Broadway Flops you love that everybody else hates- Page 3

[hyangsoo]

Posted: 4/1/25 at 9:28am

I loved Tammy Faye and saw it after opening after the changes were made. I thought the singing, dancing, costuming and staging were impeccable. Aside from Katie Brayben who was fantastic, every member in the ensemble was strong and memorable. Unfortunately I think it was a failure due to poor reviews during previews when they were still making changes, the political environment where people were not interested in seeing a show about a white Christian televangelists, and being in a too large theater for the audience. IMO there were many other shows on Broadway at the time that were not as strong that did not receive the level of hate that TF did.

Interestingly, American Psycho which is mentioned by several on here was also directed by Rupert Goold. The man is very talented and knows how to do a show. There is a reason he is one of the top directors in the UK. I saw Patriots as well which I did not like as much as Tammy Faye but did not receive the same public reaction. However, Patriots did introduce me to the talented Luke Thallon.  I wish I could have seen Rupert's recent production of Hamlet in the UK with Luke. And I saw The Hunt at St. Ann's, also directed by Rupert, which was outstanding and was one of my favorite plays in 2024.

 

[Zeppie2022]

Posted: 4/1/25 at 9:40am

"And? OP is still welcome to their opinion."

Never said OP was not welcome to their opinion. I politely disagreed and pointed out critics liked her performance.

[steven22]

Posted: 4/1/25 at 10:35am

Melissa25 said: "I just loved Lempicka. That score!

Couldn’t agree more. And Speed is one of my favorite musical theatre moments. 

"

 

[jpbran]

Posted: 4/1/25 at 10:48am

A recent example for me would definitely be Water for Elephants. 

[Sauja]

Posted: 4/1/25 at 11:12am

I think I might be literally the ONLY person who enjoyed Leap of Faith. But...Raul Esparza! Not a perfect show by any stretch, but I very much liked it. 

 

But so many of the ones named here brought me a ton of joy, from Groundhog Day to American Psycho to Hands on a Hardbody. 

[kdogg36]

Posted: 4/1/25 at 11:16am

Some of my picks - Hands on a Hardbody, American Psycho, Whistle Down the Wind - have already been mentioned, and I think all of these have/had at least a modest group of vocal fans. On the other hand, one huge flop that I did love, but that most people here genuinely seemed to detest, was Lysistrata Jones. I enjoyed the silly story, the bouncy score, and especially the quirky performances. Admittedly it played a little better (perhaps not unexpectedly) at the Gym at Judson, but I also loved it on Broadway.

[Charley Kringas Inc]

Posted: 4/1/25 at 11:46am

I really loved how wickedly dark Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was willing to go, and I can imagine a more cohesive version that goes all-in on how grotesque the show's world is. The London production came a little closer to that in some ways ("Juicy!" was excellent), but Veruca being danced to dismemberment by the squirrels on Broadway was a highlight of that whole season.

[Mark Waltz]

Posted: 4/1/25 at 11:53am

The one big flop I can't get out of my mind for its audaciousness and tacky brilliance is "Dance of the Vampires", especially its declaration at the end of drinking blood and eating souls. I used to have the playbills of this and "Legs Diamond" proudly displayed together as flop shows I remembered practically every detail about. 

Some shows are flops simply because they couldn't sustain an audience willing to pay full price, yet had high percentage of seats sold out. "The Prom" is my favorite recent not so successful show that had fantastic word of mouth. It's probably the only show I went back to see twice after my initial viewing with the same cast attached, finally getting a great seat on my third try and loving it all the more. 

"Steel Pier" had mixed reactions, but the cast album is glorious, and it's one of my favorite souvenir programs. I agree with "Big Fish" and "Tuck Everlasting" as shows that deserved better, with "Daffodils" having made me sob, and the ballet of "Tuck" absolutely gorgeous as the lead character ages. Why Carolee Carmello didn't get Tony love or any other nominations for it remains a mystery. I wasn't crazy about "Bad Cinderella", but every moment she was on stage was magical. I should add "Scandalous" as a bad show I loved, and that seemed to have been disliked more than any of the others I've mentioned. Glad she got nominated for that.

Of classic shows before my time, "Darling of the Day" is one I'd love to see get an Encore's revival. But I don't think that show is considered hated, maybe just dated for when it came out because it seemed about a decade past its time, especially with the attitudes of the late 60's making it feel old-fashioned. 

 

Updated On: 4/1/25 at 11:53 AM

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 4/1/25 at 12:01pm

So, clearly everyone here loves Groundhog Day making it not a "everybody else hates" situation. It was brilliant and found tons of success internationally. Andy even got an Australian girlfriend out of it. Yikes.

I was the only person in the world who enjoyed New York, New York. Yes, the 58932 plots were all messy but to see Colton just wandering around and literally talking to himself on stage, having the audience all look at each other like "Is this real? Where am I?" was incredibly entertaining. The sets were awesome tho and of course he is smoking hot. 

