A Reasoned Explanation of Why Some Shows Just Need to Close Already

Sorry all you ABBA fans, but it's time for these "dancing queens" to retire.

Last season turned out to be a pretty prolific season for new musicals, with 12 brand new tuners officially debuting on the Great White Way.  But looking ahead at the 2014-2015 season, the situation is a lot less cheery.  Holler If Ya Hear Me already came and went, and looking at the currently announced shows for the next season, there are a whopping 3 new musicals scheduled to come to Broadway: The Last Ship, Honeymoon in Vegas, and An American in Paris. 

Yes, there are a handful of other musicals which have announced their intentions to come to Broadway next season, but as far as I'm concerned a musical isn't officially happening until it has a specific date and theatre lined up.  Even then, it isn't a done deal (see the very public collapse of Rebecca) but once those qualifications are met it becomes significantly more likely the show will happen.  So while a show like Finding Neverland (currently premiering at ART in Boston) will most likely come to Broadway, and shows like Bull Durham and Allegiance have announced intentions to come to Broadway sooner rather than later, they aren't guaranteed just yet.

Now obviously, any season that only produces 4 new musicals is depressing (especially when one of them has already flopped).  But what's more troubling is what this says about the current state of Broadway.  If you look at the Upcoming Broadway Shows list on Playbill.com, you can see the problem isn't a lack of new works.  After the 3 confirmed shows mentioned above, there are no less than 16 musicals with producers and creative teams attached that have announced Broadway intentions.  I count 9 shows that could reasonably be ready for a Broadway bow by spring 2015, as all 9 have already had world premieres or are scheduled to have them by this winter.  A few of them do have some well-documented behind the scenes troubles (Rebecca chief among them), but the majority of them are waiting on just one thing: an available theatre.

And that is what really bugs me about this upcoming season.  We have too many long-running productions on Broadway right now, many of which have become tired and a few of which weren't particularly good to begin with (for my purposes, long running means anything that premiered before spring 2013).  These productions are exclusively musicals, several of which wore out their welcome long ago, and as far as I'm concerned it would be better for everyone if those shows ended their runs to make room for new blood. 

Whenever someone expresses the sentiment that a show (or shows) need to close, certain segments of the industry are quick to point out that those shows mean jobs.  Now, I won't deny that Chicago and Mamma Mia! have employed a lot of people over the years, but the flip side of that is they have only employed a specific type of person.  If someone is not right for these shows (and many actors aren't), the productions' continued runs are actually preventing that actor from working by taking up theatre space which could be used for a show the performer is perfect for.  Both Mamma Mia! and Chicago long ago became the almost exclusive domain of tourists (or New Yorkers entertaining out of town guests), and there has also been a noticeable decline in quality in both productions.

When did it become the norm for a show to run for 10+ years? (Answer: the 1980s.)  The original production of Oklahoma! was considered an unprecedented smash when it ran for 5 years; in today's climate, a production with the kind of acclaim Oklahoma! received would be considered a mild disappointment if it "only" ran that long (many people were surprised when The Producers shuttered after 6 years).  This is a problem, in that it creates both unrealistic expectations for the vast majority of shows and eats up valuable theatrical real estate as producers try to chase these new standards.

Unless the production is poorly budgeted/horribly mismanaged, it really shouldn't take more than a couple of years for a Broadway musical to turn a profit.  Even a major musical like Kinky Boots, which had a capitalization of $13.5 million, managed to turn a profit in less than a year.  So rather than viewing a show as a disappointment for closing after 3 years, especially a profitable one that won good reviews and industry acclaim, I wish the theatrical community would celebrate a 3 year run as the achievement it is, letting more shows gracefully exit the limelight so new productions can take their place.

A perfect example of this philosophy is what Disney has done with Newsies.  Considering the excitement and strong notices that greeted the Broadway production, no one was particularly surprised when its "strictly limited engagement" became an open-ended run.  What was surprising was when the show, which still pulls in a very respectable weekly gross, announced it was closing at the end of the summer after a 2 year run.  Make no mistake, Disney could run this show longer if they wanted to.  Newsies could easily sustain itself until Christmas, and could probably limp along through next summer if it wanted.  After all, it recouped its capitalization ages ago, so as long as the weekly box office covers operating costs the show isn't hurting anyone financially.  But instead Disney has smartly decided to let Newsies go out while still on top, rather than wearing out its welcome and thereby damaging the show's overall brand.

