SIDE SHOW closing January 4th- Page 3

[RW3]

Posted: 12/12/14 at 11:52am

I just finished watching the Today Show performance and you could tell the girls were hiding their sadness behind their sadness. At the end, you could tell that Erin was about to break out into tears.

[rjm516]

Posted: 12/12/14 at 11:53am

So sad for everyone involved. And so sad I won't get to see it (was planning on Jan 9, my first day in the US).

If there was ANY flexibility on the closing date, though, it's kind of annoying that they chose the 4th, to continue the whole 'Hilton sisters haunting that date' myth. The first production's producers and this one's producers CHOSE that date. It's not a weird coincidence.

[Brian07663NJ]

Posted: 12/12/14 at 11:54am

Kad... my thought for that comment was more or less based upon the new shows opening, crashing or finding a rough time finding an audience as well as new shows coming with an already doomed conversation:
- Rocky
- Big Fish
- Bonnie & Clyde
- Chaplin
- The Scottsboro Boys
- The Last Ship
- Honeymoon in Vegas
- The Visit

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 12/12/14 at 11:56am

"At the end, you could tell that Erin was about to break out into tears."

So was I.

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 12/12/14 at 12:00pm

"If there was ANY flexibility on the closing date, though, it's kind of annoying that they chose the 4th, to continue the whole 'Hilton sisters haunting that date' myth. The first production's producers and this one's producers CHOSE that date. It's not a weird coincidence."

This is a quote from a theater historian's post on All That Chat:

"The original Broadway production closed on January 3, 1998, not January 4, although I know that several sites list January 4. The closing performance is discussed in this playbill.com article and this New York Times article.

The error may have first started appearing because it was holiday week. The show probably played an extra matinee, and so closed Saturday night rather than at the Sunday matinee that it otherwise would have played."

So close, but not quite.

Updated On: 12/12/14 at 12:00 PM

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 12/12/14 at 12:03pm

"- The Last Ship
- Honeymoon in Vegas
- The Visit"

Seriously? Calm down and don't doom these shows.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/12/14 at 12:05pm

It is sad. Is the fate of future new original musicals without the name brand association (Disney or a familiar artist).

So many hits have proven that wrong. Rent, In the Heights, Spring Awakening, Avenue Q, Spelling Bee, Drowsy Chaperone, Memphis, Noise/Funk, Urinetown... Even Hairspray and Matilda were not driven by major brand recognition as neither film was a universally recognized classic (like the source material for Wicked). And Matilda certainly does not resemble the mostly forgotten film in the least.

[Steve721]

Posted: 12/12/14 at 12:09pm

So sorry to hear this. At least this time I was able to see the show before it closed, and I thought it was absolutely terrific.

[Brian07663NJ]

Posted: 12/12/14 at 12:13pm

Neon - OMG I don't want to doom ANY show! I LOVE The Visit!

Raised... I too felt the same way at the conclusion of their song. I thought it was fantastic! I am so happy I have tickets already to see it on December 18th (again).

[little_sally]

Posted: 12/12/14 at 1:09pm

I saw it this past weekend and loved it but even I found it too sad and uncomfortable to watch (and I tend to enjoy darker material). I don't know who I'd recommend it to but I wish it had lasted a lot longer because it is a great show.

[newintown]

Posted: 12/12/14 at 1:11pm

"Morning's at Seven was a flop in its original production, and a hit in revival."

Morning's At Seven was revived 40 years after its first Broadway production; during that 40 years, the play had become a favorite of community theatres with a wealth of senior citizens. The revival ran about a year and a half. It was revived again 22 years later and only ran 3 months.

"Several Broadway flops had successful off-Broadway revivals: The Threepenny Opera, One a Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Moonchildren."

