Posted: 6/18/24 at 12:12pm
No surprise, unfortunately. When my friend and I saw it last month, on a Saturday matinee, we were in the Mezz, and the Mezz was only half full. Enjoyed the show very much. Just so much fun!
Posted: 6/18/24 at 12:30pm
I still believe the problem here the absence of a target audience. It clearly didn't have Carol King or Neil Diamond crowds. And lack of a star(s). The era of the music covers both boomers in their late 20s/early 30s in the 80s (yes, we watched MTV, too) and Gen X. Yet Lewis isn't a high profile enough figure to push the decade's nostalgia buttons (See The Wedding Singer) nor an influencer earning a theatrical look. Maybe a big TV star in the lead would've sold tickets through the summer. Bot Cott, no matter how winning, has no box office impact. And if they decided that Lewis was the exploitable name, not an actor's, they clearly erred. Whatever the demographic targeting issues, not the show for the spring of this packed season. Expect a decent post-B'way life. .
Posted: 6/18/24 at 12:38pm
We cannot understate how bad the advertising campaign + key art were for this show (and it never got better).
On the press side, Huey Lewis became the mouthpiece for the show but was never able to articulate that it's a wacky musical comedy. And Huey's vibe is "coolest uncle," not "fun musical comedy."
Posted: 6/18/24 at 12:48pm
ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "MezzoDiva47 said: "in another article their lead producer announced the implausible likelihood of a national tour which every lead producer of every broadway flop announces when they give a closing notice in a futile attempt to put a positive spin on what is simply bad news
not sure what struggling tour houses across the country will find appealing to market - ‘the broadway hit you’ve never even heard of that lasted a whole two months and lost its entire investment’"
I'll believe it when I see it but this getting a tour wouldn't be the weirdest thing in the world, especially a non-Equity tour with split-weeks. Having a score by Huey Lewis gives it a leg up over an original score of a flop. BRIGHT STAR, of all things, got a tour."
good points although even bright star was able to say ‘5x Tony nominated’ in its marketing
but I agree with you that a non-eq bus and truck tour with one night stops is what might happen at best
otherwise it will go direct to licensing and have decent success over the years while the target audience is still alive
Posted: 6/18/24 at 1:00pm
Braniff Forever said: "Corey Cott is hot!"
and now you have the title of a new 54 below show
Posted: 6/18/24 at 1:13pm
A great show! I hope it tours. It just might clean up at the box office.
Posted: 6/18/24 at 5:37pm
Auggie27 said: "I still believe the problem here the absence of a target audience. It clearly didn't have Carol King or Neil Diamond crowds. And lack of a star(s). The era of the music covers both boomers in their late 20s/early 30s in the 80s (yes, we watched MTV, too)and Gen X. Yet Lewis isn't a high profile enough figure to push the decade's nostalgia buttons.."
I think you pretty much hit the nail on the head. I was a Boomer in my early 20's at the time. MTV was new and very popular right at the time the SPORTS album came out and they had heavy rotation on the channel which helped with radio play and to sell the album. (And their videos were fun to watch)
Their music was catchy and fun but almost, for lack of a better term, "novelty". But you couldn't escape it at the time, thanks to MTV in part, and it went "mainstream". I also think that they were in part like the "yacht rock, of their time as they came out of the Bay Area so that may have been their main demographic. (Just my opinion) So as popular as they got for those few years in the mid to late 80's, MTV was opening up to more music and I think their popularity just faded after SPORTS and FORE came out. Also Madonna, Prince and MJ were dominating the music scene. But to this day a lot of us can sing along to their hits but may not be inclined to buy a ticket to a show featuring their music. Just my opinion and random thoughts.
Posted: 6/18/24 at 11:29pm
"Considering all the things it had in its favor, from decent reviews to positive word-of-mouth to being a family-friendly fun show in a season that skewed more adult and serious, it does seem like the producers struggled to capitalize on all of it. The marketing was not engaging and the large focus on Huey Lewis as the main selling point likely didn't appeal to a broader audience."
Maybe they should have marketed Cott's "smoking" body that you thought needed to be mentioned when you reviewed the show. Just teasing you -lol.
Posted: 6/18/24 at 11:59pm
Disagree that the key art is bad. I cannot stop looking at the subway ads each time I roll past them. So much color and photography and it just screams 80’s. I don’t know how what else people want to see?
It's a shame the show didn't catch on but the key art isn't why, IMO. There is much much worse, exceedingly more boring key art and advertising happening out there.
Updated On: 6/19/24 at 11:59 PM
Posted: 6/19/24 at 6:59am
For those of you who have seen it, how does Mystic Pizza compare?
Posted: 6/23/24 at 10:05pm
not with a bang but a whimper
giving credit where credit is due this show lasted longer than lempicka which i did not predict
anyone know how much $$ it lost
given how long it ran while bleeding money every single week perhaps the creative teams of rebecca, nerds, or the room should cozy up to these producers
Posted: 6/24/24 at 11:57am
I went to the final performance yesterday afternoon and it was magnetic, energetic, and full of love. Yes, it was bittersweet but everyone there really appreciated the show and the cast received a few standing ovations: Workin For a Livin (bubble wrap step dance), You Crack Me Up (aerobic workout dance by the ensemble headed by Tommy Bracco... who wore a Richard Simmons style wig), It Hit Me like a Hammer (Mckenzie Kurtz), and Be Someone (Corey Cott).
At the end, there were speeches by creative team and Huey Lewis.
The two people who sat next to me live in Chicago and Boston and both took day trips to NYC yesterday just to see the final performance. Yes ... day trip as in they flew in the morning and flew out in the evening! I love it!
I wish the cast the best in their future work. Will miss them and this show.
Posted: 6/24/24 at 12:02pm
I went back last week just after they announced closing and it was just such a blast and I'm sad it never caught on.
I so hope this tours because I will absolutely see it.
I caught part of a video of Huey's curtain call speech and it really tugged at my heart how much he loves this project and this cast.
Posted: 6/24/24 at 12:26pm
This will probably be done frequently at Regional and Summer stock theaters next year.
Posted: 6/24/24 at 2:01pm
ClumsyDude15 said: "I went back last week just after they announced closing and it was just such a blast and I'm sad it never caught on.
I so hope this tours because I will absolutely see it.
I caught part of a video of Huey's curtain call speech and it really tugged at my heart how much he loves this project and this cast."
He got very emotional talking about it :( I know shows are usually a long process and he was very straightforward in saying it was an 8 year process. I wish the show a long and healthy life touring, regionally, and on cruises.
Posted: 6/25/24 at 11:27am
Nice interview with Cott
‘The Team Wanted It to Be the Next Mamma Mia!’
Corey Cott on why theatergoers and Tonys voters snubbed The Heart of Rock and Roll.
https://www.vulture.com/article/corey-cott-heart-of-rock-and-roll-tonys-snubs-interview.html
Posted: 6/28/24 at 7:34pm
Huey said on his instagram that they are looking to tour this in 2025
