THE LOST BOYS Previews- Page 14
THE LOST BOYS Previews
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/30/17
THE LOST BOYS Previews#325
Posted: 4/26/26 at 2:10am
No. Not connected with the show or Arden. You'll have to ask the "ensemble" brothers about that. Yes. opinionated.
MHE cost much more than 15m. It will take many many many years to recoup. It's weekly running costs are quite high. LB weeklies are much higher still.
LB is the BIGGEST production of a musical this year. By far. It's not the best production or best musical of the year.
But agree it will sell well to middle america (without recoup). Fans of the movie however don't leave terribly thrilled especially with the music, tone and lacking "grandpa".
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/13/03
THE LOST BOYS Previews#326
Posted: 4/26/26 at 6:22am
The discussion about the audience investment is critical here, and I experienced it as well, and at a Wednesday matinee. I speak with authority in drawing a distinction between Wednesday matinee crowds and others; it's the performance I attend now about 75-80% of the time. It's invariably older, and more female, often more reserved, and last week - both of those demographics obvious as well as the TDF crowd "show me" attitude on the way in - and they/we went wild, "Wild," for the show. The reactions were big throughout. I believe it's a measure of word of mouth. This show has the potential to sell big. And I suspect the matinees will go clean this summer.
This piece is bringing out a hard to describe response in a diverse audience. Both nostalgia via a reminted chunk of another era, and something distinctly very 2026. It's emotion-fueled, filled with yearning and - the dark story of abandonment - a daring, unapologetic melancholy to enhance the eventual cathartic redemption. And it's got hot young performers who ignite in front of us. People exit feeling stirred. All of the quibbles, and I noted a nitpicky handful here last week, ultimately don't matter.
THE LOST BOYS Previews#327
Posted: 4/26/26 at 9:40am
Auggie27 said: "This piece is bringing out a hard to describe response in a diverse audience. Both nostalgia via a reminted chunk of another era, and something distinctly very 2026. It's emotion-fueled, filled with yearning and - the dark story of abandonment - a daring, unapologetic melancholy to enhance the eventual cathartic redemption. And it's got hot young performers who ignite in front of us. People exit feeling stirred. All of the quibbles, and I noted a nitpicky handful here last week, ultimately don't matter."
I love this thought! I'm curious to see where the reviews land, but for me personally, this was the biggest surprise of the season and I'm really looking forward to going back next weekend.
THE LOST BOYS Previews#328
Posted: 4/26/26 at 1:02pm
Thinking on the show this morning, one other thing I realized is that before I didn’t feel the show had one central main character and it’s now been (rightfully) streamlined so that Michael is that main character. Again, it’s just nice to see a musical use their preview time to institute actual structural changes to a show and not just replace a wig or two and say they’re working on it.
THE LOST BOYS Previews#329
Posted: 4/26/26 at 1:15pm
Caught this on Thursday night and I too was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The production was exciting, the score did feel redundant but the power ballad energy kept everything moving forward. Yes, the second act does veer into YA comedy (and that opening of Act Two Dracula crap certainly established where we were going but was totally unnecessary.) If you check out the film on Google, it is listed as a comedy horror genre, whatever that might be. All in all, there was a palpable excitement in the air and I chose to go along with the ride despite any objections I may have felt. You certainly see where the budget was spent and that stagecraft alone kept me engaged. This final show of the season is probably gonna be the biggest wild card tonight as for how the critics will respond.
Updated On: 4/26/26 at 01:15 PM
THE LOST BOYS Previews#330
Posted: 4/26/26 at 1:28pm
Reviews will be interesting- I would bet on mixed-positive. The show, as written, has enough generally agreed-upon faults that can't be ignored, but the production and cast are pretty terrific, so it's a question of what will weigh more for critics.
Featured Actor Joined: 4/8/08
THE LOST BOYS Previews#331
Posted: 4/26/26 at 1:41pm
I’m curious too.
Of the 16 Broadway shows to open so far in 2026, a whopping 11 of them were classified by the New York Times as “Critic’s Picks”- with other reviews in almost every case mostly falling in line with the Times’ opinion. So whatever else, people can’t say that the critics this season are being the big meanies they’re often generalized as being.
Stand-by Joined: 12/27/17
THE LOST BOYS Previews#332
Posted: 4/26/26 at 3:27pm
Is the younger audience response to this similar to the positive younger audience response to Be More Chill?
In other words, is there something here for the grownups?
Broadway Star Joined: 11/1/23
THE LOST BOYS Previews#333
Posted: 4/26/26 at 4:06pm
blug said: "Is the younger audience response to this similar to the positiveyounger audience response to Be More Chill?
In other words, is there something here for the grownups?"
The spectacle of the show is for anyone who sees it. The younger audience will latch onto the music, teen centric story, incredible voices and singing. The overall production is a great delivery. The story landing is up for debate.
THE LOST BOYS Previews#334
Posted: 4/26/26 at 5:13pm
Been listening to Belong To Someone on repeat. Such a beautiful song.
THE LOST BOYS Previews#335
Posted: 4/26/26 at 5:18pm
I went into this yesterday afternoon as a last minute decision and curiosity. I don’t know if the house opened late, but when I arrived at 1:35, the line was almost at 6th Ave.
As for the show, it is the spectacular people have wanted. I went solo and was surrounded by fans of the movie and families. And a full house. It is far from perfect, but I think it could be review proof.
It is a wonder to watch. Some songs could be eliminated easily and some of the book is cringe. I say this as someone who sees everything. The average audience will not care. The entire house was invested and the roaring curtain call was quite something I haven’t seen in a while. The merch line was crazy (good merch, btw).
