The Closing of Here Lies Love: A Few Thoughts

The Closing of Here Lies Love:

A Few Thoughts

It is always sad when a show closes. Years of work and hundreds of jobs gone with a producers' notice and a notice taped to the door. Sad but true, it happens more often than not. It is particularly hard to take when it's a show you really like and its run is short. 

Such is the case with Here Lies Love, scheduled to close November 26th after 33 previews and 149 performances. Tradition dictates that the producers announce with a message of gratitude, remorse and optimism. I found this one to be all of that and more.

They are correct that the production was a very creative, boundary-pushing enterprise. The design team really went above and beyond, basically creating a new space in an old one. They even found amazing ways to make the immersive experience completely immersive no matter where your ticket put you in the theater. And even if the creative team is about as white as you can get, the fact that they made sure to 100% cast Filipinos to tell a Filipino story is not only authentic, but very laudable.  They proved it can be done.

But after all of that, they offered a statement of... blame? excuse?

"But the reality is, succeeding on Broadway means not only producing excellent work with artistic merit—it also means creating the audience for it. And how much time it takes to find and grow new audiences is out of sync with the tight time frames for audience-building and awareness."

We all know what they mean. You have to have a big and growing audience before the money runs out. Now, I'm no producer, and I'll admit that I don't know all of the ins and outs of opening and running a Broadway show. Still, I have to wonder what the decision-makers thought about. 

Was it

• the fact that they were peddling a show that was 10 years old already?
• the fact that the story involves a controversial figure, whose family is again making headlines for coming back to power - is it timely or out of date?
• the fact that the show might resonate with US audiences facing a fascist crisis, and those audiences might be weary of the whole mess, or worse are offended by it because they might see themselves in it?
• the fact that the whole live musicians thing got more press than the show itself did, and painted a negative picture of the production?
• the fact that it cost an estimated $22 million dollars with a rumored $700K nut (That nut was surpassed only 7 times since opening night, and they've never had a sold-out full week.)?
• the fact that upwards of $200 - $300 a ticket for "the ultimate way to experience" is pricey, but on top of that, you either have to stand, packed like sardines, while constantly being moved around, watching out for your feet being run over or being trampled to death, or sit in the "the gallery" where you look straight out at the action, with limited views of anything not right in front of you, thereby missing a great deal of the action?
• the fact that the best actual seats cost over $500 (you get twice the show at Hamilton, and you are definitely closer there!)?
• the fact that going to even the most exclusive clubs is still cheaper and lasts more than 90 minutes?

I know, I know. Supply and demand, blah blah blah. Well, there isn't much demand. Let's be honest. The audience for a show about the rise and fall of Imelda Marcos performed as a nightclub act in a musical idiom that is not the most popular currently is a hard sell to begin with. And she's no Eva Peron. And didn't the people who are really interested in that history already see it in a more intimate venue ten years ago? 

As a child of the 70s and 80s, who grew up when all of this happened and Studio 54 was the be all and end all of entertainment, it would seem that  I'd be the target audience. Add to that I am part of that shrinking demographic: frequent attendance at Broadway shows, willing to travel to do it. I make a decent income. Now I always fill out those surveys when they ask, so someone on Broadway knows I'm out there ripe for the picking. I've yet to receive any special mailers, emails, anything to court me to see this show. 

Who are/were the producers "audience-building" to? Were they trying to get younger, hipper people to turn out in droves - I'm pretty sure they were, hence the "guest DJ after-parties." Again - clubs where you can stay longer (and not see what color Arielle Jacobs' underwear is up close) are considerably cheaper.

All of this is to say they have a supply. There isn't a demand. The price hasn't changed. Of course, they've painted themselves into a corner. By grossly overestimating the demand and price of "the experience," they can't really do much with the prices now and have any hope of making their nut. 

It is always sad when a show closes too young. And it is sad that there won't be many more chances to see this extraordinary production. If you do have a chance to see it, you really should. It's worth every penny.

When a Show Closes...

