THE GREAT SOCIETY closing Nov. 30

[quizking101]

Posted: 10/12/19 at 10:56am

The limited run seems to be ending two months early according to new advertisements and also all ticket sales after that date are removed on the LCT website.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/12/19 at 11:07am

Oh wow. When was the last time an LCT show actually closed early?

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/12/19 at 11:26am

Bummer. I actually really enjoyed this play.

[InTheBathroom1]

Posted: 10/12/19 at 11:33am

I think it’s a commercial venture at LCT, I don’t think it’s an LCT show. I

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/12/19 at 11:48am

Updated On: 10/12/19 at 11:48 AM

[JBroadway]

Posted: 10/12/19 at 11:51am

InTheBathroom1 said: "I think it’s a commercial venture at LCT, I don’t think it’s an LCT show. I"

 

It believe it's a joint production between LCT and the other producers. LCT is listed as one of the producers, it's listed on their website, and they implement their ticket polices like LincTix - so it's definitely an LCT show. But I believe you may be right that the other producers have a commercial stake in the show, and that's why the low numbers are forcing them to close. To be honest, I don't really know the financial logistics of a non-profit partnering with commercial producers (though I know it isn't uncommon) - but it seems logical enough. 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 10/12/19 at 12:09pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Oh wow. When was the last time an LCT show actually closed early?"

Women on the Verge?

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/12/19 at 12:32pm

This is a commercial production, and the run has always been for just 12 weeks (through November 30), presumably because Succession is going to have to start filming again. Where had you seen a January closing date?



From the initial NYT announcement:

"The play is a commercial production, with a team led by [Jeffery] Richards, taking place in a nonprofit house, Lincoln Center Theater. The producers....are renting the space from the nonprofit, according to a spokesman for Lincoln Center Theater, but the nonprofit’s members will have an early opportunity to purchase tickets (starting Monday) and the theater is credited as a co-producer; the arrangement is similar to that for “Ann” in 2013."

 

(I wouldn't be surprised if the closing date was moved to early November, though.)

Updated On: 10/12/19 at 12:32 PM

[quizking101]

Posted: 10/12/19 at 2:21pm

I can’t find the link but the NYT review had it listed through 1/19/20

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 10/12/19 at 3:09pm

quizking101 said: "I can’t find the link but the NYT review had it listed through 1/19/20"

Well, they got it wrong, It was always a 12 week run.

[jagman1062]

Posted: 10/12/19 at 4:21pm

Every announcement or advertisement that I've seen for the show indicated a closing date of November 30.  As a LCT member who had a first opportunity to purchase tickets, the show was slated for a 3-month run including previews starting shortly after Labor Day and running through the end of November.  Unless the show is announced to close earlier than November 30, then it's closing as originally scheduled.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 10/12/19 at 11:22pm

A very bad play -- a staged reading of a wikipedia entry, with Brian Cox's performance as J. Edgar Hoover being a particular drag on the play, especially damaging since he's actually cast in the role of LBJ.  Some other actors stand around and deliver barely disguised historical exposition with varying degrees of commitment.  

Plenty of empty seats.  Looked like the mezzanine was deserted.  

Updated On: 10/12/19 at 11:22 PM

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 10/12/19 at 11:54pm

I assume they would have liked to extend through the holidays? Seems odd to close before then

[Jarethan]

Posted: 10/14/19 at 12:28am

I went into this with low expectations, but I enjoyed it quite a bit. I did not see All The Way on stage, so I can’t compare it to that. On its own merits, it was not a great play — it was very episodic and did not build as well as it could — but I was never bored, I got a little education, and it kept my interest.

I thought Brian Cox was excellent. I disagree with those who compare his performance to All The Way and say it was lacking. Not because I have an opinion of a performance that I did not even see on stage, but because the LBJ in All The Way was not the same LBJ as in this play. He was worn out, discouraged, wrongly focused, etc.

Never gonna win any awards, pales in a comparison to recent Slave Play and The Sound Inside, but still a worthwhile night in the theatre.

Closing out my Autumn trip, I saw 7 shows, loved 4 (Moulin Rouge, Oklahoma, The Sound Inside, Slave
Play, liked Betrayal and The.Great Society, and hated (intensely disliked?) Hadestown. Not a bad average, but still surprised re my reaction to Hadestown. I read all the reviews and still didn’t expect It to be so IMO unrelentlessly drab, repetitive,

I guess the 2018 / 2019 musical season was just not for me. Disliked Tootsie a lot; indifferent to The Prom; intensely disliked Hadestown; and still have zero interest in seeing Ain’t Too Proud. In the 2019 / 2020 season, only saw
One so far, MR, and loved it.

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 10/14/19 at 2:37am

I thought that if it did well they were going to entertain the idea of an extension....that was the original chatter.

[Dave13]

Posted: 10/14/19 at 9:19am

Makes no sense to close before the Holidays, which tends to be the most lucrative time of the year.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 10/14/19 at 10:20am

Dave13 said: "Makes no sense to close before the Holidays, which tends to be the most lucrative time of the year. "

Shows like this do not benefit an iota from the holidays.  Typically dramas that are doing middling business do worse during the holidays, because everyone wants to see musicals, plays with stars in them, or in demand dramas.  So, there is no benefit keeping this open through the holidays...it will probably lose less money this way.

 

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 10/14/19 at 2:13pm

Hopefully the musical in the Spring will overshadow Moulin Rouge.

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 10/14/19 at 2:16pm

SmoothLover said: "Hopefully the musical in the Spring will overshadow Moulin Rouge."

Why? And what does this have to do with The Great Society? 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 10/14/19 at 2:38pm

What is the musical in the spring?

[Emmaloucbway]

Posted: 10/14/19 at 3:38pm

Jarethan said: "What is the musical in the spring?"

Flying Over Sunset

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 10/15/19 at 12:26am

Miles2Go2 said: "SmoothLover said: "Hopefully the musical in the Spring will overshadow Moulin Rouge."

Why? And what does this have to do with The Great Society?"

Nothing, It has to do with the selections for this season at the Beaumont. 

 

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 10/20/19 at 1:40am

Bump. I did finally see the show. If felt like a regional theatre misfire in all respects.

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 11/20/19 at 4:39am

Bump. The PR director for this show deserves a special Tony. Everywhere I turn there is some sort of promo....