No plays on Broadway? Has this EVER happened before?

[nydirector2]

Posted: 8/20/10 at 9:48pm

Once Race closes, there will be 0 plays running on Broadway. Has there EVER been a time (in the modern Broadway/Off Broadway era) when there wasn't a single play running in a Broadway theatre? It just seems so monumental and kind of awful to think that there are no straight plays.

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 8/20/10 at 9:57pm

Oh Jesus Christ. Yes it has happened before. Get over it. There will be a play back on Broadway at the end of the month and several in September.

[theatreguy]

Posted: 8/20/10 at 10:31pm

No only has it happened before, the most recent occurence was only 3 years ago.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 8/20/10 at 10:40pm

Proving once again - Broadway is the last place to look for innovative, cutting edge theatre. It's a place for brainless teen twits to see Wicked for the 100th time.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 8/20/10 at 10:42pm

Jesus, settle down. It's the end of the summer. Last season's plays have closed, and the new stuff hasn't opened yet. Relax.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 8/20/10 at 10:46pm

Then why can't second rate musicals die for new ones to come in... Wicked, Lion King, Mamma Mia,Jersy Boys, Rock of Ages ... you know ... garbage.

[chellie]

Posted: 8/20/10 at 11:01pm

...is it really that hard to understand that Broadway is, at the end of the day, a business?

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 8/20/10 at 11:09pm

To quote Kander and Ebb "It's a business!". Stick to non-profit off-Broadway and regional theatre if you're so concerned about it.

And it's for 2 weeks at the end of the Summer. A producer would be insane to try to open a play now. It's not like there's nothing planned. I'd be concerned if there were zero straight plays planned. This Fall is full of promising plays.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/20/10 at 11:23pm

People have preferred musicals to plays for, well, probably about 3000 years or so. Even Shakespeare's plays were all to some extent musicalized or at least punctuated with music.

And yes, we come up Play-less every once in a while and somehow we carry on. It doesn't mean Broadway-goers are pedestrian or have poor taste- it means humans prefer music with their performances.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/20/10 at 11:30pm

My God people, he just asked a question! Some of you are acting like he posted a five page rant on why plays aren't welcome on Broadway. Let's all just take our meds and breathe deep for a few minutes and just chill the fvck out.
Updated On: 8/20/10 at 11:30 PM

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 8/20/10 at 11:34pm

This is the OP's second attempt to stir this up.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 8/20/10 at 11:34pm

Jordan, I think most people, myself included, were responding to SouthFLMarc's post, not the original question.

[Kalimba]

Posted: 8/20/10 at 11:36pm

It's an omen. And I whole-heartedly agree with SouthFLMarc.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 8/21/10 at 2:47am

During the great depression, there were times when there was ONE musical on Broadway. In fact, "Babes in Arms" became a big hit because there was NO OTHER MUSICAL running in 1937. In the MIDDLE of the season. Times are tough and only the crazy (Spiderman) or the megawealthy can afford to play.

Updated On: 8/21/10 at 02:47 AM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/21/10 at 9:55am

To the OP: WHY would you post the same question again, you couldn't possibly have expected different answers. If you REALLY thought there'd be MORE to say on the "subject" just bring your last thread up!