What Shows Do You Think Closed Before It's Prime- Page 3

[friesgirl]

Posted: 10/22/03 at 10:59pm

I agree with the Last Five Years, I really wish it could have lasted longer.

I never saw the show, but it's a shame Bat Boy had to close when it did. I heard such great things and just as it gained momentum, it closed.

I wish the recent revival of Big River would have lasted longer. Strictly as a show, it has its faults and some of the music isn't the best, but the revival was absolutely beautiful in its staging, Michael McElroy and Tyrone Giordano were both phenomenal.

[bestofbroadway]

Posted: 10/23/03 at 12:11am

Gothampc- get your facts straight. L5Y closed because of a law suit filed by Jason Robert Browns wife, claiming that it was an exact replica of their relationship and slanderous to her. L5Y's success is all dependent on a good director with a great concept and fabulous actors. The off-Broadway production had none of these. Daisy Prince's direction was horrible. There was absolutely no concept. Plus Sherrie Rene can't act and I'm sure Daisy Prince didn't help much. The recent Philadelphia production however was breathtaking and so incredibly wonderful. Joe Calarco's direction was inventive and fresh. I'm not sure I will ever see another production like his again.

[QueenS]

Posted: 10/23/03 at 11:21am

Once on this Island
Secret Garden
Elaine Stritch at Liberty
The Full Monty
Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Having seen DOTV, Urban Cowboy AND Amour, I can hardly believe that there are people out there that thought their runs were too short as opposed to too long. I would not have sat through any of them again, nor recommended them to anyone else.

Tick, Tick... Boom is much more enjoyable as a CD than it was (in my opinion) as a show...

[skingdom]

Posted: 10/23/03 at 12:06pm

How can you say DOTV and Zanna Don't? Awful awful shows that shuoldn't have been given the chance to rework.

[TEACHEROFTHEATER]

Posted: 10/23/03 at 12:42pm

70 Girls, 70

Over Here!

[Zola LaPlaya]

Posted: 10/23/03 at 1:10pm

Ragtime
Once Upon This Island
Last Five Years

z

[Cadriel]

Posted: 10/23/03 at 7:06pm

bestofbroadway -

In L5Y, I found Sherie to be quite involving as Cathy, though given all I've seen and heard of Lauren Kennedy (between her stint in Les Miz and my favorite solo album of all time) I'd rather have seen Lauren in the part. But the Philadelphia production had so much more theatricality, and the way it wove the projected images and the stunning, stark set together was asounding. So much of the set in the Off-Broadway production seemed unnecessary, whereas I will always look back on the Philadelphia production as a masterpiece in abstract theatre.

I was pretty certain, though, that the original production closed because it just wasn't selling well. I know there were alterations made to the score from Chicago to settle the whole lawsuit issue; if it had been forced to close, I don't think the performance rights would have been available at all. Same with the recording rights.

-Wayne

[Mattio98]

Posted: 10/23/03 at 9:26pm

Definitely Parade

[STLX]

Posted: 10/23/03 at 9:29pm

Im definately going to agree with Parade ... it seems the shows that are so unknown and whatnot become the all time favorites of us theatre-loving folk.

My thought right now isnt of closing early, but making it to broadway - this could be its own subject, but I think that Andrew Lippa's the wild party was MUCH MUCH better than the broadway version ... not sure where that thought came from.

Posted: 10/23/03 at 10:32pm

I felt that Ragtime was THE american musical. It covered so much and did such a wonerful job. I was so dissapointed that it closed. I got to see it on Broadway and on tour twice but still would have loved to have seen it again.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/23/03 at 10:37pm

Ragtime closed because it was too expensive to run. It deserved the Tony over "Lion King" & had it won I think it would have run at least another year. Ragtime was a better musical (perhaps the last great american musical) than Lion King & needed the Tony more than Lion King needed it.

