Posted: 1/5/16 at 6:47pm
Even after Hurricane Sandy when they weren't playing to 100%, they still did SRO (I was in one of those audiences). They technically say they won't do it when they're not sold out, but I don't know if I believe it.
But yes, another thank you, bdn23!
Posted: 1/6/16 at 7:11am
I believe it has to do with a few things. It's original, The Producers and Spamalot were revamped movies, the bits were old when they hit the stage and they got older fast. People who hate Broadway will take their wives to Mormon. I have a friend who lives on LI and hasn't taken his wife to a show in their 30 year marriage. Last year they went to this.
Posted: 1/6/16 at 10:43am
LizzieCurry said: "luvbrdway said: "So, how would a show mocking Islam do on Broadway? Oh, that's' right. Mocking Islam isn't allowed. "
Wow, this a totally original, trite and irrelevant comment I have never seen below reviews of the tour in various midwestern cities.
Just answer the question. How would a musical mocking Islam do?
"
Posted: 1/6/16 at 1:18pm
Posted: 1/6/16 at 1:28pm
I was trying not to get into this false equivalency, but...
You cannot satirize all faiths as if they're -- at this moment and in this country -- equal. The LDS church is a wholly American-originating church. It's young, it has a lot of followers around the world and has had a lot of issues with the white savior complex, colonization, racism in its past (the 1978 joke), a presidential candidate, and a bunch of Osmonds. Islam is much older, much more issue-laden, doesn't have a lot of visible entertainment-oriented followers, and currently its American adherents are undergoing a lot more hate crimes than any Mormons out there.
I love the show and I realize it has a few "punch-down, not up" issues, but in this case, they are punching up. That wouldn't be the case if they'd chosen Islam. Which they did not. Hence the irrelevancy of this really stupid comparison.
Posted: 1/6/16 at 1:44pm
South Florida said: " I have a friend who lives on LI and hasn't taken his wife to a show in their 30 year marriage. Last year they went to this.
Oh! that poor woman. How could she possibly endure married life without going to a Broadway show in 30 years. No wonder shows close.
"
Posted: 1/6/16 at 2:10pm
"Oh! that poor woman. How could she possibly endure married life without going to a Broadway show in 30 years. No wonder shows close."
My first date with my wife was brunch at Sardi's and the Broadway musical "Song and Dance" with Bernadette Peters. We both have love of Broadway and I think I surprised her when we first started talking that I loved Broadway since I was very much a sports guy. I just find it amazing that many "straight" guys can't appreciate musical theater. Guess my wife is lucky - lol jk !!
Updated On: 1/6/16 at 02:10 PM
Posted: 1/6/16 at 2:14pm
Hey mr. Bechdel.
Posted: 1/6/16 at 3:54pm
Kad: Book of Mormon doesn't mock the faith of Latter-Day Saints.
It's been a long time since I've seen or listened to the show, but I'm not sure this is entirely true. The overall tone may be respectful, but a song like "I Believe" surely puts forward certain tenets of Mormon faith for mockery. (And rightly so, in my opinion.)
Posted: 1/6/16 at 5:49pm
I think the writers have talked about this, but the clever thing about I Believe is that it doesn't overtly mock the faith. Maybe it embellishes here or there, but they aren't grossly exaggerating things. It's funny because the beliefs on their face are ridiculous. The song just puts these beliefs out there, and the audience does the rest of the work. It's still mockery to a certain extent, but the actual writing of the show isn't doing it.
Posted: 1/6/16 at 6:30pm
You don't think the writers intend for all those ridiculous beliefs to be punchlines for the audience? :)
Posted: 1/6/16 at 6:39pm
"It is perceived as a "guys' show," one that men aren't embarrassed to go to"
I know you did not mean this to be offensive but in a way it is because it is making men stereotypical. I have loved theater ever since seeing my first show in the late 70's. As by my name, you can probably guess I am big baseball fan. I have been married to my wonderful wife for 28 years and we have loved going to the theater ever since our first date. You really can be a "straight" male, love sports and enjoy a Broadway musical without it having "raunchy" humor. Would men really be embarrassed taking their children to a Disney show like "Lion King" or "Aladdin". Why would men be embarrassed to go see shows like "Jersey Boys" or "School Of Rock"? I don't know if you have seen "Hamilton" but when I saw it Labor Day weekend, there were plenty of men in the audience. I understand that women are a far greater percentage of the Broadway audience then men but saying men are embarrassed to see Broadway musicals is a bit unfair IMO.
Posted: 1/6/16 at 6:44pm
It's funny because they really do believe it.
I also think k it condemns blind faith and religion overall, now t specifically just mormons - but that happens tonne the vehicle.
Posted: 1/6/16 at 6:52pm
I agree with Yankee. I have been going to shows since the mid 60's and with my wife for the past 20 plus years. We did not enjoy BOM and we will simply leave it at that.We do not go as much as we used to but still enjoy shows whenever we go. We like both musicals and straight plays. Years ago, we would see almost 80% of shows in a given season.
