Shows that didn't do well on B'way, but have gone on to widely performed.

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Shows that didn't do well on B'way, but have gone on to widely performed.

Posted: 3/9/07 at 4:45pm

These days, it seems like its becomeing a growing trend that even if your show dosen't do well on Broadway (or even play on Broadway), the show will go on to enter the "canon" (using the term losely) through local productions. Seussical only ran for 200 performances and is now MTI's most liscensed show. Little Women looks like its headed for a similar future, banking on its name. Lippa's A Little Princess is getting a recording and being liscensed by MTI, hoping this will work for them.

I have nothing against these shows (they're all at least decent) or the method of popularity (although I do wish that other not "name" shows could get a chance) But my question is, has this ever happened before in Broadway's history? Where mass local productions of a show have elevated said show from obscurity to a place in the "canon"?

I have several names, one is Julian2. I am also The Opps Girl. But cross me, and I become Bitch Dooku!

re: Shows that didn't do well on B'way, but have gone on to widely performed.

Posted: 3/9/07 at 4:50pm

thoroughly modern millie....?

i know, like, three schools in my area and one community theater that jumped on those rights.

"Love all; Trust a few; Do wrong to none." --William Shakespeare

re: Shows that didn't do well on B'way, but have gone on to widely performed.

Posted: 3/9/07 at 4:51pm

'Seusical'

My mother always used to say, "The older you get, the better you get, unless you're a banana." - Rose Nyland

re: Shows that didn't do well on B'way, but have gone on to widely performed.

Posted: 3/9/07 at 4:54pm

a high school near me did millie and it was fantastic. Acutally, last year they did "Seussical" last year

Updated On: 3/9/07 at 04:54 PM

re: Shows that didn't do well on B'way, but have gone on to widely performed.

Posted: 3/9/07 at 4:55pm

Once Upon a Mattress is huge with youth theatre groups, and it had very short runs on Broadway in its original production and the revival.

re: Shows that didn't do well on B'way, but have gone on to widely performed.

Posted: 3/9/07 at 4:58pm

Floyd Collins? Songs for a New World?

re: Shows that didn't do well on B'way, but have gone on to widely performed.

Posted: 3/9/07 at 5:01pm

Neither of those were on Broadway in the first place.

"How do you like THAT 'misanthropic panache,' Mr. Goldstone?" - PalJoey

re: Shows that didn't do well on B'way, but have gone on to widely performed.

Posted: 3/9/07 at 5:02pm

Neither of those were on Broadway. I'm not sure LITTLE WOMEN is going to have community and high school success a la THE SUESSICAL. That flop of TOM SAWYER hasn't exactly lit the regional circuit on fire since it became available...

INTO THE WOODS and GYPSY have certainly made a lot more money in regional and community theatre/high school production than they ever made on Broadway. Ditto WEST SIDE STORY.

re: Shows that didn't do well on B'way, but have gone on to widely performed.

Posted: 3/9/07 at 5:08pm

There was an article on playbill.com last year about how Seussical is one of the most liscenced shows.

for fierce, fabulous and fun times visit eric mathew's world. http://ericmathew.blogspot.com/

#10

re: Shows that didn't do well on B'way, but have gone on to widely performed.

Posted: 3/9/07 at 5:40pm

Candide

#11

re: Shows that didn't do well on B'way, but have gone on to widely performed.

Posted: 3/9/07 at 5:42pm

That's funny! I did Seussical last year and a group I regularly perform with is doing Thoroughly Modern Millie this year.

#12

re: Shows that didn't do well on B'way, but have gone on to widely performed.

Posted: 3/9/07 at 6:04pm

Not on Broadway, but L5Y has done well.

On the road of life, do not pause for suicidal chipmunks who freeze in your headlights, seeking death by your tires...

#13

re: Shows that didn't do well on B'way, but have gone on to widely performed.

Posted: 3/9/07 at 6:11pm

Suessical Millie and Little Women all have inherent appeal to school and community groups-- and remember that all of them are adapted from well-known properties.

I'm not sure I'd rank Mattress as "obscure"-- it made money, was revived, launched the career of Carol Burnett and was turned into two Television specials.

#14

re: Shows that didn't do well on B'way, but have gone on to widely performed.

Posted: 3/9/07 at 6:19pm

I wish MTI would release the Lonny Price concert version of Candide...

#15

re: Shows that didn't do well on B'way, but have gone on to widely performe

Posted: 3/9/07 at 6:39pm

Working

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

#16

re: Shows that didn't do well on B'way, but have gone on to widely performe

Posted: 3/9/07 at 6:44pm

Parade

Butters, go buy World of Warcraft, install it on your computer, and join the online sensation before we all murder you. --Cartman: South Park ATTENTION FANS: I will be played by James Barbour in the upcoming musical, "BroadwayWorld: The Musical."

#17

re: Shows that didn't do well on B'way, but have gone on to widely performe

Posted: 3/9/07 at 6:54pm

SEUSSICAL!

The rain we knew is a thing of the past -
deep-delving, dark, deliberate you would say
browsing on spire and bogland; but today
our sky-blue slates are steaming in the sun,
our yachts tinkling and dancing in the bay
like racehorses. We contemplate at last
shining windows, a future forbidden to no one.

Derek Mahon

"Maybe all one can do is hope to end up with the right regrets."

Arthur Miller

#18

re: Shows that didn't do well on B'way, but have gone on to widely performe

Posted: 3/9/07 at 7:17pm

I wish MTI would release DRS!! That show would be so fun to do

#19

re: Shows that didn't do well on B'way, but have gone on to widely performe

Posted: 3/9/07 at 7:49pm

Children of Eden.

#20

re: Shows that didn't do well on B'way, but have gone on to widely performe

Posted: 3/9/07 at 9:21pm

Children of Eden did not play on Broadway.

For a comedy Neil Simon's God's Favorite is done quite a bit for being one of Simon's shortest running Broadway shows

"He wants to know who cares. I care you stupid fool we all care..." John Wilkes Booth (Assassins)

#21

re: Shows that didn't do well on B'way, but have gone on to widely performe

Posted: 3/9/07 at 11:35pm

I know when I saw Dirty Rotten Scoundrels on Broadway, The Playbill had a little thing basically saying MTI already had their sights set on the show.

how funny is it that The community theatre I'm on the Board of is doing Little Women this summer, we did Once Upon a Mattress last summer, summer before that we did Seussical! And I have my sights set on Into the Woods or Thoroughly Modern Millie for NEXT summer (I usually direct their musical) HA! (before that was Radio Gals...BLECK!) well, actually, sort of, maybe, kind of cute...in a way

#22

re: Shows that didn't do well on B'way, but have gone on to widely performe

Posted: 3/9/07 at 11:35pm

A Year with Frog and Toad

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