I loved this show and am sort of shocked- their numbers haven't been horrible lately! This show has its flaws but it also has tons of heart and I don't go a day without thinking about it.
I'm a bit surprised that they didn't wait to see if there would be a bump from the Macy's parade in a few weeks.
Also, as talented as Norbert is, outside of the theater community, he s not a "star", therefore he is not a ticket seller. A "name" on Broadway is someone known in another area of show business, TV or movies. Without that, most larger musicals cannot sustain ticket sales to cover expenses. BOM is one of the very few exceptions. Once has also done it on a smaller scale.
The only review of a show that matters is your own.
They know what their advances look like, and what, at best, a bump could possibly mean. I'm sure they've done the math a million ways.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
s talented as Norbert is, outside of the theater community, he s not a "star", therefore he is not a ticket seller. A "name" on Broadway is someone known in another area of show business, TV or movies. Without that, most larger musicals cannot sustain ticket sales to cover expenses.
Thank you. Those two trolls only seem to attack me when I state this.
It was a limited run as are most out of town try outs - so there isn't a lot of success or failure. Theater goers in the cities that tend to host out of towners are those hoping to catch the "next big thing" before it gets big.
The reviews were lukewarm from the posters that saw it....but saw potential. Basically, it sounds as if they didn't "fix" much. You can't judge much from the "professional" reviews in the local city as too many overpraise.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
Chicago was only a six or so week season, i don't think they did a lot of work to the show between those two cities.
Well I didn't want to get into it, but he's a Satanist.
Every full moon he sacrifices 4 puppies to the Dark Lord and smears their blood on his paino.
This should help you understand the score for Wicked a little bit more.
Tazber's: Reply to
Is Stephen Schwartz a Practicing Christian
Yes, because the thunderous applause as soon as he walks out on stages makes him a huge nobody. Did you even attend Big Fish? Of course he sells tickets. Tons of people went to see Big Fish just for him. He is a star on Broadway and in New York. The huge draw was him, and he is not why this show closed. Sorry, sweetie.
Girl you rull funny. He sure as hell isn't keeping the show open either. Sorry, sweetie.
Thanks. I thought people would really enjoy this. NLB stated he would no longer do any acting that involves violence against women, and this seems very PG to me. This seemed like a clean show that you can bring your kids, parents, and grandparents to. It seemed like it had something for everyone. The score was lacking but I can't fathom what else was wrong with it. I guess that's all it takes sometimes.
Word of mouth must have been lousy enough to manifest itself in a pitiful advance, because if it were consistent with the posted grosses thus far, you'd think they'd try to stick it out for a while.
Word of mouth must have been lousy enough to manifest itself in a pitiful advance, because if it were consistent with the posted grosses thus far, you'd think they'd try to stick it out for a while.
The simple fact that Big Fish is a nothing title. Don't get me wrong, love the movie. ADORE IT! But ask the general public to name off Tim Burton movies, I guarantee you they have no clue what Big Fish is. Kinky Boots would have had the same problem and closed quickly if not for Cyndi's name on it. It's completely unknown, but it quickly surpassed being just Cyndi's show once word of mouth spread.
Big Fish was a moderately successful mainstream film upon its original release and since has become EXTREMELY well-known. Nearly everyone in my age cohort/social circles, who were young teenagers when it was released, knows and loves the film.
Broadway celebrities do not see shows out, unless you are Nathan Lane, the biggest factor for a shows sell-ability is the quality of the show itself, prime examples are Kinky Boots and Matilda.
Sorry to see this close, I plan to see this, this week, before I leave, but now think I wait until the end of the week, let the cast get it out of their system.
Movies do not die at the theater. Big Fish did okay business at the box office and became much better known after it was released on DVD and began airing on TV. It's an extremely popular film.
STAR WARS is an extremely popular film. HARRY POTTER is an extremely popular film franchise. TITANIC is an extremely popular film.
BIG FISH may well be popular, but not to any extreme. Words mean things.
Words don't deserve that kind of malarkey. They're innocent, neutral, precise, standing for this, describing that, meaning the other, so if you look after them you can build bridges across incomprehension and chaos. But when they get their corners knocked off, they're no good anymore…I don't think writers are sacred, but words are. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones in the right order, you can nudge the world a little.
It's got enough of an advance to keep it running through the end of the year but then comes January, truly the cruelest month on Broadway. The producers are smart to close it at the end of December rather than go through those first couple of months of 2014 when they would lose any return of investment they have already collected. Broadway is a business not a fan club.
And yes, Norbert Leo Butz is a very talented actor but he is not a box office star. Hugh Jackman is a box office star, so are Bernadette Peters, Daniel Craig, Tom Hanks, Bette Midler, Nathan Lane, Daniel Radcliffe, Ian McKellan, Patrick Stewart and David Hyde Pierce.
A word can only apply to the three largest examples? I'm talking about Big Fish as a movie with legs...something that has lasted and grown. Rather than falling off the face of the earth after a year, like nearly every studio film.
"a movie with legs... something that has lasted and grown" perfectly defines "popular."
"a movie with extraordinary legs... something that has lasted and grown and become one of the most well-known films of all-time" would sound "extremely popular" to me.
ETA: It is precisely this rhetorical delusion that is the source of confusion for people who don't understand why BIG FISH is closing.
Words don't deserve that kind of malarkey. They're innocent, neutral, precise, standing for this, describing that, meaning the other, so if you look after them you can build bridges across incomprehension and chaos. But when they get their corners knocked off, they're no good anymore…I don't think writers are sacred, but words are. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones in the right order, you can nudge the world a little.
I'm so sad to hear this. It was a very promising concept with a lot of great talent involved. It's too bad it didn't work out.
I'm not the biggest Lippa fan, but I'd like to see it get a cast album for posterity, even if the score is only lukewarm. I'm sure far poorer scores have been preserved.
Oh no! I'm very sad to hear this news. I really enjoyed this show. It wasn't incredible, and I can understand where people are coming from when they say that the score is somehow lacking. However, I thought the story was meaningful and touching, and the cast is absolutely wonderful. I especially enjoyed the portrayal of the relationships between three main leads. And in fact, there are a couple of songs in there that I thought were pretty great. I felt that it was a down-to-earth musical that did not try too hard to impress, but really connected with me. I kind of knew that it was not going to run for a very long time, but I definitely think it deserved a much longer run than this. Hopefully everyone involved have found and will find new jobs soon.
I mean, it's closing because the show itself sucks. Clearly there was some early interest, helped by the popularity of the film. But the show just sucks.
Updated On: 11/10/13 at 11:25 PM