Anticipated Shows That Failed to Live Up to Expectations

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Anticipated Shows That Failed to Live Up to Expectations

Posted: 12/31/15 at 11:58am

With several highly anticipated shows coming in the new year, it should be interesting to see how many of them will possibly live up to everyone's expectations.

This actually leads me to starting a discussion about how several shows in the past were highly anticipated, but failed to live up to everyone's expectations. I'm not talking about your own expectations, I'm talking about expectations set by a lot of people that ended up being disappointed with the end results.

Can anyone name a show?

Anticipated Shows That Failed to Live Up to Expectations

Posted: 12/31/15 at 12:17pm

"Hands on a Hardbody" and "Seussical" spring to mind, years apart. People who attended either the workshops or out of town gigs for both created enormous buzz. I recall "Seussical" workshop attendees discussing how awash their faces were in tears.

"I'm a comedian, but in my spare time, things bother me." Garry Shandling

Anticipated Shows That Failed to Live Up to Expectations

Posted: 12/31/15 at 12:22pm

Doctor Zhivago comes to mind. The first new score on Broadway by Lucy Simon in over 20 years and a beloved epic story. Even after the reports of the tryout, people were still remaining optimistic until Broadway previews started.

"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian

Anticipated Shows That Failed to Live Up to Expectations

Posted: 12/31/15 at 12:39pm

Honeymoon In Vegas especially after Papermill

Poster Emeritus

Anticipated Shows That Failed to Live Up to Expectations

Posted: 12/31/15 at 12:44pm

The Pirate Queen.

Anticipated Shows That Failed to Live Up to Expectations

Posted: 12/31/15 at 12:47pm

The musical Breakfast At Tiffany's

Poster Emeritus

Anticipated Shows That Failed to Live Up to Expectations

Posted: 12/31/15 at 12:52pm

Holler If Ya Hear Me

Anticipated Shows That Failed to Live Up to Expectations

Posted: 12/31/15 at 12:59pm

China Doll

Misery

Poster Emeritus

Anticipated Shows That Failed to Live Up to Expectations

Posted: 12/31/15 at 1:00pm

I think there were great expectations for Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, given the caliber of talent involved.

#10

Anticipated Shows That Failed to Live Up to Expectations

Posted: 12/31/15 at 1:02pm

We enjoyed Verge

Poster Emeritus

#11

Anticipated Shows That Failed to Live Up to Expectations

Posted: 12/31/15 at 1:05pm

Enron (Oliver Award in London and unanimously favorable reviews)

Young Frankenstein (the first musical from Mel Brooks, Susan Stroman and Thomas Mehan since The Producers)

#12

Anticipated Shows That Failed to Live Up to Expectations

Posted: 12/31/15 at 1:09pm

"Failed to live up to expectations" Maybe the critics did not like them and they were not a success. The shows mentioned were liked by many so it is all subjective.

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#13

Anticipated Shows That Failed to Live Up to Expectations

Posted: 12/31/15 at 1:15pm

Would Bonnie & Clyde be applicable here? I seem to recall people really liking it a the La Jolla Playhouse and at Asolo Repertory Theatre but it didn't last very long when it transferred (not great reviews and less than stellar attendance). However, it still has a bit of a cult following even now.

Updated On: 12/31/15 at 01:15 PM

#14

Anticipated Shows That Failed to Live Up to Expectations

Posted: 12/31/15 at 1:16pm

One I could definitely think of is Bullets Over Broadway. That show had Woody Allen adapting his own screenplay for the stage, Susan Stroman directing and choreographing, and a great cast consisting of Zach Braff, Marin Mazzie, Betsy Wolfe, Brooks Ashmanskas, Karen Ziemba, etc.

Not to mention the glowing buzz that came out of a press preview. Susan Haskins raved about it so much, Michael Riedel predicted in his column that Bullets Over Broadway was gonna be the show to beat.

Updated On: 12/31/15 at 01:16 PM

#15

Anticipated Shows That Failed to Live Up to Expectations

Posted: 12/31/15 at 1:19pm

serene_embers said: "Would Bonnie & Clyde be applicable her? I seem to recall people really liking it a the La Jolla Playhouse and at Asolo Repertory Theatre but it didn't last very long when it transferred (not great reviews and less than stellar attendance). However, it still has a bit of a cult following even now."

