Pure shame.
But can you blame the public? No. There's no easy way for them to find out about shows. What they're really about.
Films are promoted all the time: on the radio, on television, in front of other films, in fast food restaurants, in shopping malls on directories, on the internet, etc.
The only way for the public to discover what shows are is to go to specific theatre websites. That's it. If you're not in the City - there's no mention anywhere.
If you're visiting NYC, you're a tourist. You're on vacation. You want to be entertained. "Oh - The Lion King! Loved that movie, let's see it on stage!" "Hmm - a show about The Wizard of Oz? Ohh - a prequel! Let's see it!" "A BILLY JOEL MUSICAL???? I'M THERE!"
"A musical about dragqueens? Let's go see that Abba show instead."
In 1999: "What is this? A show about the city of Chicago? Nah."
In 2004: "Ohhh! They have a musical based off the movie Chicago!!!"
"There's a Monty Python show! And look at all those names! Tim Curry, Hank Azaria, that guy from Fraiser! Let's see it twice!"
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