It is a win for everyone involved.  The show turned a profit and made its producers money.  It has run more than long enough to be seen by everyone who was seriously interested.  From now until the end of time the show can be marketed as "the (Tony-winning) Broadway musical Newsies," with all the attendant prestige that description brings with it.  Without worrying about protecting the Broadway profits, Disney can tour and license the show to their heart's content.  And now the Nederlander Theatre is free to house a different show, increasing the number of new productions for the general public to consume.

Coming back to my original observation, I do believe the number of new musicals for next season will exceed the four announced, potentially by a lot.  There are several Broadway productions I have trouble seeing last through the holidays, and there are no shortage of shows looking for a suitable Broadway home.  As long as all the theatres that open up aren't snatched up by revivals (although I do hope Side Show finds a home sooner rather than later), next season should turn out fine.  But imagine how much more exciting things would be if some of Broadway's longer-running tenants packed up shop and let someone else move in.

No Damage Here; Heathers the Musical is *Very* Very

Review: Heathers the Musical

The original Off-Broadway cast of Heathers.

For reasons I can't quite fathom, the pitch black 1988 comedy Heathers has gained quite the cult following in the 25 years since its initial release.  The movie is a bizarre tonal cocktail of absurdist humor, exceedingly dark satire, and overwrought drama that becomes borderline unwatchable in spots.  I certainly wouldn't have chosen it as a property ripe for musicalization, but I am exceedingly happy Kevin Murphy and Laurence O'Keefe felt otherwise, as they have crafted an engagingly campy musical confection that manages to improve upon the source material in almost every way.

Westerberg High School is ruled by an all-powerful clique of popular girls, all named Heather.  The deliciously vicious Heathers have the power to make anyone and anything cool, and brainy outcast Veronica Sawyer manages to convince the Heathers to take her under their wing (thanks mostly to her masterful forgery skills).  When the mysterious, trenchcoat-clad J.D. arrives on the scene and begins dating the instantly smitten Veronica, he decides the Heathers are in need of some major social justice.  Soon J.D. has turned Veronica into an accomplice to murder, and it eventually falls on her to find a way to stop her homicidal boyfriend from enacting deadly social change on the entire school.

One of the film's major flaws is its unfocused, inconsistent tone, but Murphy and O'Keefe's book and score (the pair share equal billing on all aspects of the show) finds the perfect blend of campy, self-aware comedy and earnestness that allows you to laugh at the characters yet still empathizing with them during the narrative's darker portions.  Unlike their movie counterparts, the characters in the stage Heathers all have consistent, clear motivations, although even Murphy and O'Keefe can't quite figure out a compelling reason for Veronica to stay with J.D. so long after he reveals his true intentions.  The musical's script also has a clearer sense of escalating action, and the writers have expertly inserted the musical numbers among the book scenes.

And what fun musical numbers they are.  Between the two of them, Murphy and O'Keefe have been involved in some of the more inventive pop-influenced scores of the new millennium, including Reefer Madness, Bat Boy, and the Tony-nominated (yet underappreciated) Legally Blonde.  They are both in fine form here, whether it's in catchy numbers like the belty, bubblegum pop "Candy Store" or more earnest ballads like "Kindergarten Boyfriend."  Musically the songs are melodic while retaining an element of surprise, with vocal pyrotechnics that skirt the fine line between being impressive and obnoxious.  The harmonies and vocal writing are especially lovely, and the many duos and trios throughout the score give the show a nice, layered sound which helps offset the bombast of the group numbers.  Lyrically the show is also quite clever, and provides the denizens of Westerberg High with a unique vernacular that, to borrow a phrase from the titular clique, is "so very."

