Broadway Flash said: "I’m hoping motive and the cue comes in this season. Or perhaps a renovation, that theatre is so uncomfortable and dull looking."
Agreed on the need for a renovation at the Lyceum. It's pretty creaky and drab in there. Would be great if they could do a Cort-like reno sometime soon.
I'm guessing front money raised will be returned (minus the amount already spent) to this investor pool, and if the producers revisit the show in the future, a different LLC entity will be created to collect funds for that production.
“I knew who I was this morning, but I've changed a few times since then.”
EDSOSLO858 said: "The Broadway run has beenpostponed to next season, not cancelled entirely as wasrumored. New dates and a theater to be announced later.
This transfer was a head scratcher from the beginning. They should have been more realistic and aimed to be an off-Broadway hit, New World Stages or something.
Max Bialystock is the only producer who could make the economics of this work on Broadway.
The whole thing really is a shame. Even if it somehow does launch on Broadway next season, the amount of anxiety it would give Rob Madge waiting for the other shoe to drop would be off the charts.
Broadway Flash said: "I’m hoping motive and the cue comes in this season. Or perhaps a renovation, that theatre is so uncomfortable and dull looking."
It would take a legitimate miracle for the Motive and the Cue to transfer before the April 25 deadline since the production is running until at least March 25 on the West End. Shipping (or building) the set, load-in, etc. would leave almost no preview room.
Now I’m hearing from friends in the know about an uptown transfer of “Oh, Mary” part and parcel due to the glowing reviews tonight and the folding of MSAQ - Kevin McCollum is already turning the dials to make it happen.
I think that would be absolutely foolish unless they get a theatre like the Booth and maybe wait until the fall, because it most certainly will get lost in the shuffle
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Poor Rob and everyone involved. I’ve seen the show in London and really enjoyed it, but I think Broadway was an overreach, especially at the stage the show is at. Hindsight is a wonderful thing and I guess you’re not gonna turn down the opportunity of a show on Broadway if it presents itself to you, but this feels more like the type of show that coulda started smaller in NYC and worked it’s way up thro word of mouth etc, like Six.
Every time a show is announced for The Lyceum inevitably blame the theatre itself for premature closure, etc as if ticket buyers purchase based on if the interior of the theatre is pretty or not. It’s truly mind numbing.
BroadwayNYC2 said: "it’s been reclaimed for years."
Exactly. I'm old enough that it took me a while to get used to using it as a self-identifier, but I've come to value it as the least awkward way to refer to "all of us" as a group.
Age_of_Mendacity said: "Broadway Flash said: "I’m hoping motive and the cue comes in this season. Or perhaps a renovation, that theatre is so uncomfortable and dull looking."
It would take a legitimate miracle for the Motive and the Cue to transfer before the April 25 deadline since the production is running until at least March 25 on the West End. Shipping (or building) the set, load-in, etc. would leave almost no preview room."
I would think The Motive and the Cue would want a slightly bigger theatre, like say the Broadhurst. It's got a pretty big cast and will, I assume be another limited engagement. It is a terrific production, so they should not rush it, especially if it means opening at the Lyceum.
It may be reclaimed, but a lot of people are still using it in a very derogatory manner online and elsewhere. Surely, they could come up with a better title than that!
OhHiii said: "Every time a show is announced for The Lyceum inevitably blame the theatre itself for premature closure, etc as if ticket buyers purchase based on if the interior of the theatre is pretty or not. It’s truly mind numbing."
This.
Or complaints that the location of the theatre is a reason why some shows hit or flop. Nobody's having trouble finding MERRILY or JULIET or GUTENBERG on the east side of 7th Ave. Playing the crowned jewel of Broadway didn't help SOME LIKE IT HOT and POTUS attract more buyers!
Impeach2017 said: "It may be reclaimed, but a lot of people are still using it in a very derogatory manner online and elsewhere. Surely, they could come up with a better title than that!"
I do think the title is generally unappealing, but “queer” has been a label used by LGBT+ folks for decades, from at least the earliest Pride marches in the 70s, through protests during the AIDS crisis (“we’re here, we’re queer, get used to it” was popularized by an offshoot of ACT UP), and then with the establishment of academic queer theory in the 90s.
People may use it derogatorily, but caving to that just gives the power back to them. If somebody called me queer as an insult, I would just say thanks for noticing.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
Impeach2017 said: "It may be reclaimed, but a lot of people are still using it in a very derogatory manner online and elsewhere. Surely, they could come up with a better title than that!"
The title is a direct reference to Rob's time in Les Miz playing Gavroche and the fact that Thenardier (his character's father even if not specified in the musical) has the line "This one's a queer, but what can you do?" (or alternatively "this one's a queer; I might try it too" which it was at least at the beginning of the current tour post-pandemic)
"This one's a queer, but what can you do?" is an iconic Thenardier line that most Les Mis fans should recognize. I personally don't like the term queer, but I had to laugh when I heard this title. I laughed again when I walked by the marquee in person last week. I doubt many gay folks will take offense at this play on words.