Uniformly great performances and a mind blowing scenic design. Though we do need to get Shoshana out of the kitchen! I didn’t realize tonight was opening, so it’s locked. It is far from perfect, but I wish it the best and look forward to revisiting (and getting the socks at merch). It may not recoup or win much on the awards front (I’m happy to be proven wrong), but I had a great time seeing a movie I love pretty much translated well to the stage. Warner has done well this season with their properties. DDA was not reviewed well, but I enjoyed it. This was a bigger win. Can’t wait for the reviews to roll in!
THE LOST BOYS Previews#336
Posted: 4/26/26 at 5:29pm
Jordan Catalano said: "Thinking on the show this morning, one other thing I realized is that before I didn’t feel the show had one central main character and it’s now been (rightfully) streamlined so that Michael is that main character. Again, it’s just nice to see a musical use their preview time to institute actual structural changes to a show and not just replace a wig or two and say they’re working on it."
Where does this show stand in terms of extensive changes being made during Broadway previews? The one I recall going through extensive revamps, to the point where they went dark for days, was Shuffle Along a decade ago. Have there been others in more recent years?
I have not seen The Lost Boys but I admit to being more curious about the critical response than I have been for any other new show. It’s also the only new musical that I can imagine turning into a hit (even if its high costs mean that the show would take a long time to recoup).
Understudy Joined: 10/3/22
THE LOST BOYS Previews#337
Posted: 4/26/26 at 5:52pm
Jordan Catalano said: "Went back to the show tonight to see what kind of work has been done on it and amazingly, Arden and the team have actually done quite a bit. About 16 minutes or so has been removed - I compared the song list from the March playbill and tonight and they were the same, so I'm not sure of all the music changes. I'm sure the May Playbill will have the revised song list.I was sad to hear "Be Kind Rewind" was gone, mainly because I'm a sucker for anything set in a video store or related to that but the song that replaced it is in the same setting and was a pretty decent song, so I was happy. They even expanded the video store set a bit.
Funny enough, some of the things I thought were questionable at the first preview, like the tone of the show and the amount of ballads are still present but much less bothersome to me than before. In fact, I didn't even notice or think of either of those while watching like I did last time. I think the flow of the musical is much better now so the tone doesn't really come off ASuneven and that would be due I'm sure to cuts that Arden hasmade. Damnit, I even shed a tear (just a little one) at the last number.
But I want to talk about the audience. Watching this crowd shuffle in before the show and they were LOUD. Really excited and rambunctious and well, not your typical theater crowd. Which is fine. But I'll be god damned if that didn't turn out to bethe most respectful audience I've been in, inyears. No phones. No wrappers. No ice shaking. No talking.But that doesn't mean they were silent -I haven't heard a response to a show like this since I don't even know. The only way to describe it is saying it was electric. Response to many of the songs and scenes (and not in an annoying over the top way) had me looking around thinking "Oh my God, this show is gonna be huge". Quality of the show aside or whatever the critics are going to say tomorrow night, I just have a feeling it won't matter. These people LOVED IT and again, I can't remember a time I saw that many people of pretty much all ages,file out of a theater loudly saying how much they loved a show and "OH MY GOD IT WAS AMAZING!" Even in the pouring rain tonight, hundreds of people were lined up by the stage door outside.
Obviously, I could be wrong but it's just that feeling that this thing could really have some staying power and word of mouth is going to make this one last."
I had that exact same experience when I went a couple weeks ago. I couldn’t help but get caught up in the excitement. Word of mouth really is everything in theater. People revisiting 10 plus times during previews says a lot. That hasn’t happened for a new show in a while.
THE LOST BOYS Previews#338
Posted: 4/26/26 at 6:59pm
blug said: "Is the younger audience response to this similar to the positiveyounger audience response to Be More Chill?
In other words, is there something here for the grownups?"
I’d say it’s more like The Outsiders. Younger people are obsessed but still a whole lot to love for adults.
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/13/03
THE LOST BOYS Previews#339
Posted: 4/26/26 at 9:05pm
I agree that "Belong to Someone" is a haunting, soulful heartbreaker. It's performed in the single most stunning visual sequence, what I saw as Magritte-inspired. And it's the point when the narrative digs deeper, past the film, and excavates what's truest: the setting and story-defining melancholy. The Venn diagram explored - a swath of turf where tribes of the undead and the living both cope with a deep well of ineffable sadness - is the best thing in the show. The song's a helluva keeper.
THE LOST BOYS Previews#340
Posted: 4/26/26 at 9:08pm
I’ve been listening to that song all day, too. LJ Benet has such a gorgeous voice.
Stand-by Joined: 12/27/17
THE LOST BOYS Previews#341
Posted: 4/27/26 at 1:40pm
What happened to the review thread? Ah, well.
Sounds like the producers have their work cut out for them in promoting the hell out of this show. I don't think just winning Tonys will cut it lest it suffer the same fate as Hell's Kitchen.
EDIT: Yup. Looked again and it's not there for me. Weird. Anyhow, on to more interesting topics...
THE LOST BOYS Previews#342
Posted: 4/27/26 at 1:46pm
The review thread is just a few posts down from this. It’s still there.
THE LOST BOYS Previews#343
Posted: 4/27/26 at 1:47pm
blug said: "What happened to the review thread? Ah, well."
? It's still there: https://forum.broadwayworld.com/thread/THE-LOST-BOYS-Reviews/4#5562073
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