The young, unknown cast of Heathers is filled to the brim with talent, and they tackle the material with gutso and aplomb.  Understudy Cait Fairbanks went on in the role of Veronica the night I attended, and the young actress deftly navigated the role's vocal and emotional challenges.  Her Veronica is charmingly understated, a multifaceted creation who is believably taken in by the Heathers and J.D. without seeming stupid or losing her inherent likability.  Dave Thomas Brown is rakishly charming as J.D., with a strong tenor and an emotional accessibility that helps you understand what caused this teenage boy to think murder is the best way to deal with bullies.

As the titular Heathers, Jessica Keenan Wynn, Elle McLemore, and Kristolyn Lloyd are close to perfection, gleefully embracing their mean girl personas and mining their stage time for all it's worth.  Wynn, with her stunning good looks and beautifully mature voice, is a "mythic bitch" as the group's leader Heather Chandler, with her aloof line delivery and utter disdain for everyone making her the kind of character you love to hate.  Lloyd is a scene stealer as Heather Duke, the green-pinstriped number 2 and Wynn's constant punching bag.  McLemore makes the smallest impression as Heather McNamara, but provides solid support throughout and has a hysterical pill-popping scene with Veronica in the second act.  The trio's brilliance lies in their ability to work seamlessly as a unit (their harmonies are particularly nice) while maintaining their own individuality.  The actresses have three distinct personalities, so while you may not be able to keep the Heathers' surnames straight there is never any doubt about which Heather is which.

Director Andy Fickman stages the show with a workmanlike quality that keeps things moving and makes the plot-heavy narrative a breeze to follow, although he's done no staging favors by Timothy R. Mackabee's shallow, candy-colored set.  Amy Clarks' fantastically fun costumes invoke the 80s while avoiding that decades' more questionable fashion statements, making everyone in the cast both stylish and instant indentifiable.  Jason Lyons' lighting design adds to the brightly colored fantasia, and while Marguerite Derricks' energetic choreography doesn't quite mesh with the staging it is certainly fun to look at.

It's easy to roll your eyes at the ever-increasing number of musicals based on movies, but when the results are as giddily entertaining as Heathers the Musical it's hard to complain too loudly.  Although slightly overlong and a tad too reliant on ballads, Murphy and O'Keefe's script and score improves on the source material in almost every conceivable way.  The young cast gamely tackles the material with an infectious joy, resulting in a show that is intelligent, entertaining, and above all fun.  Unfortunately the show has announce an early August closing date, so those wanting to hanging with the popular crowd should head over to New World Stages before the Heathers saunter away forever.

Willkommen Back

Review: Cabaret

Alan Cumming, reprising his Tony-winning role as the Emcee, leads the nubile denizens of the Kit Kat Klub in Roundabout's revival of Cabaret.

When Roundabout Theatre Company announced they were remounting Sam Mendes and Rob Marshall's acclaimed, Tony Award-winning production of Cabaret, the news was understandably greeted with some scepticism.  Roundabout made very clear that this would be a near exact recreation, boasting the same creative team and Tony-winning star - Alan Cumming, reprising his near-legendary performance as the Emcee - of a production that had only closed on Broadway 10 years prior.  It all sounded like a shameless cash grab, something the nation's largest non-profit was doing to finance the rest of its season rather than something born out of any artistic need or urgency.

Thankfully, while all of the above may be true, this resurrected Cabaret is a powerful interpretation of one of the undisputedly great musical dramas.  Nothing about Mendes' recreated staging feels canned or stale, and this representation of the decadent days proceeding the second World War is both highly entertaining and deeply unsettling.  This is a show with something important and downright challenging to say (an all too rare occurrence in contemporary musical theatre), and with the exception of one key piece of casting it is carried off with such artistic integrity and assurance that only a fool would begrudge Roundabout's return to the Kit Kat Klub.

For those who have never seen Cabaret, the show takes place in 1930s Berlin right before the Nazis' ascent to political dominance.  Bisexual American novelist Cliff Bradshaw moves to the city looking for inspiration for his next book, and is soon pulled into the exhilaratingly seedy world of the Kit Kat Klub, which is overseen by an otherworldly Emcee and headlined by the free spirited Sally Bowles.  Cliff and Sally move in together and begin a romance, while their landlady Fraulein Schneider is wooed by a Jewish fruit seller named Herr Schultz.  As the country's Nazi leanings become more pronounced, all of the characters are forced to decide whether to continue their carefree, pleasure-focused lives in the face of mounting political tension.

