January Theater Closings

[+ Lucky]

With the hardest part of winter coming up, shows in New York often find this a convenient time to close. The tourists are gone, some shows have made enough money, others are ready to give up the ghost.

 

Today we see the closing of Ragtime...oops, no, one more week (or more, hopefully) for that. But for sure it's the last day for Shrek the Musical, the very disappointing Superior Donuts, the seasonal White Christmas, and off-Broadway shows Let Me Down Easy, Simon Green Traveling Light, The Toxic Avenger, THIS, and the absolutely horrible show The Marvelous Wonderettes, How that lasted completely escapes me.

 

Soon to close are 39 Steps, which I also hated, Burn The Floor, Bye Bye Birdie, In The Next Room or the vibrator play (glad I missed that one too), Wishful Drinking, which friends liked but the title turned me off, and finally, The Understudy. That's the show with the cute guy from Saved By The Bell. (not Mario.)

 

One thing we know about theater- once the show is gone it becomes just a memory. Even if revived or filmed, the show we saw live is gone forever. That part seems only natural, but some shows are harder to say good-bye to than others.

[runthemhoes]

aww...maybe BBB's nolan gerard funk will return to stripping @ MJ's in Los Angeles.

[+ newatthis]

Today we see the closing of...the very disappointing Superior Donuts...

I very much enjoyed the original Steppenwolf production of this show, but I have to admit I was puzzled it went to Broadway -- it didn't seem up to the 10-fold escalation in production costs of a New York show. I suppose it was the hope that another play by Tracy Letts, who had just won both a Tony and a Pulitzer for August Osage County, that made them do it.

[+ Cash4Trash]

Finian's Rainbow is closing January 17th as well.

[Kevin Slater]

...and the absolutely horrible show The Marvelous Wonderettes

 

I really liked The Marvelous Wonderettes, for what it's worth.

 

Kevin Slater

[+ Lucky]

I really liked The Marvelous Wonderettes, for what it's worth.

 

Kevin Slater

 

 

hehehe...oh, did you?

[+ newatthis]

The Marvelous Wonderettes

 

...and the absolutely horrible show The Marvelous Wonderettes...

I really liked The Marvelous Wonderettes, for what it's worth... I completely missed Lucky's mention of "The Marvelous Wonderettes" the first time around. I guess I agree with both of you. I thought the first act was terrific (OK, marvelous) and didn't like the second act at all. I just should have left at the intermission.

[Kevin Slater]

I completely missed Lucky's mention of "The Marvelous Wonderettes" the first time around. I guess I agree with both of you. I thought the first act was terrific (OK, marvelous) and didn't like the second act at all. I just should have left at the intermission.

 

But the intermission itself was fun: the four gals roamed the aisles interacting with the audience and playing tricks (making pencils disappear up their noses, etc.). And the counting of the ballots was a hoot. Now, I saw it with (I think) the original cast and believe the sorta butch one left shortly thereafter and that may have taken a toll on the production.

 

The only other show I saw from Lucky's list was Superior Doughnuts, and I found myself agreeing with a review that it was too much like an updated Chico and the Man.

 

Kevin Slater

[+ newatthis]

But the intermission itself was fun: the four gals roamed the aisles interacting with the audience and playing tricks (making pencils disappear up their noses, etc.). And the counting of the ballots was a hoot. Now, I saw it with (I think) the original cast and believe the sorta butch one left shortly thereafter and that may have taken a toll on the production.

I didn't see it in New York. I thought the ballot counting was a little hokey, and they didn't do much of interest otherwise during intermission.

[uwsman2]

Don't knock it unless you've seen it....

 

I read above a "glad I missed it" knock on "In the Next Room, or the vibrator play." Somebody assumed that because of the title it was dreck. Well, it wasn't. I saw it. It was a delicious period comedy centered around the then-newfangled electric vibrator used by proper Victorian-era doctors in the New York metropolitan area to treat frigidity in their female patients. It is still running a bit longer and anybody thus enticed should make a big effort to see it. The acting is superb, the sets great, and the show itself a total hoot! Including a hilarious scene where a male patient gets the treatment up his.... modesty forfends!

