The idea is to work and to experiment. Some things will be creatively successful, some things will succeed at the box office, and some things will only - which is the biggest only - teach you things that see the future. And they're probably as valuable as any of your successes. -Harold Prince
This one hits hard for me. It was probably one of the best shows this season. It was deep and emotional, but it obviously could not find an audience which is a shame. Just glad I got to see it.
The idea is to work and to experiment. Some things will be creatively successful, some things will succeed at the box office, and some things will only - which is the biggest only - teach you things that see the future. And they're probably as valuable as any of your successes. -Harold Prince
Sad news. I enjoyed it at the Atlantic, and loved it even more on Broadway. I still think Guettel’s score has a chance at the Tony, like JRB winning for Bridges after it had closed.
I admire that this made it to Broadway as a commercial production in the first place because Broadway needs more musicals for "grownups," but this opened at the absolute worst time of year and Kevin McCollum marketed it in a bafflingly bad way. Kelli and Brian might be doing career-best work and are more famous than they've ever been before, but that still hasn't translated into Broadway ticket sales. (And between BRIDGES and NICE WORK and now this, she has yet to lead a commercial production that recouped.)
Pretty upsetting news. This was one of the strongest musicals I've seen in a long time on Broadway. I would've put Kelli in as the frontrunner for the Tony if this was able to make it through to June. I honestly think that the marketing team truly failed the show with its bizarre key art that didn't match the tone or mood of the show whatsoever.
Play Esq. said: "Actor/Actress in a musicalTony award just got a little more interesting."
Indeed. Jonathan Groff and Eden Espinosa are my top picks now.
Obviously Redmayne is in the running but it feels like a boring choice. Cabaret typically does well, Emcee usually gets the Tony nod, he won the Olivier...vs one of Sondheim's biggest flops actually working and I find the production succeeds on Frank bordering conceited and selfish but still being likeable. I'd still love to see BDJ win though, he's done great work especially in this show.
I think most of the mid to underperforming shows have decided that packing it in is better then fending off nearly 20 new shows competing for money."
Exactly. The ridiculous amount of shows opening in the next two months is bad enough (most of them will cancel each other out), but the fact that they thought this was ever going to be financially successful is just wild to me. As I said last Summer after seeing it, this show is meant for an intimate, small theater for a short time. Kelli and Brian are brilliant performers but just like with Steven in Bridges, it's not enough. Sigh.
Sigh. This saddens me. I really thought this was devastatingly stunning. And yes, I think BDJ shot at a Tony just flew the coop. Hopefully, he'll still be nominated. (Both of them, actually)
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.
I agree its timing was bad and probably should have been in a smaller theatre. But it’s so depressing reading comments about people saying how horrible it was. This is why Broadway is the way it is. People have no taste and only like straightforward commercial nonsense. This was a bold bizarre gorgeous evening at the theatre. Extremely sad by this. I felt this way hearing people’s thoughts about Here We Are too. That was also wild.
Random comments on social media don't dictate a show's quality. Both this show and HWA were very well received by critics and most serious theater goers.
The people who make comments are entitled to their opinion too. Sadly they are the ones that are dictating what happens at the box office. My taste in theatre, as well as the critics is often so different from what is making money.
I don't see anyone bashing the show itself on this thread, and there are many appreciative comments on the main thread as well. I think some good analysis of its dramaturgical issues have been raised, but it's easily my favorite post-shutdown Broadway musical and score. I'm glad there's been a lot of interesting conversation about it; it reminds me of what this board used to be much like the show reminded me of the kind of musicals we used to be able to expect.
Oh, it really does feel like we're losing something slowly. Time for me to turn in.
amiyagi said: "Play Esq. said: "Actor/Actress in a musicalTony award just got a little more interesting."
Indeed. Jonathan Groff and Eden Espinosa are my top picks now.
Obviously Redmayne is in the running but it feels like a boring choice. Cabaret typically does well, Emcee usually gets the Tony nod, he won the Olivier...vs one of Sondheim's biggest flops actually working and I find the production succeeds on Frank bordering conceited and selfish but still being likeable. I'd still love to see BDJ win though, he's done great work especially in this show."
Having seen all the eligible performances, Redmayne is the best of them all by far. You may not like the idea, but it's not "boring" to recognize the stunning production of Cabaret that Rebecca Frecknall has put together and its mesmerizing leads.
Listen, I don't take my clothes off for anyone, even if it is "artistic". - JANICE
I loved the music of this show, which has thankfully been preserved. Perhaps the timing just wasn't right, god knows people need a stiff drink or something else right now to deal.
BETTY22 said: "Heartbreaking - like Harmony I was sure this show would find it's audience.
I was wrong with both..........Does a NYT Critic Pix not matter anymore?"
It did find its audience: off-Broadway, in a smaller theatre, for a limited run. It was always going to have limited appeal beyond those initial numbers as many here forecast from the onset.
And no, a NYT Critic's Pick doesn't seem to mean as much as it once did and it hasn't for a long time as has been discussed here many times.
While I applaud Kevin McCollom for having the courage to bring an adult piece of musical theatre to Broadway, the commerical production was also poorly produced -- they picked the wrong theatre, the wrong time of the season and had one of the most off tone marketing campaigns in recent memory. Presumably, they rushed to get this to Broadway so that it could be Tony eligbile (above any other considerations) and had to work with Kelli O'Hara's schedule. But really, wouldn't it have been better to wait until they could get a better venue for starters?
“I knew who I was this morning, but I've changed a few times since then.”