Cabaret remains a rock-solid piece of theatrical writing, featuring perhaps the finest collection of showtunes Kander and Ebb ever created during their 50-plus years of collaboration (this production has smartly incorporated several songs the pair wrote specifically for the movie, including "Mein Herr" and "Maybe This Time").  Joe Masteroff's libretto expertly juggles multiple plot threads while creating multifaceted characterizations, and the show tackles some very big issues in a way that is digestible without diminishing their importance or complexity. 

Co-directors Mendes and Marshall (who also handled choreographic duties) expertly guide the narrative with clarity and precision, nailing the juxtaposition of tones for maximum theatrical effect.  Celebrations of life's decadence such as "Willkommen" and "Two Ladies" are intoxicatingly delightful, while the scenes between Herr Schultz and Fraulein Schneider are positively charming.  But the show can turn on a dime to deeply unsettling, powerfully staged moments like "If You Could See Her," the Act I closer "Tomorrow Belongs to Me," or the show's chilling final tableau.  Mendes and Marshall make excellent use of Masteroff's book and Kander and Ebb's score to lull the audience into a false sense of complacency before springing the show's more disturbing elements on us, demonstrating just how easily anyone can be caught unawares by life's dark side.

All these years later, the Emcee remains Alan Cumming's signature role, and the Scottish actor is every bit as astounding as one could hope.  Cumming's voice remains virtually unchanged, and he exudes a carefree confidence tinged with a hint of menace.  Cumming is game for pretty much anything, from performing lewd gestures to dancing overtly sexual choreography to donning various androgynous costumes (or sometimes wearing almost nothing at all).  At first genial, Cumming becomes slowly unhinged and more antagonistic as the evening wears on, and by the time he asks, "Where are your troubles now?" during the finale, it's as much an accusation as anything else, implying that human selfishness is what allows tragedies like to Holocaust to happen.

As Fraulein Schneider and Herr Schultz, Linda Emond and Danny Burstein are close to perfection, with an easy chemistry and a gravitas that makes their relationship the heart of the show.  And while Burstein is well-known for his musical theatre chops, Emond's play-focused career has denied the world of hearing her fantastically strong voice until now.  Bill Heck acts the role of Cliff with conviction, and Aaron Krohn is excellent as Ernst Ludwig, the charming Nazi sympathizer made all the more unnerving by his utter normalcy.  The cast and ensemble (who also doubles as the orchestra) are uniformly excellent, with one very notable exception.

Unfortunately, that exception is Michelle Williams as Sally Bowles.  The Oscar-nominated actress is making her Broadway debut, and while no one can accuse her of resting on her laurels, she gives a deeply misguided and ultimately unsatisfying performance.  Probably miscast, Williams has moments of strength and a surprisingly sturdy singing voice (remember that Sally is supposed to be at best a second rate singer, a fact the movie ignored in favor of casting the excellent Liza Minelli).  But Williams' performance rings false thanks to a collection of character tics that don't really work for her.  She constantly shakes and has an entirely unplaceable accent, making it unclear whether Sally is an addled drug addict, putting on an adopted persona, on the brink of a nervous breakdown, or some combination of all three.  Whatever it is, it doesn't really click, making a character that has in previous versions been defined by her authenticity feel fake and untruthful.  It's also unclear what about this Sally makes Cliff, who as played by Heck clearly prefers men to women, stay with and ultimately fall in love with such a deeply damaged individual.

Everything and everyone around Williams is excellent, and there is plenty to recommend this revival (especially to those who missed the production the first time around).  But the role of Sally is such a pivotal one that Williams' labored performance does bring the show down a notch or two.  With another actresses in the role, this Cabaret would easily be one of the best things running on Broadway.  As is, it is still a strong production of one of the musical theatre's greatest dramatic works, an adult work just as interested in challenging the audience as it is in entertaining them. Fans of that kind of theatre should definitely head over to Studio 54 and heed Cumming's opening entreaties to "bleibe, reste, stay."