A Catered Affair: What went Wrong?

[fgreene1938]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 2:44pm

I did not see the show but I love the cast recording. What was so wrong with this show that it closed so quickly?
Updated On: 7/20/09 at 02:44 PM

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 2:48pm

I saw it just before it closed, and all I can figure was it just didn't find an audience. It has a wonderful score and book, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself, much more than I expected I would.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 2:50pm

For starters, the show itself is relentlessly sad. Pretty, but 99% miserable.

I don't think the material was well-served by Doyle's paired-down, but still HUGE staging. Did it belong on Broadway? Probably not. But unlike, say, STORY OF MY LIFE, the material was far stronger and more heartfelt.

This is a show that, in 25 years, if the York Theater Company is still around, will be revived and hailed an undiscovered gem of musical theater.

[fgreene1938]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 2:56pm

I did have my thoughts about Doyle as director. I saw the revivals of Sweeney Todd and Company and, despite his positive reviews, I thought they were poorly directed and both shows were visually inert, which blanched the material. I know ACA is sad, as was the 1956 movie it was based on, but plenty of musicals are and they succeed. The score is so strong yet it got no Tony nod (Cry-Baby and Little Mermaid?). Like "Caroline, or Change", this seems like a show that should have and deserved to succeed but just didn't catch on.
Updated On: 7/20/09 at 02:56 PM

[hubee]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 3:10pm

Honestly, I think the advertising didn't help. It looked bland and flat and did NOT entice me to want to go. I went anyways (just cause I wanted to see all the new musicals on Broadway) and even prepped myself to be bored to tears but I LOVED IT. Complete surprise considering what I was expecting based on what I knew about it before hand, including having heard the cast recording already which I think works better with the full story and all.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 3:12pm

Agreed; the ad campaign sucked.

I thought it was the best new musical of the 2007-2008 season.

It deserved a much longer life, much more credit than it got, and Tony Awards for Best Musical & Best Book (even though it wasn't even nominated for either) and for Tom Wopat's mesmerizing performance.

It had its flaws, mostly in the direction as yankee pointed out, but it was a really lovely, totally under-appreciated, and wrongly-detested show. Its biggest flaw, however, was moving to Broadway. The theater seemed to swallow the show up. If it was going to go to Broadway, it should have taken a smaller, more intimate theater and been scaled down even more than it was.

Updated On: 7/20/09 at 03:12 PM

[BwayBoundJoe]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 3:15pm

I got to see it the Friday before it closed and loved it. It has it's weak moments, and yes, it's extremely depressing at times. Faith Prince's performance was Stellar! I had heard nothing about her until the show, and I'm glad I got to see it. However, it did have a horrible croud. The theatre was maybe half full.

[fgreene1938]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 3:16pm

The responses on this thread are terrific. I truly love the score and it's good to know that others who saw it really admired it. Hubee's right about the ads now that I think of it. The CD cover and nytimes ads were abysmal and old-fashioned. It's too bad and I hope this show has a life beyond Broadway. Hope someone in the know sees this thread.
Updated On: 7/20/09 at 03:16 PM

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 3:18pm

I can only speak from hearing the Cast Recording, but I thought it was the best score of the year. Touching and heartfelt, not to mention Faith Prince, Tom Wopat and Leslie Kritzer all sound fantastic.

[once a month]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 3:23pm

On a personal level, to me what went wrong was that I purchased a ticket! I went in wanting to love it; I love the off-beat but I could not identify with any of these people, and felt strangley detached throughout.

It's the only time I failed to buy the Cast album/CD/download/bootleg, I do not want to relive these peoples problems or drab 50's lifestyle.

Harvey...how could you?

[BwayBoundJoe]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 3:25pm

Harvey...how could you?

Money and a chance at a tony?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 5:40pm

It might haved fared better Off Broadway

When tourists plunk down $ 100 plus for a ticket, they want to see a big brassy musical with lots of dancing. As good as it was, it did not fit the bill.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 5:45pm

You have to hope that people didn't judge the show based off of Faith Prince at the Tony Awards!

[Lumen2]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 5:48pm

As I did. What is her appeal again? Because I can't see it being talent.

[fgreene1938]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 5:51pm

^^^ I didn't see the Tonys last year. What did Faith Prince do?

[Lumen2]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 5:58pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBQFzZXXdRI

I will say judge for yourself.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 6:02pm

Everything.

I was bored out of my mind for 90 endless minutes. Dreadful. The score was a tuneless nothing.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 6:03pm

She sang a song from the show...one of the more beautiful songs.

The score for this show is beautiful. I simply love it. Someone once commented to me that no one applauded after the songs. The reason being is, like other musicals, they didn't pause for the applause. The sings were simply part of the story and were weaved in flawlessly.

If Patti hadn't been Mama Rose last year I think Faith would have been a very strong contender for the Tony. I thought she was great in the show.

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 6:04pm

"If Patti hadn't been Mama Rose last year I think Faith would have been a very strong contender for the Tony. I thought she was great in the show."


- The only woman who had the slightest chance of beating Patti was Kelli O'Hara.

[fgreene1938]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 6:25pm

To adamgreer:

I don't agree that the score was tuneless or nothing, but it was certainly not conventional or what would be expected of a Broadway musical of this era. I also think the score is an acquired taste and not an in-your-face lollapalooza. That's one of the things that I enjoyed about it. No kitsch or hammerhead overkill and quietly moving, just like the source material. A Catered Affair is an unexpected and challenging piece and I'm glad it was created. Many repsects for all involed.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 6:28pm

Not taking away ANYTHING from Kelli O'Hara and her performance, but if she did win that fact that she was nominated 3 times in 4 years w/o a win would have been on the Tony voters mind just a bit.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 6:31pm

I liked the score but agree that the show was a huge downer.

IIRC, some people weren't happy with how Harvey Fierstein played the uncle.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 6:36pm

I didn't think the show was a downer. In fact, it had a fairly happy ending. Everyone learned to connect with each other and actually listen to other people's needs and waits. Tom finally learned how to stand up to Aggie and she, in turn, learned to respect him and not take him for granted.

It showed a very important lesson. That relationships can be healed if people just learn to listen to each other and not just, simply, coexist.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 6:37pm

Add to what most people said about it being a mostly somber show, it didn't have any flying monkies...or rising tires with smoke...or falling chandeliers.

It's hard to last really long without those flashy things too!

Still a show can be a success w/o those things. "Grey Gardens" comes to mind. Updated On: 7/20/09 at 06:37 PM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 6:38pm

show was a huge downer.

Ain't that the truth. For a show about planning a wedding, no one smiled in that show. Not once. The most entertaining cast member was Heather MacCrae as the Caterer, who managed to get a laugh with her one line of dialogue ("You look like a FUN family!")