SOME LIKE IT HOT On Broadway - Reviews & News Thread- Page 30

[JSquared2]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 4:07pm

chrishuyen said: "I don't know if I'd necessarily call Be More Chill a success either, but I do think a good social media campaign can increase awareness (which is indeed what it did with Beetlejuice too).

I'm not necessarily the target demographic for this (younger millennial who's never seen the movie) and I thought it was great fun but it wasn't necessarily the kind of musical that felt like you'd be running out of the theater to tell everyone about (as opposed to something like Hadestown, or even Moulin Rouge). Also it might be my age group, but most of the friends I did mention it to seemed like they hadn't even heard of Some Like It Hot the movie, whereas Tootsie/Mrs. Doubtfire was something we had actually watched or at least kind of knew (fwiw I thought SLIH the musical was better than both of them).

But I agree that the main thing bringing down the show is the score. I remember liking the title song during the show and enjoyed hearing it again during the entr'acte, but I couldn't tell you anything about it now. And having seen Smash, I really think this version of Let's Be Bad pales in comparison. I enjoy tap dancing a lot but I think the sheer amount of it (and other big flashy numbers) made it seem like there was no standout production number and everything was kind of on the same level, so there was no "wow" moment (except probably the chase scene). Everything is done well enough but nothing pops enough for me to be recommending it to people unless I think they'd be interested in a specific part of it."

 

 

I'm pretty sure that OhHiii was using BE MORE CHILL as an example of how social media "success" can STILL be a failure at the box office.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 4:26pm

Intotheblue said: "Most of us can agree that “Some Like it Hot” is a good show, but clearly something is missing if people are not coming to see it.IMO post-pandemic, it’s a show that needs a star. It can’t just be a “great” show. There needs to be a draw to bring people in. It needs to be an event that people want to pay top $$. Imagine if “The Producers” opened with musical theatre names as opposed to Broderick/Lane. It wouldn’t have been what it became. I feel like the Christian Borle or Adriana Hicks parts could have been the “star” roles to cast."

I agree with your basic argument, but I disagree with your example.  Nathan Lane was first and foremost a Broadway star; while he had by then appeared in movies, e.g., The Birdcage, he was famous because of Broadway.  Matthew Broderick had been a movie star years before, but certainly wasn't one when The Producers opened.  What he was was a two-time Tony award winning actor.  I also think it was a different time. 

One could argue that The Producers did not run as long as was expected because they could not find stars to replace them.  I think the real issue by that time was that Nathan Lane had become associated with that role that a lot of the shine left when he did.  He still was primarily a (great) Broadway star who will always be remembered as Max Bialystock.

I am flummoxed by SLIH's availability.  I do think that a lot of people -- as has been stated many times before -- who would flock to that show are older, and they are still not returning to the theatre the way they attended before.  They are being more selective, and a big star would have helped immeasurably to get them out buying tickets, IMO.

I would point out that Kinky Boots did not have star leads and it didn't matter; same with Billy Elliott, Beautiful (one could argue pretty easily that Carole King was the star), Matilda, all of which ran for at least 3 1/2 years.  Re Waitress, I guess the fact that Jessie Mueller won a Tony for Beautiful meant that she was known on Broadway, but I don't know whether she sold many tickets.  I guess II am struggling to think of other semi-recent hits that were not juke box musicals, revivals, and/or did not have a star lead, so those are the examples I can come up with.  They were all before Covid too.

Bottom line: I think it is being hurt by three things:

-- Covid malaise

-- No stars

-- People remembering their bad experiences with Tootsie and Mrs. Doubtfire.  I think that is exacerbated by the critical feedback that the SLIH score is its weakest link.  That was true with Tootsie too, and the show failed IMO because of the weak score.

Hopefully, positive WOM will offset the above concerns. If it does not get momentum and closes too early with big losses, I think the issue will have impact well beyond SLIH.  

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 4:56pm

As far as recent musicals that recouped, Hadestown and Band's Visit both did and neither had a star. But they're also musicals with a very strong score. The music for SLIH simply isn't strong.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 5:00pm

For comparison's sake, this looks like Paradise Square, which didn't have this show's glowing reception, to state the obvious. I checked the first two performances this week and see that the show has sold only about 20% of its seats for the midweek matinee -- the orchestra is mostly unsold, upstairs, nada -- only about 25% for tomorrow night. Yet TDF has been resisted. 

There's just little interest in this piece of musical theater; its arrival in 2022 seems a strange miscalculation. Once again, admittedly a latecomer to the party - I enjoyed the show immensely - I'm stunned.

[pollster2]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 5:02pm

I saw the show in previews and felt that much of it worked but ultimately left feeling really bored. Everything about it felt like it was simply a rehash of stuff I had seen before. Many of my friends enjoyed it but felt the same. Word of mouth like that has to be hurting it.

[steve.sometime]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 5:22pm

The clipart poster doesn't help either.

