EVITA closing - producers Epic Fail

[chernjam]

Posted: 12/17/12 at 4:41pm

Was really disappointed reading the "planets couldn't align" to recast the show, so we have to close. Is that one of the stupidest excuses or what? Didn't the producers know months (years?) ago how long their leads were contracted for? I mean, we had to wait for Ricky Martin to be available before we could get this revival in the first place.

The sad thing was, I was waiting to see the show when the leads had left. At $100 a pop, hearing mixed reviews on the leads (Elena and Ricky particularly) I figured, I bought the Broadway recording, so I'd wait to see new cast members for my first visit to Evita.

Well, I just bought tix for early January to see it before it closes. What a wasted opportunity on the part of the producers though.

[newintown]

Posted: 12/17/12 at 4:43pm

That's the way it goes, Chantelle. It had a good run, and something else will get a run now. Get your tickets early.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 12/17/12 at 4:53pm

Why is everyone so obsessed with analyzing the show's decision to close? Seriously, seems like BWW has done a thousand stories about dream casting and gossip lately. Shows close, sometimes casting doesn't work out. C'est la vie.

[little_sally]

Posted: 12/17/12 at 5:00pm

Kelly, people are probably disappointed because they were looking forward to who would be cast as replacements. I kind of am but I don't really care about the show closing.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 12/17/12 at 5:04pm

Epic fail? In what way? Do you know what their advance sales looked like? Nope. They do. Do you know WHEN they began trying to put together replacements? Nope. But I'm sure they didn't wait until last week.

It comes to this: if they don't feel they are going to make money, it's not worth staying open. Sure, they MIGHT have been able to make a run of it with nobodies -- but that is not terribly likely.

[followspot]

Posted: 12/17/12 at 5:08pm

So chernjam, even though you said this on June 26:

"I had pre-ordered the CD (not home, so haven't received it yet) and after reading comments on here for the last few weeks, I wasn't as excited about it. Especially since I was underwhelmed by the 2006 recording. But I've been listening to the stream on AOL all night and really can't wait to see it now...I really love the new orchestrations. Elena sounds great, much better than the live clips I've seen on TV. Martin doesn't sound as edgy as I've come to expect for Che, but he's not bad."

...and this on July 2:

"Been listening to the CD all weekend. I enjoyed it from the stream, but since hearing it on my bose speaker, its been even better...Elena sounds even stronger than she did on the 2006 recording. Martin - he's grown on me, he doesn't sound as edgy as others I've heard (but I take it thats because the production has changed Che's character). The new orchestrations really transformed the score to me."

...you wanted to wait to see the show after Roger and Martin ended their runs the following year because you heard "mixed reviews on the leads (Elena and Ricky particularly)"? And this was somehow the producers' fail?

Huh?

Updated On: 12/17/12 at 05:08 PM

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 12/17/12 at 5:32pm

I'm disappointed, but it had a fairly good run and made some money, and I'm sure it will do well on tour.

[BroomstickBoy]

Posted: 12/17/12 at 5:49pm

You've had a good run, I'm sure he enjoyed you. Don't act sad or surprised, let's be friends civilized.

[chernjam]

Posted: 12/17/12 at 6:12pm

wow followspot dont know if I should be freaked out over someone paying so close attention to the few times I post or what...

Yes, it was true, I like the Broadway cast recording a great deal. And had planned to see it over the summer. A couple of friends had seen Evita when Ricky was out (I think they saw Max von Essen) and talked about what an improvement he was over when they had seen it with Ricky Martin. As for Elena, there seemed to be a great deal of criticism that her voice wasn't nearly as strong as it once was. So I figured that the broadway recording was good at presenting this cast and was looking forward to seeing who they were going to bring in. Even if they were "unknowns" that can often be a better move than going with a "name."

I'm not a star-struck individual... I'm a fan of the score/show. Don't see how this somehow makes my earlier comments somehow invalid.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 12/17/12 at 6:15pm

It had a nice run and now it's closing and now a new show can go in. That's the way it should be. The same production should not be open 20 - 30 years. It turns Broadway into Disneyland.

[followspot]

Posted: 12/17/12 at 7:30pm

Don't be freaked out, chernjam — all I did was click on your Profile and those two quotes popped up first. Didn't understand why you felt it was an "Epic Fail" on the producers' part to not risk continuing with unknowns after a successful year-long run with marquee names. Seemed even more strange when the last time you posted it was to praise Roger and Martin. But I get it. I kind of did the same thing with Anything Goes — Foster and Grey seemed adequate, but it was a big-ticket show and I decided to wait and see if anyone better eventually replaced them. Finally broke down and saw it with Foster and Grey. Wished I'd waited.

Cheers!

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 12/17/12 at 7:32pm

It was an EPIC FAIL because now he can't see it with other actors.

Also, there's an epic lack of punctuation fail in the title of this thread.