Posted: 10/23/03 at 11:58pm

I figured it was all about money....
I do not understand why they could not have moved it to a smaller theater maybe.

I still think they need to bring it back -- maybe every summer and do it for the 4th of July in DC or in NYC.

[Covershop]

Posted: 10/24/03 at 10:27am

I don't know the average age of people posting on this site, however, one of the shows that should not have closed was a show called the "Moony Shapiro Songbook," starring Judy Kaye, Annie McGreevey, Jeff Goldbum, Gary Beach and Judy and Timothy Jerome, directed by George Faison. It opened around the same time as Day in Hollywood, Night...(1981) and got lost in the negative critical reaction to revues. I loved the show and the performers were absolutely brilliant. All these years later, I can still remember things the cast did, especially the sublime Judy Kaye singing the 11:00 o'clock number, "Don't Play That Love Song Anymore Sam." I have been in love with her ever since. I judge everyone by the talent of this incredible lady and let me tell you, not many measure up.

[NativeNewYorker]

Posted: 10/24/03 at 11:57am

La Boheme was so incredibly beautiful...I wish it had lasted a bit longer, I'm surprised it didn't gain more of a following...I figured the Rentheads would have eaten it up.

The Fantasticks...true, it did last 42 years, but it closed just when I was old enough to play Luisa...should have stayed open about 3 more, damnit

[WSS2]

Posted: 10/24/03 at 2:54pm

Aida closed way before it should have.

What beautiful costumes, thrilling dialogue, striking music and a legendary performance by Adam Pasqual.

If only it could have run longer......geeeeee.

[Corine2]

Posted: 10/24/03 at 10:12pm

Oh I forgot Betty Rules!
It Girl!!!! Updated On: 10/24/03 at 10:12 PM

[Al Dente]

Posted: 10/24/03 at 10:16pm

Corine, get a grip will you?

[Princess MimiChica]

Posted: 10/24/03 at 10:23pm

"Aida closed way before it should have.

What beautiful costumes, thrilling dialogue, striking music and a legendary performance by Adam Pasqual.

If only it could have run longer......geeeeee. "


what kind of comment was this? first of all its Adam PASCAL and AIDA is still running....did I miss something or were you trying to be funny?

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/24/03 at 10:24pm

Roxy wrote: "For bashing The Civil War, critics should be placed in front of military firing squad - composed of cast members of TCW."

I know a cast member from The Civil War and he said the show was crap. (Pssssst... and s/he wasn't the only one up on that stage who felt that way!)

[Kavana]

Posted: 10/24/03 at 10:27pm

I MISS THE LIFE

[Al Dente]

Posted: 10/24/03 at 10:31pm

Actually, most people were surprised that Civil War ever made it to Broadway.

[WSS2]

Posted: 10/24/03 at 10:32pm

Wow Namo....really???????

That's so cool. Just because a cast member didn't like the show, we should all think it's crap? Wow...I hope they returned their pay check.

[Corine2]

Posted: 10/24/03 at 10:34pm

I hated Civil War almost as much as I hated Cats. Updated On: 10/24/03 at 10:34 PM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/24/03 at 11:38pm

Cripes WSS2, you're always so desperate to come after me that you don't seem to care if your responses are even sensible. My POINT was that Roxy assumed that the cast of The Civil War would want to be in a firing squad against the nameless and all powerful critics without whose negative opinions of the show TCW would be entertaining audiences on Broadway for generations to come. Alas, not all people who take jobs surrender their critical faculties, capiche?

Whatever happened to Mr. Tuttle anway?

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 10/25/03 at 1:52pm

i'd agree with:

Reefer Madness
Zanna Don't
Full Monty
because those are shows i saw and liked.

i'd in theory agree with:

Parade
Last Five Years
Floyd Collins
because i find them interesting and somewhat inexpensive to keep running.

But the one that i can't get out of my head was:

Imaginary Friends (no one on this board seems to have seen it)