Not that I believe grosses are an exact reflection of quality, as we all know many great shows have underperformed at the box office, but 56.8% capacity is NOT a packed house!!
YUH-HUH! I was in the third row of the orchestra and all three rows were SOLD OUT! I didn't look behind me at the rest of the theatre because...why should I? I'm sure I can find a friend who will agree with me.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
I said it a few pages back, but this weekend had particularly dismal sales (as proven by the grosses)... I'm not sure how people on this board claim it was that crowded... the mezz for all performances had hundreds of seats.
That being said, the sales will pick up once the reviews are out (good or bad) and some more marketing effective marketing goes into place. The two leads, naturally have been out of town and are going on quite a few bit of interviews in the NY press recently.
I think a large problem is going to be the "$85 in Philly, $145 in New York"... sure its actually "on" Broadway, but the weekend ticket prices are ridiculous, seems to be over expecting the TKTS booth IMO.
Oh yeah? Well my friends, the Jansens, have attended every performance since the first preview and they told my sister's best boyfriend's aunt that it was PACKED! Not a single seat left in the house and that it is sold out until 2056. Every musical number gets a standing O with 10 minute applause and there is not a dry eye in the whole vicinity after each projection is shown.
Obviously BWW is siding with the critics and the whole Broadway theater community, all jealous of Wildhorn's genius. The show would be nominated and win in all Tony categories, but we all know that the conspiracy is at full force right now!
Listen, I don't take my clothes off for anyone, even if it is "artistic". - JANICE
I've said before that if there is any show that is unlikely to benefit (or suffer, for that matter) from reviews, it is this one. For whatever reason, both the composer and one of the stars (Maroulis) are very polarizing. People either love them or hate them, and their opinions will not be shaken by the opinions of others. Attendance will be whatever it is, unaffected by reviews or word of mouth.
In this context, it's not always a good idea to send the stars out to talk to the press. Some will see Constantine as the charming American Idol contestant, and some will see him as the reincarnation of Eddie Haskell of "Leave it to Beaver". And those opinions are already chiseled in granite.
I think Maroulis was really in his element in Rock of Ages. The camp quality allowed him to have fun with the role. I can see why putting him (and Cox) in this show may be polarizing. When the vocals get too stylized, it throws the show off-kilter and the whole thing becomes too stylistically imbalanced. The music starts fighting the setting, which is fighting with the design, which is fighting with the vocals and orchestrations. It's the same problem I had with Aida. There was nothing that held all the variations in styles together as a cohesive whole and it looked like the entire creative team never met until opening night.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
"Oh yeah? Well my friends, the Jansens, have attended every performance since the first preview and they told my sister's best boyfriend's aunt that it was PACKED!"
I think I'll hold off hanging the black crepe paper on this show for a few weeks. Especially since blaxx gave them facts. (thx blaxx for letting that rhyme).
The show is just getting introduced; it needs more promotion.
Can we at least wait a few weeks after Opening Night to tally up some numbers? Of course the NYC critics will bring their best throwing pies. Surprised?
It's booked for 13 weeks(?) It will be here till Sept. Sounds about right to me. Frank will have gotten his baby back on Bd'w. A new generation of "jekkies" and "anti-jekkies" are born. Good for him and this funky fun cast.
Just think, we old jekkies had this much fun for 4 years in 1997!
Go see it! It's SCREAM, It's a FARCE It's a Sideshow, especially this Board of Governors It's what makes theater-THEATER!
BTW, "J&H in Concert" with Rob Evan, Kate Shindle and Lauren Kennedy was pretty impressive, imo. Perhaps that would have been the way to go with this work.
I'm in Blaxx. I guess I don't understand the whole Wildhorn conspiracy. I will say he is such a nice, friendly guy and I hope the curse is broken! If anyone can help put an end to it- it's Mr Maroulis. I met a women Friday who had no idea who he was and was commenting on what a presence he had on stage.
I loved this show. There, I said it. I avoid these boards - read them - but never feel compelled to chime in. The show is revitalized, modern, relevant, compelling. All the things I didn't expect it to be. For someone who went in last night expecting the worst, I was really impressed by the vocals, acting, set design. Worth seeing. Bravo.
I saw it tonight! I actually really enjoyed it. Not going to get too into it right now, but I will say there were MANY empty seats and, I kid you not, several audible laughs during the last scene (unintended of course, and VERY rude).
There is NO Wildhorn conspiracy. The problem is his shows aren't very good. The critics aren't mean - they're honest. I saw J&H on tour and some of it is just laughably bad. The new book doesn't make any sense or develop any characters... the accents are out of a bad high school production of Oliver, and the singing is fine - but nothing is in character. So see - in this production I'm betting the critics will be hating everything and NOT just the music.
"It's super weird to me how most of these "raves" are coming from people who just joined the board"
And this is what happens. Fans of the show have to sign up and post their raves to try and give the show legitimacy. That can't stand that the songs they love are in a poorly written show and must come here to defend it, at all costs.
They won't post about other shows, and should be gone after the show closes.
And Blaxx, you have me LOLing!
"TheatreDiva90016 - another good reason to frequent these boards less."<<>>
“I hesitate to give this line of discussion the validation it so desperately craves by perpetuating it, but the light from logic is getting further and further away with your every successive post.” <<>>
-whatever2
"some of it is just laughably bad. The new book doesn't make any sense or develop any characters... the accents are out of a bad high school production of Oliver, and the singing is fine - but nothing is in character. So see - in this production I'm betting the critics will be hating everything and NOT just the music."
I have to agree. Saw the show last night and honestly hated it. I see pretty much everything and usually like most or find something to enjoy. There was NOTHING I liked. (Ok, Teal Wicks and the set - OK so, 2 things) Literally people were laughing at it. **SPOILER** I was actually considering leaving at intermission but stayed to see, one of my favorite moments "The Confrontation". REALLY??! Did he just sing to a video projection of himself? I could literally hear people around me say "Is this really happening?" The book was awful and out of place, the new orchestrations and arrangements are insulting to the original and the crazy amount of amplified breathing made me want to just throw a case of inhalers onto the stage.
I will say the Deborah Cox's voice was much better than I expected (thought she sounds terrible on the commercials/videos).
I know the show is in previews, but having come off a tour I expected it to be essentially opening night ready - it is not.
I didn't just sign up and I have been on other boards, but I'm sure that no matter what my opinion is, it doesn't matter. It's too bad some of you don't like it, so it is what it is. I think some of you don't have anything good to say about any play on BW. I will be going in a few weeks, so tell me. Would there be a show you actually like? I don't have all my tickets bought yet, and I can't even imagine if there's a play out there you think is good enough to see.