Earlier this week, SpongeBob SquarePants announced a closing date of September 16.  That's 10 weeks from now.  As with any show closing announcement, I'm always intrigued by the reaction to it. Intrigued, but not surprised. The reactions are virtually all the same:

1. "I'm so sad! Thinking of all the cast and crew who are losing their jobs."

• To me, this is the "thoughts and prayers" of Broadway reactions. Of course, no one wants people to lose their jobs. But really, let's remember that this is a business. And when it no longer makes financial sense to keep the show open, it closes. And don't think the cast and crew don't (usually) realize it had to be coming soon. At least in SpongeBob's case, cast and fans were given 10 weeks' notice. Most other jobs don't give employees that kind of time. And now all of those people will be free to be in another great show!

2. "Thank God! I hated that show!"

• Well, good for you, Nancy Drew! Thanks for sharing. But did you ever notice that these people are usually the ones who then have to dig in and really let us know that they hated it.  And usually with a tone of smug superiority. You don't like it? Fine. Why spend so much time thinking about it?

If Fun Home (a favorite) hadn't closed...

3. "Eh...I never was interested in that show. Who cares?"

• See # 2. But really, isn't it a good thing that everyone doesn't like the same thing? Can you imagine how boring art and life would be if everyone had the interests and tastes?

...In Transit (a new, original musical) wouldn't have tried...
and if it hadn't closed...

4. "It's about time! I am so over that show. It is so stale."

• Again, I say that this is a business.  If there was enough interest to keep it running for years, it runs. We've all been to shows that seem to have lost their...mojo. The blessing and the curse of live theatre is that it is LIVE, and never the same thing twice. But it also runs the risk of having an "off day," or a not-as-great-as-the-original replacement or maybe the cast seems bored. It's  regrettable, certainly.

...then Once On This Island (a new favorite) wouldn't
be around!

5. "It should never have been on Broadway to begin with."

• Translation: the show is odd in some way, or asks a lot of its audience, or it is too creative for its own good. In other words, it wasn't "mainstream" enough, or it wasn't "big" enough. Over the years, I've found that many of the people who say this are the same people who complain that there aren't enough creative, original, thought-provoking shows on Broadway. You can't have it both ways...

It is always disappointing when a show you love closes. I totally understand that - especially when you don't get the chance to see it again. I'm still missing my second chance to see American Psycho. But after nearly 35 years of theater-going, I've learned to take solace in the fact that if shows don't close, there's no room for a potential new favorite show to play. I try to remember that if Fun Home hadn't closed, the fantastic revival of Once On This Island wouldn't be where it is now. I miss the three Alisons for sure. But I'm so happy I got to meet Ti Moune, Daniel and four gods!

Broadway's Summer Cleaning

The "Circle of Life"

Well, we're now nearly three weeks post-Tony Awards, and the annual purge of shows is fully under way.  Summer, like the dead of winter, can be a slow time on Broadway, and producers pull the plug and cut their losses.  Such is the Broadway Circle of Life, as they say in one show that's staying put.  Whether it is because of bad box office or the end of a limited run, a lot of shows will be gone before Labor Day.  Here's a look at them:

A Raisin in the Sun closed on June 15

CLOSED ALREADY

• Act One closed after its scheduled run on June 15.  31 previews, 67 performances
• A Raisin in the Sun closed after its "strictly limited engagement" on June 15.  27 previews, 85 performances
• Mothers and Sons closed on June 22.  33 previews, 104 performances

After Midnight will close on June 29

SOON TO CLOSE

• After Midnight will close on June 29, after 18 previews and 273 performances.
• All the Way will close on June 29 following its limited engagement after 27 previews and 131 performances.
• Casa Valentina will close on June 29 following its extended limited engagement after 24 previews and 79 performances.

