Lennon: The First Musical Flop of the Season?
Lennon: The First Musical Flop of the Season?
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#0Lennon: The First Musical Flop of the Season?
Posted: 5/30/05 at 2:32pmWill Lennon make it to the Tonys 2006 or be this season's Dracula and see it's way out before the new year hits?
gavrochegirl
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/16/05
#1re: Lennon: The First Musical Flop of the Season?
Posted: 5/30/05 at 2:36pmI think it'll be the next Dracula, honestly. But that's my opinion.
#2re: Lennon: The First Musical Flop of the Season?
Posted: 5/30/05 at 2:37pmI'd say let it open before we deem it a flop.
Mattio98
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/10/03
#3re: Lennon: The First Musical Flop of the Season?
Posted: 5/30/05 at 2:51pmOr even start previews.
#4re: Lennon: The First Musical Flop of the Season?
Posted: 5/30/05 at 3:10pm
Lennon is awesome. But of course, that doesn't guarantee a hit.
Some of you guys are sadistic.
BroadwayMel
Understudy Joined: 2/26/05
#5re: Lennon: The First Musical Flop of the Season?
Posted: 5/30/05 at 3:12pm
This is where I have a bit of a problem with deeming things a flop before it even opens or hits previews.
A show debuts out of town for a reason - they test it in front of an intelligent audience and work out the kinks. In theory, this used to work well.
However, with the advent of the internet, its difficult for shows to get off the ground without being reviewed by every Tom, Dick, and Harry critic from the area. If they have a poor review, word speads back to the East Coast quickly to lower our expectations.
I say - let them finish the show. Let them work out the kinks. Heck, let them open on Broadway. Then, we can all start tossing around our favorite f-word.
#6re: Lennon: The First Musical Flop of the Season?
Posted: 5/30/05 at 3:13pm
aaaaand this is what screws shows that close before they get their chance.
We hardly have anything to base this on - I doubt either of you two who are already calling it a flop have seen it, have you?
Mattio98
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/10/03
#7re: Lennon: The First Musical Flop of the Season?
Posted: 5/30/05 at 3:15pm
"Then, we can all start tossing around our favorite f-word."
That's not my favorite f-word but I agree with the rest of your post. 
#8re: Lennon: The First Musical Flop of the Season?
Posted: 5/30/05 at 3:16pmWhat matters is what New York audiences think of it. Shows like BROOKLYN got rave reviews out of town, but flopped in NYC. Other shows have been deemed DOA, and have turned out to be huge. Wait until it opens here, and then make the decision as to whether it is a flop or not.
gavrochegirl
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/16/05
#9re: Lennon: The First Musical Flop of the Season?
Posted: 5/30/05 at 3:37pm
Sorry. 
BroadwayMel
Understudy Joined: 2/26/05
#10re: Lennon: The First Musical Flop of the Season?
Posted: 5/30/05 at 4:16pmNo need to be sorry - this is what the forum is for. Debate is great! (OK...now I'm an official dork.)
#11re: Lennon: The First Musical Flop of the Season?
Posted: 5/30/05 at 4:41pmI think it will flop. I know I won't see it simply based on the title and the way other juke box musicals have been going.
kitkatgirl54
Leading Actor Joined: 5/19/04
#12re: Lennon: The First Musical Flop of the Season?
Posted: 5/30/05 at 4:58pmbrooklyn got rave reviews out of town? actually? ... ugh. it's one of those shows where I absolutely can't believe that anyone would ever like it. wicked? sure, fine. brooklyn? i can't believe it.
#13re: Lennon: The First Musical Flop of the Season?
Posted: 5/30/05 at 11:44pm
You won't see it BASED ON THE TITLE???
Gee. That's... rational thinking right there.
Hmm. "A Chorus Line"... sounds dull. And I hate standing in line. So no thanks. "Chicago"... stupid city anyway. Why would you write a show about Illinois?
