YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN - A big flop- Page 2

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 5:32pm

The tour should help it recoup, since it'll assumedly be VERY scaled back.

[bwaygirl211]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 5:33pm

I hope the tour does good, I just wonder who the cast will be

[duffny1]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 6:42pm

That is the reason that I boycotted it. I was on the phone the day after tickets went on sale ready to pay full price orchestra (even if it went up a few dollars). So many seats were pulled for premium seats and the only available ones were so far on the side or the last few rows.

I am a die hard fan and was looking forward to the show. Not sure what my personal boycott accomplished--except I didn't get to see a show where I love all the performers and Mel Brooks. Sorry Mel--not a great idea and I am somewhat relieved it closed and hopefully they will change their ways.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 7:00pm

You know, I have friends who absolutely love this show.

Just puttin' it out there.

Posted: 1/4/09 at 7:08pm

The rampant, unjustified hatred of Mel Brooks never ceases to amaze me.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 7:56pm

I don't hate Mel Brooks at all. He's a comedy legend and has done some great stuff. He just made a big mistake.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 8:03pm

PiraguaGuy2, that was a disgusting comment. Mel Brooks is still mourning the loss of his wife of decades, Anne Bancroft, with whom he was deeply in love. What you said was uncalled for and you owe the funny old coot an apology.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 2:39am

Hold on here.

YF didn’t close because it was bad (a lot of bad shows have run for years) nor because of the overpriced premium seats. It just wasn't selling even at regular prices. When you can walk up to the box office and purchase great seats for Saturday night show a few months after the opening it's sure sign the show isn't selling all that well.

The reason they refused to publish the grosses is because of the flexible ticket pricing. IF the show had been a hit a larger crop of the regular seats would have been bumped up to the premium level. In fact it was just the opposite and many premium priced seats were reduced to regular price...and they still weren't selling.

My theory is that this show seemed like too much of a clone of THE PRODUCERS formula and came too soon after it. PRODUCERS overstayed its welcome on Broadway, and released a highly touted film that tanked. In six years Brooks went from being the hottest thing on Broadway to cold potatoes.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 2:45am

I would love an intern or gopher for the production to write a book, ala the Follies book, about where this show went wrong. It is a fascinating study in how not to produce a Broadway show. I find it endlessly ironic that the subject of The Producers because a sort of backstage story for Young Frankenstein. I still feel it was one of the best shows last season.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 4:42am

Actually, I DO believe that the obnoxious rate for his premium seats DID hurt the chances of Young Frankenstein's success. I am another patron that was actually offended at Mel's audacity. I know of MANY other theater folks that felt the same way.

The jump in prices for Billy Elliot affected me as well. I had the opportunity to see it in previews, but in all good consciencness would not spend almost $140 a seat. Did I regret it? Yes. I did see it, after hearing that that the 41.50 seats were a great view. Will I see it again? Not at full price.

However, I NEVER felt like I 'missed' anything NOT seeing YF.

[Elke]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 5:15am

I also thought that the premium prices were outrageous, but as Mel Brooks pointed out in one of his interviews: they had 16 front row lottery seats for $26 each. A real bargain for a show this impressive (the sets were amazing, no matter what you thought of the music or book). But unfortunately this wasn't mentioned in every single article. I think people just did not *want* to give this show a chance.

All I can say is, too bad for them.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 6:29am

I gave the show a chance with the $26.50 lottery seats. And I still hated it and felt overcharged.

[Elke]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 7:19am

jordangirl, fair enough. I'm glad that you (unlike others) did give the show a chance. Sorry to hear that you didn't enjoy it.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 7:55am

On the other hand many of the closing shows have recouped and earned significant profits: HARIRSPRAY, SPAMALOT, BOEING BOEING, and the revival of GREASE.

The revival of GREASE did NOT recoup.

[minicko88]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 2:28pm

Ok people... Lets get real here! Is everyone perfect in the world? No! Honestly think about this, you just closed a show that is ARGUABLY the greatest comedy musical in Broadway history (You may not agree, but look at the run it had and the tony, one could argue this)... And now your bigger success movie is coming soon after. Don't you think the show would be in high demand? I would think so! Most of you probably would have jumped the prices up a little bit in the beginning... Unfortunately, he priced them to high and it had a downward effect. Mel Brooks isn't perfect, but he tried something and it didn't work. He will know better next time... If there is one! I happen to love Mel Brooks and he is the only comedian to have won a grammy, tony, academy award, and emmy! So I think he knows what hes talking about most of the time. Give the guy a break! Forgive and Forget... IF you didn't like the show, TOO BAD!!! many others loved it. Some thought it was the best show last year... DEAL WITH IT!!!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 6:29pm

I knew that after the Hosannas for The Producers, the critics would rip Brooks' next show. I was right.