[christinelavin]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 5:28pm

Jarethan said: "Intotheblue said: "Most of us can agree that “Some Like it Hot” is a good show, but clearly something is missing if people are not coming to see it.IMO post-pandemic, it’s a show that needs a star. It can’t just be a “great” show. There needs to be a draw to bring people in. It needs to be an event that people want to pay top $$. Imagine if “The Producers” opened with musical theatre names as opposed to Broderick/Lane. It wouldn’t have been what it became. I feel like the Christian Borle or Adriana Hicks parts could have been the “star” roles to cast."

I agree with your basic argument, but I disagree with your example. Nathan Lane was first and foremost a Broadway star; while he had by then appeared in movies, e.g., The Birdcage, he was famous because of Broadway. Matthew Broderick had been a movie star years before, but certainly wasn't one when The Producers opened. What he was was a two-time Tony award winning actor. I also think it was a different time.

One could argue that The Producers did not run as long as was expected because they could not find stars to replace them. I think the real issue by that time was that Nathan Lane had become associated with that role that a lot of the shine left when he did. He still was primarily a (great) Broadway star who will always be remembered as Max Bialystock.

I am flummoxed by SLIH's availability. I do think that a lot of people -- as has been stated many times before -- who would flock to that show are older, and they are still not returning to the theatre the way they attended before. They are being more selective, and a big star would have helped immeasurably to get them out buying tickets, IMO.

I would point out that Kinky Boots did not have star leads and it didn't matter; same with Billy Elliott, Beautiful (one could argue pretty easily that Carole King was the star), Matilda, all of which ran for at least 3 1/2 years. Re Waitress, I guess the fact that Jessie Mueller won a Tony for Beautiful meant that she was known on Broadway, but I don't know whether she sold many tickets. I guess II am struggling to think of other semi-recent hits that were not juke box musicals, revivals, and/or did not have a star lead, so those are the examples I can come up with. They were all before Covid too.

Bottom line: I think it is being hurt by three things:

-- Covid malaise

-- No stars

-- People remembering their bad experiences with Tootsie and Mrs. Doubtfire. I think that is exacerbated by the critical feedback that the SLIH score is its weakest link. That was true with Tootsie too, and the show failed IMO because of the weak score.

Hopefully, positive WOM will offset the above concerns.If it does not get momentum and closes too early with big losses, I think the issue will have impact well beyond SLIH."

I'm not a theater insider, more like a fan who sometimes goes to see shows over and over again that really hit me -- as "Some Like It Hot" does.  I've seen this show more than a dozen times -- have sat in every section -- my favorite section is the balcony because it's got the youngest, most enthusiastic audience members (and the sound up there is great).  At one performance I sat next to a man up there who ran a theater in Chicago for 21 years.  He lectured the teens sitting behind us at the end of the night -- "Save your programs," he told the kids, "start a collection, if you haven't already. This can be a life-long experience for you, going to theater. I love your enthusiasm!"

The kids expected to be yelled at for screaming after every song, but no. They were complimented. 

Before this show the previous shows I've seen over and over again were "Flying Over Sunset" (not that many times since its run was cut short), "South Pacific," "The Drowsy Chaperone," and "Dame Edna."  The latter two were comedies, the first two were not. It's an expensive addiction, but I learn something every repeat performance. My life's work is that of a songwriter, so I can't help but learn.

Casey Nicholaw was the director of "Drowsy" (BTW, Bob Saget was a brilliant Man In Chair, making his premature death all the sadder, since he was just scratching the surface of live theater). But after the first preview of SLIH I felt the same way I felt after seeing my first preview of "Drowsy" -- I must see this again, and this is going to run forever.  

My most recent time was Sunday's matinee -- two understudies went on and did fine -- the orchestra section was pretty much filled except for the fringe seats on the far sides -- and the audience had a ball.  Maybe to promote the show they need to go the tried and true route of interviewing people as they leave the theater -- the crowd is so happy and upbeat. Sunday's crowd was both white and black people and every shade in between. It's that rare, old school kind of show that is hard to categorize as a "white" show or a "black" show because it's both. 

I hope the producers can hang in there and trust that it will find its audience; "Some Like It Hot" makes people so happy as it unfurls.  Christian Borle, J. Harrison Ghee, and Adrianna Hicks (Joe/Josephine, Jerry/Daphne and Sugar Kane) are the stars for sure -- but not only do Sweet Sue, Osgood, Spats, Mulligan, and Minnie stand out as major cast members, the multi-talented ensemble demonstrates amazing skills and more-than-capable understudies are in the wings. 

I'll keep going to see this show as long as I can, which I hope will be a long, long time. Even if I have to sell some "Drowsy" swag. And my Dame Edna book collection. One of my heroes is Livingston Taylor, whose brother James is a superstar (Livingston is a great performer, too).  Livingston says the job of the performer is to make the audience feel better. 

If you can stay home and feel better, more power to you.  But who doesn't feel better going out, being part of an audience being transported to a higher place. That's how I have felt every time I've seen this show. 

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 5:48pm

Surprised they’re not papering on every service. This is the time to be doing that. 

[josibroadwayfan2]

Posted: 12/22/22 at 8:46am

I saw the show last night (12/21/22) and it was really good!  I went to the theater around 5:00pm and was able to get a rush ticket. I sat in row L seat 110 which was amazing. I was clearly able to see the actors facial expressions. I loved the show and would recommend it. 

