Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Closing 9/3- Page 5

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:39pm

NDP, glad you *finally* saw it, even though it took you way too long.

I think Margo's right. I know they made a lot of offers to bigger names who turned it down.

It just...I somehow feel like all in all the show got the bad end of the stick. Losing to Spamalot in the Tony's (even though Piazza deserved it more...if Spamalot wasn't there though; I think DRS would have been the winner), pretty much being overshadowed by Spamalot the whole season, almost-but-not recouping, having one of their worst reviews be in the NY Times...I mean not that it flopped or had horrible circumstances, but..as you can see...so many people loved this show. Almost everyone who came out of the show loved it. Almost everyone who would mention it loved it. Everyone I told to go see it or brought with me loved it.

It's just frustrating. I mean, yes it had a respectable run I suppose, but gah, I just feel like it deserved better. I mean DRS makes it a year and a half; meanwhile Mamma Mia's been playing 4 years...

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:43pm

Mamma Mia has a name attached to it.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:44pm

Question. My program listed Ted Sperling as the musical director for DRS.

Where's Sperling now and what's he working on?

Yeah, WRQ, and I already have a ticket to see Sweeney Todd. Even though I'm not fond of the subject matter of the show, I'm hoping that Cerveris and the direction will make a difference as to whether I enjoy the show and see something there I didn't in the NY City Opera production with Elaine Paige. I like Paige, but I didn't like the show. Let's see if they can pull off gruesome with a Lieutenant of Inishmore elan that will make me overlook the gore and like it. Or something.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:46pm

Well, there's no gore. Only gels. Light gels.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:53pm

How come the original "La Cage" was able to run for years long after Gene Barry, George Hearn and later Van Johnson left? Walter Charles is not a known name, yet "La Cage" ran with him as a lead. Steve Aarlen (sp?) was not a name, but the show ran with him. If DRS is a good show, why can't it run without "names"?

[junglered]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:56pm

This is very sad news. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a hilarious show and was one of the highlights of the 2005 season for me. I thought that the OBC was terrific. Thankfully, I will be able to catch the tour in October and will get to relive a bit of its theatre magic.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 12:01am

Simple answer: La Cage was a much more popular show, with or without stars than DRS. Remember it won the Best Musical Tony (plus 5 others) and got mostly positive reviews -- DRS won next to nothing (and he just left) and its reviews were mixed at best. Also, the old-fashioned Jerry Herman score was very appealing to audiences in a way this score apparently isn't. Plus audiences are very different in 2006 than they were 20 years ago -- tourists are the majority now and without names or a Best Musical Tony, it can often be a struggle to survive.

Updated On: 8/18/06 at 12:01 AM

[CurtisTaylorJr2]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 12:04am

That's shocking, I didn't expect it to close just yet

[starletta8]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 12:14am

Yes, the writing was on the wall since July 16, but that doesn't mean that this is any less sad. This show has a special place in many people's hearts, and I'm quite upset that it won't be there the next time I get to NY. It certainly helped me smile through a rather difficult year and a bit in my life. While I'm hoping to travel in for the last performance, it's not guarenteed.

This show was what Broadway needed more of- entertaining, appealing to many different demographics, and not Disney or a jukebox.

It will be missed by quite a few people.

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 12:25am

I love the show as well, but, what it comes down to is that Broadway is sadly now more than ever a business first.

The show just simply isn't making money, and the show's reserve has been heavily tapped into, so, the show running below break even is not a realistic possibility any longer. It's just simple financial figures.

Personally, I feel that casting Carradine and D'Arcy James was what nailed the lid on the show's coffin, the show was SO heavily marketed with Lithgow as the star, and then Norbert as the star after his Tony win, with both of them gone, Mr. Bell and Mr. Scrofani really needed to get A-List names (heck, even B-List like John O'Hurley would maybe have helped a bit).

But yes, the show WILL close, it will be sad, but that's the business of Broadway...

[Dre2387]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 12:37am

*bawling my eyese out*.....almost

SOOO sad!

why! why! and I don;t think I can make last show. unless, I can take my car to college and drive up on the saturday and drive back down after seeing the show n the sunday. maybe.....

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 1:33am

Margo:
Why are audiences so different now than then,
They want to see Good shows and
maybe a Star from TV;.
I think the difference is how much it costs
to produce a show on BWay.
oh, I see your point.

