After Bruce, who?

Little as I like the idea, Springsteen's Broadway success may inspire other pop acts to take their chance on solo concert runs on Broadway. We already have an excess of jukebox musicals; the next step is to jettison the book and simply perform the songs.. Do you think this might happen, and who are the likely perpetrators?

goodlead said: "Little as I like the idea, Springsteen's Broadway success may inspire other pop acts to take their chance on solo concert runs on Broadway. We already have an excess of jukebox musicals; the next step is to jettison the book and simply perform the songs.. Do you think this might happen, and who are the likely perpetrators?"

I could see Billy Joel filling in for Bruce for a few weeks.

Jersey? Long Island? Similar tough New York-ish area accents.

Not sure which ex-wife could fill in for Patti. But I would love to see Billy Joel play the Springsteen songbook. And maybe have Bruce do a MSG concert of Billy Joel songs. These guys are amazing.

And then I’d love for Lady Gaga to fill in for Bruce or Joel.

I can think of a few people who have the “storyteller” appeal that has helped Bruce be so successful on Broadway. Problem is, I doubt any of them would do it because of desire, advancing age, or movement toward retirement:

—Paul Simon

—Neil Young

—Carole King

—Stevie Nicks

I can’t see any of them being to pull in the money Bruce has or do a residency that long.

Interesting list of the few possibilities. I think they essentially prove the point: wrap your head around sitting in a theatre listening to any of them doing what Bruce does. Have you ever heard Paul Simon the poignant raconteur? I think Bette does her brand of this very well, but do you really think this is in her future? Someday Gaga will do it.

HogansHero said: "I also am horrified that you imply he is a 'pop act.' Seriously?"

That was my immediate reaction, too.

I'm not a Springsteen fan; I've never collected any of his recordings. Still, he's a legend and I see little difference between bio-musicals like Jersey Boys, Beautiful, etc. (which I do not categorize as 'jukebox' musicals) and his show. ...Well, except for the obvious fact that he's still around to perform his own story!

If I had my 'druthers, I'd prefer that Cher had taken that road.

It's a fusion of concert, autobiography and Ted Talk, and I think it only works as well as it does because Springsteen is somewhat... for lack of a better word, "literary." He's renowned as a performer and a rock star, but his lyrics (particularly before and after his eighties pop period) are as much free-form post-Beat poetry as they are simply song-words.

There's a lot of acts that could do a good "MTV Unplugged" style show, but you need someone like Bruce or the aforementioned Bob Dylan who is "literary" as well as an entertainer to make it a show in this vein.

If she didn't already have Beautiful I could easily see Carole King taking up a Broadway run, either alone or with James Taylor.

If she wasn't already spread so thin, and had the time to do a sit down stripped down show, I could see Dolly Parton being an amazing stripped down Broadway concert. She is arguably the best female song writer of the 20th century, and has some amazingly heartwarming stories to tell. The problem is shes already realized this, and is instead of doing a Broadway "unplugged", shes doing multiple books and TV movies. I honestly wonder why we haven't heard anything about her jukebox musical or autobiographical musical since 9 to 5.

darquegk said: "It's a fusion of concert, autobiography and Ted Talk, and I think it only works as well as it does because Springsteen is somewhat... for lack of a better word, "literary." He's renowned as a performer and a rock star, but his lyrics (particularly before and after his eighties pop period) are as much free-form post-Beat poetry as they are simply song-words.

There's a lot of acts that could do a good "MTV Unplugged" style show, but you need someone like Bruce or the aforementioned Bob Dylan who is "literary" as well as an entertainer to make it a show in this vein."

I agree that it needs the "literary" quotient for it to distinguish it from "MTV Unplugged" (or worse yet, VH1's "Behind the Music" and I think only Paul Simon fits that bill after Dylan and Springsteen. He has not written an autobiography but did authorize and heavily participate in providing material for Hilburn biography released this year and I'm sure could provide a lot of inspiration for a stage narrative. I'm sure there is no shortage of people who could help create a unique book.

You don't need a "Patti," like Bruce. (Though, certainly, the late great, Carrie Fisher would have made for a great cameo and she could have likely written that "s**t out of that cameo). Yeah, I know Edie has her own chops, but she not ever part of Paul's musical life like Patti was of Bruce's. Show needs to be a similar vibe to Bruce, but not a carbon copy.

A small segment might appropriately deal with his unfortunate Broadway experience with "The Capeman." It might be an interesting to come full circle and make peace with the negative experience on a Broadway stage.

He farewell tour ends in September and his (last?) album is released in Septmeber as well so perhaps he is looking for a project. Maybe seeing how well it worked for Bruce, he would consider it-not as long as Bruce - an 8 week (Bruce's initial booking) or 16 week run would seem sufficient. One of the few who would be deserving of this self-guided retrospective. I'd pay to see that.

Lady Gaga? really? - don't think she has the "literary" sensibility so important to this as darquegk articulates, but more importantly, can we at least wait and not even consider this until she is in her 60s so it is determined wither work evolves, stands the test of time and remains worthy of a look back? Not every artist who qualifies for Las Vegas residency is worthy of the Springsteen on Broadway treatment. In fact it is those who you would never consider residency in Las Vegas (Neil Young, for instance) who seem much more compelling.

Could Bruce change from limited run to a permanent one? Or is that too risky?

Updated On: 8/28/18 at 02:53 PM

Broadway Fan2 said: "Could Bruce change from limited run to a permanent one? Or is that too risky?"

He's basically done that already. His initial run that started last October was 8 weeks, but he kept extending it. Now his final show is scheduled for December 15 (with the filmed version dropping on Netflix that night).

You might say he's BORN TO...extend his limited...RUN.

How 'bout trump? He's already a joke so he might as well make legitimate money at it, especially where the audience can throw cabbages, tomatoes, and other garden items like they did in the old days.