Jarethan said: "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 agree with your basic argument, but I disagree with your example. Nathan Lane was first and foremost a Broadway star; while he had by then appeared in movies, e.g., The Birdcage, he was famous because of Broadway. Matthew Broderick had been a movie star years before, but certainly wasn't one when The Producers opened. What he was was a two-time Tony award winning actor. I also think it was a different time.
One could argue that The Producers did not run as long as was expected because they could not find stars to replace them. I think the real issue by that time was that Nathan Lane had become associated with that role that a lot of the shine left when he did. He still was primarily a (great) Broadway star who will always be remembered as Max Bialystock.
I am flummoxed by SLIH's availability. I do think that a lot of people -- as has been stated many times before -- who would flock to that show are older, and they are still not returning to the theatre the way they attended before. They are being more selective, and a big star would have helped immeasurably to get them out buying tickets, IMO.
I would point out that Kinky Boots did not have star leads and it didn't matter; same with Billy Elliott, Beautiful (one could argue pretty easily that Carole King was the star), Matilda, all of which ran for at least 3 1/2 years. Re Waitress, I guess the fact that Jessie Mueller won a Tony for Beautiful meant that she was known on Broadway, but I don't know whether she sold many tickets. I guess II am struggling to think of other semi-recent hits that were not juke box musicals, revivals, and/or did not have a star lead, so those are the examples I can come up with. They were all before Covid too.
Bottom line: I think it is being hurt by three things:
-- Covid malaise
-- No stars
-- People remembering their bad experiences with Tootsie and Mrs. Doubtfire. I think that is exacerbated by the critical feedback that the SLIH score is its weakest link. That was true with Tootsie too, and the show failed IMO because of the weak score.
Hopefully, positive WOM will offset the above concerns.If it does not get momentum and closes too early with big losses, I think the issue will have impact well beyond SLIH."
I'm not a theater insider, more like a fan who sometimes goes to see shows over and over again that really hit me -- as "Some Like It Hot" does. I've seen this show more than a dozen times -- have sat in every section -- my favorite section is the balcony because it's got the youngest, most enthusiastic audience members (and the sound up there is great). At one performance I sat next to a man up there who ran a theater in Chicago for 21 years. He lectured the teens sitting behind us at the end of the night -- "Save your programs," he told the kids, "start a collection, if you haven't already. This can be a life-long experience for you, going to theater. I love your enthusiasm!"
The kids expected to be yelled at for screaming after every song, but no. They were complimented.
Before this show the previous shows I've seen over and over again were "Flying Over Sunset" (not that many times since its run was cut short), "South Pacific," "The Drowsy Chaperone," and "Dame Edna." The latter two were comedies, the first two were not. It's an expensive addiction, but I learn something every repeat performance. My life's work is that of a songwriter, so I can't help but learn.
Casey Nicholaw was the director of "Drowsy" (BTW, Bob Saget was a brilliant Man In Chair, making his premature death all the sadder, since he was just scratching the surface of live theater). But after the first preview of SLIH I felt the same way I felt after seeing my first preview of "Drowsy" -- I must see this again, and this is going to run forever.
My most recent time was Sunday's matinee -- two understudies went on and did fine -- the orchestra section was pretty much filled except for the fringe seats on the far sides -- and the audience had a ball. Maybe to promote the show they need to go the tried and true route of interviewing people as they leave the theater -- the crowd is so happy and upbeat. Sunday's crowd was both white and black people and every shade in between. It's that rare, old school kind of show that is hard to categorize as a "white" show or a "black" show because it's both.
I hope the producers can hang in there and trust that it will find its audience; "Some Like It Hot" makes people so happy as it unfurls. Christian Borle, J. Harrison Ghee, and Adrianna Hicks (Joe/Josephine, Jerry/Daphne and Sugar Kane) are the stars for sure -- but not only do Sweet Sue, Osgood, Spats, Mulligan, and Minnie stand out as major cast members, the multi-talented ensemble demonstrates amazing skills and more-than-capable understudies are in the wings.
I'll keep going to see this show as long as I can, which I hope will be a long, long time. Even if I have to sell some "Drowsy" swag. And my Dame Edna book collection. One of my heroes is Livingston Taylor, whose brother James is a superstar (Livingston is a great performer, too). Livingston says the job of the performer is to make the audience feel better.
If you can stay home and feel better, more power to you. But who doesn't feel better going out, being part of an audience being transported to a higher place. That's how I have felt every time I've seen this show.
