Significant Casualties: When Quality Shows End Too Soon

[MrPeach]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 9:13am

If you are able, make sure to see "Significant Other" before its closing-date of April 23. It contains two performances worthy of Tony WINS -- Gideon Glick and Lindsay Mendez -- and a third, Barbara Barrie, worthy of the nomination. Yet unfortunately its closing a week from tomorrow. When looking at the box office numbers, it is by all means a "flop." Opening March 2 and closing April 23 isn't good for any show, unless it's a very limited engagement. However, money and "business" aside, it will remain one of the best plays I saw this season. 

 

It makes me wonder what other shows have flopped commercially yet were high-quality productions that just unfortunately went overlooked. I didn't see either, but both "American Psycho" and "Bright Star" seemed to be the "Significant Other"-casualties of last season. What other productions would you add to the list?

 

Numbers-wise, "A Doll's House, Part 2" has me very nervous. I plan to see it in May if it survives that long. The reviews in its thread are some of the most unanimously enthusiastic and glowing comments I've ever seen on BroadwayWorld. 

Updated On: 4/15/17 at 09:13 AM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 9:19am

The Scottsboro Boys

[AC126748]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 9:25am

There are many shows I've loved over the years that I don't think got their due on Broadway. The Scottsboro Boys is one. Amour is another. Of course, so many of these shows probably would have been better served back in the days when commercial Off Broadway productions were still viable. But alas.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 9:25am

American Psycho for sure.

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 10:22am

Caroline or Change

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 10:33am

Shuffle Along. 

Maybe the most notorious: Merrily We Roll Along.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 10:51am

Honestly, Honeymoon in Vegas.

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 11:33am

I know it wasn't anything spectacular, but The Story of My Life didn't deserve to close after 5 performances.

[Jessetenny]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 11:44am

BroadwayConcierge said: "Honestly, Honeymoon in Vegas.

 

"

How did I know you were going to say that?

[BWAYLeaks]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 12:07pm

I second SCOTTSBORO BOYS. Closed way too soon. 

[gypsy101]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 1:10pm

BroadwayConcierge said: "Honestly, Honeymoon in Vegas."

lol it lasted about 5 months longer than i expected it to.

Bridges of Madison County has one of my favorite scores of this century, i wish it had caught on.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 1:13pm

Jessetenny said: "How did I know you were going to say that?"

Ha, what can I say? I'll always believe it deserved more!

I'll strongly second Bridges of Madison County.

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 1:16pm

Caroline, or Change

The Scottsboro Boys

The Bridges of Madison County

 

[Back Row]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 1:33pm

You can drive yourself nuts playing "if only" when you think about how careers turned because a show closed early. Example: Jay Armstrong Johnson was scheduled to take over as Jack Kelly when Newsies went to Broadway, but Bonnie and Clyde closed early and Jeremy Jordan became available. And if Johnson had been in Newsies, it's unlikely that he would have left as early as Jordan did, and the opportunity would not have opened up for Corey Cott. All talented folks, who no doubt would have (or did) find success elsewhere, but their careers would have been quite different. 

[NewYorkTheater]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 1:47pm

 

One issue with Significant Other is that Isherwood was its champion Off-Broadway; he was no longer around once it transferred, and Brantley didn't like it as much.

But does anybody else feel that Significant Other would  have had a better chance had it re-opened Off-Broadway rather than transferred to Broadway? 

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 2:00pm

Catch Me If You Can
Cry-Baby
Parade
Side Show

Updated On: 4/15/17 at 02:00 PM

[MrPeach]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 2:28pm

poisonivy2 said: "Shuffle Along. 

Maybe the most notorious: Merrily We Roll Along.

 

"

I thought about mentioning that one. It is, after all, a quality show that should have stayed on way past its closing-date. But I don't feel everything was done efficiently behind the scenes. Yes, Audra McDonald became pregnant but replacements were in place. And then it just seemed to get canned out of nowhere.

There's a lot we don't know re the insurance, etc. However, I think Shuffle Along -- in addition to Waitress -- could have also survived the Hamilton season, with or without Audra. Furthermore, in no way should this show have ended without an OBC Recording -- You don't cast Audra McDonald in a musical and not have a recording; it just doesn't make sense. This shall remain a show that had a great final product but a clustered behind-the-scenes. 

 

Didn't mean to turn it into yet another Shuffle Along discussion. The shows I'm thinking of are ones that did everything right -- script, casting, accessible, etc -- and remain a production for which producers, authors, etc. should remain proud. 

Updated On: 4/15/17 at 02:28 PM

[Willie4316]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 2:48pm

Parade 

The Bridges of Madison County

American Psycho 

 

All shows that I think were very well done but just simply couldn't find an audience or came at the wrong timing. Parade I think would do great in this year. Bridges could have had some changes to the book but I think would have been better had it opened several years prior. And Psycho I believe was ahead of its time.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 6:06pm

poisonivy2 said: "Shuffle Along. 

Maybe the most notorious: Merrily We Roll Along.

 

Did you actually see it?  I did, and it was awful, agonizing to sit through.  The audience hated the show from the beginning, barely applauded at the curtain call.  Sonddheim's score was eventually vindicated, but the book was flawed and it was the worst direction in Harold Prince's resume.  

I went with five other people...every single one hated it...that is why a Sondheim / Princeshow only ran for 16 performances...other than the score, there was NO quality, and people hated it so much, they didn't even 'hear' the score.

 

Updated On: 4/15/17 at 06:06 PM

[gypsy101]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 7:01pm

the one big thing i miss with no recording is Adrienne Warren's sensational performance of the song I'm Craving for That Kind of Love

[markypoo]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 8:32pm

I also agree as to Scottsboro Boys.  The producers gave up on it way too soon.  Shame they didn't have the tenacity of In Transit's production team.

IMHO Amour was so simplistic it could have been penned by a grammar school student of average intelligence.

 

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 8:49pm

MrPeach said: "It makes me wonder what other shows have flopped commercially yet were high-quality productions that just unfortunately went overlooked. I didn't see either, but both "American Psycho" and "Bright Star" seemed to be the "Significant Other"-casualties of last season. What other productions would you add to the list?"

I saw them both. If we're talking high-quality compared to the best of the musicals on Broadway? No. If you mean about on par with Significant Other? Sure. By that metric, In Transit is high quality. That's not a knock on it. It's got a talented cast, relatively professional direction, and decent material. But by that metric only things like On Your Feet, etc. aren't high-quality. 

Also, yes, Shuffle Along should have run longer.

 

[tja928]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 9:31pm

Bright Star 

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 10:18pm

I saw BRIDGES in LA and even without O'Hara and Pasquale it was an extraordinarily moving evening in the theater. I have no idea why it didn't run, given the star wattage of the original, unless the public was just tired of the story.

But I think SCOTTSBORO BOYS has quite a bit in common with MERRILY: both prove the old adage that while people may come out whistling the tunes, a musical rises or falls because of its book. Both scores are exquisite, but the books don't really work (for different reasons).

[After Eight]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 10:40pm

The Student Gypsy, Darling of the Day, and Georgy were delightful musicals with wonderful scores that closed far too quickly. They were twenty-eight zillion and ten times better than the drab, insufferable, tuneless mega-bores that receive critical praise, tons of undeserved awards, and cause untold misery to theatregoers everywhere.