Be More Chill Coming to Broadway?!

[zainmax]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 8:20pm

I guess that it was inevitable.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/marchershberg/2018/08/28/be-more-chill-sets-wheels-in-motion-for-move-to-broadway/

[Bwayfan292]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 8:22pm

Sigh. $9.5 million down the drain...
assuming they can actually rasie it.

[zainmax]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 8:31pm

If Davenport can get $12.5 million for GTBBT, then I feel like he could get $9.5 million for BMC.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 8:33pm

Good luck to them!

[dearalanaaaa]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 8:48pm

*Sigh* The fans just don't stop, don't they. Well, what theatre will this be in? The Lyceum? Or Booth might be small enough and make the view have a blue theme on that.

[Bwayfan292]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 8:54pm

I just dont get why they think broadway is a good idea. They can literally be a hit off broadway and sell for years.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 9:12pm

The only thing I know about this show is that is apparently strictly appeals to kids who have no way of paying for broadway tickets to go see it.

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 9:26pm

because you can license the amature rights for more if its on Broadway vs Off

 

[kade.ivy]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 9:37pm

This show seems like a less sophisticated, less nuanced DEH that adds little to nothing new to the landscape. Every time I think about shows like this and DEH (which I love), I can't help but lament the fact that Next to Normal (far superior to both) was just a few years too early. 

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 9:41pm

kade.ivy said: "This show seems like a less sophisticated, less nuanced DEH that adds little to nothing new to the landscape."

Perfectly put. And DEH isn't even good, so why do we need this?

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 9:45pm

BroadwayConcierge said: "kade.ivy said: "This show seems like a less sophisticated, less nuanced DEH that adds little to nothing new to the landscape."

Perfectly put. AndDEHisn't even good, so why do we need this?"

^ THIS!

[BroadwayBear2]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 9:50pm

Just take all the empty theaters and put in identical productions of Next To Normal into EVERY SINGLE THEATER. 

[BroadwayRox3588]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 10:13pm

Not to play the thread police (okay, that's a lie), but why must there be a new thread started every time news comes out about this show? Don't teenagers know how to use the search feature?

[JBroadway]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 10:21pm

Jordan Catalano said: "The only thing I know about this show is that is apparently strictly appeals to kids who have no way of paying for broadway tickets to go see it."

 

But they do have a way: their parents. 

I was a volunteer usher for the show this past weekend, and while a large portion of the audience was made up of teens, most of them had one or more parents with them. As we know from popular kid-friendly shows, parents will pay to take their families to the theatre, and theoretically (based on the laws of aging) about as many parents have teenagers as have young children. And for every teen audience member, there could potentially be 3 or more tickets purchased if the parents go along. True, teens are more likely to go alone than children are, but based on what I observed this weekend, it seems like the parents want to experience it with the teens, to see "what all the fuss is about" and to make it a family outing. 

It's especially significant when you consider that such a huge portion of the musicals this year are geared toward middle-aged crowds. So they will be looking for shows they can bring their teens to. And with DEH selling out weekly, this will likely get a lot of the run-off. 

By the way, I should mention that I actually hated the show. Like I kind of thought it was garbage. But despite my personal opinion, I'm not so convinced that this is a bad investment. 

[zainmax]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 10:24pm

BroadwayRox3588 said: "Not to play the thread police (okay, that's a lie), but why must there be a new thread started every time news comes out about this show? Don't teenagers know how to use the search feature?"

I'm not a teenager, but I don't think that they ever officially made moves towards a Broadway run.

[zainmax]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 10:26pm

Re. your point JBroadway, I actually don't think that it is a horrible investment. Fan base is stronger than a lot of other productions coming in!

[phan24]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 10:29pm

Lyceum pretty much locked in

[oncemorewithfeeling2]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 10:31pm

I’m all for new works by new composers, but I’m just sort of frustrated by the idea of this moving to Broadway. When I think of Broadway quality—even average—I think of something more then this. I just flat out disliked it. It was a bunch of bad teenage stereotypes played out by 30 year olds.

I’m going to be mean and say it, but if it’s going to come to Broadway, I hope they’re making a plan for security and crowd control.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 10:37pm

oncemorewithfeeling2 said: "I’m going to be mean and say it, butif it’s going to come to Broadway, I hope they’re making a plan for security and crowd control."

