SHUFFLE ALONG Sets Sudden Broadway Closing After Audra McDonald Departs — Page 5

NJ_BroadwayGirl said: "Sad news! I'll definitely be seeing this again before it closes. Did they ever end up having merchandise?"

they did have merchandise tonight. the show really wasn't about her, but I understand that she was the draw. the energy in the audience when she was onstage was just a different, higher energy.

Wow there are a lot of dumb responses on here.

Its not rocket science- Rudin sees the advance sales and once Audra leaves, THE star of the show- bookings plummet. At least this way he's giving people more advance warning to go see it , than come July- she leaves and he announces an almost sudden closure. It's not selling enough tickets- Simple. Also- reading between the lines- I suspect her replacement is not good enough in rehearsals , and who really could follow Audra anyway. It's a mediocre part in a mediocre show and only someone with Audras star quality could elevate it.

I suppose it's all a matter of timing. Certainly FOLLIES would have won Best Musical in a year without TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA.

I thought I was somehow misreading the headline. This makes no sense. I just don't believe they could be selling that poorly during Audra's previously scheduled absence. The Visit and Honeymoon in Vegas can hold on for months but Shuffle Along can't? It's not a perfect show but it's a very good one and of the shows this season that have announced closing dates (American Psycho, Bright Star, etc.) I easily found it to be the best. It's a shame more people won't get the chance to see this very talented cast. Not just the ones who have their names on the side of the Music Box but the wonderful dancers as well.

They should have given more information about Savion's part and as soon as they knew Audra was pregnant, tried to move the focus from the big names to the dancing since it's the real star.

Eta it's time for Wolfe and Glover to revive Jelly's Last Jam 25 years is long enough

Updated On: 6/24/16 at 01:56 AM

Nobody was expecting SA to close so suddenly but Rhiannon Giddens & Savion Glover were not selling tickets...but what happened to the advertising campaign marketing them as the "new" stars starting July 24?

Nada! Nobody knew?

Perplexing, they never gave it a chance but maybe Rhiannon was not impressing them during rehearsals and obviously not gonna be a big enough draw with Savion. Audra is the star featured-attraction in a show that has electrifying tapping, stunning design elements, a wonderful supporting cast and the best dancing ensemble on Broadway!

I LOVED the show and Audra resplendent! Have tix again for next week!

Updated On: 6/24/16 at 02:34 AM

Robbie2 said: "Nobody was expecting SA to close so suddenly but Rhiannon Giddens & Savion Glover were not selling tickets...but what happened to the advertising campaign marketing them as the "new" stars starting July 24?

Nada! Nobody knew?

Perplexing, they never gave it a chance but maybe Rhiannon was not impressing them during rehearsals and obviously not gonna be a big enough draw with Savion. Audra is the star featured-attraction in a show that has electrifying tapping, stunning design elements, a wonderful supporting cast and the best dancing ensemble on Broadway!

I LOVED the show and Audra resplendent! Have tix again for next week!

"Not to be 'that guy' - but if you or anybody else going to the show would see if they're selling magnets and if they are - wouldn't mind getting one and mailing it to me - I'd really appreciate it. We live in Phoenix and flew into New York for a Broadway weekend over Memorial Day. They weren't selling merchandise then and we collect magnets from shows we see as a souvenir. We'd naturally repay you for your costs (paypal, check, some other way). I did check the show's website - and they're still not selling merchandise online. Thanks!

Updated On: 6/24/16 at 05:20 AM

thanks to both of you, he is okay now. He's a photographer and was taking a photo on the street and some man thought he was taking a photo of his girlfriend (and not...of the city which tourists do) and asked him about it and then proceeded to choke him. I wasn't there but it sounded terrifying.

something I found unintentionally amusing: her character mentioned at the end that she never had children while Audra was visibly pregnant all night long. "perhaps Lottie suffered from a calcified fetus?" I jokingly thought.

The amount of people on here who seem to think Rudin is running a charitable organization and should have kept the show running at a significant loss out of the goodness of his heart is hilarious.

Either he (astronomically) underestimated the box office appeal of this Rhiannon Giddens (who for the record I've never heard of), or she was the biggest name they could get. Either way, the advance after July 24 was clearly very dismal.

I also agree with whomever said that the fact that Audra had an announced return date probably didn't help. I'm sure a lot of people simply said, "we'll just wait until Audra returns in the fall." The only way to have prevented that would have been casting a significant name that people would want to see (someone along the lines of Jennifer Hudson).

Updated On: 6/24/16 at 07:52 AM

I guess the cast's baby shower for Audra is cancelled?

I think Rudin clearly made the right and responsible business decision here. I had gotten a discount code emailed yesterday for shows through 7/24 saying "see Audra before she's gone." So it seems that sales through late July weren't exactly skyrocketing. I'm sad it's closing and somewhat surprised but it seems like it was the fiscally necessary thing to do.

The thing that bothered me, as I said before, was the language about Audra's pregnancy in the official statement.