Broadway Star Joined: 4/3/17
http://www.playbill.com/article/gary-a-sequel-to-titus-andronicus-to-close-on-broadway
It was never destined to be a hit, but I am disappointed it couldn't at least make it through its limited run. It was wonderfully imperfect and I am glad it made it to Broadway at all.
Don't know why, but I was sure it had already announced an early closing.
I loved it, glad to have seen it!
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/16/16
Understudy Joined: 4/17/17
The remaining performances are on TDF, if anyone's interested.
I can honestly say I have not seen anything like this before in my life, and it was refreshing to see something new and innovative on a commercial stage - even if this early closing kind of proves a point of why these things can be an uphill battle. Maybe it would have done better with Andrea Martin too?
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/1/14
qolbinau said: "I can honestly say I have not seen anything like this before in my life, and it was refreshing to see something new and innovative on a commercial stage - even if this early closing kind of proves a point of why these things can be an uphill battle. Maybe it would have done better with Andrea Martin too?"
I don't think Andrea Martin on her own is a big ticket-selling draw, respected though she may be within the industry. Neither, really, is Lane.
Chorus Member Joined: 4/20/19
Totally not surprised. Was the worst show I've ever seen and a disgrace to be on a broadway stage (IMO) Several people in my audience left this 90 minute no intermission show early.
Broadwaybri2 said: "Totally not surprised. Was the worst show I've ever seen and a disgrace to be on a broadway stage (IMO) Several people in my audience left this 90 minute no intermission show early."
The only thing that kept me until the end was the lack of an intermission! What was Taylor Mac smoking when he came up with this shamble?
btw, it's also listed on a bunch of the discount clubs - no need to spend more than $5!
Andrea Martin's presence wouldn't have helped the box office at all.
At least the play was interesting. Scott and Nathan could have easily done another revival of something, but they used their power to get Taylor Mac to Broadway.
From a Box Office standpoint, Nathan needs to take a break from theatre for a few years. I love him as much as anyone, and he deserved a Tony nom for this, but he's oversaturated. So is Laurie Metcalf. They won't sell tickets if this Death of a Salesman revival ever comes together. Broadway isn't a rep company where audiences want to see the same people year after year.
LarryD2 said: "qolbinau said: "I can honestly say I have not seen anything like this before in my life, and it was refreshing to see something new and innovative on a commercial stage - even if this early closing kind of proves a point of why these things can be an uphill battle. Maybe it would have done better with Andrea Martin too?"
I don't think Andrea Martin on her own is a big ticket-selling draw, respected though she may be within the industry. Neither, really, is Lane."
Sadly I agree. Even if Bette Midler was casted I don't think it would sell out.
Speak for yourself but I’d see Metcalf in anything...
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/30/15
I don't think Andrea Martin would have helped at the box office but I did keep wondering while seeing the show if it would have improved the dynamics in the show at all.
That said, maybe I'll reply to the previews or reviews thread at some point with more thoughts but I'm also in the camp of thinking that this was a failed exercise. I don't particularly like bathroom humor and there was so much of it propping up very muddled arguments that didn't result in anything insightful. I do think I particularly disposed to dislike it because the bathroom humor that the rest of the audience loved was something I found tedious. And whenever it was serious, my politics mean that I've heard all the arguments in this play many times since 2016. Nothing felt new. And some of it felt awkwardly and disingenuously assigned to the three characters as they were defined. It felt like a "folly" with these three characters that had a bunch of different twitter arguments vomited on it and a weak conclusion at the end that maybe everyone's contributions are valid.
RippedMan said: "Speak for yourself but I’d see Metcalf in anything..."
So would I! But the ticketbuying public clearly isn't interested, since H&C has made 35% of its potential the last 2 weeks and had a staggeringly low average ticket price of $55.
I think GARY is a play that in twenty years will likely be revived and deemed a masterpiece. I'm for one very happy Scott Rudin was willing to take a chance in producing something so unconventional as a commercial Broadway offering.
Leading Actor Joined: 8/30/18
Anyone have a link to some of the good discounts for this show?
Honestly, this was one of the highlights for me all season. I still can’t believe everyone attached said yes to this show or that it made it to Broadway at all. What an absurd, garish, beautiful, touching, ridiculous play this is. I’m thrilled the Tony nominators responded to it, even if the voters didn’t. I want Taylor Mac every Broadway season even if to see what judy would wear to the Tony Awards. I think Taylor has so much to say about humanity and society and we need more of that. And more absurdist comedies.
I honestly feel so lucky to see this show as it closing early was inevitable. I've always prefaced my love for this show that it's something that is not for everyone, but I still wish it found it's people per say. I hope this show either has a life after Broadway, like maybe regional or college level productions, or maybe gets revived off-Broadway. Still I doubt we will ever see something like again, and it's sad some people see that as a plus (you can totally think that, but I certainly don't)
Updated On: 6/11/19 at 12:55 PMAs I’ve said in other threads, I absolutely hated this show. But I do feel a little sad anyway that this failed so badly. Rudin is one of the only producers on Broadway who is taking risks with unusual new plays, and I worry that failures like this will discourage him and other producers in the future.
Noooooooo!!!! This was one of my 60th Birthday shows for next month! Crap. Looks like now I’ll have to find a replacement. This one fit perfect into my schedule. Now I’ll have to rearrange everything for that afternoon. Darn it.
P.S. how does the refund process work? Never had this happen before.
Not surprised to see this is closing. I’m not a huge Nathan Lane fan (this did nothing to change that), but I adore Kristine Nielsen and Julie White. While I respect Taylor Mac’s spirit and ambition, this production was mostly a miss for me. Not nearly as funny or profound as it seemed to think it was, or as revelatory or fresh as some folks seem to see it as. Mac described it on the Tonys as people creating something beautiful among the mess and I witnessed... none of that. (As beautiful as I find dancing naked men, but in a very different way.)
I think these kids will land on their feet.
dmwnc1959 said: "P.S. how does the refund process work? Never had this happen before. "
if you paid by credit card it'll automatically be refunded. I believe telecharge even sends out an email notification.
Not sure how it works if you paid by cash at the box office.
I know it's a Scott Rudin production, so he doesn't do b-roll and the normal getting visuals out there, and this is a show that desperately needed it. Especially with all the production design kudos, they could've let the general public in on what was going on the stage. Nathan Lane's name only goes so far, let the paying audiences see that despite the weird subject material, they still know it's Nathan Lane as they know and love him.
i also wonder whether this play would have fared better if it had an out-of-town regional tryout or off-bway tryout first rather than having a world premiere performance on broadway.
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