BEACHES Previews- Page 3

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/31/26 at 9:02am

Also, how does nobody age in this show? At least give the mothers a grey wig or something when they’re in their 70s. When the one mother is in the hospital in act two, she looks younger than anyone else. When I was in middle school we even put lines on our faces to show that we were playing older characters - surely someone can run to Duane reade on the corner and grab some makeup for this cast. 

My mind is swimming this swimming this morning with what a mess this show is. And there’s some line where Bertie says “i think it’s going to rain today” and I got angry. Don’t just SAY the name of one of the best songs used in the film, SING THE DAMN THING. 

[Leapinlizards]

Posted: 3/31/26 at 9:17am

 The staging literally made me laugh out loud when a wooden runway that Vosk is standing on center stage starts to move forward. So she is coming toward us, singing to us and I am thinking shouldn’t she be singing this to her friend on her deathbed or maybe watching her friend sit on the beach? But no, she is singing straight out to us with a younger CeeCee on each side of her. Then I see that wooden runway headed straight for the conductor’s head. Took me right out of the moment because it looks like the poor guy is going to get decapitated. Then the thing stops like an inch from his head.

OH MY GOODNESS how did I forget about this?! I must have blocked this from my memory because you are so right, it was cringy and awkward. 

[Leapinlizards]

Posted: 3/31/26 at 9:17am

 The staging literally made me laugh out loud when a wooden runway that Vosk is standing on center stage starts to move forward. So she is coming toward us, singing to us and I am thinking shouldn’t she be singing this to her friend on her deathbed or maybe watching her friend sit on the beach? But no, she is singing straight out to us with a younger CeeCee on each side of her. Then I see that wooden runway headed straight for the conductor’s head. Took me right out of the moment because it looks like the poor guy is going to get decapitated. Then the thing stops like an inch from his head.

OH MY GOODNESS how did I forget about this?! I must have blocked this from my memory because you are so right, it was cringy and awkward. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/31/26 at 9:42am

Leapinlizards said: "Then I see that wooden runway headed straight for the conductor’s head. Took me right out of the moment because it looks like the poor guy is going to get decapitated. Then the thing stops like an inch from his head.


He might have been praying that would happen and put him out of his misery, at that point. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/31/26 at 9:52am

Oh also I just remembered:

The audacity of having Kelli Barrett do the curtain call IN HER HOSPITAL DRAG when Ceci is in a gown. Like at least they had the decency to put her wig back on instead of the turban. She’s got an entire song to change her costume. I hope this is just a temporary early-previews thing. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/31/26 at 9:55am

YES!! My jaw dropped when she came out in full hospice drag for the curtain call!! I 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/31/26 at 9:56am

Jordan Catalano said: "Leapinlizards said: "Then I see that wooden runway headed straight for the conductor’s head. Took me right out of the moment because it looks like the poor guy is going to get decapitated. Then the thing stops like an inch from his head.


He might have been praying that would happen and put him out of his misery, at that point."


That man also conducted QUEEN OF VERSAILLES and SMASH. Which must entitle him to some sort of medal or hazard pay. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/31/26 at 10:00am

Maybe this is his kink. 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 3/31/26 at 10:04am

I'm not digging this Staroba slander. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/31/26 at 10:06am

EDSOSLO858 said: "I'm not digging this Staroba slander."

His music direction is not the problem with these shows!

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/31/26 at 10:12am

There’s no slander. The music all sounds great, it’s the show they’re playing for that’s the issue. 

[Theatrefanboy1]

Posted: 3/31/26 at 12:17pm

I am seriously beginning to wonder if this will even make it to the September limited run end. Or do we feel this might be a May post-Tony nomination announcement closing by Memorial Day weekend.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/31/26 at 12:40pm

Theatrefanboy1 said: "I am seriously beginning to wonder if this will even make it to the September limited run end. Or do we feel this might be a May post-Tony nomination announcement closing by Memorial Day weekend."

Their houses are bad in the coming weeks. There is not a single Saturday night in April that looks to be even half sold and there's a couple that are barely sold at all (April 11, yikes). Their matinees seem to be faring better than their evening shows, which probably says a lot about who this is appealing to. I cannot imagine a world in which this makes it to September short of a massive turnaround very soon.  

It's not the only new show with these issues- Lost Boys and Titanique aren't faring much better, either, but they at least seem to have some word of mouth push. 

Updated On: 3/31/26 at 12:40 PM

[blaxx]

Posted: 3/31/26 at 2:01pm

Will it make it to opening night?  😳

[blug]

Posted: 3/31/26 at 2:35pm

Sometimes I think that perhaps the Broadway musical, as an art form, needs a nice 10-year rest.  No musicals for ten years.  Let creative minds recalibrate because there's a LOT of mush being put out there by seemingly smart people that feels unfelt, over-meddled with, or not thought out and sometimes, paradoxically, all three at once.

Did we need a musical of Beaches, Smash, Tootsie, Pretty Woman, The Bodyguard, The Notebook...on and on and on and on and on and on and on.  Were they really inspired or were they just latching onto these stories because it's recognizable IP?  I don't even think creatives know what inspires them anymore.  

