It's been so heartening to see an example of a "little show that could" - and in spite of opening early, being operetta-ish, having no widely-known stars surviving the cold winter to get the life of breath by the Tonys. It appears that (gasp) there is sufficient buzz to easily carry it through the holidays and probably through next summer. (Assuming the replacements can match the skill and frisson of the originals)
Each year, it's always argued whether the Tony has a significant effect on the BO. In recent history, it seems true that aside from the biggest awards, the effect is minimal. Thinking of the past 10 years, three Best Musicals have "gotten the Tony bump" to success - Avenue Q, Memphis, and Gentleman's Guide. Avenue Q sorta' ruined the ending when "vote your heart" turned into "help us up our demands for an exclusive Vegas contract." Memphis had the underdog look - but was "dogged" by mixed reviews and an ennui of disdain.
If they can keep their nut reasonable, I can see them staying quite a while in the Walter Kerr - a perfectly-sized house. Of course buzz fades, and no matter how clever, a niche stylization will have a smaller core audience. Closing in January 2016 seems likely.
The scale of the show might lend itself to an off-Broadway transfer. (However, it's hard for me to think of the Victoriana amidst the stark industrialism of New World Stages.)
...and by the way, THANKS for bumping-up the thread. Reading the old stuff was fun.
Updated On: 7/22/14 at 05:47 AM
