Show with the longest preview period on Broadway?

[StardustsChild]

Posted: 1/12/20 at 9:00pm

Apologies if there is a previous thread on this, but I wasn't able to find one through the native search function or through google.

What show has had the longest preview period on Broadway? I would expect Spiderman, clocking in at 182 previews, but I can't seem to find any official confirmation of it as the longest preview period. 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 1/12/20 at 9:04pm

Nothing has exceeded Spider-Man's record

[George in DC]

Posted: 1/12/20 at 9:49pm

Not the longest but Merlin with Doug Henning (and Chita Rivera and Nathan Lane) started previews early in Dec 1983. The show was supposed to open three weeks later but kept postponing for a week. Finally the New York Times reviewed the show at the end of January saying that since audiences were paying full price and there was no set date to open, they had a right to let the audience know what it was like. They also said if the show changed before opening , they would re-review it. They panned the show. The show eventually opened late in February. The Times I think just ran their original review - but I can't remember.

[BalconyClub]

Posted: 1/12/20 at 10:12pm

In his January 31, 1983 review of the MERLIN preview, Frank Rich stated that the show kept postponing its opening night. Rich attended the third of the 3 cancelled opening night dates. The show played, it was the opening night moniker that was nullified.

He figured since 60,000 paying customers had seen the show at the full, $40 top ticket price, his readers deserved a review.

Credit above to Frank Rich's book HOT SEAT.

[copathetiic]

Posted: 1/12/20 at 10:27pm

It’s not the most ever, but as of right now the West Side Story revival is set to have 78 previews. The opening has already been pushed back once, who knows if it’ll happen again.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 1/12/20 at 11:07pm

Honeymoon in Vegas also had a relatively long preview period, with the first preview being on November 18, 2014, and opening on January 15, 2015 after 66 preview performances.

[jbird5]

Posted: 1/13/20 at 7:34am

Let My People Come played 128 previews and never officially opened.

[Huss417]

Posted: 1/13/20 at 9:08am

Legs Diamond had 72 preview performances.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 1/13/20 at 9:13am

So with LET MY PEOPLE COME, what you’re saying is that they never officially let their people come?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 1/13/20 at 9:21am

I think Golden Rainbow had quite a few

[markypoo]

Posted: 1/13/20 at 10:38am

Someone in a Tree2 said: "So with LET MY PEOPLE COME, what you’re saying is that they never officially let their people come?"

I was one who did.

And had a nice interaction with one of the cast members at the stage door.

 

[bk]

Posted: 1/13/20 at 2:29pm

No one remembers what I believe was the first show to do this and is still probably up there for most: Jackie Mason's A Teaspoon Every Four Hours in 1969.  97 previews, finally opened and played one performance.  I just worked with one of its cast members and heard all the stories.  

[Cora Hoover Hooper]

Posted: 1/13/20 at 2:55pm

Dear World had close to 2 months of previews and would have continued longer, but critics threatened to review the show anyway, and they were forced into an opening night.