The Realistic Joneses will close on July 8

• The Realistic Joneses will close on July 6, after 27 previews and 105 performances.
• The Cripple of Inishmaan will close on July 20 following its limited engagement after 9 previews and 105 performances.
• Of Mice and Men will close on July 27 following its limited engagement after 31 previews and 118 performances.
• Newsies will close on August 24, after 16 previews and 1,005 performances. (I have to say I'm a little surprised at this one.  Disney probably wants to use the set for the National Tour.)
• Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill will close on August 31 following its extended limited engagement after 20 previews and 141 performances.

And there are a few other shows that might be considering closing up shop, too.  But there is this to look forward to: old shows have to close for new ones to open!

Jeff
5.200

Two Down...

So, yesterday came with the announcement that two new Broadway shows were closing.  One of them, A Time to Kill, I really wanted to see, despite the mixed-to-negative reviews it received.  The other, First Date, I did, thankfully, get to see.  Neither closing really comes a surprise.

Given the public-a-large's penchant for tried and true titles, you would think A Time to Kill, would have lasted longer.  Of course, the title alone isn't enough to get butts in the seats.  Maybe it needed more star power - you can rent the movie for $2.99 or buy it for $6.99 on Amazon.com and get the likes of Matthew McConaughey, Kevin Spacey, Samuel L. Jackson and Sandra Bullock.  Even at 1/2 price, the cheapest seat would be $34.75, and you'd get a pretty distant view of Sebastian Arcelus, Patrick Page, John Douglas Thompson, and Ashley Williams, moderately famous for their stage and screen efforts, but not an Oscar nominee, winner or Hollywood heartthrob among them.  Yes, deeper in the cast are Tony-winner Tonya Pinkins and Emmy nominees Fred Dalton Thompson and Tom Skerritt.  Still, not a "must-see" on the list as far as the general public (read tourists) is concerned.

Then, too, is the idea that Broadway thrillers are a thing of the past.  Films can do it more graphically, with exciting cross cuts, multiple locations and special effects.  TV procedurals and court room dramas (the entire CSI and Law and Order ouvre) have taken a large bite out of the "shock and awe" of the controversial, socially important crime and punishment drama.  I'm thinking, despite the popularity of the novel, its author and the film of the same name, A Time to Kill would have REALLY needed to be something special - star-studded, visually unique, and doling out dramatic theater that can't be replicated on film.  A tall order.

The trial is over November 17.

You have longer to get to see First Date, which will call it quits after the holidays, on January 5th.  I can't say I'm too surprised that this one is closing so soon, either.  But it is a little surprising in a couple of ways.  First, until this week's opening of After Midnight, only Janis Joplin got slightly better reviews (StageGrade.com says it got a median review grade of B-; the bigger, more hyped Bug Fish got the same).  It is also the show I've liked best so far this season as well (my review HERE).

But there is so much going against this show, too.  First, with money still tight for most people, especially tourists, you get considerably less bang for your buck, even at a discount or buying the cheap seats.  The show is 90 minutes, not very splashy, scenery-wise, and by a bunch of unknowns.  Not exactly a great alternative to those unable to get tickets to The Book of Mormon.  Second, despite two moderately well-known TV stars above the title, you'd have a better shot at seeing someone famous in Chicago, After Midnight or decent replicas in A Night with Janis Joplin, Jersey Boys or Motown.

Still, First Date fits the bill of exactly the kind of show that avid Broadway aficionados always lament is missing: a new show, not based on anything but a decent idea, but new, up-and-coming writers.  The problem is that lately all of the best musicals that fit that exact bill are happening off-Broadway - The Great Comet, Here Lies Love, Fun Home.  And so many similar shows have made the transfer to Broadway and failed miserably - Lysistrata Jones, Grey Gardens, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson to name a few - making producers jittery at best to take the leap.  Don't get me wrong, First Date isn't the artistic, envelope-pusher of any of those other titles, but it doesn't try to be, either.  In a lot of ways, it is a throwback to Broadway shows of old - fun romps with a New York edge, that provide an escape from the every day humdrum life.

