We can knock the producers for pouring money into this for a year, but they kept a great show - with some of the best reviews of the entire season - alive for a lot longer than the traditional fate of a fall musical would allow. And for that, it kept a huge orchestra and huge ensemble employed in from of very appreciative audiences.
"Hey little girls, look at all the men in shiny shirts and no wives!" - Jackie Hoffman, Xanadu, 19 Feb 2008
A tour has been confirmed, but recent interviews with Yazbeck have indicated that there's some uncertainty on whether he'll be involved. He's attached to Prince of Broadway now, so if that is successful in Japan, he may be occupied with that for a while.
OTT and I have had an up and down relationship. I saw it at Barrington Stage and fell head over feet in love with it, but found myself a bit disappointed when I saw it shortly after it opened at the Lyric. A second viewing several months later left a very different impression. The show has some absolutely beautiful parts and no one can deny that this show didn't try. The fought hard and should be happy with that.
Eveeyone says it, but I can't help but wonder how this would have fared in a different venue.
This was one of my favorite productions in recent years. It'll be sad to see it go, but it's impressive that it held on for as long as it did.
I'm going to be taking two trips to NYC in the next month - I already have them more or less planned out, show-wise, but I might have to see if I can squeeze in one more visit to this.
" I can't help but wonder how this would have fared in a different venue."
I am not someone who believes any venue is inherently cursed, but I do think some are chosen only by producers who don't really know what they are doing. And 213 W 42nd Street is one of those.
There is another observation that I think is pertinent, and that is that the theatre seems to actually appeal to producers who have an out-sized sense of their property. In other words, folks who put the cart before the horse.
In this case, the out-sizedness is rooted in the theatre's genes. Garth built it based on out-sized aspirations. And if you look at the shows that have taken up residence there since, the producers of a majority of them were neophytes who were attracted to the venue because they thought they had the next big thing and that it of course "needed" a space like that. Spider-Man certainly was the ne plus ultra of that. On the Town suffered from the same sensibility.
Some day, hopefully sooner rather than later, a producer who knows how to match what they have with what they need, will solve the riddle of the (now) Lyric, and we will all wonder what took so long.
So glad I got to see this beautiful production. It was musical comedy heaven. Cheers to the Kagans for their passion and their commitment to honoring the spirit (and sound - boy, what a glorious sound!) of this Bernstein/Comden & Green property.
It certainly was a respectable run - and a more than respectable production. (and yes, I liked it better than AAIP also). It will be a long time before I forget some of the amazing dancing here..and the glorious orchestra..and some top notch performances.
I may have to go once more - it's been a long time.
"I bet Philly is popping champagne bottles over this."
I was going to agree with you, but then I remembered he's too young to buy that kind of beverage. I'm sure he's popping some sparkling cider and talking to his insider friends about what will be going into the Lyric next.
They/them.
"Get up the nerve to be all you deserve to be."