 

Another observation from this past weekend: the teenage audience members were very well-behaved, and all the recent reports on audience behavior in the main BMC thread have said the same thing. 

 

[herewegoabc]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 10:48pm

Yes, when I saw the show, the audience was overall very well-behaved. They were definitely excited (not sure why that's a bad thing), but they were respectful and very attentive.

I would just be concerned about the potential for stage door to grow out of control once it's moved to Broadway. Right now, stage door is very well maintained and controlled. I'm not sure, but I read somewhere that they weren't allowing people up to stage door without a ticket to the show. There's also the fact that their barrier is currently so long that it allows a much more well-spaced setup. The crowd was only 3 or 4 people deep when I saw it, which is quite different than the 20 people deep/spilling into the street mess that I've seen at some Broadway shows.

[dearalanaaaa]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 10:54pm

2 point's I'll be hitting about this: 

1: Next to Normal wouldn't have been successful if it had come this year unless this version focused more on Natalie. Most of the shows that teens like nowadays follow the same model: "Attractive" Main Character likes X. X doesn't like them, and the main character is unpopular. They're in high school and they do Z to get popular so they can get X, but eventually, it blows up in their face. Main Character is "punished" for their means of getting X, whether it is socially, internally, or physically, but in the end, they get X anyways due to the necessity for a happy ending. Even though next to normal in theory has that plot, it is too tangled in with the Gabe and Diana plot to cater to this fanbase.

2: Broke teens seeing the show wouldn't take their family. Their parents might be forced to come with them, but if they were able to they're be going alone. If in theory the older half of the fanbase will gain the ability to go and see this show alone, the parent base would shrink. And even on the site, nobody would take their little siblings considering the show is 12+. The youngest person in the theatre I saw was about 10, and clearly a giant fan. 

3: Not addressing anybody specifically, but if this theoretically went to the Lyceum, they would need to beef up security as well as rush policies, because within the first 2 weeks there was a boot of the show flying around, which proves security wasn't as thick as everybody thinks. The Lyceum has 950 seats, versus Diamond's 294 seating capacity. With over 3 times the amount of people going to see the show at once, there is bound to be more of a rowdy crowd at the door, and even at the first preview, the barricades fell over. Imagine 3 times the amount of people all crowding, not to mention those who stop by to the door daily because they live in the city and walk past to meet their favorites without seeing the show. 

All in all, I'm still seeing this if it goes to Broadway, it'll just also be against what would be better for most people involved in the show: New World Stages year-long run.

[BroadwayNoob]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 11:04pm

As for stage door crowds - the Lyceum has one of the better stage doors since it is on the opposite side of the theater and the street was pretty low-key. 

 

And as a teen myself - unless I got a ticket for a birthday present or rushed it with my friends, my mom/dad/brother or all 3 would be coming with me. I actually really like seeing shows with them because I like hearing their opinions on things. It would be a different experience for me to come out of a show and not have anyone to discuss it with. Most parents would be buying themselves a ticket along with their child I'd say

[yesraccoons]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 11:17pm

If this somehow appeals to a larger base (shapes up for broadway and gets raves reviews) it could be a hit. I’m very curious to see how this plays out as it could say a lot about broadway’s future.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 11:19pm

Very lackluster new musical season, so it kind of is a smart move. But I hope they beef it up for Broadway. Hate to pay Broadway prices to see a show that belongs off-Broadway (like Scottsboro Boys).

[oncemorewithfeeling2]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 11:20pm

JBroadway said: "oncemorewithfeeling2 said: "I’m going to be mean and say it, butif it’s going to come to Broadway, I hope they’re making a plan for security and crowd control."



Another observation from this past weekend: the teenage audience members were very well-behaved, and all the recent reports on audience behavior in the main BMC thread have said the same thing.

"

That’s so good to hear. I was at the third preview and there were an alarming amount of straight up squealing both before the show started and from those waiting for the cast. I’m pleased to hear that it’s become more subdued. I really support theater that draws in younger audiences, but I also support teaching and keeping up a certain level respect in the theater.