It is nowhere near that now . We are grateful for what we see and sad about what we do not.We have great memories of what we have seen over the years.
Updated On: 1/6/16 at 06:52 PM
Posted: 1/6/16 at 7:59pm
Seeing how you've told us this umpteen times, no, you will not "leave it at that".
Updated On: 1/6/16 at 07:59 PM
Posted: 1/6/16 at 8:03pm
yankeefan7 said: ""It is perceived as a "guys' show," one that men aren't embarrassed to go to"
I know you did not mean this to be offensive but in a way it is because it is making men stereotypical. I have loved theater ever since seeing my first show in the late 70's. As by my name, you can probably guess I am big baseball fan. I have been married to my wonderful wife for 28 years and we have loved going to the theater ever since our first date. You really can be a "straight" male, love sports and enjoy a Broadway musical without it having "raunchy" humor. Would men really be embarrassed taking their children to a Disney show like "Lion King" or "Aladdin". Why would men be embarrassed to go see shows like "Jersey Boys" or "School Of Rock"? I don't know if you have seen "Hamilton" but when I saw it Labor Day weekend, there were plenty of men in the audience. I understand that women are a far greater percentage of the Broadway audience then men but saying men are embarrassed to see Broadway musicals is a bit unfair IMO."
WHY IS THE WORLD SO UNFAIR TO STRAIGHT MEN!?
Posted: 1/6/16 at 8:43pm
"WHY IS THE WORLD SO UNFAIR TO STRAIGHT MEN!?"
Never said the world was not fair to straight men, my statement was that saying men are embarrassed going to musical theater for the most part is a stereotype. There are plenty of straight men who enjoy theater and not embarrassed to be see a Broadway musical. I wanted to see BOM not because it is supposedly a guy show but because I wanted to laugh and I enjoyed the music I had heard from the show. The same trip I saw BOM, I saw "Finding Neverland" which I am sure is not considered a guy show. I have also seen "American In Paris" last year and Robert Fairchild and Leanne Cope are just wonderful dancers. I guess us straight men don't like dance either - lol.
Posted: 1/6/16 at 9:26pm
You know how they tried/try to market Rocky and Jersey Boys to straight men, too? Sure, it's a stereotype, but it's also true. People who are as secure in their straightness are pretty rare. Then there are people who like what they like and get all defensive about it...
EDIT: Not directly related, but this is fun: http://www.thestranger.com/theater/feature/2015/12/30/23340099/as-a-former-jehovahs-witness-i-seethed-with-jealousy-at-the-book-of-mormon
Updated On: 1/6/16 at 09:26 PM
Posted: 1/7/16 at 12:53am
Book of Mormon is hilariously clever. At it's core... it is actually pro religion because we all need to believe in something. Even if its far fetched.
The music and lyrics are a delight. The book is laugh out loud funny. It goes over the border of bad taste but for some reason its funny: not offensive. It is over the top funny about the ridiculousness of believers of all religiions.
It is directed so tightly and the choreography rocks. It is constructed really well and is unique in its plotting.
It is one of the best muscials I have ever seen and I have seen a lot.
It's an outrageous delight from start to finish. It doesn't aim to please but yet is please because it is so irreverent.
Who of thought a musical called the Book of Mormon would be such a hit? It's unique, delightful, tuneful,
and irreverent.
Posted: 1/7/16 at 2:16am
On the non-business and non-masculinity side of things: the songs are catchy, the cast is talented and wonderful, the choreography is to die for, it has a lot of heart and a way more uplifting pro-religion message than one might think, there are a lot of extremely humorous moments (this goes without saying but here I am)... etc. Like yes it can be offensive but it's not like people don't know that going in, for the most part.
Posted: 1/7/16 at 6:52am
"You know how they tried/try to market Rocky and Jersey Boys to straight men, too? Sure, it's a stereotype, but it's also true."
I get the marketing of "Rocky" because it actually had a "boxing" match in the show but how did they market "Jersey Boys" for straight men. I don't see liking the Four Seasons as something macho like "Rocky" - lol.
Updated On: 1/7/16 at 06:52 AM
Posted: 1/7/16 at 6:55am
"It is directed so tightly and the choreography rocks"
That was the most surprising thing to me about the show. I expected it to be funny and liked the music but the dancing really pleasantly surprised me.
Updated On: 1/7/16 at 06:55 AM
Posted: 1/7/16 at 7:31am
People recognize how silly religion is.
Posted: 1/12/16 at 9:15pm
One thing to note is the capacity of the theater. BOM is at the Eugene O'Neill theater, which can house at most 1,108 people. Matilda (Schubert theater) has 1460 seats, Lion King (Minskoff theater) has 1621 seats, and Hamilton (Richard Rodgers theater) has 1319 seats.
Unlike the others, I don't think Book of Mormon gets student group sales yet it still sells out 4-5 years on Broadway.
Posted: 1/12/16 at 9:23pm
Lion Kng doesn't group discount, nor does Wicked or Hamilton. They don't have to. (Unless things have changed recently)
