Updated: SCHMIGADOON! limited run headed to Broadway in April 2026 — Page 3

ColorTheHours048 said: "I really have to wonder sometimes what these producers are thinking. Do some of them just want the tax write-off? I rarely subscribe to the “nobody asked for this” mindset because I believe there’s room for all sorts of things on Broadway, but this just reeks of being D.O.A. (especially after Smash bombed)."

I want to know too!! How do these shows get green lit? (Glory days, smash, story of my life, Lennon, Queen of Versailles, High Fidelity)

tomorrowBIGLITES said: "What made the tv show fun was it was visually surreal. Overtly theatrical with fake skies and high key lighting. And they were able to play with realism vs artifice. A grounded forest and suddenly- fake trees.

On stage, I already expect artifice so meh."

The visuals of the TV show were one of the things that really DIDN'T work for me. Synthetic and surrealistic is great, but this tv show had a modern look: digital photography, CGI and greenscreens, harsh (yet nontheatrical) lighting, etc. Instead of leaning into the surreality of 40s movie-musicals (shooting on film, hand-painted drops, in-camera effects, an almost proscenium-like effect).

Broadway, of course, relies on a fair amount of limited runs - both intentional and unintentional. But something about adapting a niche streaming show about musical theatre into a piece of musical theatre, hot on the heels of both a cancellation of said television show and the flopping of another musical about another television show doing basically the exact same thing feels… so incredibly stupid to me. Purely from a producing standpoint.

The show may be GREAT, for all I know. I would happily eat my hat over a successful Broadway musical (and Lord knows the cast will show up for as long as they’re able and give 100%). Maybe they find the secret to its success in the months between the KC run and April 2026. From an outside perspective, though, I’m left wondering just what the money people at the top of this enterprise are thinking.

Updated On: 9/30/25 at 02:07 PM

LOST BOYS is a crazy proposition to me. The film's notoriety is not on the level of flops like BTTF or GROUNDHOG DAY, The Rescues aren't bringing notoriety as composers, the lead producers are new to Broadway, the Palace is a massive barn, and Michael Arden's financial track record as a director is not as stellar as his creative track record. Maybe it'll surprise everyone! But this could be LESTAT or DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES or GHOST all over again.

An original show with no stars like WANTED costing $22 mil is crazy to me...I yearn for the days of COME FROM AWAY's $12 million or DEAR EVAN HANSEN's $9.5 million. Even MAYBE HAPPY ENDING feels like a bargain now at $18 million.

PARTON and PURPLE RAIN somehow seem a little more digestible given the IP and the post-Broadway potential, but...I'm glad none of these shows have my money!

Updated On: 9/30/25 at 03:59 PM

I'm personally very excited to see this but, yeah, unless they have some casting trick up their sleeve, this is gonna be a tough sell I'm afraid.

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "LOST BOYS is a crazy proposition to me. The film's notoriety is not on the level of flops like BTTF or GROUNDHOG DAY, The Rescues aren't bringing notoriety as composers, the lead producers are new to Broadway, the Palace is a massive barn, and Michael Arden's financial track record as a director is not as stellar as his creative track record. Maybe it'll surprise everyone!But this could be LESTAT or DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES or GHOST all over again.

An original show with no stars like WANTED costing $22 mil is crazy to me...I yearn for the days of COME FROM AWAY's $12 million or DEAR EVAN HANSEN's $9.5 million. Even MAYBE HAPPY ENDING feels like a bargain now at $18 million.

PARTON and PURPLE RAIN somehow seem a little more digestible given the IP and the post-Broadway potential, but...I'm glad none of these shows have my money!"

It costs like 2 million just load a show into Broadway. It's not only the budgets. It's the system and inflation.

Season two was waaaaay better.

I also think the second season is much stronger- it was a more inventive, fast-moving season and the fun came from the mashups of plots and characters. The first season too often leaned into “gee, aren’t old musicals corny af?” and it didn’t help that Josh was an intensely negative character.

Ensemble1711444445 said: "DrMonicaDeMoneco said: "ColorTheHours048 said: "I really have to wonder sometimes what these producers are thinking. Do some of them just want the tax write-off? I rarely subscribe to the “nobody asked for this” mindset because I believe there’s room for all sorts of things on Broadway, but this just reeks of being D.O.A. (especially after Smash bombed)."

I want to know too!! How do these shows get green lit? (Glory days, smash, story of my life, Lennon, Queen of Versailles, High Fidelity)"

Wait until 30 million Purple Rain, 25 -30 million Lost Boys, 30 million Dolly Parton,23 million Galileo, 22 million Wanted and 25 million Queen of Versailles come to town..That is almost 200 million in investor risk with no home run financially or creatively out of town. How didthey get booked? Stars, cronyism, Hollywood studios pulling strings, enticing IP, Shubert's seem to have their own process...but they are 0 for 35 in recoupment for original musicals since 2018."

But to invest all that $$$ for… no payout? Why whhhhyyyyy?

DrMonicaDeMoneco said: "Ensemble1711444445 said: "DrMonicaDeMoneco said: "ColorTheHours048 said: "I really have to wonder sometimes what these producers are thinking. Do some of them just want the tax write-off? I rarely subscribe to the “nobody asked for this” mindset because I believe there’s room for all sorts of things on Broadway, but this just reeks of being D.O.A. (especially after Smash bombed)."

I want to know too!! How do these shows get green lit? (Glory days, smash, story of my life, Lennon, Queen of Versailles, High Fidelity)"

Wait until 30 million Purple Rain, 25 -30 million Lost Boys, 30 million Dolly Parton,23 million Galileo, 22 million Wanted and 25 million Queen of Versailles come to town..That is almost 200 million in investor risk with no home run financially or creatively out of town. How didthey get booked? Stars, cronyism, Hollywood studios pulling strings, enticing IP, Shubert's seem to have their own process...but they are 0 for 35 in recoupment for original musicals since 2018."

But to invest all that $$$ for… no payout? Why whhhhyyyyy?"

I think it's more nuanced than that though. Some like Purple Rain might flop on Broadway but it might kill in licensing with tours and cruise ships, etc. Or something like Wanted might flop but then be a huge hit for high schools, etc.

But ask any producer worth their salt (or an honest one) if you should invest for the sole purpose of making money, and they'll unequivocally say NO. That's not what Broadway producing or investing is about -- there are so many other safer bets to put your money into if your only concern is making it back. Yes, a lot of it is "a business", but most do it out of a love of theatre and/or the material. Whether or not you agree with the potential of a certain property's ability to make money, it doesn't change this fact.

TheatreMonkey said: "But ask any producer worth their salt (or an honest one) if you should invest for the sole purpose of making money, and they'll unequivocally say NO. That's not what Broadway producing or investing is about -- there are so many other safer bets to put your money into if your only concern is making it back. Yes, a lot of it is "a business", but most do it out of a love of theatre and/or the material. Whether or not you agree with the potential of a certain property's ability to make money, it doesn't change this fact."

WHAT??? This is a creative BUSINESS.. Yes it is Vegas gambling but it is about recouping and making money. Why invest if you know it is going to lose money. That is ridiculous. None of my investors come into a show expecting to lose but they know it could happen.