SCOTTSBORO BOYS closing December 12?- Page 4

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 6:15pm

>> "Would you want to see a musical with comic singing and dancing about the Holocaust?"

Ahem. CABARET, perhaps? Yes, yes, I know, not about the Holocaust directly, but I doubt "If You Could See Her" is really about a man in love with a gorilla. Just me, perhaps.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 7:04pm

I blame Corine and her damn corner and Aretha Kitt!

[ABB2357]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 7:08pm

To those inquiring about student rush, I had no problem getting a ticket ($26.50) for this past Sunday's evening show around noon. The woman at the box office wasn't exactly cordial but she wasn't nasty either. The seat was first row of the balcony, dead center. The orchestra didn't look that full so I definitely could have moved down but decided not to. Not sure how full the mezz was. I'm sure it was mostly empty as there were only about 20 people in the balcony.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 7:40pm

Spiderman taking in $ 1 Million today after the horrible 1 st preview & this closing remind me of what Barnum said - "There Is A Sucker Born Every Minute". Another quote is No One ever went Broke Underestimating The Intelligence Of The American People"

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 8:53pm

Challenging theatre on Broadway suffers yet another blow.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 9:12pm

I'm still weeping over the premature closing of Grey Gardens.

[iflip4musicals]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 9:43pm

I got there an hour before the box office opened on Saturday (of Thanksgiving weekend) and was the only one there. The woman was nice to me.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 10:08pm

i just hope the Tony voters don't forget about this show. They remembered Ragtime last season, let's hope Scottsboro Boys gets a few nominations at least. Could it be possible for it to still get nominated for Best Musical??

[PopAria]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 10:17pm

maybe Julie Taymore should step in with a few masks and flying lessons to attract more crowds and keep it running for another 15 years?

[Sauja]

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

I caught the show again tonight. During the BC/EFA speech at the end, Coleman Domingo implored people to get word out so that they can play to full houses for the last two weeks. The show truly deserves it. In happier news, he also announced that tonight marked John Cullum's 50th anniversary on Broadway. An amazing man and an amazing run!

[uncageg]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 11:13pm

"There is a huge black audience out there that loves theatre, but they did not come to "Scottsboro" in the throngs the producers had hoped."

Yes, but that huge black audience usually only goes when there is a huge black star in a show or the show has something to attract the black community. This show makes you think and has no black stars in it. That doesn't always attract the black community. And yes, I am black.

Here is a question that has been on my mind. I hope I ask it correctly.... Is the New York theatregoing crowd dwindling? My thought was that shows like this one and Caroline or Change would last because the NY theatre crowd would see them knowing they wouldn't have to "deal" with tourists and are looking to see some good theatre. (Not that other shows aren't good) But it seems these great shows are closing fast. If there was a big enough crowd of NYC theatregoers, it seems these shows would last longer even without tourists. Does that make sense?

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 11:16pm

uncageg, I understand what you're saying, and I mentioned something similar when both the revivals of Ragtime and Finian's Rainbow closed earlier this year.

[uncageg]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 11:19pm

And Dottie, what gets me is that these are some of the shows that the black community should be running to see!

[DottieD'Luscia]

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

I feel the demographics and tastes of the Broadway audience are changing (and not in a good way). I always felt that Broadway theatre in general was big enough to satisfy a variety of tastes running the gamut from entertaining fluff, to comedy, to thought provoking, etc.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 11:33pm

In regards to NY crowds changing, I think there is some validity to that. But also keep in mind that the NY theatre crowd got to see both SCOTTSBORO and CAROLINE in their off-Broadway incarnations. So...perhaps their Broadway runs would have been a bit longer had they opened cold on Broadway (or were developed out of town).

SCOTTSBORO BOYS is one of the most audacious, thrilling and upsetting pieces of theatre I've ever seen. It's a tough sell. But I can't tell you how glad I am to have seen it.

[americanboy99]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 11:34pm

I disagree, Dottie. It's hard to make that point when a show like "Next to Normal" has had such a healthy run.

Look at all the fabulous musicals Broadway has seen- shows known as "great."

"Hello, Dolly!" wasn't challenging anyone. But "great" it is.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 11:37pm

americanboy99, well there will always be exceptions to what I stated. There's just no rhyme or reason as to why some shows have staying power and why others don't.

[americanboy99]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 11:42pm

I just have trouble thinking of a time in Broadway history that a show like SCOTTSBORO BOYS (I am talking about one so thoroughly tough to take in) would have ever sold well.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 11:46pm

Picture this

At Tony Time, Scottsboro beats out Spiderman for Best Musical.

[CockeyedOptimist2]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 11:46pm

Yes, next to normal does seem to be the exception to the rule. What is different about that show that has afforded it such a healthy run?

Was it marketed better?
Does it attract more of a family audience because of the family focus? I would say no
Does it make a difference that it opened in the spring rather than in the fall? It also was off-Broadway and went out of town (first show to do so, if I'm not mistaken) before coming back to Broadway.
Does it find more of an audience because of the rock score as opposed to the minstrel show feel?

Throw some things out there- why did Next to Normal succeed where so many have failed when trying to bring something truly artistic and meaningful to Broadway?

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 11:47pm

I can't respond as I haven't seen it yet. I'm still trying to figure out when I can make a day trip up to NYC to see it for myself.

I saw the last performance of Next to Normal in DC. Although I thought it was well constructed and the performances were excellent, it just didn't grab me. Whereas there have been plenty of other shows I've seen numerous times, for some reason, once was enough regarding Next to Normal.

Updated On: 11/30/10 at 11:47 PM

[CockeyedOptimist2]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 11:48pm

I would love for Scottsboro to win Best Musical. Jumping the gun, I know. I realize the Tonys are not really about what deserves to win anymore, but I can't imagine Spiderman being a better show than Scottsboro (haven't seen Spiderman yet, though). That said, I will be up in arms if Stroman doesn't take Best Director of a Musical next summer, especially if it goes to Taymor.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 11:48pm

does Scottsboro Boys stand a chance at winning the Tony?? Has a show ever won Best New Musical after it closed??

I'm just hoping that enough people opt to buy tickets for these final two weeks that the show will at least extend until New Year's(Jan. 2).

Updated On: 11/30/10 at 11:48 PM

[After Eight]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 11:49pm

"The Lyceum is a death trap."

I wouldn't say that. The most recent revival of "Macbeth" was a sellout at the Lyceum, whereas previous revivals with Kelsey Grammar and before that Christopher Plummer and Glenda Jackson both flopped at the Music Box and Mark Hellinger, respectively.

If the public wants to see a show, they will go wherever it is playing. And similarly, they'll stay away from whatever they don't want to see, regardless of its theatre.

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 11:56pm

People will often go out of their way to see a show in a theatre with an inconvenient if there's a star in it like Patrick Stewart in The Scottish Play, or the production has particularly good word-of-mouth. People often will avoid a show even if it's in a convenient theatre if it's particularly bad. But when a show is good (or even great) but is risky and not especially touristy, and is in a theatre with an inconvenient location, its chances of failure are increased. And that seems to be the logic that the Lyceum is a death trap. Unless it's something like Patrick Stewart in The Scottish Play (and with a theatre that small, smaller shows will continue to go into it), it has a high likelihood of failure, no matter how good it may be.