[+ Lucky]

What happens in the theater threads is what happens in the book threads. We have different opinions on books as well as shows. That's part of the fun of it all, seeing how others viewed something and finding out why and how we differed.

 

I saw the Marvelous Wonderettes early in its run. I can't imagine that it improved, but maybe it did. When I saw it, they threw all the ballots away without much pretense of counting them. I just thought that this was best left as midwestern dinner theater.

[GoodFella69]

Ragtime

 

I'm sad that I'm not going to get to New York until late January--sadly, too late to get to see Ragtime.

Was it as high-quality of a show as I've read elsewhere? If so, I wonder why ticket sales were not as robust as needed to keep it going? Any thoughts on that?

 

Goodfella

[NYTomcat]

I did think it was a good production. But I don't think it pulls the tourists which it needs to to keep the doors open in a NY theater. with the economy people r being picky and doing what or who they know. Wicked Mama Mia are still going strong. I wonder how Hair is on tickets sales

 

I'm sad that I'm not going to get to New York until late January--sadly, too late to get to see Ragtime.

Was it as high-quality of a show as I've read elsewhere? If so, I wonder why ticket sales were not as robust as needed to keep it going? Any thoughts on that?

 

Goodfella

[Guest alanm]

"Next to Normal"

 

Tonight was Aaron Tveit's last perfromance in "Next to Normal" on Broadway.

 

The theater was packed with Tveit (once referred to on Broadway Internet chat boards as 'that twink') fans, including me

wildly appauded his every song.

 

At the curtain call, the producer thanked him, and Tveit had trouble getting through his speech because of all the emotions.

 

Tveit will be on Broadway soon as the star of the musical version of "Catch Me If You Can." In the meantime, here is a clip from "Next to Normal" at last year's Tony Award. Aaron Tveit enters about four minutes into the song, but it is worth the wait.

 

ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd6V287TLQQ

 

Or search Aaron Tveit on youtube

[GoodFella69]

Makes sense to me...

 

I did think it was a good production. But I don't think it pulls the tourists which it needs to to keep the doors open in a NY theater. with the economy people r being picky and doing what or who they know. Wicked Mama Mia are still going strong. I wonder how Hair is on tickets sales

 

That's exactly what I had surmised. Thanks, NYTomcat, for the confirmation.

Goodfella

[operalover21]

With the hardest part of winter coming up, shows in New York often find this a convenient time to close. The tourists are gone, some shows have made enough money, others are ready to give up the ghost.

 

Today we see the closing of Ragtime...oops, no, one more week (or more, hopefully) for that. But for sure it's the last day for Shrek the Musical, the very disappointing Superior Donuts, the seasonal White Christmas, and off-Broadway shows Let Me Down Easy, Simon Green Traveling Light, The Toxic Avenger, THIS, and the absolutely horrible show The Marvelous Wonderettes, How that lasted completely escapes me.

 

Soon to close are 39 Steps, which I also hated, Burn The Floor, Bye Bye Birdie, In The Next Room or the vibrator play (glad I missed that one too), Wishful Drinking, which friends liked but the title turned me off, and finally, The Understudy. That's the show with the cute guy from Saved By The Bell. (not Mario.)

 

One thing we know about theater- once the show is gone it becomes just a memory. Even if revived or filmed, the show we saw live is gone forever. That part seems only natural, but some shows are harder to say good-bye to than others.

 

Why would the title "Wishful Drinking" turn you off? Carrie Fisher was simply marvelous. I'm sorry to see Ragtime close as it had a lot going for it including a couple of really nice performances. What did you hate about "The 39 Steps?"

 

Bye Bye Birdie should have closed on opening night.

