It seems odd that so many shows are closing during the high tourist season. I'm thinking that the extremely high ticket prices are playing a factor in this. I was on line at the GODSPELL box office and a tourist family walked in and when they saw the prices turned around and walked away. I'm betting that this wasn't an isolated case.
Well both shows are being performed all over the place all the time. Godspell may be on Broadway but hardly delivers at $129.00 worth of theatre (if anything does).
I never thought I would agree with Dolly. It will only get worse as prices continue to soar. Overpriced hotel rooms and overpriced shows.Money only goes so far.
I have seen what Dolly saw on a number of occasions. Win a Tony and jack up your prices. People are starting to get fed up.They are killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.
And at these prices, a typical family is going to visit 1 show (Lion King, Wicked....) and do something else in New York. The greed will kill the lesser shows. You can't expect expense account execs to keep these shows afloat. Remember the gasps of The Producers 100 dollar ticket?
"Through The Sacrifice You Made, We Can't Believe The Price You Paid..For Love!"
I seriously think it was that cast that brought this show under. The show LOOKED fantastic, but Paul Nolan and Josh Young are just so disconnected from the audience to the point of absolute boredom. I mean, we all saw that performance at the Tonys...it just didn't leave us with anything. A friend of mine saw it in Stratford and she said the same thing about the two leads. Yet, they raved over it there. Probably because those actors are regularly casted in their musicals. Perhaps this should not have been on Broadway in the first place.
Whoever says money can't buy happiness simply didn't know where to shop. - Bo Derek
You have these families coming to NYC for a vacation and to expect them to pay Broadway prices for 4 or more tickets is outlandish. How many banks can these people break?
Can you imagine walking out of either of these terrible shows after shelling out $500? At least if you see a bad movie you can kinda forget about your wasted time and money.
I personally feel that GODSPELL was one of the finest shows I've seen in ages. That said, I think the ticket prices were absurd and no discounts were available for weekend matinees--when I'd be taking my grandchildren.
"Oh Jesus Christ!" to borrow an original Godspell line from the parable of the speck and the plank. Of COURSE it was the finest show you've seen in ages, Dollypop, it's the ONLY show you've seen in ages.
"Money only goes so far.' Really makes you think. Mr R.
I didn't think it was going to last too long, just because it has been overshadowed by other shows this season, however, I am suprised it is closing so soon.
And, btw, why would they think business would "improve" over the next week? Are they doing something special to boost ticket sales?
I completely agree with Dolly and everyone about the outlandish prices...i think that is going to kill Once come next Summer or even this fall...Disney may charge almost $200 a ticket for premium on holidays and weekends, but a family of 4 can still get good seats for less than $100 a pop. I honestly loved Lysistrata Jones...but I went for free the first time and paid $25 the second...and both time I was like I loved it...but there is no way in hell I would pay $130 to see it...maybe $75.
AND a Happy Canada Day to the cast who will return to the Land Of The North sans employment as the Stratford season is already cast & running. Ya plays wit da big boys- ya gets a beat down.
I think JCS and Godspell cancelled each other out. Godspell was doing ok, not great, until JCS came along. Maybe if JCS opened next year, both would have enjoyed longer runs. Thoughts?
No, they didn't cancel each other out. Both got lackluster to negative reviews. Godspell gets done everywhere all the time and can be seen for quite cheap. JCS has toured the nation almost non stop in one version or another since the 70s, so no one wants to shell out the big bucks to see a lackluster performance on Broadway. When it comes down to it, the productions just weren't good enough to bring in the audiences that were hoped for.
by announcing their closing date this way it simply makes them look pathetic & desperate. when was the last time a flop announced a closing only to take it back due to high ticket demand??
A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.
Congrats to the many Broadway debuts in the cast, and hope to see all of you back in other shows.
My biggest problem with this revival was that it didn't turn up the dial for Bway. It needed to be grander if it was going demand $150 a pop. Same costumes, same sets, sans Tony winner Brent Carver, was just not enough. I also blame whoever ran marketing for them. The video "Superstar" video of Josh running up the ramp, cracking, etc. should not have been used - and they should have done a better number at the Tonys -"Heaven on Their Minds" (to feature Josh) or the Simon song.
"Observe how bravely I conceal this dreadful dreadful shame I feel."
I don't think this and Godspell closing has anything to do with the religious subject matter. From what I hear (didn't see either), they were both sub-par shows.
I know for myself, this revival looked far too similar to the last one (which I hated) for me to get excited about seeing it. I wanted a drastically different production from the last.