Marc Shaiman Done w/ Theatre?

[macbeth]

Posted: 6/11/25 at 11:16am

I totally get his disappointment, but hope he changes his mind regarding "I won’t put myself through this ever again" though I'm excited for the book!

https://www.instagram.com/p/DKw9CWUM9Uy/

I just completed my memoirs, and in the Prologue, I recount an experience at The Oscars that led me to say that show business likes to put you on a pedestal on Tuesday, just to get a better shot at your balls on Thursday.

Well, just this past Sunday night, Scott & I were riding high from Cynthia Erivo's sensational performance at the Tony Awards of the Opening song we wrote with Benj and Justin.

And then - right on schedule, two days later - the announcement was made that SMASH would be closing on Broadway after only 10 weeks.

Lou & Samuel both commented on my Zen-like reaction. I had to tell them they were mistaking humiliating defeat as Zen.

There is so much more to say (read my book this January!) but for now I will just say that there is not a more talented cast than the one performing SMASH for 16 more performances at The Imperial Theatre. And you’d be a fool to miss them.

And as far as my aforementioned humiliation is concerned, yes, this closing is devastating, but I do know the person I try to be and I do know what I’ve accomplished in this business for the last the fifty years and I’ve nothing to prove to anyone.

But I won’t put myself through this ever again. As Bette Midler and I said in this short film we made many, many tears ago…”Why Bother?”

 

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 6/11/25 at 11:21am

Hopefully he means he won't ever let a sh**ty book that refuses to let his songs be played in their entirely be inflicted on him again.

[DaveyG]

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

Updated On: 6/11/25 at 11:25 AM

[DottieD'Luscia]

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

There is nothing wrong with the scores of their shows.  The score to Smash was its strongest suit.

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 6/11/25 at 11:26am

Seems the link doesnt work or his post has been deleted? All that to say...I LOVE Marc and his style of composing, it's the ****ty books he keeps aligning himself with in my opinion. 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 6/11/25 at 11:38am

Nice guy, but I can't help but feel he has lost his touch quite a bit with much of his theatre work in recent years.

He should consider going back to film underscoring at this point in his career - he's an Oscar away from an EGOT.

[witchoftheeast2]

Posted: 6/11/25 at 11:45am

Ew. That post is giving off Lempicka closing night speeches vibes. Bitter man. That's show biz! 

To clarify I did see Smash. I liked it. I can't imagine why people expect shows to keep running if sales are so bad, and another show wants to use that theater. 

[John Adams]

Posted: 6/11/25 at 12:09pm

Who here hasn't gone through the same "I'm gonna quit" scenario re: their own job at some point, and for similar reason of disappointment? 

I think the fact the post has been deleted may be a signal that the EXTREMELY talented Mr. Shaiman has chosen to take a breath, and step away from the emotion of the situation, rather than from the job. I hope that is the case.

I think that I read on this Board that Marc Shaiman sometimes reads and/or posts here...? (I could easily be be mis-remembering, or have confused him with another poster of similar stature/reputation).

If he does at least occasionally glance at this Board:

Mr. Shaiman, I empathize with your disappointment.

I've respected, been entertained, in awe, and am grateful for/of all your work. However you choose to move forward, please know that because you are still a living artist, I would deeply feel the absence of your work should you choose to withhold it.

Thank you for enriching my life with your contributions.

Updated On: 6/11/25 at 12:09 PM

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 6/11/25 at 1:02pm

Any Broadway show’s closure is a bruising experience, especially when you’ve been with those songs for about fifteen years. Nothing he wrote is out of line.

I know he spoke about having a good deal of heartbreak over SOME LIKE IT HOT, too, which had a longer run but still closed after just a year and lost money.

It can be hard when your first real Broadway show is HAIRSPRAY, which is a dreamy and better-than-usual experience of making a show.

A bit of time away from theatre to recharge and come back with a great idea could do him good. I love Shaiman & Wittman scores!

Updated On: 6/11/25 at 01:02 PM

[darquegk]

Posted: 6/11/25 at 1:28pm

I took it with a grain of salt at first: remember, Shaiman has his famous schtick of "crying at the pancake house" when he loses an award he was nominated for. But the fact that he deleted it so quickly makes me think it DOES come from a more serious place of hurt. 

Shaiman is probably most famous as a theatre songwriter, with movie scores as a close second, but his roots are in comedy, either with Parker and Stone or with Saturday Night Live. If he really did want a year or two off from writing for the stage, he's still the king of specialty and incidental material; I'd love for him to reopen his office as Saturday Night Live's in-house songwriter from the late eighties early nineties. I think Bowen and Squirm in particular would be the kind of collaborators who might restore his spark and sense of naughty fun again. 

[verywellthensigh]

Posted: 6/11/25 at 1:44pm

Oh good Lord, he'll be fine.  

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/11/25 at 1:54pm

Relax, he never deleted that Instagram post. Geez, Louise. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/DKw_vRzsX56/?igsh=MTM5YXUwMmYwaGs0aw==

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 6/11/25 at 3:14pm

I get that it’s a big blow that you can’t help but take personally. 

I also get that the show itself is not good but is made up of incredible performers. You’re not really a success story if all people can praise are the individuals involved and not the material itself. That being said, his specific work on the show is the strongest out of literally everyone on the creative team. The failure of this show does not fall on his shoulders. 

I hope his “never doing this again” pertains to the people he’s collaborating with and not theater as a whole. 

[Idiot]

Posted: 6/11/25 at 4:09pm

Failure hurts like hell - but farewells are very fickle things.