[+ Cash4Trash]

Hair has been struggling as well, discounts are always available.

 

For out of towners who don't know the ropes - shows that are discounting are available

on these sites,

 

http://www.theatermania.com

http://www.playbill.com

http://www.broadway.com

[NYTomcat]

Hair has been struggling as well, discounts are always available.

 

For out of towners who don't know the ropes - shows that are discounting are available

on these sites,

 

http://www.theatermania.com

http://www.playbill.com

http://www.broadway.com

 

Thanks for that list. I use them constantly but thats a great list for our visiting members

[+ Lucky]

"Why would the title "Wishful Drinking" turn you off? Carrie Fisher was simply marvelous. I'm sorry to see Ragtime close as it had a lot going for it including a couple of really nice performances. What did you hate about "The 39 Steps?" "

 

Answers: I can out-Mormon the Mormons on alcohol. I don't like it and don't like to be around it, especially drunks. So a show where she talks about her drinking would not appeal to me. There are only so many shows one can see, so if it was not so much about drinking, then they should have titled it differently.

I saw 39 Steps at the LaJolla Playhouse. I thought it was just a gimmicky show that wasn't my idea of theater. I left at intermission. I just couldn't sit through it.

[+ newatthis]

What happens in the theater threads is what happens in the book threads. We have different opinions on books as well as shows. That's part of the fun of it all, seeing how others viewed something and finding out why and how we differed.

 

I saw the Marvelous Wonderettes early in its run. I can't imagine that it improved, but maybe it did. When I saw it, they threw all the ballots away without much pretense of counting them. I just thought that this was best left as midwestern dinner theater.

I didn't think much of "Wonderettes" as a play. I liked the first act because I thought the music was terrific. The gimmickry of the second act overpowered the music, IMO.

[Kevin Slater]

I didn't think much of "Wonderettes" as a play. I liked the first act because I thought the music was terrific. The gimmickry of the second act overpowered the music, IMO.

 

We knew one of 'em would get knocked up, I was just shocked that the butch one didn't go dyke.

 

Kevin Slater

[edjames]

It seems 39 Steps may continue its run off-Broadway. It is a fun show.

 

Alas, Ragtime deserved a longer run but the good news is that it will soon begin a national tour, so perhaps it will arrive in Palm Springs soon.

 

Not too sure why the title of Wishful Drinking turned you off but I can assure you that the show was quite good and I haven't heard anyone say they did not like it.

 

Shrek had a good run; it was not destined to go down in Broadway history. It was what it was, a live version of a highly successful animated movie. It was good family fun.

 

The Vibrator Play has gotten some good word of mouth and several friends I know have seen it and liked it very much.

 

Yes, Lucky, theater is an instantaneous thing; no production is ever the same. Each night's performance is different. If people only knew what goes on while the show is being performed they would be amazed.

 

I once noticed the great Chita Rivera have a strange look on her face during a production of "The Rink." When I visited her backstage after the show I asked about that moment. She laughed and said that while she and one of the chorus guys were sitting on a bench, he took out a bunch of Polaroid’s taken just before the show began of he and the other guys in various states of undress and silly costumes. She proudly showed me the pics. We all had a good laugh. This type of behavior tends to keep everyone on their toes.

 

In the meantime we have a whole new winter/spring season to look forward to with some interesting productions headed into town.

 

 

ED

[Cooper]

Wishful Drinking

 

So a show where she talks about her drinking would not appeal to me. There are only so many shows one can see, so if it was not so much about drinking, then they should have titled it differently.

 

When I saw the play "Wishful Drinking" I went in not knowing what to expect. It certainly wasn't all about her drinking but more about her crazy, mixed up life. She tells a very funny story that mesmerizes the audience. I left the theater liking her a lot more than when I went in.

 

As for names of plays, I guess Lucky won't be asking anyone to join him for "The Vagina Monolouges".

 

Coop