Is Wicked the New Cats?- Page 3

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 5:37pm

"Isn't the point of the thread is...will Wicked become the longest-running show in Broadway history?"

No, not only that.

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 6:06pm

At least OBC of Cats was good...

I'd see CATS over Wicked any day.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 6:08pm

Wicked was entertaining

[BroadwaySinger2]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 6:20pm

Cats is duller than a door-nail, but became a household name. People went to see it because it was a "classic" whether it was good or not.

Wicked has a fantastic word of mouth as well as advertising - not to mention it practically has a monopoly over the world of musical theatre at the moment. People want to see it because it has a "flying witch" and dazzling, over the top effects. To the non-theatre fan, Wicked is amazing. The quality is lacking tremendously, but this generation of non-theatre fans don't seem to realize that.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 6:22pm

Well said

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 6:36pm

RentBoy86 is correct. Wicked is vastly superior to Cats. Hell, everyone at the Company Theatre loves Wicked but loathes Cats with a passion.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 6:40pm

i think at this point they could roll out mannequins in the costumes on stage and play the cast recording and still sell out nightly.

when the tour came to philly (last may or so) they were selling out the house for the NEXT go round which is coming up in july. i mean hell on the commercial for the kimmel center they show a clip of defying gravity (its the only theater related clip in a thing about the philly pops etc.)

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 4/24/07 at 12:17am

Were the two shows received similarly or differently by the theatrical community when they opened?

Posted: 4/24/07 at 12:33am

"I predict WICKED running about 10 years or so. Unless a movie comes out in the next few years, then it will be doing immensely well. "

Isn't it funny how having a hit movie of a musical now seems to make the stage version even more of a success--or at the least havign a flop version doesn't seem to affect it. The common Hollywood/Broadway wisdom int he old day was not to open a movie till your show is closed because who will want to see the more expensive stage version when they knwo the movie practically by heart. Ah good old unadventurous stheatre audiences....

Ruthiefan you'll see that very few people enjoy Wayne Cilento's very "pointy" choreography fro Wicked--huge fans or not (though I knwo he's revised his choreography himself a few times). His hiring on big profile shows is one of those eternal mysteries (though I did think hsi work was astonishingly good for Tommy and I guess that's where he made his rep)

E

[Greekmusicalfan]

Posted: 4/24/07 at 6:57am

" And to whoever said WICKED is only doing well in the U.S. Have you been under a rock the last six months? "

Before being rude, you better start learning to read first, pal.
I clearly talked about NAME-RECOGNITION, not sales. When Cats was around, people from all over the world, who were travelling to London or NYC, thought it was mandatory to include in their trip, a visit to see "that" famous show they had heard so much about ! Of course, that was due to the fact that it was being played forever ! Tourists want to see a long running show, because they think it is a safe bet! Wicked is not on that stage YET !!! If it keeps selling out, eventually it can very well be the new CATS
I know a lot of people from my country who travel abroad. They are not as theater-loving as we are and only want to see a famous show, as part of the trip experience and ask for my advice.
Everyone knows Phantom, Chicago, Lion King, Les Mis and Mamma Mia, a lot know Rent, Producers and Billy Elliot and very few know Wicked and Avenue Q. Of course it doesn't mean anything, but I am just stating the perspective of many tourists, since a show that aspires to last so many years, needs the tourist demographic !

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 4/24/07 at 2:29pm

Cats, winged monkeys...

Is there an animal connection?

[MrsVampyre]

Posted: 4/24/07 at 3:20pm

I beg to differ on if Cats has a plot line. It really doesnt. All Cats is T S Elliott poems set to music and dance. It was a dreadfully boring show.

Whoever said that it was the show for non-english speaking tourist was probably correct. Anyone can listen to music and watch a dance.

As far as Wicked having a run as long as Cat? Possibly, but not likely. The teenage girl demograpic is correct. I don't know any teenage girl that doesn't get giddy ga ga over the show. In part is in because of the link to the Wizard of Oz. It's also the only show runing that lends itself to teenage girls.

I suspect that it will be a Disney show.. perhaps the Lion King? that will have a run as long as Cats. The Disney shows are the "must see" shows for the out of town tourist, that don't know the theatre very well, and for those with children.

Posted: 4/24/07 at 5:14pm

That's a point actually I'm surprised people have not mentioned much--Cats is more of a family/kids show than Wicked (though Wicked is pretty sanitized next to the book and families all love the Oz movie of course). The last time I saw Cats (my third time over a period of 15 years or so) it was a tour that my older brother bought me tickets to wanting me to take my 6 year old niece. I think I appreciated the show more than I expected to partly to see how *thrilled* and in love with every aspect of it she was.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 4/24/07 at 6:58pm

Wicked is a product of the times

10 to 15 years ago, it would not have succeeded IMO

[Raviolisun]

Posted: 4/24/07 at 7:07pm

I actually agree with Mr. Roxy on something. I would see Wicked over Cats anyday.

Wicked takes you into another world, and Cats takes you into a dumpster. 'Nuff said.

[metropolis10111]

Posted: 4/24/07 at 7:26pm

Reugardless as to what one's personal feelings are about CATS it was a run that will be VERY hard to break. While Wicked has a good chance of getting close to it, I don't think that it will quite get there.

I for one adored Cats, I've seen it over a dozen times and would go back again tomorrow if given the chance. Say what you want now, but that show gave life back to B-way at a very dark time, and I doubt that actors back then turned down the job saying "uggg Cats...I'm an ACTOR...I'd NEVER do that". I remember when it came to Chicago for the first time. You thought the Beatles were coming to town. It was HUGE so there ad to be SOMETHING to it that people from all over the world flocked to see it. It didn't start out as a must see thing, it became that way word-of-mouth like any long running show panned by the theatere snobs.

[Jellylorum]

Posted: 4/24/07 at 9:03pm

Wicked's still going strong and doesn't look it's going to lose its momentum any time soon. I see it running for at least five more years, but it will probably fade away as soon as the next hottest show comes around the corner. For years and years and years I would hear about people wanting to see Cats. Now that seems like such a long time ago. I haven't heard anyone [that I know in real life] talk about Cats in a while.

Updated On: 4/24/07 at 09:03 PM

[Raviolisun]

Posted: 4/24/07 at 9:12pm

Cats just came here, and a bunch of people were excited about it. I thought "Are you aware of the crapfest you're about to witness?"

[MrsVampyre]

Posted: 4/24/07 at 10:48pm

Cats is a show that you either love or hate. Critics loved the show, as it was different and new. I know many people that live and die by what the critics say about a show, and think that just because it got good reviews, it must be good theatre.

I would see Wicked before I would see Cats again... but that's just my tastes.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 4/28/07 at 10:26pm

Is it the make-believe world of animals, witches onstage that is their draw?
Updated On: 4/29/07 at 10:26 PM

[AudreyTwoTwo]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 11:34am

I wouldn't say its the new Cats, but maybe the new Rent since it's getting ridiculous. (well, at least in my school it is) There are so many teens and preteens obsessed with Wicked, just as they are with Rent. All I hope is that it doesn't feel like a rock concert where you can't hear what anyone is saying.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 11:47am

CATS is terrific.