Sweet Charity Cancels Broadway Engagement- Page 3

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 6:40pm

Wow. I am heart broken. I was very much looking forward to seeing a Broadway production of this classic musical. And Denis O'Hare. He is such a fantastic actor who doesn't deserve something like this to happen. I can't imagine what he must be feeling at this moment. I'm sor very sorry to hear this news.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 6:40pm

"It's sad when it's all about the money. What happened to talent and a good time? That should count for somethin'." There may be a light over at the Frankenstein place, but clearly there's nobody home at the castle.

So, total conjecture here. But I do believe that if Barry Weissler had been able to continue with the narrative of "TV funny girl breaks foot, true triple threat triumphs in the nick of time," this show would have opened in New York. But you could actually sort of follow what might have been happening behind the scenes, with Barry first telling that story, then backing away from it, and everybody saying, "Gee, we hope Christina's back for New York" and Christina allegedly being furious that there were even suggestions she might not be. I can just picture her backstage in Boston after reading that Times article. And her little dog, too!

But she was the name above the title, god knows we've heard again and again how HARD she worked, how much she WANTED this, how she has NO INTEREST IN GOING INTO HER FIRST BROADWAY GIG AS A REPLACEMENT, so I can just imagine the heat she put on the producers for having the temerity to suggest that a) the metatarsel would not be healed for opening and b) Charlotte was FINALLY going to get her big break.

I think it would have been very very cool of Christina to say, "Yep, I broke my foot, drat the luck. But everybody should go see it, Charlotte is fantastic. This is showbiz. And a classic showbiz story at that." Then, perhaps she could have lowered her expectations, gone in as a replacement, and wowed the critics on a second viewing. It should have been a great story.

But SOMEBODY inhibited the narrative.

Posted: 3/25/05 at 6:44pm

My thoughts exactly Namo. Imagine the meeting today that led to this announcement- after all parties have read the articles in the Times. Ugly.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 6:46pm

"But SOMEBODY inhibited the narrative."

Yeah, the Boston critics, who didn't buy the pull of the Cinderella Story over the apparent flaws in the creative aspects of the production.

If Charlotte had received through the roof raves, the show would have opened in New York. But her reviews were, over all, not much better then Applegate's, which added a little chip in the glass slipper.

Updated On: 3/25/05 at 06:46 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 6:46pm

Well, one positive thing to come out of all of this -- they can go ahead and engrave Jerry Mitchell's Tony for Best Choreography. Charity would have been the only real competition for him and Les Cagelles. Good for him.

[Justice]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 6:46pm

Easier said than done. What about the hard work someone puts into, as a performer - it's all wasted over one stupid injury. I loved Christina's determination to get better, and don't blame her if she got upset because someone (who may be better in Broadway's eyes) would be replacing her. Charlotte is a veteran who has been doing B'way for years. Christina has never had the chance, and wanted it with all her heart.
But, honestly, do you think this show would have sold with an unfamiliar name in the billings?
The Weisslers would have lost so much money - even if Charlotte was a breakthrough. Do you think out of towners would really care? These out of towners still don't even know who Kristen Chenowith is!

[Tiny-Toon]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 6:55pm

WOW..
A show closing because of one little mistake of the star.

Updated On: 3/25/05 at 06:55 PM

[sipos]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 6:59pm

No, the show could have opened later with Cristina (as long as house was on hold for them).

SUCKS!!!!

So upset about this. I posted after the article there. I don't care what the story is. This is BUSKER ALLEY/BUSKERS/BUSKIN'/LAMPOSTS/ all over again.
This one though, would have made it through the dark tunnel scariness of opening week ticket sales in NYC. SWEET CHARITY! F@#%


This was wrong to derail.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 7:01pm

And while we're on the subject of missed opportunities:

Shannon Lewis's backstage diary on the SWEET CHARITY website should have been full enough by now to write a book! I'm sure after the accident, she was told by Mr and Mrs W to lay off it, but -- what a loss for a great chronicle of life in the theatre.

Where is the documentary crew when you need them?

[Tiny-Toon]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 7:03pm

"I'm sure after the accident, she was told by Mr and Mrs W to lay off it"

yeah, looks like it

[BluCat500]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 7:05pm

Makes one want to reconsider the expression break a leg

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 7:08pm

You know what Justice, part of the nature of life and live theater is that anything can happen and things can turn on a dime. Or a lamp post as the case may be. Yes, yes, yes, we've heard again and again that Christina wanted this with all of her heart. An important lesson to all the folks who post here with the hopes of being BIG Broadway stars one day: just cuz you want it, doesn't mean you're gonna get it.

If Barry Weissler had been free to be himself, he would've spun Charlotte's story into a reverse All About Eve that would have snowballed all last week into a Doozie of a Showbiz Story. After all, it was that man's mouth that somehow translated "Melanie Griffith in Chicago" into asses in the theater seat.

Instead it was all backpedaling and walking on egg shells and "Did I say that? Did that go out?" and Charlotte sounding like a stand-in.

[Broadwaylady]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 7:12pm

AWWWWWWWWW had tixs for 4/23. I was looking forward to seeing the show.

Posted: 3/25/05 at 7:13pm

such sad news, I wanted to see this show!

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 7:15pm

This is very sad.

But what I want to know is... Will Charlotte return to Chicago right away on Monday the 28th? Coz I really counting on seeing Michelle DeJean as Roxie next week. So I'm sad about that.

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 7:15pm

SO WAIT! THIS MEANS THE RECORDINGS... *sniff sniff* OFF!?? NOOOO

[DAME]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 7:15pm

Michael Bennett:
I just wanted to point out that Charlotte went into the Boston opening with very little rehearsal. Having seen her in so many other things.. I am sure she would have been glorious once she reached broadway. I also wanted to point out.. that a lot of performances which recieved mediocre reviews on the tryout.. were well recieved on Broadway. Latest example is Kathleen Turner in Virginia Wolf.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 7:17pm

I agree with you DAME, but I think Weissler was hoping that D'Amboise's reviews would be amazing right out the gate -- as it was -- a decision had to made, and it's hard to argue with what they decided.
Updated On: 3/25/05 at 07:17 PM

[Glebb]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 7:17pm

I'm sure Charlotte would have been great. The problem is that as mediocre as Christina was the show was worse.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 7:18pm

And also, the backpedaling on the "Charlotte's gonna open in New York and she's gonna be fantastic" story began days before the Boston reviews came out. Again, total conjecture here: I'm wondering if lawyers were involved?

[DAME]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 7:20pm

Well; this whole thing is so sad. I love "Sweet Charity" I have enjoyed all the productions I have seen throughout the years and I hope a few years from now a good revival is mounted. Hopefully with a good coreographer ( not a big Wayne Cilento fan..) .

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 7:22pm

DAME

I know you've worked on productions of CHARITY in the past -- do you think the show is actually something that would have been better for ENCORES? Do you think if they had done the show as originally written, they would have had better luck?

[DAME]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 7:26pm

Who knows. I didn't see this producion so I have nothing to go by. I do think it is a star driven Fosse show. If you are going to revive it.. then you need to have a very strong creative coreographer, and inventive director, and a triple threat star.

Updated On: 3/25/05 at 07:26 PM

[broadwaynut20]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 7:31pm

Didn't something like this happen with Little Shop of Horrors last year. Could Sweet Charity still make it with a new production team? Or should I just try to get my money back because I was supposed to see it August 8th

[DAME]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 7:32pm

You need to get your money back.