Too slight? Probably.  Too New York for tourists? Maybe.  Too many "sure thing" shows for your limited budget? Definitely.  That said, I'd still say to those of you who haven't seen it, go see it.  It is fun. And people are going to say they saw Zachary Levi's Broadway debut, one that'll be talked about for awhile, I'm thinking.  So why not actually see him than just say you saw him?  He is really that good.

Happy/Sad: Hellos, Goodbyes and Broadway Boy Bands

So did March come in like a lion or a lamb for you?  For Broadway, it was a little of both... Let's get the negative out of the way first.

THE "SAD" NEWS

Missed opportunities: Not living in New York has its disadvantages.  One of them is missing limited runs and one-night only shows.  This week I would have loved to see Carousel. It isn't my favorite show by far, but hearing the NY Philharmonic play the "Carousel Waltz" would be heavenly.  Not to mention seeing Kelli O'Hara and Jessie Mueller... Ah, well...It is hard to be too sad.  I did get to see two Broadway shows this weekend.

Saying "good-bye" can be tough:  Mary Poppins leaves Broadway today.  I guess it is difficult by some measures to be too sad, since Mary and Bert were practically perfect for 6 whole years.  But part of me is sad because somehow, I never got back to see the beautiful production after catching a very early preview.  Most of me is sad, though, because I had hoped to take my now 6 year-old niece to see it for her very first Broadway show.   It closed after 30 previews and 2119 performances at the New Amsterdam Theatre.

Other closures:  The week there were a few other closures, two of which we are likely to hear about again come Tony time.  They are The Other Place, which closed after 34 previews and 61 performances at the Friedman Theatre and Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? which closed after 17 previews and 142 performances at the Booth Theatre.  And "Copacabana" Man's Manilow on Broadway's concert closed yesterday at the St. James Theatre after 2 previews and 25 performances.

THE"HAPPY" NEWS

Watch out N'SYNC: OK, different genres altogether, but Broadway does have an all-boy band.  They are called, appropriately enough, Shubert Alley.  This hot new trio, consisting of Jamison Scott and Kevin and Patrick Massey.  With cumulative Broadway credits including Tarzan, Hairspray and Memphis and opera credits including The Magic Flute and Cosi Fan Tutte, these guys clearly have the vocal chops.  Most recently, they played 54 Below.  To check them and their music out, go to www.shubertalley.net .

Welcome to Broadway: As sad as it is to see shows close, if they didn't, there wouldn't be room for new shows to open.  This week saw a new show open and 3 others begin previews.  The opener is tonight's debutante, Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella starring Laura Osnes, Santino Fontana and a good friend of this blog, Cody Williams.  The previewers are Tom Hanks in Nora Ephron's Lucky Guy, Keith Carradine and Hunter Foster in Hands on a Hardbody, and Stark Sands and Billy Porter in Cyndi Lauper/Harvey Fierstein/Jerry Mitchell's Kinky Boots.

Good Can Come From Bad: Last night, I returned to my favorite show, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, looking forward to seeing Stephanie J. Block and Chita Rivera again, as well as checking out the new players, Erin Davie and Andrew Samonsky.  And I was looking forward to saying "hi" to super friend of this blog, Eric Sciotto (check out his great series of interviews by clicking on his pics in the column to your right).  As fortune would have it, he went on (for the very first time) as Jasper, for an ailing Will Chase.  Maybe I'm a tad prejudiced, but he was AMAZING.  The audience ate him up!  Look for my full review on Tuesday!

BE SURE TO VOTE IN THIS WEEK'S "HOT OR NOT" CLICK ON THE KINKY BOOTS PIC IN UPPER RIGHT COLUMN!

Jeff
4.180

Safe Journey, Mary: Make Way For Prince Ali

I was starting to think that Mary Poppins would never close.  I mean, it has been around for 6 years, surviving a lack of Tony Awards, a shocking lack of buzz, and weeks at a time of less than 50% capacity.  But the things you can take a family of a range of ages, particularly little girls, on Broadway, are pretty limited (until lately).  And word-of-mouth must have been great, because it is one show you hardly ever hear about, save for a few casting announcements (Did Gavin Lee ever really leave the role of Bert?).

