ColorTheHours048 said: "With the right casting choices, I can see this running into 2023. I don’t know that I see it having the legs of Chicago - while minimal in design, it’s a much more complex show and doesn’t have the deep bench of casting choices something like Chicago has - but I would love nothing more than to be proven wrong. Sondheim deserves a long-running smash hit, and ITW is the most likely of his canon to achieve that, given its wide appeal.
It’s not your traditional family fare, but this particular production is so joyful and deeply funny, I can see it changing the show’s reputation for being a bit of a downer after intermission. It’s got word of mouth you couldn’t buy if you wanted to and a great track record of casting so far, so… we'll see!"
I have to disagree with you. I don’t think I know a single person who has not loved Chicago for decades. I think the audience for ITW (not just Act 1) is more limited. I know many people who were bored when they saw it. Even the original production, which was probably Sondheim’s second longest running show played to a lot of empty seats after running 9 or so months. I really don’t think it appeals to the general audience who attends a show 2 - 3 years times a year, all of whom love Chicago.
I have to admit that I was bored frequently when I saw the original production early in its run, especially in the second act (even though I like the music in the second act more), and that it is towards the bottom of my ranking of SS musicals, in terms of enjoyment, although I like it more than I used to…ironically, thanks to the movie, and the fast forward feature that allows me to skip through the scenes I still find boring).