The Over/Under on how long DEH will run- Page 3

[upinlights]

Posted: 5/22/18 at 8:42pm

I take the over! I bet that even when the topics of the show slip in relevancy, they'll be able to stunt cast it with the latest teen heartthrob to keep their young audience coming back.

[dearalanaaaa]

Posted: 5/22/18 at 9:12pm

I just viewed my earlier post, as one of those "naysayers" I still take over but again by exact on 2000.
My reason: Despite it being sold out through March 2019, there is a wave of "woke" teens who are slowly growing against it. I was actually just in a chat with 8 others who enjoy musicals aged 14-20 and they all said this musical is glorifying suicide and has many homophobic or generally dislikable statements ("School shooter chic" comes to mind). Similarly to 13 Reasons Why, "woke" teens are starting to boycott the show due to some parts of the script. When I asked what they would see that is a musical about suicide a lot said "just don't glorify and f*tishize mental illness, depression and suicide" which Hansen stopped fitting the bill as.
At this point, I would never see that show again. And in case you are wondering from the above comment, I never got to see it in Faists last week.

[haterobics]

Posted: 5/22/18 at 9:48pm

SomethingPeculiar said: "Fun fact: A BRONX TALE has (currently)played more performances than DEH."

That seems wrong. With only a three show lead, DEH surely went over the top with Arena Stage and Second Stage combined, whereas Bronx Tale only played at Paper Mill before coming to Broadway.

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 5/22/18 at 10:22pm

dearalanaaa said  " f*tishize mental illness"

 Huh???  Am I the only one who has no idea what this is supposed to mean?

And by the way, I'm really trying to understand how anyone can think that DEH glorifies suicide. 

 

Updated On: 5/22/18 at 10:22 PM

[BroadwayRox3588]

Posted: 5/23/18 at 12:33am

RaisedOnMusicals, just do what I do with fake woke teens: ignore them.

Updated On: 5/23/18 at 12:33 AM

[haterobics]

Posted: 5/23/18 at 12:53am

RaisedOnMusicals said: "Huh??? Am I the only one who has no idea what this is supposed to mean?"

Just a grab bag of things people say against the show. Poke them with a stick and they'll prattle on about using a dead kid as a puppet, too.

It's just the younger version of people who couldn't afford tickets to see Bette Midler saying "Bette plays Bette, but Donna plays Dolly"

[Shh_413]

Posted: 5/23/18 at 8:54am

I fail to see how a show that:

(a) Doesn't show a dead body
(b) Doesn't tell the audience how a teenager dies, thereby avoiding copycat suicides
(c) Doesn't show or mention anyone cutting or doing things that people may construe as "seeking attention"
(d) Shows how a community of support and understanding improves the mental health of someone who attempts suicide
(e) Doesn't have a main character "blame" other people for their mental health, but rather show someone who accepts they have a problem and attempts to better themselves by going to therapy
(f) Shows a caring mother who accepts her child and his baggage
(g) Shows a perfectly reasonable method of helping someone with social anxiety and depression (writing letters to yourself)

all of which 13RW fails to do by the way, "fetishizes" suicide. Sounds like hating for the sake of hating to me.

You can find flaws to literally ANY show if you're "woke" enough. I understand discussing how some problematic topics in the past can influence future viewing experiences, but when you nitpick on this level, you're closing yourself off to pieces of art that could have broadened your horizons and opened your mind to so many new things.

[dearalanaaaa]

Posted: 5/23/18 at 9:40am

Shh_413 said: "you can find flaws to literally ANY show if you're "woke" enough. I understand discussing how some problematic topics in the past can influence future viewing experiences, but when you nitpick on this level, you're closing yourself off to pieces of art that could have broadened your horizons and opened your mind to so many new things."

I'm not one of the woke teens (I already saw the show and I don't like seeing things multiple times) but there is an uprising of them, which will eventually lead to the end. I forgot where, but on another thread there were mentions on how Evan must be a skinny cute white boy for the show to continue, so I wonder if that can be mass produced for years on end. I'd think Shawn Mendes may do good in the role to keep the show going (like kinky boots)

[BroadwayRox3588]

Posted: 5/23/18 at 9:43am

Updated On: 5/23/18 at 09:43 AM

[BroadwayRox3588]

Posted: 5/23/18 at 9:48am

Shh_413 said: "You can find flaws to literally ANY show if you're "woke" enough."

And they do. Mostly just to sound cool.

Updated On: 5/23/18 at 09:48 AM

[RicardoMagon]

Posted: 5/23/18 at 9:57am

I give it 2 more years.

[Shh_413]

Posted: 5/23/18 at 10:10am

dearalanaaaa said: "Shh_413 said: "you can find flaws to literally ANY show if you're "woke" enough. I understand discussing how some problematic topics in the past can influence future viewing experiences, but when you nitpick on this level, you're closing yourself off to pieces of art that could have broadened your horizons and opened your mind to so many new things."

