Parade

[wickedmenzel318]

Posted: 4/6/08 at 11:12pm

Why did the musical fail? I worked on a recent production of it at UCF and fell in love with the show. I could not figure out how it did not last even 100 shows on broadway.

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 4/6/08 at 11:14pm

A show about a Jewish man accused a murder and then being lynched after being unjustly convicted....How do you sell that to the family from Nebraska?

I'm with you, I love the show. But, it's a hard sell.

[FIERCEY516]

Posted: 4/6/08 at 11:52pm

creative differences.

I personally know there were a lot of fights, behind the scenes, between Harold Prince and JRB.

while the creative differences isn't the sole reason for it failing, it clearly attributed to the fact that PARADE didn't fulfill the amazing potential it has.

really a shame.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 4/6/08 at 11:54pm

Parade was at Lincoln Center, a non-profit, so failure doesn't really apply. The tour did quite well. It has also had a healthy regional life and many rave reviews in London.

If you don't have the London Cast Recording get it now! It is superb.

[mywonderwa11]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 12:08am

Didn't the tour close early?

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 12:26am

The tour did close early... I think... I seem to remember it never played in Chicago because of some theater promotion business... I'm not sure if it was related to the Livent change-over business.. but... I'm pretty sure the run was canceled.

"A show about a Jewish man accused a murder and then being lynched after being unjustly convicted....How do you sell that to the family from Nebraska?"

Worse has been sold to much better acclaim. The production was muddled... as was (is) the book. Read the reviews... they're pretty on the mark... for the most part.


kmc

[misto625]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 12:51am

Personally, I didn't know that many families from Nebraska attend shows at Lincoln Center for that argument to make a difference. I think it's a tougher sell to Jewish, African-American or Southern audiences, given the plot. Until Light in the Piazza, not many Lincoln Center musicals were successful. My Favorite Year, another show I am in love with, also had a very short run.

That being said, Parade is a wonderful show and when I saw a regional production in Boston two years ago, I thought it was the most emotionally wrenching show I had seen. Jason Robert Brown's score amazingly caputures the essence of the characters and I was inspired to read more about the Leo Frank trial after attending the show. I think the subject matter just didn't entice people to go see it, but I can't imagine many people who did see the show not liking it.

[Jason Robert Brown]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 1:19am

You know, sometimes, I just want to jump on the bull**** before it becomes someone's version of history. FIERCEY, I haven't the vaguest idea who you are, but from reading some of your other posts, you tend to talk out of your ass. So let me just say for the record: Hal Prince and I didn't have "fights," we didn't even have "creative differences." We worked on a show together, and occasionally he suggested things that I thought we could do other ways, and we'd compromise. I've been involved in shows with creative differences. Hal and I (and Alfred) collaborated. And it was one of the least stressful and most productive collaborations I've ever had. There are a lot of reasons "Parade" may not have run a long time, but your ridiculous hypothesis is not one of them.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 1:33am

One of the best scores of the last 20 years.
Yes, the material was dark and the racial issues explored, unflinchingly, may have made audiences uncomfortable, but the show itself is brilliant.

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 1:47am

Bravo, Mr. Brown!

[Baiseur82]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 2:02am

Finally FIERCEY gets called out by a TRUE insider! Thank you Mr. Brown for clearing the air!

[sondhead]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 2:43am

There are a lot of great shows that don't have huge commercial runs. For me, at least, a commercial run means diddly squat. That's why I'm glad Wicked is packing them in. I may not like the show, but the more money it makes, the more will be out there to risk on better if less-commercial material.

[hubee]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 8:49am

Anyways, the London version last year did well (though sadly didn't last long since it was only programmed for a short run, hopefully it will revive in the West End soon) and I think the smaller venue helped with the intimacy of the piece.

I've also enjoyed the Broadway cast recording but I LOVE the Donmar London one. Again, it feels more like a story being told, where the Broadway one feels a bit too grand for such a small personal story.

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 10:30am

FIERCEY516 has now been called out by Jason Robert Brown and Marc Shaiman. I think it is safe at this point for everyone on the boards to add him to their block lists and hope he just disappears.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 11:15am

The changes made to the London production are a real improvement.

Edit: *squeals at Jason Robert Brown's presence on this message board*

Updated On: 4/7/08 at 11:15 AM

[me2]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 11:18am

I recently read something somewhere (on Playbill?) that said that had Livent not gotten into trouble when it did, PARADE would have moved/been extended and been allowed to find its audience the way PIAZZA did, which the writer said didn't have an immediate postive critical response but built a following in time.

I don't think the show ended its tour early. I believe it only went out on a limited tour and sold well at most of its stops (except mine, unfortunately), particularly in the south.

I have a feeling it's a show that will build momentum regionally as more and more regional/college theatres tackle it, and it gets exposure. I do my best--I always show the Tonys clip whenever I teach anything theatre-related, and I've used a section from the libretto as an example to creative writing kids of character development in drama.

Broadway Mouth: From the Mouth of Jerome Kern (via Mary Martin): Don’t Be a Dime a Dozen Updated On: 4/7/08 at 11:18 AM

[rose_pearl]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 11:23am

wickedmenzel318,

I saw the show TWICE at UCF (opening and closing night). It was absolutely phenomenal. So touching. Every part of the production was superb, really. Great ensemble! :)

[matty159]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 11:25am

I finally got around to ordering the London cast last week, and can't wait for it to arrive!

I would probably have to say that this my favorite show of all time. I never skip around when playing the recording and just think it is so sweeping, moving, and grand. When I left the Beaumont after seeing it, I was absolutely spellbound, and have only grown to love it more and more with time.

I am excited to hear the changes and really, really hope to see this on stage sometime soon.

[FIERCEY516]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 12:44pm

Jason, I will give you a call tonight.

You'll laugh when you find out who this is.

[SpellingBeeFan4Ever]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 12:46pm

Tell us all. Who the **** are you? I'd like to know.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 12:48pm

I don't know why it failed, but at least it has a wonderful life in Regional theatres around the country. A saw a production not too long ago that reminded me of how gorgeous a show it really is.

[Pippin]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 1:15pm

oh, Fiercey. Go back to your D&D games and get over yourself.

[matty159]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 1:24pm

It just seems odd that someone who would (now) insinuate that he knows JRB would make a statement that is then refuted by JRB. There is some crazy logic there. Just sayin'...

[Looney]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 1:36pm

Heh, if I were Fiercy I'd be dreading that phone call.

FIERCY: Hey, Jason!

JRB: Uh, hey... do I know you?

FIERCY: Yeah, it's me, &%$#@#, remember?

JRB: Huh... No, not ringing a bell.

FIERCY: Oh, sure you do. Remember at Lattanzi, you and Hal were having dinner?

JRB: What? Hell, that would have been what, three freakin' years ago? Look, I'm gonna hang up now.

FIERCY: No, wait! I was your waiter, remember? I brought three wrong bottles of wine so you'd send them back and I'd have to come back then Hal said nothing sounded good on the menu that night and you said you've got to be kidding then I sang part of Stars and the Moon for you and you complained so they sent me off to the kitchen but then I came out and bussed your table and hid my demo cassette in your taramisu then Hal got up and left and you were nice and everything but left the cassette on the table and broke my heart?

JRB: ...

FIERCY: Remember?

JRB: ...

FIERCY: Jason?

JRB: *click*

Yeah, that oughta be a fun call...

[matty159]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 1:44pm

Good stuff, Looney!