Why did "Brooklyn the Musical" close?- Page 2

[Roscoe]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 10:48am

It closed because it was crap. Not that crap automatically closes, but this was such utter crap that even Broadway wouldn't stand for it. A nightmare.

Updated On: 2/17/08 at 10:48 AM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 11:35am

OK..."sucked" might be a tad strong.

The story was a mess. Did the producers NOT see it in rehearsal? A train wreck.

Yes, the performers were good...but you can dress up a pig...it's still a pig.

[uncageg]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 12:40pm

I saw the show twice in Denver where it premiered before heading to NYC. The theater it played at here in Denver was small. The size of an off-broadway house. It probably should have played off-Broadway and not gone to Broadway. I think it was a fun evening out with good music and great voices but not big enough to take on Broadway. The costumes were also quite interesting. I think another big mistake was the "Live" Cast recording. As much as I enjoyed the music, the live concept was awful. Had ther just done a studio recording I would have bought it. And to be honest, I don't think it would have even lasted too lon off-Broadway. JMO

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 12:42pm

Smaxie, your answer made me laugh quite hard.

[jpbran]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 12:49pm

I'm guessing it closed because a show made up of melismical and overly athletic Idol-audition riffs just ain't gonna survive.

And weren't the costumes and sets made from real garbage?

[SNAFU]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 12:51pm

Suck probably isn't the right word. Though "Blew" is; Brooklyn Really Blew! I was given comps, center orchestra, The theatre was 1/3 full and being in the center I felt I could not leave. 20 minutes into the show I wanted it to be over so bad!
The costume design idea is used in every Foundation Fashion Design Course: create ball gowns , clothing out of trash bags, garbage found objects. This is nothing new or inventive!
The book was atrocious and the singing was more screaming then anything else. There was a reason why they ran it without an intermission! If they had they would have been playing the second act to an empty house!

[ABoyLikeThat]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 1:24pm

Good performers, bad book/plot.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 2:06pm

Some of the worst reviews I have ever read didn't help matters.


Anyone remember those BWW glory days of 2003 when BROOKLYN "fans" flooded the boards creating thread after thread about BKLYN and "Eden is a goddess" and blah blah blah months and months before the show opened? It was then that the phrase "shill" entered our lexicon. True!

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 2:37pm

I came to see this when i came to the states that year and we got free tickets for it, i remember been entertained for about 5 mins and then just sitting shocked at how ghastly the whole thing was.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 2:47pm

Peter Filichia's unforgettable review in Theatermania "Help!!"

[exedore]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 3:00pm

I think BroadwayAbridged put it best:

CLEAVANT DERRICKS
Right now, you and "Perri-Air-Freshener"
(sighs)
are going to argue over who's the better

BLACK GIRL
I'm a better singer, I have Brooklyn in my blood more than
you do! I grew up here!

EDEN ESPINOSA
I have it more than you do! No, I didn't grow up here, and I
only lived here for like a month, but my *name* is Brooklyn!

The sad thing is, IIRC the actual dialogue wasn't much better.

[theactorsociety]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 5:57pm

I loved the show and thought the cast pulled it through.

[TomMonster]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 6:17pm

I hated it so much.

My seats were in the center orchestra about 5 seats in from the aisle. I just got up, politely excused myself and RAN up the aisle.

Utter trash. (And not in a good way...)

Updated On: 2/17/08 at 06:17 PM

[insertclevernamehere]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 7:09pm

Borstalboy, that review cracked me up. And for those who liked it, are you forgetting, "C'mon Dad. We can use your tears to water the roses that rise from the concrete??"

[Urban]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 9:15pm

I remember those shrill girls from 2003. Not plesant at all. It took me forever to like WICKED again because of those girls.

[OrdinaryJukebox]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 9:29pm

Eh, the truth of the matter is, far worse shows open and remain on Broadway and far better shows close in even shorter amounts of time.

One will never know why a show is a "success." I mean, can someone explain why "Mamma Mia" is still going strong, while a masterpiece such as "Caroline, or Change" closed in a shorter frame of time than "Brooklyn: The Musical"?

Your guess is as good as mine. I saw this show. It wasn't the worst thing I have ever seen, it was utterly forgettable, though. I liked the vocal work and energy of the cast...that's all I remember. Oh, some of the melodies, not the lyrics, were nice. It was just a sloppy, sloppy show. It felt like they rushed to get it up on Broadway.

-Vincent

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 10:07pm

Bad reviews & no customers . It is a deadly combination.

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 10:11pm

B3TA07, we share the same birthday.

Updated On: 2/17/08 at 10:11 PM

[SDav 10495]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 10:20pm

At least some good came out of this show. It taught me that all Brooklynites are either brassy pop divas or heartwrenchingly soulful homeless folks. And that both kinds of Brooklynites wear Cheeto bags and caution tape for special occasions.

To this day I won't take the L further east than 1st Avenue.

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 2/17/08 at 10:24pm

I also should add, I only opened this thread to see how many people would respond with:

"Because it sucked"

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 2/19/08 at 11:34am

I don't know. I personally liked the show.

I guess I just have a thing for the occasional smelly flop.

[tazber]

Posted: 2/19/08 at 12:17pm

well do you have a tally for us bellfoster?

[acrocksyo]

Posted: 2/19/08 at 12:41pm

Add one more to the tally bellfoster.

It closed because it sucked hardcore.

You can't just put a bunch of people on a stage for 90 minutes screaming over each other and call it theater, wait you can Wicked. But yeah the book was terrible and you can't salvage something based off of two songs.

[me2]

Posted: 2/19/08 at 12:44pm

There was a lot of talent on stage and some good songs, but the story is plain weird. I think young people liked it because it was a musical style that spoke to them, and they didn't think it was weird or cliche. To me, the whole sing-off concept was "huh?" and the whole "Trust the music" very cliche.
Broadway Blog: Broadway Star Bingo IV

[Roscoe]

Posted: 2/19/08 at 12:47pm

It sure looked and sounded like a musical written by homeless people.