SPRINGSTEEN ON BROADWAY 2021 Thread — Page 2

Radio silence from the first ticketed, live Broadway performance with an audience in 471 days? As the Boss himself would say... is there anybody alive out there???



A little something just hit me: the last words that were spoken or sung on a B'way stage before the shutdown were "It's over now, the music of the night"; Phantom had a Thursday matinee that day, which finished mere minutes prior to the shutdown announcement. And when that performance ended, it felt like the music died, and nobody (not even me) knew it would stay silent this long at first. Broadway just isn't the same without all its music - the soaring melodies, the brilliant orchestrations, that unforgettable sound of orchestras playing through a score.

I wasn't at Springsteen on Broadway last night, but I watched the whole thing on Netflix, and let me tell you, who better than Bruce to bring the music back to the Theatre District. It may only be him, his wife, and just a few instruments he plays on a barebones set, but I feel he is awakening Times Square from its unprecedented slumber at long last. It is through his music that he tells some great stories, another thing B'way will see more and more of in the coming months. The Boss delivers pure magic onstage even in a more subdued setting than his typical fare. As he explains, any magic trick begins with the perfect setup, and dang, what a setup it is. I can only imagine how long his entrance applause lasted last night.

By the end of September, eight more theaters will be full of music, with many more to come by March. I cannot wait for the time that millions of more people can have their ears blessed by the holiness of a Broadway score. Come on up for the rising tonight.

Updated On: 6/27/21 at 12:51 AM

I was at the show tonight. It was magical being back in a Broadway theater, will write more tomorrow after I get some sleep.

If you want initial thoughts, this performance was global news-I did press hits for a dozen outlets over the course of the afternoon. Go google Springsteen on Broadway for lots of content, and the first reviews of the updated version of the show.

Some fuller thoughts on last night:

I spent most of the afternoon outside the theater, and did press hits for a dozen media outlets-got on at least three new broadcasts last night, and have a bit in the Times article/review this morning. As is standard, Springsteen fans who didn't have tickets for the show were out in force from 11am waiting to try and meet him as he went in. In standard fashion, the crowd was waiting the door nearest the Hayes, and they brought him in the door nearest John's Pizza, using the protestors to mask his entrance.

The protestors were expected from just about everyone involved at the venue and did nothing but bring a bit more excitement to the proceedings. The same folks were at the Foo Fighters concert at the Garden last weeks and will be anywhere the media is expected to be over the next few months.

Once inside the venue, it was just like any other night at the St. James. Normal bar sales, normal merch-a few different T-shirts, tank top, hoodie, and two posters new for the 2021/St James run, and the tote bag and hat from the first run. Playbills as they always have been.

For being the first night back, it was surprisingly low key-no speeches, only a couple of references to the fact of this being the first night back. Steve Van Zandt from the E-Street Band got a standing ovation when he walked in, as did Springsteen when he got on stage.

As stated below, Bruce did tell the crowd to not applaud every line-while strange to hear at first, it did actually help the show to flow like a normal show. I'll note that I didn't catch this the first time, and haven't watched the Netflix taping, but he is a talented storyteller, even though the Playbill credits do include a Teleprompter operator, and, as had been written online, a few songs have been swapped out, and he got more emotional at various bits than he would in the past.

It was clear that Jujamcyn was figuring out some of the process as they went along last night, and things will likely change through the run of this show, and for their early entries with Pass Over and Hadestown, and that the mainline re-opening for the industry is still being looked at as the September 14th Wicked/Hamilton/Lion King date.

Guess no one told the anti-vaxxers that a negative covid test was the okay alternative to the vax. Be interesting to see if they're back Tuesday.

There's a lot more on Twitter from people who attended the show, if you're looking for more.

https://twitter.com/search?q=springsteen%20broadway&src=typed_query

PlayItAgain said: "Imagine being so privledged that the only thing you have to protest is not being allowed to go to a Bruce Springsteen show that you can literally watch at home on Netflix"

The ironic thing is none of these clowns outside Springsteen on Broadway or the Foo Fighters last week do not even want to see the show. They just want to do the typical screaming out loud and make fools out of themselves screaming lies and conspiracy theories as they often do.

LizzieCurry said: "There's a lot more on Twitter from people who attended the show, if you're looking for more.
https://twitter.com/search?q=springsteen%20broadway&src=typed_query"

Great twitter pics.

Wonder when former gov Christie makes his appearance. Once said he never missed a Bruce performance. What about Cuomo or DeBlasio... Would've thought at least one of them would've appeared on 1st Bway night back.

Jakeevan942 said: "I will also say that it seemed like a markedly not-theater crowd, if that makes any sense. It was mostly Springsteen fans looking to see their idol live for the first time in 15 months. I think as we come into the next few re-start dates, we will see more of the folks who are active on these boards there on first night."

Saw show again Tuesday nite, Bruce was pumped. Ran 2:35 instead of 2:20. Ad-libbed more; far more relaxed; more jokes. Clearly he has a natural talent for comedy and drama. He even had audience participate instead of telling them to shut up. Was fun night.

Award for most annoying: the folks who were not Bruce or theater fans. Two young women apparently considered Bruce an interference to their texting, that is, when they weren’t running to lobby several times. Third row center, one woman kept video taping show until fellow patrons tapped her shoulder to stop.

So many folks were bathroom running they might as well do an intermission. Distracting for audience and Bruce. No anti-vaxxers appeared. Only a couple of folks were there pre-show seeking autograph.

Last night was the final performance of the first block of shows for Springsteen on Broadway. Performances will resume at the St. James on August 17, through its previously-announced September 4 closing.

SingItToMeBaby said: "Thanks so much for your suggestion, JayElle! I'm also glad to hear that you think it's much better than his previous run!

I was planning to get merch after the show—do they keep the booth open for a while?"

Sorry for late response SingItToMeBaby. Merch open before & after show w/long lines.

JayElle said: "SingItToMeBaby said: "Thanks so much for your suggestion, JayElle! I'm also glad to hear that you think it's much better than his previous run!

I was planning to get merch after the show—do they keep the booth open for a while?"

Sorry for late response SingItToMeBaby. Merch open before & after show w/long lines."

Hi JayElle, no worries! The show was incredible and I had no problem getting merch before and after the show (got a poster afterwards so I wouldn't have to sit with it).

And thanks so much for your tip on arriving around 7:15—I did just that and had plenty of time!

Updated On: 7/19/21 at 08:17 PM