[MaxineElliott]

Posted: 3/31/26 at 3:56pm

Jessica Vosk posted that cuts and revisions are being made she had a stack of notes she said she was going over for tonight’s show! 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/31/26 at 4:04pm

MaxineElliott said: "Jessica Vosk posted that cuts and revisions are being made she had a stack of notes she said she was going over for tonight’s show!"

https://www.instagram.com/stories/jessicavosk/3865156720305720014?utm_source=ig_story_item_share&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

[quizking101]

Posted: 3/31/26 at 7:15pm

blug said: "Sometimes I thinkthat perhaps the Broadway musical, as an art form, needs a nice 10-year rest. No musicals for ten years. Let creative minds recalibrate because there's a LOT of mush being put out there by seemingly smart people that feels unfelt, over-meddled with, or not thought out and sometimes, paradoxically, all threeat once.

Did we need a musical of Beaches, Smash, Tootsie, Pretty Woman, The Bodyguard, The Notebook...on and on and on and on and on and on and on. Were they really inspired or were theyjust latching onto these storiesbecause it's recognizable IP? I don't even think creatives know what inspires them anymore."

The problem with that is it can take up to 10 years or more to write a musical. Some take even more because of fits and starts due to changes in creative teams, as well as IP rights or music rights for jukebox shows.

Moulin Rouge, for example, took nearly 20 years to develop because of how they wanted to configure the story for stage, as well as deciding on the story they wanted to tell. 

You also had the COVID pandemic that forced a backlog of many new musicals to come out at once in a race to claim tax credits.

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 3/31/26 at 8:13pm

blug said: "Sometimes I thinkthat perhaps the Broadway musical, as an art form, needs a nice 10-year rest. No musicals for ten years. Let creative minds recalibrate because there's a LOT of mush being put out there by seemingly smart people that feels unfelt, over-meddled with, or not thought out and sometimes, paradoxically, all threeat once.

Did we need a musical of Beaches, Smash, Tootsie, Pretty Woman, The Bodyguard, The Notebook...on and on and on and on and on and on and on. Were they really inspired or were theyjust latching onto these storiesbecause it's recognizable IP? I don't even think creatives know what inspires them anymore."

I mean I think there are certain creatives who do, but Broadway investors don't trust them enough to pay up millions of dollars for them.  As an art form, the most interesting work is being done off Broadway and downtown, but it's not the kind of commercial show that producers expect to do well for Broadway.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 3/31/26 at 8:21pm

Theatrefanboy1 said: "I am seriously beginning to wonder if this will even make it to the September limited run end. Or do we feel this might be a May post-Tony nomination announcement closing by Memorial Day weekend."

Unless a miracle happens, this show is likely gone by Memorial Day, even if it snags some Tony nominations.

[quizking101]

Posted: 3/31/26 at 8:39pm

Part of the problem is the massive undertaking of having to sell out the Majestic. Of course, nobody will ever understand the logic of why the producers decided to take this of all houses, knowing it could no longer sustain Phantom or a somewhat acclaimed revival of Gypsy.

I know DREAMGIRLS is circling the Imperial, but short of an absolute nosedive, I think CHESS is staying put and they should consider moving DG to the Majestic, where there is greater earnings potential 

[pmensky]

Posted: 3/31/26 at 9:52pm

blug said: "Sometimes I thinkthat perhaps the Broadway musical, as an art form, needs a nice 10-year rest. No musicals for ten years. Let creative minds recalibrate because there's a LOT of mush being put out there by seemingly smart people that feels unfelt, over-meddled with, or not thought out and sometimes, paradoxically, all threeat once.

Did we need a musical of Beaches, Smash, Tootsie, Pretty Woman, The Bodyguard, The Notebook...on and on and on and on and on and on and on. Were they really inspired or were theyjust latching onto these storiesbecause it's recognizable IP? I don't even think creatives know what inspires them anymore."

I’ve worked on several out of town world premieres, and the problem isn’t that Broadway needs a ten year break. The problem is that too many creative teams operate in a culture of politeness that prevents anyone from saying, “this isn’t working,” until it’s far too late.

Once a director and creative team are hired, producers usually step back, which is appropriate, but it also means no one wants to risk being labeled “difficult” by questioning a Tony winning colleague. By the time runthroughs reveal that what looked good on paper isn’t landing in the room, you’re already at the edge of tech. At that point, you’re out of time for meaningful rewrites, and most teams default to small tweaks and wishful thinking.

Inside that fishbowl, people lose perspective. They’ve lived with the material for months, they’re exhausted, and no one wants to be the person who says the obvious thing out loud. That’s how simple, fixable problems make it all the way to first preview.

This is why someone like Hal Prince mattered. He had the authority and the clarity to say, “this isn’t good enough,” and people listened. Not every team today has that dynamic. Some collaborators aren’t as strong as their résumés suggest, and some producers hand out credit to investors who then feel entitled to meddle.

The solution isn’t a decade long shutdown. It’s better taste at the script selection stage, directors who can speak honestly to their teams, and producers who build environments where candor is expected, not punished. Workshop more. Invite colleagues who will tell the truth. Stop hoping a show will magically fix itself in tech. Weak work isn’t inevitable, it’s the result of avoidable silence.

[RUkiddingme]

Posted: 3/31/26 at 11:53pm

Seen better - seen worse.

Is anyone talking about Brent Thiessen's chances of winning a Tony for Best Shirtless Moment In A Musical?

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 4/1/26 at 12:01am

I think there's a chance this gets 0 Tony noms or are too little option in score and book that they HAVE to nominate the show?

[Auggie27]

Posted: 4/1/26 at 12:06am

I still can’t fathom this booking the Majestic. It has no stars. It’s literally all about title-as-brand. As others opine in this thoughtful thread, that ship has sailed.