Closed After One Performance?- Page 2

[stevenycguy]

Posted: 4/20/08 at 11:42pm

Last year, the off-Broadway mess "Idol: The Musical" closed on opening night (countless people walked out during the intermissionless show during previews - the gall to charge $55 prices to see basically high school & college students who had never stepped foot onto an off-Broadway stage in their lives, according to their bio's in the playbill).

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 4/20/08 at 11:46pm

No, CurtainPullDowner. Our dear Rachael Lily Rosenbloom... closed after a few previews. No opening night.

[stevenycguy]

Posted: 4/21/08 at 12:20am

Hmmm, do I detect strong foreshadowing here? The strong implication is....what new Broadway musical may close after one performance (excluding previews)? Hehe :)

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 4/21/08 at 12:26am

"what new Broadway musical may close after one performance (excluding previews)?"

The nature of producing has evolved in certain ways, so that closing on opening night, or after opening weekend, is UNHEARD of. The last new Broadway musical to close on opening night was Dance a Little Closer in 1983. The likelihood of this happening now are VERY slim. There have been dozens of musicals to run longer than a few performances, since 1983, that are far worse than anything in previews on Broadway right now.

[perfectliar]

Posted: 4/21/08 at 12:33am

Well High Fidelity closed only two weeks after opening... so you never know.

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 4/21/08 at 12:44am

"Well High Fidelity closed only two weeks after opening... so you never know."

Yes, this is what I'm saying. A flop show can DEFINITELY close after two weeks these days. But not after 1 performance, or after 1 weekend.

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 4/21/08 at 12:48am

Which recent shows have recovered from a bad preview period?

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 4/21/08 at 12:51am

That's a really interesting question, verynewyorkcurious. I'd be interested to hear people's opinions on that... I think the problem though, is that once a show "hits" or "flops" the preview period is looked at through rose- colored glasses, with hindsight either being too kind or too cruel.

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 4/21/08 at 12:55am

Personally, I remember hearing terrible word of mouth on Color Purple during previews.

[buddharich]

Posted: 4/21/08 at 4:50am

There are 2 plays that are wonderful to read: "johnny one time" was a 1967 broadway flop by Mary Mercier. Had the play done better, I truly believe that Mary Mercier would be one of our all-time best known playwrights, but the disappointment was enough for her so she lost confidence. There is a terrific full length book about the production called "On Stage". Don Scardino, who has since become a director, was the lead, with Sada Thompson, Pat Hingle, James Broderick, and Bernadette Peters playing other roles. The text of the play, with a fascinating essay, is in a great book called "Broadway's Beautiful Losers" (which also includes another short-lived flop play I love: "Look: We've Come Through" - believe it or not, Burt Reynolds was in that play!)"johnny one time" would be a great play to revive off-broadway.

The other one performance play that is shockingly good to read is "Father's Day" by Oliver Hailey. Marian Seldes got a tony nomination for it in 1971. Again, an off-broadway production of it would be great. There have often been plays on broadway that were too small and belonged off-broadway.

[musicalmaster703]

Posted: 4/21/08 at 7:38am

Peg

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 4/21/08 at 8:56am

Infinite-
I was so gonna say "Cleavage." I have the LP...paid $2.50 for it.

[madbrian]

Posted: 4/21/08 at 9:06am

When I was in high school, I had the (mis)fortune to see a preview of a Broadway musical entitled "A Broadway Musical". It then rightfully closed on opening night. Here's its IBDB page:

http://www.ibdb.com/production.asp?ID=3910

[morosco]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 5:13pm

Glory Days

[WestVillage]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 5:17pm

Frank Merriwell, or Honor Challenged
Opened/closed April 24, 1971

[JRybka]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 5:32pm

How many performances did RAGS play? Wasn't it like 4 or 5?

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 5:36pm

"Yes, this is what I'm saying. A flop show can DEFINITELY close after two weeks these days. But not after 1 performance, or after 1 weekend."

eat your hat, Infinite!

GLORY DAYS has now changed that.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 5:39pm

Rags closed after 4 performances and received 5 Tony nominations.

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 5:41pm

I thought RAGS had a lot of nice material but just didn't work as an actual musical.

[ski2904]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 6:12pm

Mambo Kings was supposed to play at the Broadway a few years ago, and already had the marquee up, but never made it. Color Purple ended up there instead.

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 6:16pm

The Manbo Kings was not worth a cent! Dreadful production!

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 7:39pm

I have a live audio recording of Breakfast At Tiffinys from its 1st preview, wow its hard to get through.

And whoever said England is not interested in Book musicals just spectacle needs a slap

[Jon]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 7:48pm

Is anyone really surprised that 1776 flopped in London?

I imagine a musical celebrating the Chicago Bears might not do well in Green Bay.

[Anna_Elizabeth]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 7:55pm

The Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All closed after opening night.

[ski2904]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 7:57pm

<
I imagine a musical celebrating the Chicago Bears might not do well in Green Bay.>>

That made me laugh.

Yet, Damn Yankees has done pretty well on Broadway. Hmmm.