I love the set designer, so that peaked my interest, but I don't think I want to sit through this.
Yeah. I’ve been getting SO many notifications on Theatr for people selling off tickets at major bargain rates and I don’t think I’ve ever seen this many people actively fleeing a show.
Broadway Star Joined: 4/30/22
Just clicked through half a dozen future performances in rapid succession on my laptop. The same seats are greyed-out night after night - all orchestra section. Production holds to make it look popular I guess.
This is not in good shape.
When Ragtime opens it will really be third time's the charm for the return of the Palace.
I do like the new ads with the eyes. Too little too late?
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/23/17
bwaylyric said: "I do like the new ads with the eyes. Too little too late?"
Just lipstick on a pig.
Leading Actor Joined: 4/5/07
Is ‘Ragtime’ really transferring this Winter/Spring??
How is that new artwork is supposed to be better? I hope they’re trying to fix the show too and not just the artwork.
Stand-by Joined: 5/11/22
The new artwork suggests this is connected to The Eyes of Tammy Faye, something we know to be untrue.
Understudy Joined: 10/6/12
Strange Lupone said: "The new artwork suggests this is connected to The Eyes of Tammy Faye, something we know to be untrue."
The eyes were also used in the Almeida marketing of the show so there is nothing new in terms of concept: https://almeida.co.uk/whats-on/tammy-faye/
Stand-by Joined: 5/11/22
bway1430 said: " "…so there is nothing new in terms of concept:…”
After reading this thread, I gotta say, “There’s a concept?”
Saw the show this past weekend and oof. I went into the show really knowing nothing about Tammy Faye and left…pretty much knowing nothing about Tammy Faye. There’s zero attempt at delving into who she actually is, what she believes, what motivates her, etc. If anything, we see more character development of Jim.
It was baffling to me that I was watching a Broadway show – it felt so amateurish. It’s clear that Elton’s name was the only way it got here.
The set felt so limiting (and I couldn’t get over Katie Brayben having to slowly walk backward and pretend to still be leaning on the set as it moved upstage during the first part of her Act I closing song).
Brayben, somehow, rises above the material and is excellent. I only wish we could see what she could do if she was given a fully realized character. Borle and Cerveris gave it their all as well (although, and maybe this me projecting this onto them, but I swear during their bows they both looked dead and defeated in the eyes). I felt so sorry for these excellent actors.
The highlight of my experience were the new bathrooms in the renovated theatre – I’d say best bathrooms on Broadway!
GilmoreGirlO2 said: "The highlight of my experience were the new bathrooms in the renovated theatre – I’d say best bathrooms on Broadway!"
The new facilities at the Palace are nice, but the Best Bathrooms of Broadway Award goes to "Oh, Mary!" by a landslide
GilmoreGirlO2 said: "The highlight of my experience were the new bathrooms in the renovated theatre – I’d say best bathrooms on Broadway!"
Now THERE is a pull-quote: "Tammy Faye, the best bathrooms on Broadway!"
GilmoreGirlO2 said: "[...] The highlight of my experience were the new bathrooms in the renovated theatre – I’d say best bathrooms on Broadway!"
My experience was the opposite! I was sitting in the orchestra and was kind of shocked at the narrow staircase leading down to a very cramped and chaotic queue for the inadequately-sized bathroom. It looked as if no consideration had been given to expanding that bathroom or making crowd flow more efficient.
I’m extremely curious what the grosses for the past week are going to look like, when it appears most shows aren’t selling anything.
ardiem said: "GilmoreGirlO2 said: "[...] The highlight of my experience were the new bathrooms in the renovated theatre – I’d say best bathrooms on Broadway!"
My experience was the opposite! I was sitting in the orchestra and was kind of shocked at the narrow staircase leading down to a very cramped and chaotic queue for the inadequately-sized bathroom. It looked as if no consideration had been given to expanding that bathroom or making crowd flow more efficient."
Yeah I was also shocked and really don’t like the new Palace. I mean the design does not take patron traffic into consideration at all. If the ushers weren’t actively directing and instructing during intermission it would have been bedlam.
The new Palace is tiny and generic and cramped. I hate it. I’m showing my age but I miss the old more ornate lobby.
I didn't hate this as much as it feels like other people did. Which...isn't to say it's good. But I feel like it COULD have been good. There's interesting stuff here about the beginning of the continued problem of religious and political figures uniting, and there's also a really interesting story about faith, even if some of its questions are necessarily going to remain unresolved.
I don't even hate that it's framed by Tammy's cancer diagnosis and death. But it definitely lacked focus and, more concerningly, emotional connection. I don't think we need to love a character to watch a musical about them, but we should certainly care about them, and I found myself with entirely muted emotional responses.
Still, I think there's material here that could have been made into a show that worked. And there's certainly a ton of talent on stage. It seemed to have noble intentions, and I'm glad that I saw it, even if I don't think it really works as its currently playing.
Is this still on track to open next week or might we see an extended preview period? Are they making any changes? Are they trying to fix this?
CATSNYrevival said: "Is this still on track to open next week or might we see an extended preview period? Are they making any changes? Are they trying to fix this?"
Yes, they are making extensive changes. Heck, in the past few days they’ve added Elton John’s name above the title so they’re pulling straws in hopes something helps.
Could you detail the “extensive” changes they’ve made? I saw the show again last night after being at the first preview and noticed two very small changes, one of which was an ADDED scene.
Did they cut the Pope/Mormon/Archbishop scenes? I wasn't really sure if all that was necessary given we already have Jerry Falwell. Even the whole Jim Bakker gay stuff could be cut, in my opinion.
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/23/17
BrodyFosse123 said: "CATSNYrevival said: "Is this still on track to open next week or might we see an extended preview period? Are they making any changes? Are they trying to fix this?"
Yes, they are making extensive changes. Heck, in the past few days they’ve added Elton John’s name above the title so they’re pulling straws in hopes something helps."
Sorry -- but changing the key art is not an "extensive change". As others have also said, I've seen the show during the first week of previews and then again last weekend -- and the changes to the actual show are very minimal.
Swing Joined: 11/5/24
Jordan Catalano said: "I’m extremely curious what the grosses for the past week are going to look like, when it appears most shows aren’t selling anything."
Tammy Faye- $319k gross, 64% capacity, $112 atp (Down $227k from last week)
Gross Less-Fees: $278k; Estimated Weekly Operating Cost: $800k-850k/week; Estimated Profit (Loss): $(348k)
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/29/14
Drag The Musical is probably grossing more than Tammy Faye....hehe
It’s also nearly impossible to implement “extensive changes” while a show is in performances. It’s like operating on a patient while they’re at work.
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