Kay, the Thread-Jacking Jedi
Quando omni flunkus moritati (When all else fails, play dead...)
"... chasin' the music. Trying to get home."
Peter Gregus: "Where are my house right ladies?!"
(love you, girls! - 6/13/06)
samarag1
Swing Joined: 3/18/04
#14re: Lennon: The First Musical Flop of the Season?
Posted: 5/30/05 at 11:50pmMy dad saw it and said it was very interesting....the cast is GREAT! and...though it may not be commercial enough for what audiences are craving...it certainly is no Brooklyn!
broadwaystar2b
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/28/04
#15re: Lennon: The First Musical Flop of the Season?
Posted: 5/30/05 at 11:54pm
I'm curious as to why people will think it'll flop just because it is a "jukebox musical"?
The only musical of this genre that I am familiar with that did flop was Good Vibrations.
Mamma Mia and Movin' Out have had very sucessful runs so far and All Shook Up is doing pretty well at the Palace.
And why does Lennon classify as a jukebox musical? Was Boy from Oz a jukebox musical? Because they seem to be the same type of show, telling the story of a composer through his own music. Are these the same as jukebox musicals, which take a catalogue of more or less random songs and weave them into a fabricated story?
Updated On: 5/30/05 at 11:54 PM
#16re: Lennon: The First Musical Flop of the Season?
Posted: 5/30/05 at 11:57pm
I saw it in SF as well, and enjoyed it very much. I went in expecting a jukebox musical and came out thinking it was a great show with a fantastic cast.
I say, see it for yourself, and base your opinion of the show on what YOU are seeing.
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#17re: Lennon: The First Musical Flop of the Season?
Posted: 5/31/05 at 12:30amIt's appparently in the process of being totally re-written, re-thought and re-staged. New York will be getting a completely different show from what played in San Francisco, so there's absolutely no telling whether it's a flop or not until previews start here.
#18re: Lennon: The First Musical Flop of the Season?
Posted: 5/31/05 at 12:32amI do wish to see it again, especially after the changes being made -- I reviewed it in San Francisco, and I'm looking forward to it again, especially since I didn't think it was so great in San Francisco. If you can acknowledge the problems and repair them, more power to you!
teth
Leading Actor Joined: 12/1/04
#19re: Lennon: The First Musical Flop of the Season?
Posted: 5/31/05 at 4:47am
Lennon was wonderful. I am really anxious as to what it will turn into for NY.
In any case, Lennon is NOT a jukebox musical like all the other ones you see out there.
#20re: Lennon: The First Musical Flop of the Season?
Posted: 5/31/05 at 4:50am
"It's appparently in the process of being totally re-written, re-thought and re-staged."
NOO!!!!
#21re: Lennon: The First Musical Flop of the Season?
Posted: 5/31/05 at 6:30amWe're going to see it simply because Terrance Mann is in it.
#22re: Lennon: The First Musical Flop of the Season?
Posted: 6/1/05 at 2:13am
Wait 'til you see him in heels.
TWICE!
(Provided they keep those scenes. They'd better.)
leomaxfrank
Broadway Star Joined: 3/19/04
#23re: Lennon: The First Musical Flop of the Season?
Posted: 6/1/05 at 3:46amas much as I adore Terrence Mann, he had a hard enough time walking in heels in Rocky Horror. I hope he's had some more practice!
Al Dente
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
#24re: Lennon: The First Musical Flop of the Season?
Posted: 6/1/05 at 10:58amI did see it and while I wouldn't call it a flop I would be wary of how it will be received. While John Lennon has legions of fans, it still is more than a little disappointing that all the tunes we love, which are BEATLES tunes, are not in this show. That's a major problem with it and unless the book is literally thrown out and redone from scratch, it too, leaves a great deal to be desired. I've seen my share of flops, I don't feel this deserves to be in a sentence with say, Thou Shalt Not and Urban Cowboy or The Look Of Love, but it does have serious problems, or rather did when I saw it.
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