HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME Reviews- Page 3

[LucyEth]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 10:10am

Not to spread unsubstantiated rumors, but I also heard that the show is likely to close Sunday. Word is that they have been playing to 22% capacity.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 10:20am

^ Capacity and gross numbers are not a secret. https://www.broadwayworld.com/grosses.cfm

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 10:54am

Ugh, I really dislike that they decided to go with Wayne Cilento as a choreographer, there are probably 3 more people off the top of my head who'd have been more interesting for the job. He's just so...meh. Sad to see a risky new musical face plant like this. I assume there were financial decisions involved in not going out of town, which is a real shame. I wish there was a way for musicals like these to have the time to gestate and evolve and develop.
Oh, and that comment about Leon made no sense. His direction for A RAISIN IN THE SUN was sublime, the work he did on that was as beautiful and nuanced as the work Tiffany did on THE GLASS MENAGERIE. That category was an embarrassment of riches.

[mschwager]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 11:04am

I actually thought the choreography was one of the only redeeming qualities of the show.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 11:24am

The choreography isn't the problem, it's perfectly fine. As the reviews seem to agree, the book is the problem. Too bad.

[little_sally]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 11:25am

The problem with the choreography, or perhaps the blocking, is that too much was happening all at once. I was never sure where my focus was supposed to be.

[Broadway Joe]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 11:25am

I know they are just rumors but wouldn't they announce it sometime soon that it's closing Sunday to get as many people out to see it as possible to recoup whatever they can?

[haterobics]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 11:34am

If people have a desire to see it, and they are aware of how poorly the box office is, why wait? Unless you want to attend the final performance, just get a ticket.

Compared to how much they are losing, 2-3 shows with a few more seats sold isn't going to make a huge difference.

[little_sally]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 11:37am

I assume they weren't even close to breaking even during their two weeks of previews so trying to recoup anything is pointless at this point. Announcing a closing date would probably just deter people from going anyway.

It is strange to me that it couldn't find an audience. Maybe trying to get a bigger name than Saul Williams would have sold tickets.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 11:37am

"The problem with the choreography, or perhaps the blocking, is that too much was happening all at once. I was never sure where my focus was supposed to be."
Yeah I think this specific issue is the fault of Kenny Leon's direction.

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 11:59am

"Not to spread unsubstantiated rumors, but I also heard that the show is likely to close Sunday."

This is my absolute favorite comment of this entire thread. Remember this trick kids when you are about to do something you know some might find distasteful.

[haterobics]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 12:03pm

"It is strange to me that it couldn't find an audience."

Well, their entire marketing strategy was Tupac. Even when tickets had gone on sale, their website didn't even mention what the story was. I am on every single list under the sun to get notices about promotions, discounts, etc., and this is the only show I never heard a word from. I don't even think they worked with the typical discount houses to do mailings, etc., so there has been a marketing disconnect from the beginning. I can only conclude they thought Tupac alone was going to bring in sales.

Of course, the people who got over that marketing hump discovered that the show wasn't ready for prime time anyway, but still... that is not a good thing to discover if you have almost zero advance sales, since all the people waiting to hear about the show heard it was a train wreck. So, the core Broadway audience side of the house (as opposed to the Tupac side), heard the show was bad and knew how to go for free, to add more reports that it was bad.

To me, the lack of a coherent book kept (and will continue to keep) me away, since it is the only bit they had to get right. Otherwise, the cast is good (I've seen many of them before, and they are talented and, at this level, unless you really miscast something, your cast will typically be capable), and Tupac's music is proven, so the one bit they came up with to fuse these elements together failed. So when people say they like the cast and the music, but not the book... that just sounds like a total failure to me. The one part they had to create is the weakest link?!

Some shows improve with out of town previews, others tinker with something broken but never quite fix it. We'll never know what the case would have been here.

[little_sally]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 12:12pm

They also could've managed their way onto the Tonys with a performance.

There is a ton of advertisements on subways (full subway cars are decked out in just Holler ads) but now that I think about it, I didn't get any flyers in the mail or any emails from the numerous discount/mailing lists I belong to.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 12:23pm

Paying for a Tonys slot would have helped them in a big way. And yeah, I didn't get any direct mail flyers from them either. Bizarre.

[kade.ivy]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 12:33pm

It's on TKTS at a 50% discount for tonight and the matinee tomorrow.

[Polka Dot2]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 1:09pm

AndrewAndrew just released their review and for the most part the liked it. Shame because I have always respected their opinion in the past.

[AndrewAndrew]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 1:23pm

^ Hey! At least one Andrew didn't like it!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 1:26pm

I wonder if they used the same marketing team as Bridges.

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 1:29pm

^Not a bad thought, but apparently it's not the case. BRIDGES used Serino/Coyne and HOLLER is using AKA.

ETA- See what ClydeBarrow said below. I was going off of their IMDB pages. Updated On: 6/20/14 at 01:29 PM

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 1:37pm

BRIDGES used AKA first and then switched to Serino after that atrocious red barn campaign. HOLLER did the opposite.

[Midevenings]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 1:38pm

Maybe it's not doing well because people aren't willing to celebrate the life of someone who wasn't a good person.

Is there a scene when he shoots and kills a 6 year old kid?

Is there a musical number while his entourage rapes a girl?

Just askin'

holla

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 1:55pm

A trip down memory lane:

The Capeman

[haterobics]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 2:42pm

"Is there a scene when he shoots and kills a 6 year old kid?

Is there a musical number while his entourage rapes a girl?"

It's not a biography of Tupac.

[mjohnson2]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 2:46pm

Does anybody know what the initial budget of this show was? I would guess between 10-12 mil, but if anybody knows for sure, that would be great.

[madlibrarian]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 3:00pm

I have read $8 mil.