How much longer for Groundhog Day and Bandstand- Page 3

[Jarethan]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 6:28pm

froote said: "Jarethan said: "Fun Home had a very short run for a best musical winner (reminder: it also played in a small theatre) because, for all the people on this board who loved it, there were a lot of people who hated it...and NOT because of homophobia.  They hated it because it was so damn dreary, at least that was the collective view of the four people with whom I attended the show.  It didn't last long because it never attracted a broader audience."

This is nonsense. You and your four friends are not a reflection of the wider audience. Fun Home was critically acclaimed, highly awarded and both times I saw it received a warm response from audiences. Did some people hate it? Of course, every show has people that hate it. But there were far less complaints about it than there is about Dear Evan Hansen and The Great Comet, both of which are selling well. Yes it struggled to attract a broader audience, but that's nothing to do with those that did see it hating it, it's because it's an incredibly difficult show to attempt to sell. Before it won the Tony it struggled because of this aspect, once it won the Tony it did very, very well for a while. However, Hamilton arrived on Broadway a month after the Tonys and Fun Home was no longer the show to see in town. Most Best Musical winners have a good 6-12 months before they get overshadowed by the next one. Fun Home had only a month before Hamilton was the show to see and no other option was good enough.

Come From Away is much easier to sell. It's upbeat and happy despite the events it surrounds and it has an inbuilt audience of Canadians/Newfoundlanders who love supporting the show. When I went, there were people from Newfoundland all around me and they weren't all one group. I expect it to have a decent run of a few years, largely because of these people who will return and bring family and friends. And because it isn't the 'it' musical of the year (DEH), it wont be so quickly overshadowed by The Band's Visit or any other new musical that is likely to come in and impress.

 

I stand by my opinion, you stand by yours; but, CFA is going to sell a lot more seats on the Great While Way than Fun Home did.  That is because it will ultimately appeal to and generate great word of mount from a larger and more diverse audience.  

On a personal note, I did find one thing in common with both shows.  With Fun Home, I enjoyed playing the CD before I saw the show and suspect that I would be a much bigger supporter if I had stayed with the CD -- I was just very frustrated with the actual production; with CFA, having enjoyed the CD -- and unlike almost every other show I have ever seen -- there was really not much point in seeing the show.  I could visualize it from the CD and one picture from the show.  (So, I was not defending CFA like some rabid dog...just saying that it was going to last a lot longer that Fun Home).

[froote]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 6:30pm

As I say, I agree that Come From Away will last longer (a lot longer? I don't think so) and that it has a wider audience appeal. I just don't think it's fair to say Fun Home closed because people hated it when there's very little evidence of that.