Now is probably the best time to close the aging show - while it is still in good shape, and not a joke.  And, oddly enough, the little-girls-on-Broadway-show market is about to become saturated.  We still have Annie, and a little show called Matilda looks to be a huge hit for the post-Harry Potter reading set.

Why it didn't have great buzz is beyond me.  When I think back to seeing one of the last previews of the show, I remember two particularly thrilling things that are still among the most exciting things I've seen in decades of live theatre attendance.  In what is now seen as precursor to the flying action of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, watching Bert walk up the wall, dance upside down at the top of the proscenium, and then walk down the other side made the little hairs on my neck stand up straight - right now they are are tickling my collar once again.  And the other big thing was watching the enormous Banks mansion rise up from the floor and unfold its layers.  It looked pretty much like a real house - a whole house - on the stage.  And then the roof came off... and then the kitchen... I practically cried like a baby at the sheer wonder of it.

Ashley Brown and Gavin Lee: Mary Poppins Originals

An artist's rendering of the amazing house set

Here's what I missed...

It probably surprises you that I don't talk about Mary's exit over the audience.  Well, I never saw it.  That's right.  Mary Poppins didn't fly away that day.  I guessed it wasn't going to happen when you could see the wires slack and the cast look up into the rafters and part slightly. But my fears were confirmed when stage hands appeared and pulled Ashley Brown down by her feet.  You never see stage hands at a Disney show, Heaven forbid.  So it had to be an emergency.  Looking back on it, I'm glad they didn't chance it.  Remember the press when a stunt man fell to his near-death across the street.  Imagine the media frenzy if the "actual" Mary Poppins plummeted to her death on top of children and in front of hundreds more?

But it speaks volumes for the show that I was hardly disappointed at no seeing her fly.  I loved the show.  Loved it.  And besides, I'd go back and see it again, and she was sure to fly.

Sadly, I never made it back to the show.  And I won't get there before March 3rd, either.  I guess I figured nothing would kill the old gal.  Even more sadly, I won't be able to take my niece to see it as her first Broadway show.  I have been able to picture her beautiful brown eyes grow as each visual delight came to life before her eyes since she was born 3 months to the day after Poppins opened.  What will be her first Broadway show?

It's gonna be a whole new world at the New Amsterdam
(Adam Jacobs as Aladdin)

The original production of Aladdin
(Andrew Keenan-Bolger, center)

I know it probably won't be the next show to take the New Amsterdam stage, Aladdin.  She is absolutely terrified of Jafar.  I, for one, can't wait.  After Mary and Spidey, I bet that magic carpet will be SPECTACULAR!

Jeff
4.130

Broadway's Winter Cleaning 2013 Edition

Winter is a lousy time for most Broadway shows, as is evidenced by what has become an annual blog for me.  It all started in 2010, when next to normal announced its closing.  While I mourned my favorite show, I took comfort that my misery was not to be done in solitude, and noted that 16 productions were set to close by the end of January.  Last year was somewhat better with just 9 set to close by the end of January.  This year is right in the middle - with just 11 productions set to leave the Street by January 27.  The numbers are considerably more bleak if shows scheduled to close by the end of February - 5 more are set to go by then.  And get this: 3 of those 5 haven't even started previews yet!

Anyway, in keeping with tradition, here's a look at those Broadway shows set to close by the end of January 2013.


^ - Open run coming to an end
~ - Limited engagement, ending as scheduled
+ - Limited engagement, ending after extending 
* - Limited engagement, closing early


December 16:

*The Anarchist (23 previews, 17 performances at the John Golden Theatre) 
A confrontation between a prison-hardened criminal and the warden written by Mamet sounds like an explosive night of theatre.  Apparently, not so much.  Not even Broadway star power (La LuPone) or a Hollywood heavy-hitter (La Winger) could draw crowds.

