Chorus Member Joined: 10/6/12
Agreed.
I am quite curious who they will cast as Jan Crouch - didn't care for the portrayal in London and hope they remove "Run This Show", her duet with Falwell that landed with a thud (the idea behind it would be a great scene, but it doesn't deserve a whole song).
Also curious who they cast as Jessica Hahn and if they have rightfully fleshed out that character, given how notoriously famous she became during the scandal. In London, she had a quick scene, a few lines in a song, then all but disappeared before we knew who she was. There was potential there.
Stand-by Joined: 4/4/17
Broadway Flash said: "Gays and right wingers?"
I really don’t know how you speak for all “THE GAYS” but believe me, they could give me a free ticket to this and I wouldn’t accept it. I know at least 10 gay friends who have no interest in it and all think it will be a massive flop.
Don’t they typically announce the full company on the day of the first rehearsal?
I wasn’t speaking for gay people. Someone asked who this is for, and I guessed gay people and right wingers. I have not seen it, but it seems like those were Tammy Faye bakers fans in real life.
Chorus Member Joined: 10/6/12
Having seen this show in London, I can attest to the fact that this show is for anyone that enjoys serious musical theatre with a bit of kitch and a bit of camp. "The Gays" will adore this show as it pays homage to her love of the gay community but also illustrates the price she paid for having a "love everyone" ethos that often contrasted with the views of the religous "right".
The score is first-rate and the book by James Graham raises it to a level of sophistication that we often miss in in today's "its a musical so check your brains at the door" environment.
I look forward to seeing the newly revised version as the Almeida production wasn't perfect, but had a LOT of promise and potential.
I cannot understand why anyone would instantly dismiss this show without giving it a fair shot but that is their loss. It says more about their limited perspective than it does about the show.
Chorus Member Joined: 8/26/19
bway1430 said: "Having seen this show in London, I can attest to the factthat this show is foranyone that enjoys serious musical theatre with a bit of kitch and a bit of camp. "The Gays" will adore this show as it pays homage to herlove of the gay community but also illustrates the price she paid for having a "love everyone" ethos that often contrasted with the views of the religous "right".
The score is first-rate and the book by James Graham raises it to a level of sophistication that we often miss in in today's "its a musical so check your brains at the door" environment.
I look forward to seeing the newly revised version as the Almeida production wasn't perfect, but had a LOT of promise and potential.
I cannot understand why anyone would instantly dismiss this show without giving it a fair shotbut that is their loss. Itsays more about their limited perspective than it does about the show.
"
It's great that you personally had a chance to see it in London and you consider this musical to be worthy of your time and money. So far, as a person who sees nearly everything on Broadway, I wasn't convinced that it's worth mine. Their socials are non existent. There's no marketing whatsoever, and I still honestly have no clue what this musical is really all about. I have purchased quite a few advance tickets for new upcoming shows but I have yet to discover a single reason to get a ticket for Tammy Faye. It's the shows marketing teams job to convince me to buy a ticket, but nobody is working on it, it seems.
It's great that you personally had a chance to see it in London and you consider this musical to be worthy of your time and money. So far, as a person who sees nearly everything on Broadway, I wasn't convinced that it's worth mine. Their socials are non existent. There's no marketing whatsoever, and I still honestly have no clue what this musical is really all about. I have purchased quite a few advance tickets for new upcoming shows but I have yet to discover a single reason to get a ticket for Tammy Faye. It's the shows marketing teams job to convince me to buy a ticket, but nobody is working on it, it seems."
If i may ask, what did you see that didn't convince you that it was worth your time? I barely knew anything about Tammy Faye, but it was a new Elton John score, the book by James Graham and Katie Brayben in the lead role that got me to buy a ticket. It's also the first show in many years that has enticed me back to NYC later this year, purely to see this and Sunset Blvd again. Hopefully you'll see something soon to sway you to give it a go.
Oh yes, because Swept Away and Maybe Happy Ending are very active on their socials. And why would that convince you anyway? Social media is a scam to try and sell you stuff.
Chorus Member Joined: 10/6/12
I agree with TBFL. Not sure what else one needs to lure them in, given that it has an Elton John score, a leading trio of terrific actors, a book by a man who is arguably the hottest playwright at the moment (or at least he is here in London) and a subject matter that is suited to Broadway like a hand to glove....not to mention a handful of very promising reviews in London.
Hopefully, once their marketing plan kicks in you might think twice.
RippedMan said: "Don’t they typically announce the full company on the day of the first rehearsal?"
Heard cast is now set announcement coming
I wonder if they'll still have the Archbishop of Cantebury as a character. He is so UK specific that i doubt many Americans would know who he is
The run time on Broadway Direct says it’s 2 hours and 10 minutes, I wonder if that’ll still be the case when it comes to Broadway?
they could give me a free ticket to this and I wouldn’t accept it. I know at least 10 gay friends who have no interest in it and all think it will be a massive flop.
I know no one that would be interested in this. And a Broadway show needs a broad audience to make money, not just "the gays" as is being assumed in this thread. Elton John helps but people don't go to a show to only hear the score with the price of Broadway shows today. Just my thoughts though, perhaps this will be a massive hit.
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/12/14
Sutton Ross said: "Elton John helps but people don't go to a show to only hear the score with the price of Broadway shows today. Just my thoughts though, perhaps this will be a massive hit.
