Is He Dead? Plays to Virtually No Audience

[myManCape]

Posted: 2/14/08 at 8:08am

In the fall I scored a pair of Row G Balcony seats for last nights Is He Dead? For the low discounted price of $14 each. When I arrived at the theatre the ticket taker scanned my tickets and told me to go to the box office. Not knowing why I handed the Box Office person my tickets and she looked at them and proclaimed that she had never seen a $14 ticket. She then asked me “Orchestra or Mezzanine?” A little bit confused and not wanting to push my luck with the $14 tickets I replied that it didn’t matter. Well she gave me Front Mezz Row A Dead Center. Needless to say I was incredibly happy. The reason for the upgrade soon became quite clear, the balcony was closed, the orchestra looked less than half full and there were 18 people total in the mezzanine. 18 People . Just before the curtain the ushers in the orchestra invited everyone to move up and fill empty seats, including those in the first row.
After the intermission the orchestra looked to be about ¼ full and there were now only 12 people in the mezz. I don’t know if those 6 left or upgraded themselves to the orchestra.

I found the show overall to be quite hysterical, my companion on the other hand, said that they would have left at intermission if I wasn’t there. I have to applaud the cast for giving it their all even with a house so empty. I cant imagine the feeling as an actor for the curtain to rise and see about 200 people in the audience.

I have been to the worst shows on the worst nights in horrible weather and have never seen anything like the Lyceum tonight. There are a lot of off Broadway shows that can draw 200 people on a weeknight.

I would suggest you check this out, if you haven’t already. It obviously isn’t for everyone but Norbert is excellent and the show is hysterical.

[bschneid76]

Posted: 2/14/08 at 8:13am

It is very sad to have empty houses. Especially when a show is very good. I thought it was a fun evening in the theatre, not a show you had to sit and think about, but one where you go have an enjoyable evening out and laugh your head off. When I saw it back in previews the entire theatre was filled with hysterical laughter that I had not experienced in a long time. It was a terrific experience. I wish more people would go see it.

[carolineorchange]

Posted: 2/14/08 at 8:15am

wow... poor things! I hope it turns around. This show is really funny.

[Urban]

Posted: 2/14/08 at 9:17am

I have found near empty theatres to be rather creepy and surreal. But saying that it does feel like your own personal staging of the show.

[Ole Chum]

Posted: 2/14/08 at 9:25am

I didnt like this show, but when I saw it the night before it opened it was pretty full, and the most enjoyable aspect for me was riding that wave of hysterical laughter, even tho i didnt find the show all that funny.

its a shame to see shows struggle like that.

[philcrosby]

Posted: 2/14/08 at 9:28am

Sort of off-topic, but the thread popped up a memory ....

Back when I was in college, SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM had just opened in a theatre in Chicago, starring Burr Tillstrom (of Kukla Fran and Ollie) and it was such a huge hit there was no way to get a ticket.

One winter night, a HUGE blizzard hit town, so badly that a lot of roads were impassable. But, it being Chicago, the trains still ran, so we hopped the "L" to head downtown, betting the weather would have caused some seats to the show to free up.

Some seats -- try almost all. Here's this hit show, all of a sudden playing to no audience. And of course, they weren't going to cancel the performance and be liable to refund all those tickets. So the show went on. They were so happy to see this little group -- I think there were six of us -- of poor college students, they let us in free.

And the performance was sublime. The performers were so grateful someone was there they gave their all. Having little Kukla sing "Little Lamb" still breaks my heart to this day. And the other performers -- Carol Swarbrick, Bonnie Schon and David *Something* -- were all wonderful.

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 2/14/08 at 9:51am

Glad you and everyone else got to move to better seats! I wish the show was doing better though.

[Eastwickian]

Posted: 2/14/08 at 9:53am

When I saw Bat Boy at the 1600 seat Shaftesbury Theatre in London there were 36 people in the audience. It was hard to tell if the 100% standing ovation was down to appreciation or pity...

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 2/14/08 at 9:59am

Yeah, this is sending out a bad message. Granted, it's the down season, but Is He Dead? got favorable enough reviews to warrant some kind of run. Being at the Lyceum was no great help (heaven forbid someone should have to go ALL the way across Broadway by one block), but I think it goes to show that non-musical Broadway shows aren't that great of an attraction, barring the appearance of a movie star. In former times, a show that got the kind of reviews that Is He Dead? did would have run through the season and probably toured after that (remember tours?).

