Significant Casualties: When Quality Shows End Too Soon - Page 3

[wonkit]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 11:43am

I would vote for SCOTTSBORO BOYS, too. I thought everything about the production was spot on, and the talent onstage was pretty extraordinary. The ignoramus protestors outside the theater may have scared some people away; the night I attended they were very much in evidence.

[theatreguy12]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 12:02pm

I agree. And I really liked Whoopi Goldberg's take on it at the time.  She loved it and said (paraphrased) that 90% of the people protesting probably hadn't even seen it, and that the minstrel approach was an important ( "invigorating" ) way to shed light on this dark period in US history.  I walked out feeling so strongly for those young men, so it worked for me. Such great, emotional performances. 

 

wonkit said: "I would vote for SCOTTSBORO BOYS, too. I thought everything about the production was spot on, and the talent onstage was pretty extraordinary. The ignoramus protestors outside the theater may have scared some people away; the night I attended they were very much in evidence.

 

"

 

Updated On: 4/18/17 at 12:02 PM

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 12:06pm

Going back..the original Ragtime. And going back even further - the original She Loves Me.

Neither were exactly casualties but both ended too soon (for diff reasons).

 

[newintown]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 12:11pm

I admit that I don't understand the statement of any show "deserving" a long run; I think a show gets the run it gets - a few people may like it more than others, but if you can't interest people enough to buy tickets, you're gonna close, no matter how passionate your few fans are.

That said, there have been flop musicals that I thought were good theatre: Grind, Play On!, Grey Gardens, A Catered Affair, The Scottsboro Boys, and The Visit come to mind. But I don't think any of them "deserved" a longer run than they had.

[BuddyStarr]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 12:15pm

MrPeach said: "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. "

Really?

SO, while maybe acted well, was abysmal.  The whiny lead character who didn't end up caring about anything except himself?  I kept asking myself how this even ended up on Bway?  Barbara Barrie was wasted in this production and the character seems to be there to attract the older viewers into the audience. The actors try their hardest with substandard material. 

 

Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson closed way to soon. Great show with a great cast.  Middle American didn't want to see one of their "heros" for who he was. 

[Kad]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 12:21pm

Many shows that have short Broadway runs end up with respectable second lives in regional, community, and school theatres for years and years. Broadway is not the end-all, be-all.

[newintown]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 12:33pm

"Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson closed way to soon. Great show with a great cast.  Middle American didn't want to see one of their "heros" [sic] for who he was."

Andrew Jackson is merely a face on currency; most of America has absolutely no idea who he was. And the musical most definitely did not show him for "who he was" anyway; it was total fiction. That show flopped because it was sophomoric and ultimately a silly snooze.

[adam.peterson44]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 12:56pm

AfterEight, so glad to hear that you enjoyed the concert!  I wish you many more visits to that cloud.  :)

[Jarethan]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 5:17pm

Someone in a Tree2 said: "Jarethan, I usually thrill to your memories of shows I never got to see. But I have to disagree with your take on GRIND, a show that I really admired at the time, even as I could see its flaws.

For starters, it was a perfect Hal Prince show-- a full social critique of Jim Crow set against the backdrop of pure show-biz in the guise of the segregated burlesque circuit of the 1930's. The conceit of a love story set amidst the second bananas, strippers, and novelty acts going on onstage was great drama for me, made all the more so by it all playing out on one of the most brilliant Broadway sets I've ever seen. To see the entire multi-story world of that old vaudeville theater -- stacks of dressing rooms up spiral stairs, onstage backdrops going up and down manned from visible fly lofts, side wings, front of house spaces-- all on a huge turntable that revolved and revolved constantly showing new nooks and crannies was thrilling on its own. Add a talented cast of 30 starring Ben Vereen, and a score which might not have been memorable, but suited the Julie Styne vibe of the piece to a tee, and I was a very happy camper that night. Wish I had had the money then to return several times before its premature closing.

 

I do remember the set -- and the maneuvering of it -- being very impressive.  But the only thing in the show that moved me was Stubby Kaye's performance.  As I recall, he was going blind and couldn't deal with it, but I can't remember if he had an accident or committed suicide.

I also thought the lead, who had a good voice, was not very good in the role and, after thirty years or so, I honestly can not remember what role Ben Vereen played, whether it was central to the story,  or if he was any good in it.  I seem to remember his role as being smaller than I expected, but that may be the passage of time.  I really only remember that every song the lead sang seemed to be a dirge.

But, the good thing is that we can all have different memories, except After Eight who doesn't seem entitled to his opinions by some people here.

 

 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 5:32pm

Kad said: "Many shows that have short Broadway runs end up with respectable second lives in regional, community, and school theatres for years and years. Broadway is not the end-all, be-all.

Interesting point that I would concur with.  I was very disappointed that I was unable to see Significant Other...don't come North until late May...but then i figured that it was a good bet that it will be staged by a local Sarasota company.  In the past few years, I was able to see excellent local productions of Thurgood, The Columnist, and Other Desert Cities, every one of which I would have seen if I still lived in the NYC area.  Also saw productions of Vanya and Next to Normal , which I enjoyed as much as on Broadway (really!)  and Spamalot, which I enjoyed much more than the Broadway production.  

 

[kdogg36]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 6:08pm

Jarethan said: "But, the good thing is that we can all have different memories, except After Eight who doesn't seem entitled to his opinions by some people here."

He's absolutely entitled to say whatever he wants - and he does! But when he calls into question other people's values because they like shows that he doesn't - which he also absolutely does - then it's proper to judge him negatively for that.

 

[SkylarElizabeth]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 9:36pm

Kad said: "Many shows that have short Broadway runs end up with respectable second lives in regional, community, and school theatres for years and years. Broadway is not the end-all, be-all.

 

"

While this is true in the sense of keeping the music, book, and message alive and well, for producers and investors, Broadway is vital in them making back what they put into the show.  

[Chicken_Flavor]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 9:38pm

Honestly, I thought this show would do amazingly and last long enough for some teenager to record a bootleg and post it on the internet.  Guess not though...