It is a shame as the show was very entertaining. With the animosity just waiting for him, Brooks shot himself in the foot with the money grab (premium seating) . This fueled the critics ire, I believe along with keeping people away.

If Brooks tries again, hopefully he will not make the same mistakes again.

Updated On: 1/5/09 at 06:29 PM

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 6:47pm

They ripped it apart because it was awful. All of the songs stopped the show dead in its tracks. The only song that even helped to move the show along was "Family Business" or whatever it was called. The sets were big, yes, but not that impressive. I've seen more creative, pretty sets in much smaller shows. If you want impressive, check out Doyle's design for "Road Show." The music in YF was boring, and the book was flat. I think I laughed, maybe, once? And YF is my favorite movie. I've been watching it with my grandfather since I was eight. I had such high hopes for this show, but it was awful. The Hilton is also an awful place to see a show. I felt so out of the show because of how far back I was.

[dramarama2]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 6:51pm

mincko88, If I read a stupider comment today I will slice off my hand. WE didn't close the show. Some of us DID like it. And there is no F-cking way this is the best musical comedy of all time. Do a survey and you tell me how many people agree with you.

[minicko88]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 7:47pm

Am I the stupid one? Why don't you go back and read the comment one more time and maybe your brain will comprehend the message. It is basically putting you in Mel Brook's shoes. I never stated that Young Frankenstein the the best musical comedy of all time. However, in many eyes, The Produces is arguable the best musical comedy of all time. I never said it was! I said it was arguable the best.... So go back and read it as if you were in his shoes... That is what the message is about... Not what is the greatest musical comedy... And i am called the stupid one?

[billynj]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 9:33pm

I was the one to break the news on the outrageous ticket prices and i also said the show would fail based upon that issue alone ....I was right and many here called me all kinds of names

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 1/6/09 at 3:56am

Foster, this from the BWW story on the closing og GREASE:

By the time GREASE opened on Broadway, advance tickets sales had reached $17 million. The production recouped its entire investment during its 52nd playing week.

Updated On: 1/6/09 at 03:56 AM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/6/09 at 6:16am

I don't understand: 'giving a show a chance'. If, for whatever reason, a show doesn't appeal to me, I am not going to see it. To consider myself a patron of the arts does not require me to see every show just to see if I MIGHT like it.

I bring my HS kids to the city every year for a theatrical weekend and since THEY pay for it, they select the shows. Sometimes they chose shows I'd rather not see. Have I been pleasantly surpised by some of those shows? Ceretainly, Titanic and Tommy spring to mind. But just as often, I sat there needing to remind myself that I was working and had to force myself to stay.

To suggest we need to give something "a try" is like telling a me to keep trying cigarettes...because once you get use to it, it's not so bad. If I don't want to, THATS a good enough reason not to see a show.

[Elke]

Posted: 1/6/09 at 7:17am

dramamama, we can't deny the fact that a lot of people bashed the show and refused to see it just because it was Mel Brooks, overpriced and so on. Those are mainly the people I was talking about.

"If I don't want to, THATS a good enough reason not to see a show."

Sure. But that means that, if it wasn't for your HS kids, you would have missed out on Titanic and Tommy. So maybe 'giving a show a try' isn't that bad after all.

On a sidenote, I wouldn't compare this to trying cigarettes. Seeing a bad show doesn't kill you (even though it can be verrrrry painful :))

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 1/6/09 at 5:30pm

"I knew that after the Hosannas for The Producers, the critics would rip Brooks' next show. I was right."

It's interesting how you talk out of both sides of your mouth on issues like this, Roxy, but then, that's what you do. The fact is, you yammer on and on about the outrageous prices that greedy producers will charge (I recall you calling Brooks greedy for the return of Matthew and Nathan era Producers, as well) and how it's going to be the complete and total death of Broadway.

Then you run out and are among the first to pay full price to YF. The fact is you actually LIVE to see shows that critics rip on and you spend 1/3 of your time saying critics have too much power and yet defend the garbage and call always find something you like about it and somehow we're supposed to think that's the opinion of a real person and not some elitist critic. Of course, then and only then do you completely drop the "greedy producers" line of argument.

You're disingenuous when you do that.

[minicko88]

Posted: 1/6/09 at 5:40pm

Wow... FindingNamo... That was heartfelt! haha