If you didn't see La Jolla, you didn't see the best version of the show. If they would have kept what they had and opened in March or April it would have been a HIT.

They/them. "Get up the nerve to be all you deserve to be."

#16

Anticipated Shows That Failed to Live Up to Expectations

Posted: 12/31/15 at 1:20pm

Bonnie had no chance of succeeding due to one word: Wildhorn.. With that name attached, critical response was known before it went into rehearsal. We enjoyed it so much more than the overpraised Once. The only thing worse than Once the show was Once the movie.

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#17

Anticipated Shows That Failed to Live Up to Expectations

Posted: 12/31/15 at 1:30pm

CindersGolightly said: "serene_embers said: "Would Bonnie & Clyde be applicable her? I seem to recall people really liking it a the La Jolla Playhouse and at Asolo Repertory Theatre but it didn't last very long when it transferred (not great reviews and less than stellar attendance). However, it still has a bit of a cult following even now."

If you didn't see La Jolla, you didn't see the best version of the show. If they would have kept what they had and opened in March or April it would have been a HIT.

I didn't get a chance to see it in person but would have liked to. I prefer that version of the show but didn't care for Stark (I know, I know...judging based on a bootleg isn't fair but it's all I have). If I could turn back time and see it in person I would!

#18

Anticipated Shows That Failed to Live Up to Expectations

Posted: 12/31/15 at 1:40pm

No matter how good it was, it did not have a prayer with the critics with Wildhorn's name attached to it. His name to the critics is like sunlight & a crucifix to a vampire. The critics are repelled pure and simple.

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#19

Anticipated Shows That Failed to Live Up to Expectations

Posted: 12/31/15 at 1:54pm

A Little Night Music revival before Bernadette and Elaine (and even then it was still a bit of a let down).

Talk about a tempest in a teapot.

Updated On: 12/31/15 at 01:54 PM

#20

Anticipated Shows That Failed to Live Up to Expectations

Posted: 12/31/15 at 1:58pm

Mr Roxy said: "Honeymoon In Vegas especially after Papermill"

Well, that's a difference between artistic/creative expectations and commercial expectations. In terms of the show itself creatively, I had an absolute blast at Honeymoon in Vegas. Went several times. Loved it. In terms of commercial/box office expectations, obviously, it didn't pan out well—but how many people expected it to be a blockbuster?

#21

Anticipated Shows That Failed to Live Up to Expectations

Posted: 12/31/15 at 3:01pm

Hand to God. This show is billed as being somewhere between BOM and Avenue Q, two of my most beloved shows. It has dark humor. It's offensive. Two things that I love in comedies.

But then I saw the show. The ONLY thing I found funny was the "Who's on First" routine. The rest of the show as laughing at a Christian ministry puppet using foul language.Which obviously is very funny once or twice. But over and over again? It got boring when the foul language did not seem to be for a greater good.

I did not see satire. I did not see a message.

#22

Anticipated Shows That Failed to Live Up to Expectations

Posted: 12/31/15 at 3:18pm

Hand was an off Broadway show out of its depth on Broadway. It was lost in a bigger Broadway house.

No one ever thought Honeymoon would have a Jersey Boys run. By the same token,no one expected it to stumble out of the gate either. Having a basically frozen show have a 2 month preview period right before the start of the holiday season was insane and sealed the shows fate.

Poster Emeritus

#23

Anticipated Shows That Failed to Live Up to Expectations

Posted: 12/31/15 at 4:01pm

The Little Mermaid

The Addams Family

Young Frankenstein

Ghost

Hands on a Hardbody

Seussical

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.

#24

Anticipated Shows That Failed to Live Up to Expectations

Posted: 12/31/15 at 5:00pm

I can think of two that failed to live up to expectations, in that they have never managed to open on Broadway at all: Rebecca and Love Never Dies. I really hope Rebecca gets to Broadway, and I really hope that Love Never Dies gets completely revamped and THEN gets to Broadway. The music in LND is lovely, but the book is disappointing.

Audrey Liebross

Audrey, the Phantom Phanatic, who nonetheless would rather be Jean Valjean, who knew how to make lemonade out of lemons.

#25

Anticipated Shows That Failed to Live Up to Expectations

Posted: 12/31/15 at 6:24pm

9 To 5

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