Why was the Gigi musical so short lived?
Why was the Gigi musical so short lived?
mormonsandglindas
Chorus Member Joined: 3/31/16
#1Why was the Gigi musical so short lived?
Posted: 5/1/16 at 6:36pm
I'm taking about the one that was recently on Broadway with Vannessa Hudgens. Was it not selling well or was it just not a very good show?
#2Why was the Gigi musical so short lived?
Posted: 5/1/16 at 6:37pm
It just didn't catch on, I'm afraid. It was a very good show, though. I listen to the cast recording frequently.
They/them.
"Get up the nerve to be all you deserve to be."
ARTc3
Broadway Star Joined: 8/5/13
#3Why was the Gigi musical so short lived?
Posted: 5/1/16 at 6:49pm
I thought it dull and the subject matter extremely questionable at a time when women being sold as "courtesans" is extremely distasteful.
ARTc3 formerly ARTc. Actually been a poster since 2004. My name isn't Art. Drop the "3" and say the signature and you'll understand.
Margo319
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/28/15
#4Why was the Gigi musical so short lived?
Posted: 5/1/16 at 6:53pm
I believe they thought Vanessa would be a bigger draw. The material is very dated as well, but I enjoyed it.
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#5Why was the Gigi musical so short lived?
Posted: 5/1/16 at 7:13pm
In this case? Both. I love the film, but found the show pretty mundane.
But shows close for one reason and one reason only: the lack of ticket sales. Good shows close without sufficient sales, and sometimes mediocre shows flourish. Whatcha gonna do?
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#6Why was the Gigi musical so short lived?
Posted: 5/1/16 at 7:35pm
We found it very enjoyable
Not everyone will embrace every show. It has never happened and it never will.
Poster Emeritus
Updated On: 5/1/16 at 07:35 PM
#7Why was the Gigi musical so short lived?
Posted: 5/1/16 at 7:37pm
My god, I found it painfully boring.
Updated On: 5/1/16 at 07:37 PM
@z5
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/30/15
#9Why was the Gigi musical so short lived?
Posted: 5/1/16 at 9:24pm
I remember seeing it in early previews and was definitely pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it, since I went in expecting to not like it. The scenery and staging was very well done, in addition to choreography and casting.
mpkie
Broadway Star Joined: 6/21/15
#10Why was the Gigi musical so short lived?
Posted: 5/1/16 at 9:53pm
I was on the fence about seeing this one but Gigi ended up being one of my favorite productions. It's just gorgeous to look at and listen to. I haven't been so deeply enchanted by set and costume since (edit: except for The King and I + Something Rotten). It has the quintessential look and feel of what one might think of as "Broadway". So stylish without being gawdy (like some other shows on Bway right now). The score is beautiful. The actors all gave good performances. Its simplicity and charm remind me a bit of She Loves Me (but SLM is a lot funnier).
The only part I found off putting was Vanessa Hudgens' diction, in that it felt a bit too over-the-top and harsh on the ears. But her vocals were stunning (it's why I rooted very hard for her during Grease! Live because I knew she was capable). I would have loved to have been able to see it again. Couldn't even recommend it to friends since it closed so abruptly.
#11Why was the Gigi musical so short lived?
Posted: 5/2/16 at 1:53am
The artistry of it was charming and beautiful just like the film was, but what was severely lacking was a well cast leading lady, strong direction, and a more stronger book. I consider Gigi a disappointment that was both sad and annoying, the only remedy was the brilliant, striking and forever ingrained in my head revival of The King and I a few months later.
#12Why was the Gigi musical so short lived?
Posted: 5/2/16 at 3:18am
I also don't think it helped that another French-set musical based on on a classic film, American in Paris, opened the same season.
mamaleh
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/11/04
#13Why was the Gigi musical so short lived?
Posted: 5/2/16 at 9:50am
Hubby and I found it a chore to sit through. Hudgens simply had no charisma, and her pairing with the older leading man seemed distasteful, no matter how many times we've seen such scenarios. Dee Hoty was the best thing about the show, and when you can't wait for the main character to disappear so that the elders can cavort, that show is in trouble.
#14Why was the Gigi musical so short lived?
Posted: 5/2/16 at 10:00am
I thought it was a cheap, vulgar, and stupid adaptation of a better movie and even better novella. I can't say if that was why it closed so quickly, though.
LarryD2
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/1/14
#15Why was the Gigi musical so short lived?
Posted: 5/2/16 at 10:05am
mamaleh said: Hudgens simply had no charisma, and her pairing with the older leading man seemed distasteful, no matter how many times we've seen such scenarios.