December 30:

+ Bring It On: The Musical (21 previews, 171 performances at the St. James Theatre)
The best new musical of the season features a top notch creative team, dazzling direction and choreography and jaw-dropping cheerleading stunts.  The score is tuneful and the cast is full of talented kids who we will be seeing for years to come.  People will be saying, "Remember when we saw Nicholas Womack in Bring It On?" even though they never did.  I just don't get why people are staying away... teen angst is a hard sell, I guess, even if its simplicity and larger than life emotions seem perfect for Broadway.  You should see it before it goes.  It's a lot of fun!

~A Christmas Story: The Musical (15 previews, 49 performances at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre)
A loving recreation of a Christmas Classic that takes full advantage of stage and musical theater conventions, with some of the best kids to step foot on a Broadway stage.  And it has a great score by newbies Pasek and Paul, two voices we'll be hearing about for years to come.

January 6:

~ Elf: The Musical (71 performances at the Al Hirschfeld)
A return engagement of the 2010 holiday hit.  It was pretty great the first time around... will we see it again in a couple of years?

~ Grace (22 previews, 107 performances at the Cort Theatre)
Another chance to see Paul Rudd on stage, not to mention TV legend Edward Asner, but in a play that wasn't nearly as provocative as it thinks it is, well... The box office numbers tell exactly why it isn't extending.

^ Chaplin (24 previews, 135 performances at the Barrymore Theatre)
I really loved the dark stylized staging of this bio-musical.  And I think Rob McClure's already award-winning performance will be talked about for some time.  It's too bad that the public took a pass at this thought-provoking show.  See it while you still can...

^ War Horse (33 previews, 718 performances at the Vivian Beaumont)
It really was the Best Play of 2011.  Epic in every way and visually stunning - those puppets are beyond belief.  An emotional thrill ride, I'm sure going to miss Joey and Topthorn!

January 20:

^ Peter and the Starcatcher (18 previews, 319 performances at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre)
I thought it was the Best play of 2012.  As terrifically structured as it is creative, as brilliantly acted as it is funny, and as zany as it is heartfelt.  It is as inventive as any stage play in years, Peter celebrates everything that the live theatre can do that film can't.  So long Adam, Celia and crew!

~ Glengarrry Glen Ross (48 previews, 50 performances at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre)
Apparently, you can do this play and not have the critics orgasmic.  Apparently, Al Pacino can give a performance that the critics universally despise. A Spider-Man-like preview period notwithstanding, the crowds are giving the critics a very Mamet-like "Fuck you!" and are shelling out big bucks to see it, anyway.

~ Golden Boy (30 previews, 53 performances at the Belasco Theatre)
Maybe the raves this epic play got will earn it an extension.  Let's hope so!

January 26:

^ Evita (26 previews, 337 performances at the Marquis Theatre)
Star quality has kept this show going (you gotta love Ricky Martin).  Not adored by the critics but loved by fans (including this one), the show does well, even when the numbers are down.  I'll never forget the dancing - simply stunning.  An kudos to producers for closing rather than keep it going with sub-star casting.


Before you go... (Click the blue links!)
Check out these reviews: 

• The Mystery of Edwin Drood
• A Christmas Story

Check out these Broadway Babies:

• The Book of Mormon's Matt Doyle (Mr. December)
• A Christmas Story's Erin Dilly (Ms. November)
• The Mystery of Edwin Drood's Eric Sciotto - Chat Part 2! 
• Spencer Plachy (Face of the Future)

VOTE IN THE THIS MONTH'S POLL - LEFT SIDE OF BLOG!

4.102

Jeff

The Best Shows You Probably Missed

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By this time next week, two pretty terrific shows will no longer be with us.  And you probably missed them, which really stinks for you.

August 18: Ghost: The Musical  will  be closing at the Lunt-Fontanne on Broadway after only 39 performances and 136 performances.  The culprits here - and there are a few - include abysmal advertising and serious over production.

