Why did "Brooklyn the Musical" close?

[Isabella3]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 1:27am

"Brooklyn the Musical," in my opinion, was brilliant, touching the youth of today's world. Why it didn't have a longer run, or wasn't advertised enough, is beyond me! Hopefully, the writer will open again? I thought it would benefit Junior High and High School Students and was very entertaining for all.
Sad that this didn't have a longer run!

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 1:29am

I saw it. While most of the cast was excellent and the show did have some very good songs, the whole book was just bizarre and the design was not great.

[walkedthroughmany]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 1:30am

I think maybe it was a little ahead of its time. Like most of Sondheim's work.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 1:32am

First of all welcome to BroadwayWorld.

Second, it closed (on my birthday, June26, the same day that the La Cage revival and The Producers tour closed) because, honestly, it was quite a trainwreck of a show. I don't know your knowledge or background in Musical Theatre, but in comparison to the overall oeuvre of the genre, it was around where I would rank Lestat or The Pirate Queen.



ETA: And for perspective...I would not rank Lestat nor The Pirate Queen very high...despite having odd soft spots for them.

Updated On: 2/17/08 at 01:32 AM

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 1:33am

Why did "Brooklyn the Musical" close?

Because it's godawful! Ouch.

[blaxx]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 1:35am

Because it sucked?

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 1:38am

Wow I've forgotten about this show.

I never saw it, but I've heard a mix of opinions on this one. For one, most people seemed to enjoy the cast; however, apparently the plot was bland, the songs were forgettable (I didn't enjoy the CD much...probably had to be at the show to appreciate them) and the costumes were garbage (literally). It just didn't attract enough attention and didn't get good word of mouth.

As for the costumes, some people thought it was a clever creative choice while others thought the concept was absolutely ridiculous.

On top of it, Brooklyn was drowned out by other more popular shows playing at the time. It probably would've done better if it opened off-Broadway and played at a smaller theater. Did it do that prior to opening? I can't remember.

[george95]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 1:42am

I had to see this show on New Year's Eve 2004 because I wanted to see a b-way show on new year's eve and for some reason I didn't buy tickets til New Year's eve Day. I had to pay 100.00 for the ticket, and 45th St was blocked off due to the Times Sq revelers. The police were searching everyone at 8th Av, and it was taking forever. A producer from Brooklyn came to the corner of 8th Av and 45th st at about 7:55pm and asked if anyone had tickets to Bklyn and me and my friend and a few other people held up our tickets, and he moved the police barricade out of the way for us. An officer pushed the producer back and said "I told you, if you do that one more time I'm gonna arrest you" And the guy was like "its ok! i'm a producer for Brooklyn! I gotta let these people in!" And the officer just gave him a glare and he walked back to the theater. We finally got through the barricade after showing out tickets and our IDs. They started the show about 20 minutes late because of all the ruckus.

The show was TERRIBLE. I had such high hopes. They mailed a free CD to me before the show came out with some of the songs. I really thought it would be the new RENT. I expected to LOVE the show. But, the cast was uneven, the sets were dull, the plot was dull (they pretty much just stood around in front of an Avenue Q-style set and sang random, unrelated songs for 2 hours) And I know the lead actress has gone on to bigger and better things, but the whole show I thought she screamed more than she sang. Very disappointed.

[george95]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 1:42am

Updated On: 2/17/08 at 01:42 AM

[george95]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 1:41am

Updated On: 2/17/08 at 01:41 AM

[blaxx]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 1:42am

On top of it, Brooklyn was drowned out by other more popular shows playing at the time.

Yeah, it's called being on Broadway, that's kinda how it works...only thing is that other more popular shows are never responsible for shows that would close anyway

because

they

suck

[B3TA07]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 1:50am

Exactly. If it were a decent show it would have BECOME one of the "popular" musicals.

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 1:53am

It had some pretty decent music, and the performers were good, but the show itself was a mess. I still like the music, but the show ITSELF was just awful. I'm a fan of the music, not the show.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 1:57am

Better question is, why did BROOKLYN open?
It probably shoulda gone to an off-Broadway house.

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 2:00am

I can remember seeing BROOKLYN when it was playing.
My best friend's parents treated me. I was seated somewhere in the mezzanine, from what I can remember. The view, for me, was pretty good (all things considered), and I can remember enjoying some of the performances, taking to A LOT of the music (just because, I guess). The icing on the cake was meeting the fellow who penned the book and lyrics - unfortunately, at the current time, it being 2:00am, the memory's kinda fuzzy. But yeah, it was a good experience. I still have the sampler CD that was sent-out to a slew of us theatre folks. I'm in the 'Should've played (and been tweaked) Off-B'way first' camp for the same reasons given above this post.

[tazber]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 2:39am

Better question is, why did BROOKLYN open?

Ha! perfect ray.

It was truly an awful awful show.

[emo_geek]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 5:51am

It desereved more then it got.

[blaxx]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 5:55am

Yup.

It deserved a much earlier boot

BECAUSE







IT





SUCKED.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 5:59am

Hey, I thought it was cute that it closed on my BDay.


Xanadu was originally slated to open on my BDay.

[Urban]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 6:04am

blaxx, you are a legend. LOL

[emo_geek]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 6:35am

Suck

Great...now I am a legend. Wow becoming a legend is becoming pathetically simple.

[bschneid76]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 8:05am

I remember going to see the show, and then wanting to get up and leave, but of course there was no intermission and I was sitting in the center section and didn't want to get up and disturb everyone. So I made it through what I thought was one of the hardest musicals to sit through. It was so loud and I didn't care for any of the characters, so by the time the show ended I had a lovely headache. I don't even recall a single song from the show.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 8:14am

Blaxx stole my answer.

I remember seeing the concert in Bryant Park and thinking that it could be the next big thing.

Then I saw the show.

Man did that suck.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 10:14am

Personally, I did NOT think it sucked. I thought the trash costumes were cool. I thought the songs were great. But, yeah, the book and plot are pretty darn cheesy.

Personally, I think not opening Off-Broadway first was one of their biggest mistakes.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 10:42am

It closed because Brooklyn, the borough, threatened to sue for defamation of character.