Win a script signed by the playwright or a Playbill signed by the entire cast of Disgraced, the Pulitzer Prize winning play by Ayad Akhtar that just announced it will close on Broadway on March 1, 2015.
I think this is a terrific show, as I make clear in my review – Bluntly provocative and dramatically satisfying, it asks us to think about current issues in a way that few new shows on Broadway do.
That is why I am sad it is closing just about four months after it opened, and it leads me to the contest question I am asking you to address:
What show closed too early? Why do you think this happened, and how did you react?
1. Please put your answer in the comments at the bottom of this blog post, because the winner will be chosen through Random.org based on the order of your reply, not its content.
2. Please like my Facebook page. That’s where I will announce the winners.
3. This contest ends Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at midnight Eastern Time, and I will make the drawing no later than noon the next day. You must respond within 24 hours or I will choose another winner.
The Last Ship. A beautiful story with an incredible score, written by someone so passionate it’s crazy. So sad to see it go.
Bridges of Madison County. Beautiful music but I feel that the audience prejudged the story and stayed away. It’s a shame. I miss it.
I will be in New York in March, and I really wanted to see “The Last Ship,” so for me, that one closed too early. I bought my Broadway-obsessed daughter the soundtrack for Christmas, and after we opened presents, we sat by the fire, listening to the music, and I thought it was very evocative and beautiful. (I regret not being able to see “Sideshow” too.) 🙂
I was surprised by Sideshow closing, but laughed when I heard that it was, it didn’t hold my attention for a number of reasons which, I assume, resonated with a number of theater go-ers leading to their lack of ticket sales.
It was sad for me to hear that Disgraced is closing, but good for the theater for holding on to such an important show for as long as they have despite their grossing numbers. It’s incredible how much of the show stays with you for weeks after seeing it.
SideShow, I was really sad when I heard they were closing, I think it was a terrific production with all the necessary elements to run for a long time. I believe producers didn’t give enough time to the audience to get excited about it, if they invest all that money in a show, they should also consider to wait a little more time before closing it. Is hard to see how all those new shows are alive for such a short period of time.
Side Show, both times.
The latter was especially sad, because it was almost exactly on the anniversary of the first time it closed too early. I spent days listening to the Cast Recording, and sadly since it was right around the holidays I was unable to go see it again. Thank the theater gods it was filmed for Lincoln Center. Sigh.
House of Blue Leaves. I had tix, bought weeks before, and showed up to see it on Broadway and it had closed. Admire John Guare and fan of Edie Falco who was in it. It was also a date with my honey. Disappointed. Read it instead.
Hasn’t closed yet, but I am distraught that The Last Ship will be closing so soon. I have seen it twice already, and it is one of the best shows I have ever seen. The music, performances, and the story makes this show one I will never forget.
This probably happened because it is not based on any source material and the reviews were less than stellar, so it failed to find an audience.
I was really disappointed, but having read all of the news leading up to it, I was unfortunately not surprised…
Twitter handle: @wackeal
I was horribly upset to see Side Show go. I never got to see it because of my college schedule, and I regret it immensely. I can’t imagine why it closed.
the last ship is closing too soon. I think this is due to not marketing at the right group and because it’s a somber story and tourists make up a large portion of sales and what tourist wants to go see a show about losing work.
Anerican Idiot was the musical I credit with really getting me into theater, so I was sad to see it leave just a year after opening.
Perhaps because it wasn’t really “family friendly” it didn’t run longer. And it wasn’t really made for a generation that thinks to go to the theater. But for me it was extremely satisfying.
To remember it I listen to the cast recording and flip through the sovinuer program I bought.
I’ve come to expect that shows that I love are not going to be what stays open long! I have to say the one that still haunts me is Bridges of Madison County. I didn’t think I wanted to see it – I hated the book and the movie! The beauty of the music and the handling of the story won me over! I saw it several times and still wish I could lose myself in that theater again!