursday before it closed and I was bored for all but the last 15 minutes. I do not remember the last time I saw a show that did not have a single good song, this from the people who wrote RAGTIME. The best part of the show could easily have been done exactly the same in a high budget straight play version of the movie.
While I enjoyed the last 15 minutes, I was not as excited as I expected to be, probably because my expectations were too high, exacerbated by my complete indifference to that point. Also, per prior statement, because they introduced no new background music or song, to go along with the visual excitement. (I have always thought that the Helicopter scene in Miss Saigon was as exciting as it was not because a piece of the set was slowly lowered from the rafters but because of the beauty and excitement of the background music and the lighting. Rocky had the brilliant staging and lighting, but relying on the old music was just lazy).
I can't help thinking that no one ever asked 'does ROCKY need to be a musical?' Having answered that, to then rely on the music from the 38 year old movie to provide the only musical excitement, should have told someone that something was wrong.
At the end of the show, all I felt was disappointment that I had not seen something else, since I only get to NYC two or three times a year.
It also did not help that I saw Cabaret the next night and Gentleman's Guide the next two performances...they only helped to emphasize how uninteresting Rocky was, the direction of certain scenes aside.
Updated On: 8/19/14 at 06:19 PM
"Mr. Stallone not being there was very disrespectful to them. I was never a big fan of his and this sealed the deal. Rocky was his baby and brought him fame and fortune and made him a star. I know that was the movie, but this show was still his baby and he should have acknowledged it. He didn't care enough to support it, especially at the end. "
What nonsense .
"If all "you" wanted was to see a fight, "you" should have gone to a fight!"
Huh? Where is that off the wall comment coming from. I don't like boxing and hate fights which is one reason I put off seeing the show so long. But the fight sequence amazed me thanks to the energy and the theatricality of it all. It wasn't the lack of a fight in Act I that bored me, it was the lackluster script, songs, and acting that bored me. Again, I'm glad the scenery was so amazing because it gave me something to watch in Act I -- didn't want or need a fight, though.
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