Older leading man? Do you mean Corey Cott, who is actually several years younger than Hudgens? I personally felt like this production went too far in its effort to sanitize, like reassigning "Thank Heavens for Little Girls" from Honore to Mamita and Aunt Alicia, and going out of its way to suggest nothing sexual between Gigi and Honore, and casting a younger actor as Gaston.
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#16Why was the Gigi musical so short lived?
Posted: 5/2/16 at 10:18am
I agree that it was approved by the p.c. police.
Poster Emeritus
#17Why was the Gigi musical so short lived?
Posted: 5/2/16 at 10:23am
Mamaleh says, "her pairing with an older leading man seemed distasteful"
Huh? When I saw the show they made a point of the leading man being just slightly older than her. In fact they mentioned them playing together as children. That's why they cast a young Corey Cott to play opposite Hudgens (Cott is actually a year younger than Hudgens in real life). How did you find that distasteful? That was one of the many changes they made in this production to be less offensive to today's audiences and to appear more politically correct. Along with giving the classic song "Thank Heaven For Little Girls" to two women instead of Gaston and Honoré which made it even more creepy (why are two older women gleefully thanking heaven for "little girls"?). Though I do agree, as you noted, Hudgens lacked charisma (as well as having this high pitched giggle throughout the show which I found extremely annoying). BUT as usual Victoria Clark's voice was wonderful to hear as well as Howard McGillin's which made the evening almost worthwhile.
Updated On: 5/2/16 at 10:23 AM
#18Why was the Gigi musical so short lived?
Posted: 5/2/16 at 12:40pm
Larry D2 said: ".... and going out of its way to suggest nothing sexual between Gigi and Honore"
There was nothing going on sexually between Gigi and Honore in the original version of the story.
#19Why was the Gigi musical so short lived?
Posted: 5/2/16 at 2:36pm
Gigi was a bore - I left during Intermission
An American In Paris is gorgeous
BakerWilliams
Leading Actor Joined: 2/1/16
#20Why was the Gigi musical so short lived?
Posted: 5/2/16 at 3:23pm
The original novella actually had some bite. The movie smoothed a lot of it over, but the new musical completely sanitized it into something extremely bland.
#21Why was the Gigi musical so short lived?
Posted: 5/2/16 at 3:29pm
It did feel sanitized but I was very impressed with Hudgens. She just looked like she was having a ball onstage. I really hope she comes back to Broadway.
Just give the world Love. - S. Wonder
#22Why was the Gigi musical so short lived?
Posted: 5/2/16 at 3:51pm
I agree that Hudgens looked like she was having a blast and believe that she gave it her all, but I also think she was woefully miscast. I just felt incredibly bad for her while watching the show because she seemed so out of her depth. But that hardly mattered given that the adaptation was soulless, the direction lazy, and the choreography as acrobatic as it was hollow. Despite some very talented performers on stage, I found it to be emotionally empty, whitewashed, and land. I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did.
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#23Why was the Gigi musical so short lived?
Posted: 5/2/16 at 4:01pm
Found AAIP boring but stayed till the end. I remembered the movie than and how superior it was to the stage version in every way.
Poster Emeritus
Updated On: 5/2/16 at 04:01 PM
#24Why was the Gigi musical so short lived?
Posted: 5/2/16 at 10:03pm
Consider yourself lucky if you saw this production. I saw the original in 1973. I figured, how could they screw this up? Whenever I saw the film my brain wanted to misinterpret it as the film version of a hit Broadway musical.
But they cast a soap opera star as Gigi. Can you imagine? Leslie Caron vs. Karin Wolfe. It did feature Alfred Drake and Agnes Moorehead, until Moorehead sadly had to leave to deal with the cancer that killed her.
The whole production just seemed very cramped and small. It was a failure with critics and audience.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#25Why was the Gigi musical so short lived?
Posted: 5/2/16 at 10:16pm
one of my best friends was the associate director. I think part of the reason it came to Broadway at all was because of a first time producer. She miscalculated the interest in the piece. Its def a classic movie but an outdated concept for 2016. I mean the premise has to do with an older man waiting for a little girl to become a woman so he can have her, lol....they did a lot of great changes, first of all by giving the little girls song to someone else. But also by casting Corey as much younger than the role calls for.
I'm not sure it should have ever come in the first place, but the fact that the set, costumes and choreography where ignored is sheer politics. The producer was from DC and didn't know any of the Tony Voters who basically just voted for themselves...it's a very political thing. Removing the critics from the ballot box was a really bad idea.
The show was really classy, does it dazzle in a Hamilton world, I'm not sure.
Videos