[Charley Kringas Inc]

Posted: 4/1/25 at 12:12pm

I didn't and still don't like Groundhog Day, but that show had a really rotten advertising campaign that did almost nothing to communicate that it was more than just a cash-grab adaptation.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 4/1/25 at 12:16pm

I meant the many people posting in this thread before me. But, I agree with you that their advertising and marketing were terrible. And they had the worst merch in history. 

[ChiDoc]

Posted: 4/1/25 at 12:17pm

"Love" is a strong word, but Paradise Square is this for me.  To crib from its ad campaign, it held the promise of what a good musical could be, even if it wasn't one.  I saw it multiple times during its out-of-town in Chicago and once with the final changes on Broadway, and while it never made it there, I always saw the possibilities it held and I respected that.  An ambitious show that had some thrilling moments, some real duds, and a producer that suckssssss.  At least we'll always have the cast alb- wait, no.

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 4/1/25 at 12:28pm

I really enjoyed AMELIE when it premiered in Berkeley with Samantha Barks. I think they actually made it worse for broadway - cutting the opening number was not a good call, and I preferred Barks to Philippa Soo. But I'll say I didn't fall in love with the show until the London production turned it into a very successful actor-musician show. Sometimes, a score just needs an accordion. 

[raddersons]

Posted: 4/1/25 at 1:01pm

I seriously didn’t understand the intensely negative reaction from some people around Be More Chill. It’s not perfect and it’s a little juvenile but it was original and  the score is still pretty stellar.

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/1/25 at 2:10pm

"Disaster!" And "Hot Feet".

[Lot666]

Posted: 4/1/25 at 3:01pm

raddersons said: "I seriously didn’t understand the intensely negative reaction from some people around Be More Chill. It’s not perfect and it’s a little juvenile but it was original and the score is still pretty stellar."

Thanks for the reminder! I agree it wasn't perfect, but I had so much fun that I went back for a second time with my husband.

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 4/1/25 at 7:56pm

Does The Prom count as a flop? I enjoyed it a ton ...

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 4/1/25 at 8:29pm

Lot666 said: "The mentions of Whistle Down the Wind reminded me of another ALW shows that I loved, but didn't last very long: The Woman in White."

...yeah I'm a fan too (though I think it has more problems than Whistle.)  I have to wonder if some of that is simply because I love Victorian sensation serialized novels (part of my MA was about them) and Woman in White is the key text in that genre--and of course a lot of my issues with the musical are due to changes from the novel--but I think it has a lot of ambition and good stuff and at the time I was all in with the projected designs in London even if they didn't fully work (funny--at that time it seemed like a clever innovation--I feel very differently now.)  Though David Zippel was a very weird choice for that kind of show as a lyricist but we all know ALW's issue with lyricists...

[Timon3]

Posted: 4/1/25 at 8:49pm

Surprised no one on here has showed any love for Bright Star, got great review, has a great blue grass score and a great book, but ultimately made the fatal mistake of opening the same year as Hamilton, Waitress and School of Rock a very strong year.

 

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/1/25 at 9:10pm

Timon3 said: "Surprised no one on here has showed any love for Bright Star, got great review, has a great blue grass score and a great book, but ultimately made the fatal mistake of opening the same year as Hamilton, Waitress and School of Rock a very strong year."

Totally forgot about "Bright Star". LOVED that show. I was in love with the Martin/Brickell album before the show opened. My only qualm with the show is that they shortened my favorite song on the album, "So Familiar", in the show.

 

[merle57]

Posted: 4/1/25 at 9:18pm

Of the older 60s disappointments, Rothschilds is stunning, Darling of the Day a fabulous score, Superman good satirical fun, and a beautiful but flawed Golden Boy -- none  were hated, just imperfect.

Four Kander and Ebb shows that should be loved and should have been hits: The Rink, Steel Pier, The Happy Time, and most of all Scottsboro Boys which is a masterpiece. 

And Pacific Overtures  is the most beautiful and adventurous musical play I have ever seen, a brilliant work of art. 

Woman on the Verge is a fascinating score, as is Bridges of Madison County.

None of these were hated, just flawed or disappointing runs. 

Updated On: 4/1/25 at 09:18 PM

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 4/2/25 at 6:09am

So much of it is due to how we perceive these shows... Pacific Overtures is one of my favourite scores AND shows, but I know that even Prince and everyone involved with the show seemed to expect it to run about as long as it did means in my head I don't think of it as a flop (and also it's not a show I feel that everybody else hates ;) )

[shomeika]

Posted: 4/2/25 at 7:12am

Spiderman-Turn Off The Dark:  After all that went on during this production, I just had to see the show for myself.

We thought it was a lot of fun, like a rock concert / train wreck, you just couldn't look away.

 

Bridges of Madison County- gorgeous.  

Updated On: 4/2/25 at 07:12 AM

[shomeika]

Posted: 4/2/25 at 7:19am

Oooooh weeeee.  I loved "The Prom" as well.

 

poisonivy2 said: "Does The Prom count as a flop? I enjoyed it a ton ..."

 

[mrshowbiz90210]

Posted: 4/2/25 at 7:22am

Although it’s not officially open yet, I would say the flop or the two flops that I have loved would be Legs Diamond or Boop!