Ghost is essentially a 5 person show - Sam, Molly, Oda Mae, Carl and Willie Lopez.  The writers opened up the show appropriately, I think, with a small ensemble to play the ghosts, Wall Streeters and other small roles.  Unfortunately, a lot of what made that "opening up" work - namely some stylistic choreography, and a couple of really cool ghost scenes - got lost in the overproduction.  I'm sure those giant LED panels that moved in every possible direction cost a fortune and as such all concerned wanted to get a lot of use out of them, but at the expense of telling the story.  The dancers got lost in the silhouettes of themselves dancing behind them.  And the main characters were completely lost in all the electronics, thus rendering any sense of intimacy unnoticeable.

And the advertising - what there was of it - was a poorly photo-shopped pose of Sam and Molly being romantic.  Sure, it hinted at a ghostly presence with white backlighting, and the show poster looks a lot like the film poster.  But seriously, who knows ON SIGHT Caissie Levy and Richard Fleeshman (if it even is them on the posters - the one above features the London replacements) and wants to plunk down over $100 to see them?  Big billboards of Fleeshman shirtless making out with Levy, and a funny picture or two of Oda Mae, and maybe a shot of the cool subway scene would have done more to show tourists in Times Square why they needed to see a film-favorite live on stage. And let's not mention a dull showing on the Tonys...

A beautiful "ghostly" and intimate moment

This should have been a major part of
the advertising plan.

All of that aside, a lot of the production worked and worked well.  The "ghost effects" were absolutely amazing.  And several times, what they did with those huge panels was breath-taking.  But most of all, the cast is exceptional.  Levy is well on her way to becoming a major stage star, and at just 23, Fleeshman is the sex pot du jour, stunning smile, washboard abs and super belt, with a long career ahead of him.  (I hope he returns and frequently!)  But most importantly, they had chemistry big enough to get past the scenery and the cave that is the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre.  Da'Vine Joy Randolph was sweet and hilarious, proving you don't have to do a Whoopi Goldberg impression when playing one of her roles.  And I really like Bryce Pinkham - an interesting actor who always makes interesting choices.

In the balance, while I can't disagree completely with the critics, I think if you missed Ghost: The Musical, you missed something that pushed some boundaries and some really excellent acting and singing.

August 19 will mark the close of one of my three favorite musicals of 2012 on or off Broadway, Dogfight, a small musical that got just about everything right.

It features an exciting, superbly executed score by two thrilling new musical theatre voices, Pasek and Paul and a tight but emotion packed book by Peter Duchan.  The direction, by Joe Mantello, is smooth and character-driven, and the choreography by Christopher Gattelli is super exciting.  And the performances, particularly of Lindsay Mendez, Derek Klena and Annaleigh Ashford are just about flawless and all three represent the excellence of the new generation of stage performers.

For the life of me, I cannot figure out why the show hasn't been extended again, or announced a Broadway transfer.  Some of it has to do, I'm sure, with the fact that it has had discounts available during its entire run.  Are the crowds staying away?  Can it all just be the timing of running it during the summer when people leave the city?

The stars of tomorrow today: Lindsay Mendez and Derek Klena

The cast of Dogfight

I am so glad I got to see it, and pray it has a huge future - PLEASE RECORD THE SCORE! And if you missed the show, you really missed something special. Extra special.

The good news is that you still have 8 more chances to see each show!  If you can get to one or both, do so.  You won't regret it.  And if you already saw one or both, write in and let us know what you thought!


Jeff
3.348
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AND THIS MONTH'S THEATRE POLL!  BOTH ARE TO YOUR LEFT!

Americans are a trendy people to be sure.  Things are "in" then "out" at a rapid clip.  Though somewhat slower than most areas of our culture, Broadway is no stranger to such trends.  Over the past couple of seasons, there has been one major trend in shows making it to the Great White Way: religious themed musicals.  And over the past week, it is clear that the trend is at an end; audiences, it seems, have had their fill of God on the boards.

