SOME LIKE IT HOT On Broadway - Reviews & News Thread — Page 29

I’ve definitely felt my enthusiasm for this show dimmed over time. The reviews are good and there’s a lot of praise, specifically, for the book and staging, but none of the songs that have been put out have really grabbed me. I also just don’t know if I’m in the mood for another Broadway musical that takes a deft comedy film and turns it into a all-screaming all-tapping sledgehammer-zany farce, which may not actually be what this is but is sure what it feels like it might be.

I saw this last night. Got to the box office in mid-afternoon to see if they had any rush available and got front side orchestra. It was a great view.

The show was fine. For my $40 I felt like I certainly got my money's worth. The cast is all very talented and performing at the top of their game. The book is very funny and I laughed out loud a lot. I enjoyed seeing a big, fun old school musical with those great Broadway production values. The problem is the music; the title song is the only one I can remember less than a day later, and that may just be because I'd listened to it multiple times before going. None of the rest made an impression, even in the moment (and I'm too much of a fan of the original "Let's Be Bad" to enjoy how they butchered it). Even Daphne's big number was just...fine. They're not terrible, just forgettable, which is what the show is ultimately going to be for me. Fizzy, empty calories like one of Osgood's soft drinks. (I do remember liking Osgood's mariposa song...but couldn't tell you what it sounded like for the life of me.) But it was a fun enough evening, definitely for that price.

Bill Snibson said: " No new shows, even with rave reviews, are doing "normal" business."



That's the other part of this story that has my attention and is alarming. We'll see what Tuesday's grosses hold but it sure looks like little or no bump from the reviews including a NYT rave and critic's pick.

Intotheblue said: "Most of us can agree that “Some Like it Hot” is a good show, but clearly something is missing if people are not coming to see it.IMO post-pandemic, it’s a show that needs a star. It can’t just be a “great” show. There needs to be a draw to bring people in. It needs to be an event that people want to pay top $$. Imagine if “The Producers” opened with musical theatre names as opposed to Broderick/Lane. It wouldn’t have been what it became. I feel like the Christian Borle or Adriana Hicks parts could have been the “star” roles to cast."

I think what is missing - and this is my own personal opinion - is a viral factor. And, yes, I think social media plays a huge part of drawing in audiences in this modern age. And, yes, the term "viral factor" in a semi-post-pandemic-world.

I personally think the target audience for this show includes: fans of the original film, the older and "more traditional" 3-figure-ticket-paying audience, and fans of classic or old-fashioned musical comedies. The show is attempting to draw in the younger crowd with the more modern and fresh take on the story with a young ensemble (many of Mean Girls popularity... don't underestimate that show's fanbase), an original cast member from Six, etc.

However, I don't think that's enough to convince the teens, twenties, and thirties. Plus, that age bracket is very adamant - some without having seen the show - that this show is simply another "man in a dress" gag. While I understand their concerns and where they are coming from, everyone is going to have a different experience with this show and its themes and message, especially with the work the writing teams have done to try to amend those concerns, but still tell the story. It's a period show after all and they're showing how much more of an acceptable time we are living in NOW that many back in the 30s could not even think they were allowed to consider. And they're trying to use the "man in a dress" of the original film to enhance that message rather than do additional harm. But again, everyone will have preconceived opinions about whether they'll like the show or not, or whether it does justice to ONE individual story based on the one Daphne goes through and their opinions and concerns are valid. All of them.

There will not be one way to tell a story about a trans/non-binary/fluid experience, but it has to start with one story. And even if this show isn't the be-all enough to be a prime example, at least there are many who have seen the show - based on comments in this thread and on social media - who allowed this to be an experience that can better help them understand an experience like that. This show is encouraging me, for example to consider seeing something like A Transparent Musical (based on the Amazon series) - which I didn't consider seeing it out of ignorance, but because I'm not familiar with the source material or the work of the writing team, etc. - because I want to support trans/non-binary/fluid stories in order for more of them to be written.

I know this was a lengthy post and I went on a diverted road from my original point of social media/younger audiences... I am just hoping that what I am wanting to say comes across even if all the minutiae isn't evident.

I always wondered why Some Like It Hot opened cold on Broadway.

The obvious reason to open out of town is that the creative team sees it with an audience, receives reviews, and then has time to tinker. I really think another pass at the script and a few new songs could kick this show into high gear.

