Papering just means free tickets. They want word of mouth to spread, so they offer free tickets in hopes you'll spread the (positive) word on the show.
That's a pretty big ask for a show that has yet to even tell anyone what the story is aside from it being non-biogrphically based on the music and lyrics of Tupac.
As a 60 something who knows nothing of Tupac, I am kind of excited for it. Rushing Les Mis today, holler tomorrow and Caber et on Tuesday. Hedwig and the Tony party at 54 Below Sunday.
"I can't recall the last time a show was opening and I had zero idea what it was about or anything."
"Holler If Ya Hear Me is a riveting, non-biographical story about friendship, love, change, family and hope—an original work that is at once a love story and an unretouched picture of life in the streets." YOU'RE WELCOME
The HuffPo lists a trace of more info about the show,
"... it's set in a Midwestern industrial city during present day and tells the story of two childhood friends "as they struggle to reconcile the challenges and realities of their daily lives with their hopes, dreams and ambitions." "
I'm very curious to hear reports back about what this really means.
"The new work, opening June 19 at Broadway's Palace Theatre, tells of a hardscrabble young black man released from prison and the obstacles that lie in his path. The show is meant to indirectly evoke Shakur's own life but also tell ?a broader tale of racial and social injustice--and for people, those creators believe, far outside the hip-hop tent."
"..star Saul Williams rapped about the things he’d seen in prison based on Shakur’s own lyrics about the subject. Some of the assembled were non-pro actors brought in on an open casting call because of their dancing or rapping skills, lending the proceedings an extra dose of authenticity."
There's every reason to doubt this thing, but I've had a weird ping of feeling for months that it's going to be one of those shows that this board dismisses because it isn't aimed at us, and turns out to be something. I wish it well because it sounds SO much more interesting than most of the "jukebox" shows.
I agree Warhol, people just want to dismiss it because it's not your typical Broadway show with your typical Broadway songs. It's annoying. I hope it's really great.
""Holler If Ya Hear Me is a riveting, non-biographical story about friendship, love, change, family and hope—an original work that is at once a love story and an unretouched picture of life in the streets." YOU'RE WELCOME "
Yes, I had found that already. But that doesn't really convey all that much. It's about a bunch of nouns that most shows are about... OK, let me get my credit card.
I'm not dismissing it because it's based on Tupac. I'm just saying the marketing team seems to be leaning solely on the Tupac angle to sell the tickets, and it isn't working. I also don't think I've gotten one e-mail about this show, which is also rare. I get way too many e-mails about every show. If this show isn't targeted at me, that's fine, but whoever they are targeting it at (assuming that exists) also isn't buying tickets.
fallingawake: Interesting, good to finally hear some new info about this show!
Sutton: Those aren't from the producers/marketing team. You know the perils of a marketing team not working fast enough to generate a demand from Bridges. ;-/
The bottom line is a scan of the TM sell map shows Holler on pace to do $100,000 per week for its 1st four weeks. That's a monumental stiff rarely seen. Strong reviews have never been more important to a show.
I have many friends whom were there tonight for the Final Dress, and initial word of mouth is not good....AT ALL. Like, the ensemble is great and has a tremendous amount of heart, with a few cool numbers but overall the Production, Design and Direction all fell flat. OUCH. And this is not just from one person, its from a variety of different people who have no vested interest in the show one way or another....so there you go. How long is preview period?
Interestingly this was mentioned on a mainstream Australian radio show this morning, although in a negative way (a discussion of 'unlikely' musicals where they made jokes of what ridiculous things get turned into musicals).
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Who knows -- this could spark an awakening of non-traditional, diverse, 'real' shows. However, not every first is great, but hopefully it makes a statement, and opens the door to possibly more successful musicals of the type.