Flashdance Musical

[BroadwayBen]

Posted: 5/27/14 at 4:46pm

So is there life after Toronto? Will it come into Broadway this Fall?

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 5/27/14 at 5:22pm

The last I heard about the show coming to Broadway is this:

The producers have essentially "bought out" the tour set which they would like to bring to Broadway, thus significantly reducing the capitalization of the show. And with a smaller set, they could put the show in a smaller playhouse, a la Book of Mormon.

That's all I know, but for the fact that they'd still like to raise the capital to get the show to Broadway in the fall.

[Scottsacto]

Posted: 5/27/14 at 5:45pm

I saw this when it came to my town last Winter.. I was more impressed with the 2nd Act than I was with the first. Talking to the cast they were surprised about that as most of the big numbers from the Movie are in the 1st Act. The problem is that with editing the sequences on Film looked so much "Flashier". I just do not think this has much of a chance on Broadway. IMHO

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 5/27/14 at 10:54pm

The set for this show did not belong in roadhouses, let alone in a legitimate Broadway theatre. This should not even make it through the Lincoln Tunnel. The show is pure garbage.

[Alan Henry]

Posted: 5/28/14 at 12:15am

Covering tomorrow night for BWW. Will report back with my review of the Toronto opening.

[PastorErnst]

Posted: 5/28/14 at 11:28pm

"The show has been on the road for over a year, playing to excellent houses and Hedley and Roth even reveal that a second company is about to be mounted as well, thanks to popular demand."

Link

[Alan Henry]

Posted: 5/29/14 at 12:52am

Well, I can safely say, the set is the smallest issue here.


https://www.broadwayworld.com/toronto/article/BWW-Reviews-What-a-Feeling-FLASHDANCE-in-Toronto-Lacks-Finesse-20140529?PageSpeed=noscript#.U4a8SfldV8E Updated On: 5/29/14 at 12:52 AM

[RW3]

Posted: 5/29/14 at 1:00am

Broadway looking less and less hopeful

[Alan Henry]

Posted: 5/29/14 at 1:10am

This show isn't ready for primetime. If the producers are willing to pay for workshopping - with some MAJOR changes to the book and some new songs I think it actually could be good.

Edit: Toronto is the last tour stop, so we'll see what happens with that second company. Updated On: 5/29/14 at 01:10 AM

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 5/29/14 at 9:55am

There is a lot of confusion as to what is happening with this show now, i.e. "the new tour." From what I understand, the creatives and producers have taken note of much of the criticism of the show during its current tour. (By the way, the reviews along the way have been decidedly mixed, as some critics have absolutely loved it while an equal number haven't, to put it mildly. So, the "new tour" is being mounted with significant changes, (hopefully to the book), as well as much tightening. The "new tour" is scheuled to run between September and May of 2015, and it is THAT production that the producers hope to bring to Broadway. So, this is more like the old days, a show coming to Broadway after an extended time on the road. So I'd say that the jury is still out on its prospects for NY.

[ravnquest1]

Posted: 5/29/14 at 10:12am

It's going out non-equity for 4 months in the fall....that's the second tour. Not really sure why they are spinning this as some kind of progression of the work- NETWorks wants to squeeze every last dime out of it that they can.

[Alan Henry]

Posted: 5/29/14 at 2:06pm

Toronto Star is very mixed.

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/stage/2014/05/29/the_dancing_shines_in_flashdance_at_the_ed_mirvish_theatre.html

[jemjeb2]

Posted: 5/30/14 at 8:34pm

Considering its origin, how could a musical of that lousy movie be any good?

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 5/30/14 at 8:50pm

^ Exactly.

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 5/31/14 at 10:47am

"Not really sure why they are spinning this as some kind of progression of the work."

I think it's because the book is going to be re-written, incorporating some of the changes prompted by both critical and audience response to the tour now ending in Toronto. I think there will be cuts made, and an effort to focus on the "guts" of the story between Alex and Nick. In other words, lots of the Gloria and Johnny story will (hopefully) be eliminated. Probably some songs will be cut as well, this is a pure guess.

So the "new tour" will be the show that they will try to get to NY, albeit with an Equity cast, of course.

[musikman]

Posted: 5/31/14 at 1:59pm

ravnquest: The tour will also be continuing into the spring of 2015.

While Broadway has always been - and I suppose, to some extent, always will be - the ultimate goal for this show, it's highly unlikely that it will ever make it there, especially in its current incarnation.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 6/1/14 at 12:35pm

I just got sides/songs for an audition for the tour, and it looks like they've made some lyric changes, etc. So I guess they're still working on the show?

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 6/1/14 at 12:58pm

Read my posts right above yours. They are clearly working in the show.

[gleek4114]

Posted: 6/26/14 at 2:25am

I just checked the tour site ant the show is coming to Evansville in Feburary 2015 which is fairly close to me. I'd like to see it. I really want to like it but if it's not good, hopefully I can enjoy it being horrible. I have a friend who saw it here in Louisville and she said the worst and most hilarious song was called "Man Hunt", or something like that. If it's as bad as she says I'm in for a treat. Does anyone know if that song is still in the show?

[smallworld]

Posted: 6/26/14 at 9:56am

I'd assume MANHUNT is still in the show. It was in it when I saw the show in March and was in the original film.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 6/26/14 at 6:07pm

I found a copy of Nick's song "enough" sung from a January workshop. Anyone have any idea who is singing it? Sounds almost like gavin creel, but I highly doubt it is.

[IndyTheatreGeek]

Posted: 6/26/14 at 6:40pm

I saw the show in London a couple years ago and the tour earlier this year. I was disappointed that the book had been so rewritten for the US and fear more rewrites may only dumb it down further. The London production got generally good reviews for direction, staging, and dancing. Story was weak but part of that goes to the source material which also did not get great reviews.

All that being said, I can only hope they look back to the London version and improve it.