THE ADDAMS FAMILY to Close on Broadway December 31 — Page 2

I was really looking forward to this show. With the characters and the great material, they had so many possibilities. What did the writers do? They just rewrote "You Can't Take It With You and stuck in the Addams Family. And to top it off, with the exception of Nathan Lane, they wasted all that talent. For instance, the amazing Jackie Hoffman was given nothing to do.

Oh well ... Bye Bye Addams Family.

I enjoyed the show, yes it wasn't great or anything but I thought it was fun. The best part of the show is the sets.

Blaxx wrote:

Wasn't this the "critic proof" show of the decade? The one that showed that reviews are obsolete? The one that would run 250 years making a quazillion dollars on its way?

Actually no, nor do I think many (if any) people said that it was (including me, though I'm certainly a fan of the show).

Of course, when it comes to TAF, a mocking comment is to be expected from Blaxx and dozens of others on this board. But at least mock something factual or something that was actually a widely-held belief and not revisionist history you're essentially making up now to suit your own need to slam the show yet again.

In truth, the majority of people (on BWW and elsewhere) have been predicting the demise of this show since the day its reviews came out (if not earlier) so the fact that it lasted as long as it did, well beyond Nathan's run, is a noteworthy accomplishment. Perhaps undeserved -- reasonable people can disagree about that -- but noteworthy nevertheless.

From what's been said publicly and been rumored, I don't think the show will have quite recouped by the time it closes. But with their tour launching and all those other productions happening in the next few years -- all of which will pay money back to the Broadway company in some fashion -- I'll bet it gets there within another year or two.

I do agree with the earlier poster who surmised that "Ghost" will be the next occupant of the Lunt (as Riedel has also suggested). Actually seems somewhat fitting following on the heels of the Addams clan.

---

Great ideas, no make that fantastic properties turned over to second-level creative talents often end up like this. The idea of an "Adams Family" musical IS almost perfect, but if the execution is as sad as this one was....

I hear the same thing about "Ghost." And we all saw what happened to "Happy Days..."

I guess the lesson is, "A good idea doesn't sing and dance by itself."

---

Updated On: 8/24/11 at 05:04 PM

I'm a gigantic addams fan. I have every Dv set I can find. SO when I heard of this musical I was overjoyed And I enjoyed it thoroughly, it was very well directed (I mean hat a greta use of curtain!) And i liked the homy sitcomy plot. That's what makes the addamses fun for me: their crazy version of everyday situations. But I will admit that the original cast gave it some major lift.

This makes me so very sad

At least bring Nathan & Bebe back to close it with dignity

---

"Wasn't this the "critic proof" show of the decade? The one that showed that reviews are obsolete? The one that would run 250 years making a quazillion dollars on its way?"

I thought that was Spiderman?

again, does anyone know if the show recouped???

---

I wonder if Miss Hoffman is Celebrating? I wish they hadn't cancelled her Video Blog!

'Through the critics did not praise the production, they praised the show's original principal leading cast, Nathan Lane as 'Gomez' and Bebe Neuwirth as 'Morticia'. The show still did well at the box office, selling more than $1million worth of tickets in it's first year. However, it seems the production did not recoup its costs, with producer Stuart Oken telling Variety, in May 2011, that the show was, "about two-thirds of the way toward recoupment.'

---

Updated On: 8/25/11 at 01:37 AM

A question: Did anybody ever try to engage Vic Mizzy to do an Addams Family show? Not this one of course; he died in 2009 and he was 93. But a show. Anyone who's heard that Perfecto anthology of his themes and background music will know he was exceptionally inventive. To quote from an Amazon.com review, "The only problem I have approaching a movie or TV show scored by Vic Mizzy is the almost certain knowledge that his score will be the best thing about it." And he wrote two theme songs that will be familiar as long as people watch TV. Bad idea or otherwise -- and I say it was bad, whatever its promise -- I submit this musical died in part because the score wasn't by Vic Mizzy.

Let the show die with dignity? Oh, please. I have no idea who is better in the roles, as I haven't had the slightest interest in this show, so I didn't see it. And the show can't be doing HORRIBLY because they are even closing for 4 months.

Unless a show has become iconic -- as so few really are, thank goodness --- I think bringing back the original leads is tacky and pandering, not to mention disrespectful of the current actors.

---

Post the holiday months, and with Shields' draw, it may just barely recoup. Six months is a while, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it do bang-up business over Halloween and the winter holidays.

Sad to see people out of work, but onwards and upwards.