THE FLOPS

Leap of Faith
The God Connection: Slimy tent revival "preacher" seeks to bilk another down-on-its-luck town for its last pennies.  "Preacher" meets sheriff, beds her, has epiphany in field.  Finds God and happiness.
Church Is Out: Word of mouth (and impossibly cheap seats) weren't enough to keep this going in the face of particularly vicious criticism from the press.  And an impossibly sexy over-the-title Raul Esparza wasn't enough, either.
In The End: Closed May 13, 2012 after 25 previews and 19 performances

Jesus Christ Superstar
The God Connection: It's about the last days of Jesus Christ. This time with a foreboding tone - 2012 is The End of Days, blah blah blah.  Throw in some blue satin and a nagging Mary Magdalene, and, apparently you get the production of the show its authors always dreamed it could have.  Right.
Church Is Out: Have we finally had enough of this dated, yet always "of our times" show?  Wasn't it on Broadway a year or two ago?  Or maybe it just wasn't the "arena rock style" blow out that was promised.  Or maybe is just a tad too slick?  I'm going with a little bit of all of the above.
In The End: Producers warn of a July 1 closing without a surge in sales.  When it closes July 1, it will have played 24 previews and 116 performances.

THE MODERATELY SUCCESSFUL 

Godspell
The God Connection: It's about the last days of Jesus Christ. This time with a playful tone - 2012 is The End of Thinking, have fun while you can, blah blah blah.  Throw in a vacuous smile, a baseball jersey, some fake carnations and a nifty mid-stage pool of water, and, apparently you get the production of the show its authors always dreamed it could have.  Well, it was timely, fun and creative.  But maybe too silly for its own good.
Church Is Out: Audiences seemed to love it.  They all but gave it away for free.  And still nobody showed. The built a Beautiful City and no one saw it.  I'm not sure why.  OK, maybe I can think of a few reasons, but why kick a good guy when he's down.
In The End: The Tonys appearance didn't give it the needed BO bump, and producers announced a June 24 closing.  When it closes, the production will have played 30 previews and 264 performances.  And there's a good cast recording of it so we won't forget it entirely.

Sister Act
The God Connection: Bad girl on run from mob hides with nuns, turns their church around with some glitter and jazz hands, and finds that religion can be almost as fun as show biz.  Almost.
Church Is Out: Don't let the longish run fool you.  The show struggles most weeks at the BO.  Seems the one-two punch of movie-turned-musical-but-not-different-enough plus the absence of Whoopi Goldberg and Maggie Smith was enough to keep the throngs away.
In The End: Despite a better than average book overhaul by Douglas Carter Beane and a better than average score by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater, there just wasn't enough magic (or Raven-Symone) to keep the show going.  When the show closes on August 26 (if it makes it that long), it will have played 28 previews and 561 performances.


THE HIT


Anything Goes
The God Connection: Its main characters are a phony evangelist lounge singer and Public Enemy # whatever, posing as a priest.  The score includes "Blow, Gabriel, Blow."  OK, so it is marginally religious, but so is Leap of Faith.
Church Is Out: Though not my taste at all, this show has had an identical run to Sister Act, the difference being that it is Tony Award-winning: Best Actress, Best Choreography and Best Revival of a Musical.  And people are still coming, mostly.
In The End: 3 extensions and 3 Tonys does make a hit.  When it closes on August 5, it will have played 32 previews and 561 performances.




If only the actual show was this much fun!  Cool sailors, a shower scene and Stephanie J. Block and Joel Grey cutting loose... LOVE IT!!

WHAT IS LEFT: THE MEGA HIT

The Book of Mormon
The God Connection: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is a religion.  Jesus has a cameo and so does Satan.  And those cuties in white short sleeves and black ties make me a believer.
Church Is Out: Its a love/hate take on the Mormons as a religion, and half the characters have a definite anti-God slogan-turned-production-number.  Religion is the subject matter, but that's not what it is really about.  Maybe that's the trick to religious mega hitting on Broadway.
In The End: 7 Tonys, SRO crowds, a $185 average ticket price, and so many lottery losers that the producers are giving free performances to make them feel better... the end of days is not anywhere nearby for this show.

Jeff

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