[steve.sometime]

Posted: 12/22/22 at 10:29am

josibroadwayfan2 said: "I saw the show last night (12/21/22) and it was really good! I went to the theater around 5:00pm and was able to get a rush ticket. I sat in row L seat 110 which was amazing. I was clearly able to see the actors facial expressions. I loved the show and would recommend it."

Damn. After all those reports of bad seats from rush/lotto/tdf, I went to TKTS yesterday and got L113 for the matinee.

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 12/22/22 at 10:45am

Honestly if you had given me a choice to invest, I would have thought this show would easily be a hit. 

[Auggie27]

Posted: 12/22/22 at 10:50am

For what it's worth, the TDF seats for the midweek performances all sold quickly. The show is not up today. At least the TDF crowd (I'm in it) is responding to the opportunity. Many of us skipped the show in previews.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 12/22/22 at 10:54am

I was at yesterday's matinee, and this was the mezzanine at showtime:

[DrMonicaDeMoneco]

Posted: 12/22/22 at 12:59pm

Whoa that’s a lot of empty seats. Was the balcony closed off?

We’ll know by the 27th if they’re closing the 3rd of Jan…maybe they’ll limp past Jan 3 and make it to the 15th…

[musikman]

Posted: 12/22/22 at 1:02pm

TaffyDavenport said: "I was at yesterday's matinee, and this was the mezzanine at showtime:

"

That’s just honestly so sad to see, no matter your opinion on the show. Their seating charts don’t look any better for the rest of the week on telecharge. 

[Roscoe]

Posted: 12/22/22 at 3:22pm

There's probably some contractual reason somewhere for this, but shouldn't there be a credit somewhere along the lines of "based on the screenplay by Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond"?  Considering how very much of their dialogue made the transfer from screen to stage, to say nothing of all those character names...

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 12/22/22 at 3:25pm

DrMonicaDeMoneco said: "Whoa that’s a lot of empty seats. Was the balcony closed off?

We’ll know by the 27th if they’re closing the 3rd of Jan…maybe they’ll limp past Jan 3 and make it to the 15th…"

The balcony was open.

[Huss417]

Posted: 12/22/22 at 4:23pm

DrMonicaDeMoneco said: "Whoa that’s a lot of empty seats. Was the balcony closed off?

We’ll know by the 27th if they’re closing the 3rd of Jan…maybe they’ll limp past Jan 3 and make it to the 15th…"

Jan 3rd is a Tuesday. Would be a very odd day to close.

[Lola Getz2]

Posted: 12/22/22 at 4:37pm

Roscoe said: "There's probably some contractual reason somewhere for this, but shouldn't there be a credit somewhere along the lines of "based on the screenplay by Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond"? Considering how very much of their dialogue made the transfer from screen to stage, to say nothing of all those character names..."

I found that rather shocking as well, so I did some digging. 

According to the interwebs: This work is in the public domain because it was published in the United States between 1927 and 1963, and although there may or may not have been a copyright notice, the copyright was not renewed.

[BCfitasafiddle]

Posted: 12/22/22 at 4:54pm

Natasha Yvette Williams has been out for a few days. I really hope she doesn't have COVID. I'm seeing the show on Christmas Eve and she is one the people I've been most excited to see. 

[Playbill_Trash]

Posted: 12/22/22 at 5:09pm

Can anyone explain why rows A and B of the front center mezzanine are blocked off from being on sale to the public on telecharge? I’ve been watching the seating charts for this show for a while now, looking at availability a couple months from now. But looking that far out, those rows are not available to buy tickets in, and only come available about a week or two before the performance in question. Further than that the seating charts look identical day to day.

Would those rows just be house seats the theatre is reserving and then releasing to public sale if they’re not taken? Or possibly bought by brokers or scalpers?

Also do we think this show will last through June? Through the Tonys? It seems like it would get a ton of nominations based on the competition this year alone.

With the Amber Ruffin connection this should be all over Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon.

[christinelavin]

Posted: 12/22/22 at 5:10pm

BCfitasafiddle said: "Natasha Yvette Williams has been out for a few days. I really hope she doesn't have COVID. I'm seeing the show on Christmas Eve and she is one the people I've been most excited to see."

I've seen it twice this week with Raena White playing Sweet Sue  -- she brings a different kind of sass to the part, is a terrific singer, so don't let the absence of NaTasha Yvette Williams keep you at home. 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 12/22/22 at 5:37pm

BCfitasafiddle said: "Natasha Yvette Williams has been out for a few days. I really hope she doesn't have COVID. I'm seeing the show on Christmas Eve and she is one the people I've been most excited to see."

 

She posted on her IG today that she's on Good Morning America tomorrow --- so it sounds like it's not Covid.

 

[FANtomFollies]

Posted: 12/22/22 at 8:09pm

How has the advertising been for this show? I don't think I've seen a single ad in a subway station, but I don't have cable so I'm not sure if they have a commercial or not. I just get the strong feeling that the general public doesn't even know this is playing.

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 12/22/22 at 11:41pm

I’ve seen commercials both on TV and in YouTube ad breaks, etc. Also often on Instagram.