[Mamie]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 1:48am

Whether we like it or not, shows today live or die based on tourist appeal. I can't begin to tell you how many times I pleaded with family and friends who were coming to NY to please go and see this show and how many came back with the comment that the NY Times said it wasn't very good and they didn't want to waste their money. So what did they spend their hard-earned dollars on? Phantom, Chicago, Mamma Mia, WHATEVER has played in their home towns or has received so much publicity that it speaks of familiarity. The few times I was successful resulted in extensive gratitude for talking them into it. (One even called me long distance after the show to thank me for 'pressuring' them into going. They said it was the best show they'd ever seen and they see a LOT of theatre on both coasts and the East end.)

Right now I'd like to hang someone over at the Times....

[SirLiir]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 2:02am

Great responses in the thread. However, I do not feel it is fair to blame Keith and Brian for the show failing to survive. This show can survive just fine on the material. It just could not market itself to people well, especially after their Tony winner left. I try my best to promote the show but the first thing most people say when I tell them about the show is, "Dirty what?"

[C is for Company]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 3:13am

Thats sad. At least there are still the good memories, I saw it once and never needed to go back, the cast was terrific, but the show was just okay.

[meagan9848]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 4:16am

What are the chances I'd be able to use a pass-dated ticket on closing day?

I loved this show, and am very sad to see it go.

[BroadwayRandy0711]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 5:08am

I was never able to see the show on Broadway. I will definetly see it on tour now.

[RentHead2]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 7:36am

I will miss this show dearly, on the same street as Avenue Q and Wedding Singer, a street I am very familiar with! Hopefully the next show that goes in there will have the grace and talent of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. This was one of my favorites, this one closed quick! What a travesty! Okay so the next question, WHAT IS SHERIE RENE going to do next, and where can I get tickets???

[lfae]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 7:52am

HELP!!!!

Is anyone else in the same boat as me - I just (like two weeks ago) bought tickets off telecharge for DRS in December. I am going to cry. But now what do I do? Will telecharge wake up and give me a refund or do I need to email them and give them a nice little reminder? (I'm international, I can't exactly telephone them) Yep, gonna cry here. And I'm really surprised that I had to read about it here first because I'd have assumed telecharge would have emailed all the post-September ticketholders to let them know or something.

Please, someone offer me a little comfort and/or assistance

[DRSisLove]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 8:15am

I think they'll email or call you. Don't worry.

Man this news is terrible, although I didn't like thew cast, and I've heard alot of bad reviews about them, so...

[lfae]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 8:20am

I can't help it, I'm a born worrier!

And I'm also sad because I really was looking forward to seeing the show, as I doubt it will ever open here And since google is not being my friend - can someone link me to the tour schedule? I'm not against taking a slight detour if it turns out I can catch it that way...

[Mamie]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 8:28am

This has happened to me a couple of times in the past. Call them to verify this and to get the address. They'll ask you to mail the tickets back to them and then they'll issue you a refund. I've never had any problems with them doing this but just to make sure, I made a copy of the tickets and my covering letter before I sent it.

[lfae]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 8:41am

Okay, now I'm calm! Well, as calm as can be, for someone who is being denied the chance to ever see DRS...someone's gotta feel sorry for me! Coming all the way from Australia and it shuts three months before I arrive. Bloody inconsiderate :p

Thankyou, Mamie, will replace calling with emailing and luckily my tickets were box office collection so there's no sending necessary :) Now I'll just curse myself for being fiendishly organised and buying tickets the second they went on sale. And they were centre orch as well

Oh, yes, there's gonna be tears...lucky my girlfriend's still away so I hadn't yet told her they were bought...now I can just skip that step and say the show closed on us.

Maybe I'll go watch the movie again. Sigh. Everyone out there who's seeing it again in the next couple of weeks, I hope you have a brilliant time! Savour the experience and send a few good vibes down my way

[luvtheatre11]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 8:51am

I have seen DRS 3 times , so I am very sad about this. I saw it twice with the original cast and once with Pryce and York and NLB's understudy (can't remember his name..jason or josh something)..
I want to cry..

[mejusthavingfun]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 9:41am

It's about time this happens!