From someone who loved this show in London It’s been really sad to hear about this over the last couple of days, unfortunately I can’t say this is a surprise at all, I feel this run was almost doomed from the outset because at its heart this show thrives on its cozy, intimate setting, You are supposed to be joining Rob in their living room. At the end of the day this is a fringe show (a very good one) but It’s not a Broadway show, and that’s okay. If the theatre landscape in NY allowed for anything of this smaller scale to not only be economically viable, but also get the recognition that they deserve alongside the larger shows. Then I think they wouldn’t have tried to make an unrealistic leap to a space that it just wasn’t fit for.
Unfortunately I think that’s even if the show had managed to open, it wouldn’t have been the best version of itself because the space just doesn’t lend itself to this scale of show, Rob, and the little set that exists (not a negative, it doesn’t need to be too flashy and large) just wouldn’t have been able to fill the space.
It’s interesting to hear what Rob said in their instagram post about the postponement, “this is absolutely the right thing to do for the show” and whether this is a postponement or a cancellation, I agree that going ahead with the show would not have been in its best interest. I think it’s best to wait until you can produce this show in a space better suited to the smaller scale, than to go ahead with a run that unfortunately would I think have done more harm than good for it.
I really hope that this show does make it to the US, in whatever form it takes because it deserves and needs to be seen, I’m sure when the time is right, US audiences will fall in love with it just like UK audiences have.
Jumping in re; the comment about the producers and the ill-fated Death Drop.
I know it’s easy to write this off as high-power theatre producers who are tone deaf / don’t know what they’re doing, but I wish more people understood. This is a team who believes queer art truly has an audience and stakeholders in the high profile commercial landscape and are jumping through hoop after hoop to bring these artists there, whom they believe in with all their heart. They are the lead producers - they know better than anyone this isn’t gonna recoup. Call me a shill but I have immense respect for them and am just so hopeful the show finds its place in the coming year(s) in New York. What happens sucks and could be considered irresponsible at worst, but for all the producer vitriol constantly floating around I’m hopeful people understand that they are working their butts off to do right by Rob.
One of the folks in question is a formative industry mentor of mine. Again, call me a shill. I stand by what I said.
I mean, there are successful track records with successful teams, and then there are the opposite. And there’s not much evidence pointing towards the former versus the latter…
DiscoCrows said: "Jumping in re; the comment about the producers and the ill-fated Death Drop.
I know it’s easy to write this off as high-power theatre producers who are tone deaf / don’t know what they’re doing, but I wish more people understood. This is a team who believes queer art truly has an audience and stakeholders in the high profile commercial landscape and are jumping through hoop after hoop to bring these artists there,whom they believe in with all their heart. They are the lead producers - they know better than anyone this isn’t gonna recoup. Call me a shill but I have immenserespect for them and am just so hopeful the show finds its place in the coming year(s) in New York. What happens sucks and could be considered irresponsible at worst, but for all the producer vitriol constantly floating around I’m hopeful people understand that they are working their butts off to do right by Rob.
One of the folks in question is a formative industry mentor of mine. Again, call me a shill. I stand by what I said."
Their intent might be good, but the facts are the facts. Death Drop has been highly successful in London / UK and there's no reason it wouldn't be here. Throw a few Drag Race girls in it and keep it off-Broadway. It would be a major hit like Titanique. But some how they dropped the ball. And somehow they thought this show was a Broadway show, when, it's really an off-off-Broadway type show.
Did they have to put a down payment or anything? I'd imagine the landlords are pissed. Same for New World.
DiscoCrows said: "Jumping in re; the comment about the producers and the ill-fated Death Drop.
I know it’s easy to write this off as high-power theatre producers who are tone deaf / don’t know what they’re doing, but I wish more people understood. This is a team who believes queer art truly has an audience and stakeholders in the high profile commercial landscape and are jumping through hoop after hoop to bring these artists there,whom they believe in with all their heart. They are the lead producers - they know better than anyone this isn’t gonna recoup. Call me a shill but I have immenserespect for them and am just so hopeful the show finds its place in the coming year(s) in New York. What happens sucks and could be considered irresponsible at worst, but for all the producer vitriol constantly floating around I’m hopeful people understand that they are working their butts off to do right by Rob.
One of the folks in question is a formative industry mentor of mine. Again, call me a shill. I stand by what I said."
They were doing right by nobody by attempting to put this show on Broadway. Their hearts being in the right place means nothing if they can’t even get a production to its first performance. And now they have multiple canceled productions to their name- something that is unusual and off putting to future investors.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."