I'd hesitate using Threepenny Opera as an example - its initial (1933) Broadway production was a far cry from the show that had been a sensation in Germany, and the show didn't originate on Broadway. Cuckoo's Nest opened on Broadway with Kirk Douglas in 1963 and ran a few months, then was revived 8 years later at a now-defunct downtown theatre, where it ran for a 2 and a half years (with William Devane). Moonchildren is an interesting case - it opened in 1972 on Broadway with a cast that has gone on to significant success. It closed rather quickly; then was revived at the Lortel less than 2 years later and ran a year with a cast of names unfamiliar to me.

All interesting (if not quite representative) stories.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/12/14 at 2:22pm

The show, like the original, got people to think. On Broadway, this is a dangerous thing to ask the non NY audiences to do.

[newintown]

Posted: 12/12/14 at 2:46pm

Yes, it's a genuine intellectual feast.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 12/12/14 at 2:47pm

Also, says the guy whose big defense of HONEYMOON IN VEGAS was --

"It is not meant to be high art. It is supposed to be an entertaining musical and it succeeds.

It ain't Hamlet guys."

[jbroadway4]

Posted: 12/12/14 at 5:05pm

Has anyone done the student rush here? I'm looking to rush the matinee tomorrow and was wondering what time I should get there.

[JamesBroadwayWiner]

Posted: 12/12/14 at 5:21pm

DId the original close on Jan 4th also or was it Jan 3rd? I looked it up but have seen both dates. I wondered if anyone knew for sure.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 12/12/14 at 5:26pm

According to Wikipedia, both shows closed/closing January 4th.

Updated On: 12/12/14 at 05:26 PM

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 12/12/14 at 5:54pm

I can't watch the Today Show video right now. I don't know how long it will be till I am able.

I am so, so, so sad and disappointed, but not surprised. It's things like this that just make me think, "F*ck this business," but that's showbiz, I guess.

My heart is breaking for the girls and for everyone involved. I just hope they all know how much we wanted for them to succeed. In my dream Erin and Emily come back for the Tonys and perform I Will Never Leave You to a thunderous standing ovation at Radio City.

[temms]

Posted: 12/12/14 at 5:57pm

It closed Saturday 1/3 at the evening performance, at which I was privileged to be an audience member. "Triumph Of Love" closed the next afternoon on the 4th.

Here's an article from the 1997 NY Times confirming the dates:
Defeated, 'Side Show' Is Closing Jan. 3

[Fantod]

Posted: 12/12/14 at 6:06pm

Playbill Vault is usually accurate and they say it closed on the 4th

http://www.playbillvault.com/Show/Detail/3072/Side-Show

[temms]

Posted: 12/12/14 at 6:11pm

Playbill Vault is wrong on this one; as the Times article states, it closed on Saturday the 3rd after the evening performance and "Triumph" and "Forum" closed on Sunday. I roadtripped out from the Midwest specifically to see the Saturday night closing. My friend and I saw "Triumph" in the afternoon, thinking the Sunday closing would be sold out and we had pre-bought for the "Side Show" closing. There was a standing ovation at the top of the show that lasted for several minutes before they started the music. After the show the audience wouldn't stop applauding, it was clear we expected some sort of curtain speech or something but finally Emily Skinner just signaled "Go home!" and the cast left the stage and that was that.

Memories, all alone in the moonlight.

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 12/12/14 at 6:19pm

"Playbill Vault is usually accurate and they say it closed on the 4th"

No, it doesn't. It says it closed on Jan. 3. This is copied from the link you posted.

Musical - Original
Richard Rodgers Theatre
First Preview:September 19, 1997
Opening Date:October 16, 1997
Closing Date:January 3, 1998
Previews:31
Performances:91

[Fantod]

Posted: 12/12/14 at 6:22pm

Woah, that's weird. When you search the show it says it ended on the 4th, but when you click it it says it closed on the 3rd. Strange.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 12/12/14 at 6:25pm

That is very strange, I edited the Wiki page to reflect the correct date.

Updated On: 12/12/14 at 06:25 PM

[Up In One]

Posted: 12/12/14 at 6:42pm

Theater Owner Pushes ‘Side Show’ to Close



Side Show Closing NY Times