For some reason I thought these grosses were hidden at the time. But now there appears to be data, and it's stunning.
https://www.broadwayworld.com/grosses/FLYING-OVER-SUNSET
I saw this (and liked it well enough from what I remember), but I completely forgot this show ever happened or existed until this thread came up.
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/14/11
Still nowhere near as bad as Prymate, which played to a 7% capacity week (and didn't have "immediately post covid" as an excuse).
Yikes. This is actually a cast album I’ve found myself listening to a lot over the last couple years.
Bea Arthur's solo Broadway show also played to small capacities. I was shocked at their numbers but I remembered when I saw it, you could almost sit wherever you wanted because sales were so dismal.
It hasn't been released for licensing in the time since. Which I would think this could have done moderately well with smaller theatre companies. https://www.mtishows.com/flying-over-sunset
You should see the grosses for primate and evening with jh
Updated On: 6/7/25 at 01:48 PMI was one of the 26% that week. It was the only show playing on New Year’s Eve and there were still fewer than 300 people in the Beaumont (and even less by show’s end). I’ve seen some short runners (Here Lies Love, Paradise Square…), but this was the biggest flop I’ve seen. I’ll treasure the memory even if I disliked the show quite a bit.
I will never forget the embarrassment I felt watching Tony Yazbek sing and dance to “I’m a penis rocket ship”. Like, oh my god this man is an insane talent and this is the material you give him to work with?!
raddersons said: "I will never forget the embarrassment I felt watching Tony Yazbek sing and dance to“I’m a penis rocket ship”. Like, oh my god this man is an insane talent and this is the material you give him to work with?!"
It was so frustrating (and confusing?) to have that be in the same show as Carmen Cusack signing the title number as well as How. Both were stunning moments. A very uneven evening, but still
glad I saw it
Don't forget about Lightning Thief who encouraged audience members who had tickets for the balcony or mezzanine to move down to the rear orchestra.
musikman said: "raddersons said: "I will never forget the embarrassment I felt watching Tony Yazbek sing and dance to“I’m a penis rocket ship”. Like, oh my god this man is an insane talent and this is the material you give him to work with?!"
It was so frustrating (and confusing?) to have that be in the same show as Carmen Cusack signingthe title number as well as How. Both were stunning moments. A very uneven evening, but still
glad I saw it
"
I know I knocked out for at least 30 minutes at one point because the show felt like Brigadoon on Valium, but one NEVER forgets the penis rocket…
I loved this show. I wanted to see it a second time but couldn't get back before it closed.
Broadway Star Joined: 8/11/05
Does anyone know how this show was financed? Was it fully funded by Lincoln Center, or was there a commercial producer involved? I couldn’t find any mention of enhancement, which surprised me.
Updated On: 6/7/25 at 05:33 PMChiDoc said: "I was one of the 26% that week. It was the only show playingon New Year’s Eve and there were still fewer than 300 people in the Beaumont (and even less by show’s end). I’ve seen some short runners (Here Lies Love, Paradise Square…), but this was the biggest flop I’ve seen. I’ll treasure the memory even if I disliked the show quite a bit."
Yeah I returned to see it the week between Christmas and New Years thanks to comps or a papering service, and had immaculate center seats halfway back in the orchestra.
That was a crazy week. I think I saw 3 or 4 shows due to comps or papering services...some combo of Flying Over Sunset, Freestyle Love Supreme, Caroline or Change, and Clyde's. By January 1st or 2nd I tested positive for Covid!
Count me as one the of the few that liked this and still listens to the cast album. I do skip that one silly song though.
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/12/14
Did anyone figure out why they cut I Like to Lead off the album? It's a frustrating show because some of the lyrics are so poignant and listening to the album makes me remember the show more fondly than I experienced it (though I did still like what it was trying to do quite a lot).
I know what Sondheim said about James Lapine being capable of being both director and book writer, but in this case I think it would've helped immensely for those to be separate people.
"Flying Over Sunset" was a dream come true to me - the Director and Writer of 'Sunday in the Park with George' pairing with the composer of my favourite contemporary musical (next to normal) and the lyricist of Grey Gardens and War Paint to create a new strange new world with a challenging subject matter.
I even got to watch the show near James Lapine, who appeared to be doing some market research when he walked over to me and asked me what I thought about the show. A little bit starstruck and actually shocked that the person who helped create the most important sound to me ever (Bernadette in Sunday) was talking to me (WHY MEEE?), I told him I enjoyed "Flying Over Sunset" and "How". I asked him if he had seen the Company revival yet and he told me he had not.
Ok, the show was not "Sunday in the Park with George" but sometimes I appreciate the context more than the art.
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