Is Burlesque in Trouble?

[mitchern]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 1:27pm

A friend who danced in Broadway Bares shared that no one backstage could understand why Todrick Hall skipped out on rehearsals for his own musical, and West End live to appear at this year's Bares... I'm guessing he wasn't expected to be as overshadowed by Nicole's performance (the only person wearing clothes that's still being talked about!) 

Anyone else know what the point was? 

[GottaGetAGimmick420]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 1:48pm

Isn’t he supposed to be directing and choreographing and starring in Burlesque on the west end? WTF is he doing here in the states rn? Baby get back to work (and make sure he pays his dancers!)

[quizking101]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 1:48pm

I think this is less about Burlesque being in trouble and more just Todrick continuing to be the skid mark on the underwear of the theatre world.

Much like his contemporary, Jeremy O. Harris, he will never pass up an opportunity for the spotlight to be directly on him for whatever reason

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 2:01pm

Did he maybe think showing up at Bares would help promote Burlesque? Or just his own brand? Either way it didn't work because this is only the first I'm hearing of his appearance.

[darquegk]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 2:12pm

"Nyah, boylesque's been in trubble since dey invented da movin' pitchas, see?"

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 2:13pm

The potential for tail makes people do things they wouldn’t otherwise do. 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 2:19pm

Was Burlesque ever not in trouble?

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 2:44pm

They were in trouble when they hired him to direct and choreograph so I don't know why him not taking it seriously is a surprise...

[KarenValentine'sheadband]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 2:46pm

I love good camp but this seems not to be a good idea, IMO. The film was a horror show. 

[inception]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 3:30pm

Oh when it is Jamie Lloyd jetting between London & NYC no one has problem, but just let a Black man try the same thing...

[Kad]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 3:34pm

Jamie Lloyd has a proven track record of success and Todrick Hall has a track record of making the UK hate him on Big Brother. 

Updated On: 6/24/25 at 03:34 PM

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 3:36pm

inception said: "Oh when it is Jamie Lloyd jetting between London & NYC no one has problem, but just let a Black man try the same thing..."


Jamie Lloyd’s productions pay their workers.

[uncageg]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 4:24pm

inception said: "Oh when it is Jamie Lloyd jetting between London & NYC no one has problem, but just let a Black man try the same thing..."

 

Oh for goodness sake. Just stop trying to bring race into it. You have been on these boards long enough to know about Todrick. This has NOTHING to do with his race, and you know it. Stop trying to stir things up.

 

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 4:52pm

uncageg said: "inception said: "Oh when it is Jamie Lloyd jetting between London & NYC no one has problem, but just let a Black man try the same thing..."



Oh for goodness sake. Just stop trying to bring race into it. You have been on these boards long enough to know about Todrick. This has NOTHING to do with his race, and you know it. Stop trying to stir things up.

"

And multiple people found it odd that Lloyd wss doing that and expressed so.

[darquegk]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 5:12pm

Lloyd versus Hall is not a battle of black versus white, anymore than saying Eminem versus "Big Man Blastoise" is a racially charged rap comparison.

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 5:52pm

Eh, I dislike Todrick as much as the next guy, but this post seems to be overdramatizing something that isn’t totally shocking. 

First of all, the show doesn’t start previews for another two weeks, and he isn’t necessarily required for the West End Live performances. He very likely has an agreement in his new contract (replacing the director and choreographer) for wiggle room in regard to absences etc, similar to Christian Borle in Some Like It Hot. 

Not to mention that he’s a major Oz fan. He probably would have skipped to attend this year’s performance had he not been asked to participate. 

Updated On: 6/24/25 at 05:52 PM

[Ke3]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 6:40pm

Burlesque was in trouble when they couldn't decide who should be leading creatively, had practically everyone involved writing music and lyrics, and then somehow landed on Todrick as director. 

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 7:08pm

inception said: "Oh when it is Jamie Lloyd jetting between London & NYC no one has problem, but just let a Black man try the same thing..."

Show you know exactly nothing about Todrick without saying so. 

[inception]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 7:47pm

Honestly I don't know much about them as I don't really follow Rupaul & adjacent stuff.  Googled and I should have kept my thoughts to myself.

[mitchern]

Posted: 6/25/25 at 1:09pm

 

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 6/25/25 at 1:11pm

So I'm hearing that "You Haven't Seen The Last of Me" isn't even in the show? And apparently Cher is pissed off over that? Rightfully. 

Apparently it's a new song that says "You Haven't Seen The Last of Me" like twice...

 

Updated On: 6/25/25 at 01:11 PM

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 6/25/25 at 4:00pm

TheatreFan4 said: "So I'm hearing that "You Haven't Seen The Last of Me" isn't even in the show? And apparently Cher is pissed off over that? Rightfully.

Apparently it's a new song that says "You Haven't Seen The Last of Me" like twice...

To be fair, it was a terrible arrangement of You Haven’t Seen The Last of Me that was presented in the show. It didn’t pack remotely the same emotional punch it did in the movie. 

"

 

[inception]

Posted: 7/11/25 at 4:51am

There's a thread on Reddit with reports from the first preview including a comment with a photo.of the song list.  I can't get that image to post here.  But the whole thread is at this address:

https://www.reddit.com/r/TheWestEnd/comments/1lwqutv/burlesque_first_preview/

Updated On: 7/11/25 at 04:51 AM

[quizking101]

Posted: 7/11/25 at 6:35am

inception said: "There's a thread on Reddit with reports from the first preview including a comment with a photo.of the song list. I can't get that image to post here. Buy the whole thread is at this address:

https://www.reddit.com/r/TheWestEnd/comments/1lwqutv/burlesque_first_preview/"

Oooof. That song list reads like a the result of a challenge to see how many times Todrick can have his name listed.

Based on those responses, it seems like they all liked the stuff from the movie and hated everything new. I wonder if Todrick will swallow his pride and kill some of his darlings, or he will keep the bloat out of vanity and premiere a possibly career-ending disaster.

[RUkiddingme]

Posted: 7/11/25 at 7:46am

During the second act of Gypsy they have some bad things to say about Burlesque.