I'm not one of the woke teens (I already saw the show and I don't like seeing things multiple times) but there is an uprising of them, which will eventually lead to the end. I forgot where, but on another thread there were mentions on how Evan must be a skinny cute white boy for the show to continue, so I wonder if that can be mass produced for years on end. I'd think Shawn Mendes may do good in the role to keep the show going (like kinky boots)"

Re skinny white boy comment: That's too bad since I think Evan is one of the few characters that could actually be played by a POC and nothing would change. Also, I'm not sure if DEH could go the star vehicle route without losing credibility unlike Kinky Boots. Personally, I think it would go the Avenue Q route, playing for many years on Broadway then moving Off-Broadway and to the West End, where eventually it would play in several countries and be licensed in local high schools, where parents will tear their hair out as they hear a kid butcher "Waving Through a Window" for the millionth time that week. Its story is stronger than its spectacle, and as good as the show is, it doesn't warrant repeat viewings for its price, unlike Lion King or Wicked or Phantom where you can miss a lot of things visually the first time and still be blown away the next. As to how many years in Broadway they can go, I'm not so sure.

[Impossible2]

Posted: 5/23/18 at 10:47am

haterobics said: "RaisedOnMusicals said: "Huh??? Am I the only one who has no idea what this is supposed to mean?"

Just a grab bag of things people say against the show. Poke them with a stick and they'll prattle on about using a dead kid as a puppet, too.

It's just the younger version of people who couldn't afford tickets to see Bette Midler saying "Bette plays Bette, but Donna plays Dolly""

I'm 48 and that is exactly my thoughts on Hello Bette, so there goes that theory x

[JudyDenmark]

Posted: 5/23/18 at 10:48am

Not to maybe state the obvious... but do these "woke teens" really have such an impact on ticket sales? The two times I've been to DEH, the audience was a typical mostly-adult Broadway audience. And my gut says that these teens are trying to do rush/lottery anyway - they're not keeping a show afloat. (Never mind that this is a small percentage of the teenagers who actually want to see the show. I can't believe this is some nationwide mass protest.)

Maybe I'm totally wrong. But I think DEH is doing just fine without them.

[Impossible2]

Posted: 5/23/18 at 10:49am

BroadwayRox3588 said: "Shh_413 said: "You can find flaws to literally ANY show if you're "woke" enough."

And they do. Mostly just to sound cool."

It's the same as film 'fans' that scream 'plot-hole' constantly, when it's little more than a filmmaker hoping their audience is smart enough to work something out for themselves instead of spoon feeding them like a 2 year old.

[haterobics]

Posted: 5/23/18 at 11:07am

Impossible2 said: "haterobics said: "It's just the younger version of people who couldn't afford tickets to see Bette Midler saying "Bette plays Bette, but Donna plays Dolly""

I'm 48 and that is exactly my thoughts on Hello Bette, so there goes that theory x"

I said the DEH is the younger refrain and the Bette one is its older counterpart, so not sure what theory was disproved.

[michaelhale]

Posted: 5/23/18 at 11:16am

dearalanaaaa said: "I just viewed my earlier post, as one of those "naysayers" I still take over but again by exact on 2000.
My reason: Despite it being sold out through March 2019, there is a wave of "woke" teens who are slowly growing against it. I was actually just in a chat with 8 others who enjoy musicals aged 14-20 and they all said this musical is glorifying suicide and has many homophobic or generally dislikable statements ("School shooter chic" comes to mind). Similarly to 13 Reasons Why, "woke" teens are starting to boycott the show due to some parts of the script. When I asked what they would see that is a musical about suicide a lot said "just don't glorify and f*tishize mental illness, depression and suicide" which Hansen stopped fitting the bill as.
At this point, I would never see that show again. And in case you are wondering from the above comment, I never got to see it in Faists last week."

How many of those kids see shows? I have seen so many teen DEH "boycotts" from kids who were never going to see the show (like after Galvin got cast haha). I think a lot of people forget that DEH is equally geared towards parents, and sells well to them. I agree with JudyDenmark.

Also, more anecdotal than anything, I am in a theatre fan chat (teens to early 20's, maybe 20 people) where we were just discussing how silly "critiques" like those are. Only me and one other person in the chat see Broadway shows regularly, though.

ETA: I still think RBJ will be the hardest loss for this show, but I will still take the over on 2k shows and hope casting will do Heidi Hansen right.