[WestVillage]

Posted: 2/14/08 at 10:12am

I was at November last week, and that was pretty empty too ... mezz had 40 people at most, and the side and rear orchestra was empty, with lots of scattered empty seats in center orchestra. Weeknights are especially tough for plays, in the middle of winter.

[BroadwayBound86]

Posted: 2/14/08 at 10:36am

A while ago my ne of the local papers wrote up a review on Is He Dead? (Yes I know, they are a little behind with their reviews.) At the end of the article it stated that you should see the show before it closed on March 30th. This was in the January 25th paper. It's in the archive on the site so I can't access the article unless I pay for it, but it was printed in The Poughkeepsie Journal.


I saw the show back in the beginning of January. I loved it and thought it was hysterical, however the balcony was quite empty as well as some of the mezz. It's unfortunate that plays have tourble making it through a season anymore.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 2/14/08 at 10:42am

That's sad! I really liked this one.

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 2/14/08 at 11:47am

That's what I was kinda expecting for IS HE DEAD. I haven't seen the show, and I'm still dying to see it, but I question the actors' energy, playing for a theatre a quarter full.

[kate2]

Posted: 2/14/08 at 1:29pm

That's so sad! I love this show and plan on going back soon!

[Pippin]

Posted: 2/14/08 at 2:04pm

well, as Little Sally says- nothing can kill a show like a bad title.

I'm sure tourists aren't interested in a show called "Is He Dead?"

[thenewmoon]

Posted: 2/14/08 at 2:31pm

That may have been in previews, but when I saw it on Jan 19 (a Saturday night) the house was completely full and there were even people standing at the back of the balcony...

[WestVillage]

Posted: 2/14/08 at 3:41pm

You can't judge a show's attendance by a Saturday evening performance. That's the most popular performance of the week. A show like this might be near-full on a Saturday night, but its doing 35% capacity Tuesday -Thursday.

[mauriposa]

Posted: 2/14/08 at 3:51pm

Sad. I would love to see that show.

[alliez92092]

Posted: 2/14/08 at 3:52pm

I've got tickets for that matinee next Wednesday. I'm sad that it's not receiving a big audience, because from what I've heard it's great. I really hope there's a good audience the day I'm there because shows are always better with good audiences.

[Luckydave14]

Posted: 2/14/08 at 4:14pm

Wow. That's a shame. I'm still dying to see the show. Are you still able to get the $14 tickets?

[wexy]

Posted: 2/14/08 at 4:16pm

Its still on TDF and its very funny. I had fourth row Mezz seats last Friday.It was fairly full.

[pli1018]

Posted: 2/14/08 at 5:09pm

Absolutely depressing. I obviously love the show, and it really is a shame that it can't find an audience. It's pure fun and the performances are great.
Does anyone know if the closing rumors have been confirmed? If they have, I have to go rush it ASAP!

[myManCape]

Posted: 2/14/08 at 5:10pm

Well do keep in mind that last night was a Wednesday night in the dead of winter after horrible weather but it was still very disheartening. I have never seen a theatre so empty. I think the show has played its audience out and unfortunately wont survive much longer into the winter doldrums. If you were thinking about seeing it get there fast, last night could have been a fluke, but I doubt it. It has been on a slow decline since the post Christmas weeks and has settled in at a weekly average of around 40-45% capacity. The show is very funny if you enjoy a farce and the cast is phenomenal.

The $14 tickets were from a half price offer (regular price would have been $26 for rear balc) But there are still some excellent discounts around. Broadwaybox has one for $55 Orch. If you buy the rear Balc Im sure you will be able to move up to the front or even to the Mezz

[WestVillage]

Posted: 2/14/08 at 5:12pm

"I'm sad that it's not receiving a big audience, because from what I've heard it's great."

Well, now you can hear an opposing opinion ...its very trite, silly, nothing you haven't seen before, and sort of annoying. The joke wears thin very quickly, and I found it to be a very lame show.

[Corine2]

Posted: 2/14/08 at 6:04pm

Everyone has different taste.
I found it to be one of the funniest shows of the season. (Second to Forbidden Broadway of course)
If you want to laugh and you love farce you will have a great time.
I LOVED IT.
Tickets: http://www.ishedead.com

Updated On: 2/14/08 at 06:04 PM