[chernjam]

Posted: 12/17/12 at 9:46pm

yeah I guess I just find it odd, Evita has been grossing over $600,000 the entire run (even at that lower end when Martin was out) wasn't it kind of short sighted to not have lined people up by now? I mean, I remember Sunset Blvd when Glen Close left - Betty Buckley held her own for a good while. Sure it wasn't the sell out it was, but it did well... and had the production costs not been so outrageous to begin with, the show would've recouped (I think it ended up returning 90% of the investment)

To announce just a few weeks ago that Evita would keep running and then say "we can't find replacements" - I don't know, it just seems bizarre to me.

Just listening to Idina singing Dont Cry for me today really blew me away. And the thought of Sierra and ramin, that would have been amazing

[evic]

Posted: 12/18/12 at 12:55am

Plain and simple, this production stunk to high heaven. It wouldn't matter if they got The King and Queen of Romania to replace. Ricky and Elena were awful and miscast. The original had so many brilliant moments and intelligent subtext- the opening sequence, revolving door,rocking chairs, separate bedrooms for the Perons and numerous others. This had none and some of the direction was laughable. They ran out of latino tourists who wanted to see Ricky. Buenos Noches y Gracias. Y ahora- AL FUERA!!!!!!!! Mr. Martin- King of Broadway??????? More like the King of the Mickey Mouse Club with his ridiculous smiling throughout the show.

[CHOOKA2]

Posted: 12/18/12 at 1:55am

I'm new to making a comment here but do the producers or actually people who know what went/goes on-ever tell the 'real' reason for things?How does one find out the truth or is everything speculation?

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 12/18/12 at 2:26am

Everything you read here is the truth.

I think the problem here and with other star-driven recent revivals is the director failed big time. If the production was great and got people excited about the production along with the stars (King Ricky, Harry Potter and Just Jack!) Then the show would attract Talent and audiences.
We have NO good musical directors with a vision.
It's a different case but as great as Channing was in HELLO DOLLY, the Show was exciting and had a healthy run AC (After Carol).
And PHANTOM runs AC (After Crawford).

[Caring Soul]

Posted: 12/18/12 at 6:51pm

There are some winners in the equation, such as Mr. Martin who has enjoyed a bit of a career boost and will be developing a TV deal. As for the producers, they managed to put on a successful run on Broadway, which is no easy feat. It may well be a feather in their cap that they did not drag the thing out forever with a parade of lesser names.

[blaxx]

Posted: 12/18/12 at 8:50pm

I'm disappointed, but it had a fairly good run and made some money

It actually lost money.

[chernjam]

Posted: 12/18/12 at 10:01pm

blaxx - they haven't determined whether they will recoup or not. Supposedly that was one of the reasons for closing is that if the end of December/January is particularly strong and without risking a re-investment of new cast rehersals/marketing/etc they could come out ahead...

[blaxx]

Posted: 12/18/12 at 10:56pm

Still, no recoupment until there is. Right now it is just wishful thinking.

[Movidude742]

Posted: 12/19/12 at 10:55am

If anyone wants to know the issues with this production I point you to spotify and the Forbidden Broadway Evita number form the current production, called Livin' Evita Loca. Covers everything from the world's cheeriest Che Guevara to the fact that The dress gets more applause than Elena does

[CAX]

Posted: 12/19/12 at 2:44pm

If only they'd been able to arrange this stunt performance at the end of each show...



Madonna Reprises DON'T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA in.... wait for it.... ARGENTINA!

[RippedMan]

Posted: 12/19/12 at 8:33pm

Saw the show today. I thought the production was pretty - the sets and lighting were top notch. But it just felt.... I don't know. Lacking. Ricky Martin made no impression. I would think almost a year into his run he would have become more comfortable in the role but he wasn't making any choices, and his "Oh What a Circus" felt super slow.

Elena wasn't awful, but def. took some getting use to. Her "There is No one, no one at all...never has been..." bit with Ricky was just awful. She was out of key and their voices did not sound good together.

I get why they chose her, but at the same time, the producers failed to realize that with the success of Wicked and even to some extent Book of Mormon, Broadway is now catering to a certain vocal type. We expect super strong precise singers because of American Idol, etc. So when she can't hit a note, or has some crazy vibratto, it sort of irritates a lot of people. I thought she was fine in the role, but by the end of the show I kept wanting to hear Rachel Potter sing something.

The choreography and the way they used the ensemble was really great, and I loved seeing how the set changed and moved.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 12/19/12 at 8:37pm

"We expect super strong precise singers because of American Idol, etc. So when she can't hit a note, or has some crazy vibratto, it sort of irritates a lot of people"

No words for how much I hate this trend. It is not healthy or normal to have girls scream-belting Fs 8 shows a week and is a huge part of why we've seen so many actresses who take on shows like WICKED develop serious vocal problems.

Give me someone who I believe disappears into the character and whose voice is suited to the role over some screamy belty chick any day.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 12/19/12 at 9:14pm

I'm not pro or con, I'm just saying I could see so many people getting agitated with Elena R because her vocals were different and not standard. It's weird people loved her in London, and hated her here.