The success of jukebox musicals might disprove your statement here. But your point is taken, since this is a new Elton John score that most people attending the show wouldn't know so I'm not sure how much pull that has.
"
Sutton Ross said: "they could give me a free ticket to this and I wouldn’t accept it. I know at least 10 gay friends who have no interest in it and all think it will be a massive flop.
I know no one that would be interested in this. And a Broadway show needs a broad audience to make money, not just "the gays" as is being assumed in this thread. Elton John helps but people don't go to a show to only hear the score with the price of Broadway shows today. Just my thoughts though, perhaps this will be a massive hit."
No one said it was just 'the gays'.
I'm really curious as to why people are not interested in seeing this show. It's about a larger than life personality that many Americans are familiar with, or at least know of, a new score by Elton John and Jake Shears, it's staring 2, 2 time Tony award winners - Christian Borle and Michael Cerveris, 2 time Olivier award winner Katie Brayben giving a star making performance, a very clever, witty book by Olivier Award winner James Graham, who's play Dear England is coming to Broadway, it's opening in the newly refurbished Palace Theatre. If none of that interests you enough to book a ticket.... then you really should just stay home.
The people who are already hating on this show are the same ones who hated on The Great Gatsby. That show is making 1.2 million dollars a week, so the feelings on this board are certainly not a reflection of what becomes a hit or not.
Broadway Flash said: "The run time on Broadway Direct says it’s 2 hours and 10 minutes, I wonder if that’ll still be the case when it comes to Broadway?"
I assume that is without interval? The show was 2.45/2.50 in London. 20 mins is a lot to cut out
Broadway Star Joined: 8/26/19
TBFL said: "I'm really curious as to why people are not interested in seeing this show. It's about a larger than life personality that many Americans are familiar with, or at least know of"
That's the issue. I don't know a single person who knows who Tammy Faye is, neither I was aware of her before hearing about this musical. Maybe it's just my circle that is completely oblivious (mostly immigrants and Americans from the East Coast) of who she is. Maybe she's more well known to folks in the south? Everyone is obviously aware of Elton John but still, the heroine and brand new score doesn't make it a must buy ticket (at least not yet).
Understudy Joined: 3/27/22
I really hate the term 'the gays', it's so outdated and borderline insulting in 2024. We aren't all the same, we don't like all the same stuff, and we aren't all aware of the same pop cultural stuff. I can't imagine it being said about any other demographic.
I can't imagine this show attracting many overseas tourists so it will be more reliant on the American market, compared to some other shows
It’s going to be a HIT when people find out how good it is
Chorus Member Joined: 10/6/12
I wouldn't get too twisted over comments about "the gays" given that the phrase is in parentheses which is a hint that it is tongue in cheek. As "a gay" it doesn't bother me in the slightest.
Re the appeal of TAMMY FAYE, if you had said to me that foreign tourists would be flocking to a Broadway show that is a send-up of the Mormon religion or a rap musical about Alexander Hamilton I might have thought you were bonkers but would have been wrong.
So maybe, instead of armchair quarterbacking about its appeal, or lack thereof, we wait til it begins previews so we can see what the show actually is and then maybe start making assertions? True, the show had a London production (which I saw) but given that the show went into redevelopement and had a new post-London workshop, the Broadway production will be a revised version of that show and none of us know what it will be like in its new iteration.
If a show with a new Elton John score, featuring a trio of fine actors with two Tony Award winners and a subject matter that promises to be interesting if not both poignant and possibly hilarious doesn't appeal to you, I would have to question your knowledge/taste when it comes to musical theatre. But in the meantime, knocking it down/picking it apart and claiming it has no mass appeal before it has even started rehearsals is asinine and a waste of time.
Chorus Member Joined: 10/6/12
Broadway Flash said: "It’s going to be a HIT when people find out how good it is"
If it is half as good as it was at The Almeida, I agree.
I wonder if Nederlander has an agreement with the hotel that if they wanted to raise the theatre, they had to agree to advertise and encourage their guests to go see whatever show is in the Palace, and sell tickets at the front desk.
gibsons2 said: "TBFL said: "I'm really curious as to why people are not interested in seeing this show. It's about a larger than life personality that many Americans are familiar with, or at least know of"
That's the issue. I don't know a single person who knows who Tammy Faye is, neither I was aware of her before hearing about this musical. Maybe it's just my circle that is completely oblivious (mostly immigrants and Americans from the East Coast) of who she is.Maybe she's more well known to folks in the south? Everyone is obviously aware of Elton John but still, the heroine and brand new score doesn't make it a must buy ticket (at least not yet).
"
You have never heard of her? Not even from the 2021 film 'The Eyes of Tammy Faye' that Jessica Chastain won the best actress Oscar for? It also starred Andrew Garfield as Jim Bakker?? That was only 3 years ago. I'm guessing you might be a young person?
Theatrefan2 said: "I really hate the term 'the gays', it's so outdated and borderline insulting in 2024. We aren't all the same, we don't like all the same stuff, and we aren't all aware of the same pop cultural stuff. I can't imagine it being said about any other demographic.
I can't imagine this show attracting many overseas tourists so it will be more reliant on the American market, compared to some other shows"
"I can't imagine it being said about any other demographic" he says, making the same sweeping statement and generalisations about overseas tourists. They're not all the sam and they don't all like the same stuff.
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