SOUL DOCTOR to play Circle in the Square

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 5/29/13 at 1:21pm

The rumors were true.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/SOUL-DOCTOR-JOURNEY-OF-A-ROCK-STAR-RABBI-to-Open-at-Circle-in-the-Square-Theatre-on-August-15-2013-20130529

[Kad]

Posted: 5/29/13 at 1:27pm

(generic message conveying skepticism of the show's ability to find success)

(generic retort that we all have to support everything and to stop bashing a show one hasn't seen)

(repeat)

There. Saved everyone a lot of time.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 5/29/13 at 1:29pm

If I could 'like' your post, kad, I would. Get on that, BWW.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 5/29/13 at 1:31pm

I can't believe this! I hope they've made some major changes since the run at NYTW. It had some bright spots, but it was in no way ready for Broadway- and even if perfected I don't know if it would have enough mass appeal to make it Uptown.

The creative team took it for granted that anyone knows who this person is. Evidence of that is in the press release: Featuring over 30 of Shlomo's timeless hits. Motown has timeless hits. Soul Doctor does not. They need to realize he's a potentially very interesting guy, but a very esoteric one. If there's ever been a niche audience musical this is it.

[stevenycguy]

Posted: 5/29/13 at 1:33pm

Wasn't this the 3 hour mess that got terrible feedback?

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 5/29/13 at 1:33pm

I'm a gentile who is far more interested in Judaism than my own religion. I've even considered converting. So, while the subject matters interests me a great deal, I've never heard of the guy. I imagine that is true for a lot of people.

I enjoy seeing risk being taken, but I can't imagine this lasting very long. I wonder what HANDS ON A HARDBODY would've been like at Circle. I think it may have worked better, and possibly lasted longer.

[Wishing Only Wounds]

Posted: 5/29/13 at 1:36pm

I'm a Long Island boychik- I've never heard of him. I'm intrigued though.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 5/29/13 at 1:43pm

Wow! Two new Flop musicals opening within a month of each other?! How exciting!! 3 new shows opening this summer? That has to be a record.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 5/29/13 at 1:59pm

This & First Date will be closed by Labor Day.

[tazber]

Posted: 5/29/13 at 2:01pm

I think it will be a massive hit. I mean, who hasn't heard these classics?

Esso Einei
Haneshama Lach
Luley
Borschi Nafshi
Let Me Hear Thy Voice
Od Avinu Chai
Ein Kelokeinu
Shifchi Kamayim
Mimkomo (Lord, Where Are You)
L'shanah Habah (Next Year in Jerusalem)

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/29/13 at 2:04pm

The title makes me think of Porn.

[Kad]

Posted: 5/29/13 at 2:06pm

Is it still a jukebox musical if none of the songs have ever been in any jukebox anywhere?

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 5/29/13 at 2:13pm

I just pulled out my Playbill from last summer. Here's the song list of hits:

Brothers and Friends
Return Again
Finger On the Place
Good Shabbos
Where Am I To Turn
Once In a Garden
Not Alone
Keep The Fire Burning
Torah Song
Arise
I Put A Spell On You (I believe this was a Nina Simone song)
He's Just a Child
Throw Me Some Rope
Somebody Is Lonely
Simcha L'aztzecha

Act Two (reprises omitted)
Song of Shabbos
The Sun Is Sinking Fast
Turn On, Tune In
I Tried To Guide You
Yerushalyim
I Was a Sparrow
One Happy Family
How Can You Return

[quizking101]

Posted: 5/29/13 at 2:17pm

They announce this one month in advance of previews opening...with no casting news.

Content aside, they already seem to have fvcked themselves.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 5/29/13 at 2:21pm

I will say this- Shlomo Carlebach was a fascinating man. He escaped the Nazis and made it to Brooklyn with his family. He was raised in the strictest of Orthodox Jew households, but he was always drawn to popular music more than becoming a Rabbi. He happened to meet Nina Simone one night and they formed a lifelong friendship (the actress who played Simone was GREAT). He went on to release over 25 LPs trying to popularize Yiddish music.

When the show focused on his unconventional relationship with Nina and his struggle to balance religious message and commercial appeal with his music the show was good.

Unfortunately it often deviated from this and was often a paint by numbers bio musical like Chaplin. There was what seemed to be a 30 minute prologue with a Young Shlomo during Kristallnacht involving evil Nazis etc.

Yes the show was nearly 3 hours long, but this was all a year ago. I hope things are better on Broadway.

[PatrickDennis92]

Posted: 5/29/13 at 2:24pm

This reminds me of the feeling I had when I heard about Old Jews Telling Jokes-- I thought it would never be successful... And, I mean, I guess I was wrong?

[Kad]

Posted: 5/29/13 at 2:30pm

Old Jews Telling Jokes is a much easier sell. And it's off-Broadway.

And there's no denying Carlebach had a fascinating life. But fascinating lives don't always make fascinating theatre.

[mknyc76]

Posted: 5/29/13 at 3:01pm

I saw this in Miami in January 2012. Eric Anderson and Erica Ashe both delivered enjoyable performances in the poorly written and cliched roles of Carlebach and Nina Simone. The rest of the show was abysmally bad. I'm all for unconventional shows making a go at Broadway and usually root for their success. But this show barely deserves to play the basement of your local JCC, much less a Broadway theater. It reeks of a vanity project on the part of the creator/writer/director/producer - all the same person...in and of itself a huge warning flag. Which makes me think it's also important to note that the off-Broadway run last summer wasn't produced BY NYTW, it was produced AT NYTW. Hopefully NYTW knows to keep its distance from the association.

[Playbilly]

Posted: 5/29/13 at 3:10pm

Will it run longer than The Performers?

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 5/29/13 at 4:42pm

Did they cut Bubbe Made a Kishke?

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 5/29/13 at 5:24pm

Is qolbinau going to make back their one-dollar investment from this production?

[binau]

Posted: 5/29/13 at 6:00pm

Hahaha yeah I'm glad you remember. I've really gone all out on this one, hoping it will pull through! We've been told that Denzel Washington and Will Smith have both auditioned for the lead role so it's going to be big.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 5/29/13 at 6:22pm

Jews love to support things by other Jews. But all the tourists aren't Jews. So hm.

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 5/29/13 at 7:11pm

Circle in the Square is one of the smallest Broadway theaters and New York is a very Jewish city, so this could get momentum and run for a decent run.

So this could be pretty full with out the tourist dollar.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 5/29/13 at 7:13pm

Eric Anderson will be playing the lead role.