US Coram Boy: Huge Success or Dismal Flop?

cynicism thy name is Yankee

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I must say that when I heard that this was planning on transferring from the National, I just assumed that it would be going into the Beaumont, since Lincoln Center has the subscriber base and the financial resources to be able to handle such a huge epic (the same reason that the only way we were going to get COAST OF UTOPIA was if Lincoln Center was willing to produce it, which thankfully they were). I'm rather amazed commercial producers would take on production which is enormous even by mega-musical standards, let alone play standards. When's the last time Broadway has a seen a non-musical with a total ensemble of 60 (including cast and chorus)? Several decades, I assume.

Having read the London reviews, I'm REALLY looking forward to this and hope it can be successful (both artistically and financially). But, I must say, that I'm somewhat mystified how this show will break even, even if it's totally sold out (which, being a property based on a book unknown to 99% of the US and with no star names in the cast, is fairly unlikely).

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I'm still disappointed Cloudstreet never crossed the pond from the production at the National. It was a beautfiful 7.5 hour production in three acts that I could have easily sat through again the very next day. Beautiful staging, top-notch performances, everything about it was stunning. It came and went in London with hardly a word. I was truly baffled it did not become an international hit play.

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It's a musical?

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You're breaking my heart. 8(

Is that you in your avatar?

I didn't know you were a girl.

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Yankeefan! Why didn't you tell me you were Julia Roberts?!

Updated On: 3/15/07 at 07:21 PM

One of those days, you know, where you just wake, up, headache, look in the mirror and - HOLY SH*T! I'M JULIA ROBERTS!

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fwiw, i think the most perplexing aspect of yankee's original post is the lack of marketing ... there has been next to nothing (no credit card pre-sales, only 1/4 page ads in the sunday times, discount codes only in the past week or so, yadda yadda) so far.

they either have a brilliant strategy that we're all going to look back on and go "wow", or no strategy at all. given the nature of the production, for the show's sake i hope it's not the latter.

whatever (as the screenname says) ... i have tix for april 30th. im looking forward to it.

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I got a beautifully designed mailer today for CORAM BOY, offering a pretty good discount for ALL performances, including Saturday evenings. It said nothing about a limited engagement or closing date.

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Updated On: 3/15/07 at 08:12 PM

The only way this show could be produced as a limited engagement was if it were being put on by a non-profit, which it is not. Even if it were to win the Tony for Best Play, the last Tony-winning Best Play that had an out of the ordinary long, healthy run was the MUCH less expensive PROOF, which won the Pulitzer in addition to the Tony, and sported a cast of 4. CORAM BOY will not be eligible for the Pulitzer. It would have to be some sort of a phenomenon for this show to recoup.

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Updated On: 3/15/07 at 08:55 PM

That's coming in in fall 2008.

That's true. HIGH FIDELITY booked into the Imperial knowing that BILLY ELLIOTT had already booked it for 2008. Had HF been a hit, it would have moved to make room for BE.

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