Updated On: 5/23/18 at 11:16 AM

[Impossible2]

Posted: 5/23/18 at 11:17am

haterobics said: "Impossible2 said: "haterobics said: "It's just the younger version of people who couldn't afford tickets to see Bette Midler saying "Bette plays Bette, but Donna plays Dolly""

I'm 48 and that is exactly my thoughts on Hello Bette, so there goes that theory x"

I said the DEH is the younger refrain and the Bette one is itsolder counterpart, so not sure what theory was disproved."

LOL you're totally right, I read it wrong LOL

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 5/23/18 at 12:56pm

My favorite thing about DEH is how at the end it's clear that Evan is still working through his social anxiety issues and might never be "cured" of them. The critiques that the Murphy's don't t "punish" Evan enough is actually my favorite part of the show as I find it realistic. The Murphy's realize that Evan like Connor was/is a deeply troubled teen, and don't want to continue the cycle of pain.

There are many critiques you could make of DEH but don't think saying it "glorifies" suicide or trivializes mental illness is one of them. 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 5/23/18 at 2:20pm

dearalanaaaa said: "I just viewed my earlier post, as one of those "naysayers" I still take over but again by exact on 2000.
My reason: Despite it being sold out through March 2019, there is a wave of "woke" teens who are slowly growing against it. I was actually just in a chat with 8 others who enjoy musicals aged 14-20 and they all said this musical is glorifying suicide and has many homophobic or generally dislikable statements ("School shooter chic" comes to mind). Similarly to 13 Reasons Why, "woke" teens are starting to boycott the show due to some parts of the script. When I asked what they would see that is a musical about suicide a lot said "just don't glorify and f*tishize mental illness, depression and suicide" which Hansen stopped fitting the bill as.
At this point, I would never see that show again. And in case you are wondering from the above comment, I never got to see it in Faists last week."

Lmfao. How dare you compare this show to 13RW. 13 reasons why is trash. At least Dear Evan Hansen can show the decency of not even mentioning how the character commits suicide.

[haterobics]

Posted: 5/23/18 at 2:27pm

dearalanaaaa said: "they all said this musical is glorifying suicide and has many homophobic or generally dislikable statements"

What is homophobic? A straight teen not wanting to pretend he had a gay sexual relationship with his dead bully?!

Updated On: 5/23/18 at 02:27 PM

[broadwaynerdnewbie]

Posted: 5/23/18 at 2:33pm

As someone who has seen the show many times each time I’ve seen the show I’ve remarked on how older the crowd is than you’d expect.  There’s a lot of middle 30’s people in the show and early 40/50 year old people. Sure there are a fair share amount of teens but that’s not the core demographic of who buys tickets for the show which is why it can survive the teen critique because it’s nit the teens packing the house anyways. 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/23/18 at 2:47pm

Well, teenagers can't easily attend theater without a parent...money wise, transportation wise.   I never felt the audience of Spring Awakening (for example) was predominantly teens, but they certainly were their fan base.

[GhostXmasPast]

Posted: 5/24/18 at 3:44pm

dearalanaaaa said: "I just viewed my earlier post, as one of those "naysayers" I still take over but again by exact on 2000.
My reason: Despite it being sold out through March 2019, there is a wave of "woke" teens who are slowly growing against it. I was actually just in a chat with 8 others who enjoy musicals aged 14-20 and they all said this musical is glorifying suicide and has many homophobic or generally dislikable statements ("School shooter chic" comes to mind). Similarly to 13 Reasons Why, "woke" teens are starting to boycott the show due to some parts of the script. When I asked what they would see that is a musical about suicide a lot said "just don't glorify and f*tishize mental illness, depression and suicide" which Hansen stopped fitting the bill as.
At this point, I would never see that show again. And in case you are wondering from the above comment, I never got to see it in Faists last week."

Contraversy makes good theater, and good shows generate ongoing dialogue.  Fun Home took on some tough topics including homophobia, sexual identity, death and suicide.  

As for "Woke Teens" boycotting the show, I can think of other issues that might more strongly warrant a boycott than a Broadway show.  Gun Control.  College Funding.  Deficits.  Drug Policies.  Discrimination.  Data Privacy - 'guess they aren't "Woke" enough for those?  Or are they so "woke" that they have checked off the big ones and are working their way down the line?

Perhaps they should all go see The Band's Visit . . . after about 30 minutes they will no longer we "woke."

 

Updated On: 5/24/18 at 03:44 PM

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 1/14/19 at 10:08am

When I first started this thread in September of 2017 I "set" the over/under at 1500 performances, or about 3.5 years. With Beautiful just having celebrated its fifth anniversary, I think it's time to revise that, especially given the fact that the show is still selling out at high ticket prices in spite of some predictions in this thread that sales would fall off dramatically after Platt departed. So why not a new over/under--five years.  If Beautiful can go five years (and is still running), why not DEH? I don't remember demand for Beautiful ever being as high as demand for DEH. So, you want the over or the under at five years?