Why is Wedding Singer on the rocks?

Many on this board seem to be either passionate fans or passionate haters of this show. But please put aside those feelings for a second and answer me this:

Based on my personal experiences, talking with friends and even reviews, it seems clear that this show gets very enthusiastic audience responses. Sure, there are exceptions, but most folks who see it genuinely seem to like it (even those who were not expecting to).

So why is the box office so low?

I don't like the show. I think it's really wasting space. However, I think that there are too many shows the appeal to its type of audience (teens, families, etc.) shows like Lion King and Wicked and so on. That might be causing it to get the shaft. Also people, particulary tourists, flock to whatever is difficult to get tickets to. Shows that are doing okay or not so well don't build huge audiences.

There were also enthusiastic audiences at Suzanne Somer.
TWS is just not a very good show.

its basically a hundred dollar musical based on a mediocre to bad 80's fluff film ....that's why.

Actually, I do think a lot of it is the marketing. Ticket sales went up a decent amount the first two weeks after the Tony's, but have dropped since. I think if they were to start marketing the show more nationally, and not just stunt cast, ticket sales would definitely go up. "The Wedding Singer" is a well-liked movie and a known title, tourists will buy tickets for something they're familiar with without even looking into reviews, from my own experience. I could be wrong, though.

umm, maybe cause the show is Terrible.

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Um, comments like "the show is terrible", "piece of crap", and "not a very good show" would seem to indicate that many of you have ignored the part where I asked you to "put aside your feelings for a second".

The show is getting raucous receptions. The show is not selling.

How could the word of mouth be bad? Are people laughing and hooting and hollering and then walking outside and changing their minds?

If it's the marketing, is it just that people are unaware of the show, or does the marketing present it in the wrong light? And plenty of other shows have overcome bad reviews, so I can't see it being that.

The point about tourists flocking to shows that are hard to get seats for is well-taken, but that can't be the whole reason.

C'mon, sage theorists, this is your chance to shine!

Actualy many radio personalities are saying to ignore the critics, they had fun at the show.

My ex used to work for a broadway advertising agency. Marketing for a Broadway show is incredibly, insanely expensive. Given that the sets and the costumes were - sorry -so cheap I can't imagine they have the money to put into real marketing. Just buying the rights to the show must have cut a huge chunk out of their budget. It comes down to two things - poor word of mouth and no $$$ for marketing.

Yes, marketing for a show is expensive. But marketing is EVERYTHING. You have no idea what you're talking about, Moxie. Those sets and costumes are damn expensive. Money for the initial rights to the film to write the libretto for the musical comes from a completely different place than marketing funds, as they are bought before the creative process even begins. The writer of the screenplay in addition makes money off of the show's success along with the creative team throughout the run.

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Your thread title presumes that The Wedding Singer is on the rocks, which I do not presume.

Assuming that I had a producer of this show before me, with an open ear, who REALLY WANTED suggestions, I would give a couple.

#1. Get rid of the filthy dirty jokes that are as bad as what you'd hear from truck drivers, or worse. The audience may laugh but they are not funny, they are disgusting and cut down your audience. Get a SMART GOOD writer to help you excise the filthy part but keep humor in it with innuendo or better jokes. Then schools could book trips for their students, other people could recommend the show for theatre tours for suburbia and older folks and well-heeled audiences.

For example, the idea that the grandmother was a slut and had a lot of men is sick. It may be funny by innuendo, but not by flat out saying it.

You only have to do this in a few places. You will increase your audience.

#2. Hire Matthew Morrison for the male lead if you can get him. Pair him with Kelli O'Hara or anyone else he wants for the female lead. He can carry a show like that. He has the humor, youth, vitality and voice. And you won't have to sub him for any of his dancing.

My 2c,
NDP

Updated On: 8/12/06 at 01:10 AM

Why wrong? It's a comedy and he's very comedic. He also has the flexible body of a mime and can add a dimension of physical comedy that Steve Lynch does not possess.

...What do Matthew Morrisson and Kelli O'Hara have to do with anything? He's too good looking for the part anyway. The character is supposed to be a loser everyman, not a generic "I just stepped out of the pages of Tiger Beat" type.

Stephen Lynch is about as close as you can get to Adam Sandler without actually getting Adam Sandler. I used to confuse them before he ever did The Wedding Singer. Get a more traditional lead, clean up the play... it sounds to me that you're simply asking for a new show.

Which is a suggestion I can get behind.

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in the movie he lived in his sister's basement