But I wonder if nowadays it's almost more important to open out of town for marketing/advertising reasons. I'm really curious about people's opinions about this aspect.

Opening a show cold on Broadway gives the marketing team a shorter window to tell an audience what a show is. Yes, this is based on a beloved film, but most musicals based on beloved films flop. You honestly have to treat it like a new property. If a musical opens out of town, records a cast album, starts building their social media following, I think it sets it up for greater success. It also allows the marketing team to see what worked in another city and implement it in NY.

Some Like It hot has a huge budget. It’s not like any of the stars are so big they couldn’t go to Chicago/Seattle/Boston etc. Does anyone know why they didn’t do this?

Post-pandemic, it really feels like shows need to stay away from Broadway as long as possible, building up a reputation and a name, so when they do move, there is excitement, and it feels like an event. This year showed getting great reviews, and winning Tony doesn’t mean what it used to.

Anyway, I think I'm asking two questions. One is about Some Like It Hot, but the other is a bigger question about how to set up new musicals for the greatest success. Curious to hear what people think.

Updated On: 12/18/22 at 04:14 PM

Thank you for reminding me about Chicago. I totally forgot about that.

I've heard this school of thought about workshops. I get trying to save $5 million, but I feel like you'll never get an honest audience response in that environment. What do you think?

Also agree that word of mouth out of town probably isn't worth $5 million. SLIH is a bad case study for what I'm trying to say since it was always going to appeal to an older demographic. (Kpop is probably the better example of something that should have built a reputation regionally and recorded a cast album.)

And yes. I feel for everyone on this show. I really can't believe it's not doing better. Leopoldsadt (though a very, very different show) shows an older audience will come out.

Curious when Tia Altinay might be back? She injured herself during the 2nd preview and has been out since. Gabi Campo was brought in to fill her track.

MaraczekDeliveryBoy said: "I've heard this school of thought about workshops. I get trying to save $5 million, but I feel like you'll never get an honest audience response in that environment. What do you think?"

If the creative team & producers are solid (which this one is) and if the backers presentations include a smattering of people who aren't theatrical money-types, you can get a pretty good sense of what's working and what's not.



"I feel for everyone on this show. I really can't believe it's not doing better. Leopoldsadt (though a very, very different show) shows an older audience will come out."

It opened 2 weeks ago. Give it time. I bet its grosses will be much higher when the numbers come out Tuesday. It jumped $124K last week, up to $747K, which is probably the first week it broke even. But it does need to grow and sustain numbers if it is to have a chance of succeeding.

… and book!

Completely agree. With shows coming into Broadway for huge costs will little hope of recouping saving millions for this show, I am sure was a big consideration. And let's not forget that mounting an out of town at a non profit still costs millions. Non profits are now asking enhancements for 2 million!

I don't think this show is attempting to appeal to the Tik Tok crowd.

Not to be that person, but Beetlejuice still closed at a loss. So it didn't benefit THAT much. Social media only means so much. Are those people then going to go out and buy a full price ticket? Doesn't seem like they did hence Beetlejuice closing, again.

I think this show is trying to appeal to an older crowd and is doing a good job at advertising. I just don't think the interest is there. I think people want to spend their money on safe, easy stuff they know they will like.

I don't know if I'd necessarily call Be More Chill a success either, but I do think a good social media campaign can increase awareness (which is indeed what it did with Beetlejuice too).

I'm not necessarily the target demographic for this (younger millennial who's never seen the movie) and I thought it was great fun but it wasn't necessarily the kind of musical that felt like you'd be running out of the theater to tell everyone about (as opposed to something like Hadestown, or even Moulin Rouge). Also it might be my age group, but most of the friends I did mention it to seemed like they hadn't even heard of Some Like It Hot the movie, whereas Tootsie/Mrs. Doubtfire was something we had actually watched or at least kind of knew (fwiw I thought SLIH the musical was better than both of them).

But I agree that the main thing bringing down the show is the score. I remember liking the title song during the show and enjoyed hearing it again during the entr'acte, but I couldn't tell you anything about it now. And having seen Smash, I really think this version of Let's Be Bad pales in comparison. I enjoy tap dancing a lot but I think the sheer amount of it (and other big flashy numbers) made it seem like there was no standout production number and everything was kind of on the same level, so there was no "wow" moment (except probably the chase scene). Everything is done well enough but nothing pops enough for me to be recommending it to people unless I think they'd be interested in a specific part of it.