Will HADESTOWN end up like THE GREAT COMET??
Will HADESTOWN end up like THE GREAT COMET??
CedricOates
Stand-by Joined: 5/4/18
#1Will HADESTOWN end up like THE GREAT COMET??
Posted: 9/12/18 at 8:38pm
A cool and obscure musical. Much like The Great Comet was. I’m not referring to the racism scandal that occurred. I am wondering if it will need big names and or possibly a stunt cast in order to keep the show healthy at the box office.
BroadwayRox3588
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/5/16
#2Will HADESTOWN end up like THE GREAT COMET??
Posted: 9/12/18 at 8:39pm
I think Hadestown is in the same position as a lot of the other new musicals. Sadly, most obscure musicals need a name to survive.
#3Will HADESTOWN end up like THE GREAT COMET??
Posted: 9/12/18 at 8:50pmIs it being produced by the Kagans?
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#4Will HADESTOWN end up like THE GREAT COMET??
Posted: 9/12/18 at 8:59pm
I love Hadestown, but I don't think it's commercial enough to succeed on Broadway.
#5Will HADESTOWN end up like THE GREAT COMET??
Posted: 9/12/18 at 9:04pm
Great Comet is a fantastic musical, but the average person would have no interest in seeing it without a celebrity in it. It’s really for theater and opera buffs only.
Hadestown however, might seem “cooler” to mainstream audiences because of the title. Everyone knows that Hades is the Greek equivalent of the devil. Also, most people know the gist of the legend of Orpheus and Eurydice. No one has read War and Peace.
It is probably also much cheaper to produce than Great Comet. They should wait til Circle in the Square becomes available, and it will run about a year and make at least most of its money back.
If it does well in London, add in the “London hit” prestige factor, and even better.
#6Will HADESTOWN end up like THE GREAT COMET??
Posted: 9/12/18 at 9:10pm
When it transfers, I wouldn't mind a big name opening the production. Speaking of Comet, I'd love to see Oak as Hermes.
If Eva comes over with the production, she may be able to bring in the MS crowd.
Miss Keisha? Miss Keisha? Miss Keishhhaaaa?
#7Will HADESTOWN end up like THE GREAT COMET??
Posted: 9/12/18 at 9:31pm
I definitely think Hadestown is more commercial. It's not as "weird' as Comet, and it does have more of a recognition behind the myth. It could be a Band's Visit type thing, an antidote to the over-produced commercial shows.
YvanEhtNioj said: "When it transfers, I wouldn't mind a big name opening the production. Speaking of Comet, I'd love to see Oak as Hermes."
Speaking of Comet, Oak is pretty much the last person I'd want to see anywhere near this production.
Elegance101
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/24/17
#8Will HADESTOWN end up like THE GREAT COMET??
Posted: 9/12/18 at 9:39pm
YvanEhtNioj said: “
If Eva comes over with the production, she may be able to bring in the MS crowd."
What MS crowd? That show struggled a lot, playing to less than half-full houses. I wouldn’t say her name really means very much, as talented as she is.
I also don’t see this doing well unless something like the album takes off; it needs a lot of word of mouth to succeed. I don’t think the title means anything about a show’s success, it’ll need hype like Hamilton or DEH got.
#9Will HADESTOWN end up like THE GREAT COMET??
Posted: 9/12/18 at 9:51pm
I don’t think a big name is needed for a new musical. I saw Great Comet back in 2014 when it was in a tent in Hell’s kitchen and loved it! I thought it didn’t need Josh Groban at all and if it waited for Phillipa Soo to be free I think it would have done fine on Bway.
Nowadays it seems like recent Best Musicals all had a sold out NYC off-bway stint before going to bway. I hope Hadestown does something similar. Out of town tryouts are nice but I think NYC off bway is more effective.
SomethingPeculiar
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/15/14
#10Will HADESTOWN end up like THE GREAT COMET??
Posted: 9/12/18 at 9:54pm
Hadestown is a much more straightforward musical than Comet. It will need great reviews to take off, just like Band's Visit, Once, Fun Home, Next to Normal, even Come From Away and DEH. It got raves Off-Bway including the NYT, but that was Charles Isherwood.
There's a "cool" factor about a musical based on a Greek myth but with a modern score. (Cooler than the Brooklyn hipster vibe of beloved Comet.) And it could win a bunch of Tonys, based on the limited competition right now.
#11Will HADESTOWN end up like THE GREAT COMET??
Posted: 9/12/18 at 10:02pm
Just based off of other Broadway-related message boards, Eva has a fan base of her own. I don't think it'll struggle by any means, but I know people who would go see it just because she's in the show.
I, personally, would like to see Oak as Hermes. 70% because of talent, 30% aesthetics. *heart eyes emoji*
Even though it hasn't gotten mainstream yet, I feel like the show had a pretty cult-like fan base already. I've see so many covers of the songs, animated videos, and such on YouTube already.
Miss Keisha? Miss Keisha? Miss Keishhhaaaa?
Emmaloucbway
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/16/11
#12Will HADESTOWN end up like THE GREAT COMET??
Posted: 9/12/18 at 10:02pm
Wick3 said: "I don’t think a big name is needed for a new musical. I saw Great Comet back in 2014 when it was in a tent in Hell’s kitchen and loved it! I thought it didn’t need Josh Groban at all and if it waited for Phillipa Soo to be free I think it would have done fine on Bway.
Nowadays it seems like recent Best Musicals all had a sold out NYC off-bway stint before going to bway. I hope Hadestown does something similar. Out of town tryouts are nice but I think NYC off bway is more effective. "
Hadestown actually had its premiere production Off-Broadway at the New York Theatre Workshop a few years ago.
#13Will HADESTOWN end up like THE GREAT COMET??
Posted: 9/12/18 at 10:12pmOh I didn’t know. I obviously didn’t watch it when it was on off-bway. Did it do well back then? Is the current production in the west end very different from the off bway production?
#14Will HADESTOWN end up like THE GREAT COMET??
Posted: 9/12/18 at 10:19pm
Wick3 said: " thought it didn’t need Josh Groban at all and if it waited for Phillipa Soo to be free I think it would have done fine on Bway.
You may feel that way personally about the show's artistic merits (and I might even agree with you), but the numbers don't lie. If you look at the grosses after Groban left, the drop is very noticeable. And by all accounts (including from Dave Malloy himself), the whole reason they had to close was because they had virtually no advance sales for after Ingrid Michaelson was slated to leave the show. So unfortunately, I have to say that facts don't exactly add up with your analysis of the situation.
Also regarding Phillipa Soo: she didn't have the box office pull to even remotely save Amelie from financial ruin, and that show had a much lower running cost, and was based on more palatable source material. And sure, many will say it's because Amelie show was just plain awful, but we see awful shows bring in ticket sales all the time if they have have a bankable star. Again, as much as YOU may like Soo, that doesn't mean she has a broad enough appeal to keep a show like Comet open.
#15Will HADESTOWN end up like THE GREAT COMET??
Posted: 9/12/18 at 10:22pm
I often wonder if people think before they post.
There are no rules. Some shows succeed with no big names; some shows fail with big names.
Comet had a big name; it failed. (And not because of the scandal.)
So is the question whether Hadestown will cast a big name and then fail? That's the analogous situation.
Please, people, think a little. Just a little.
#16Will HADESTOWN end up like THE GREAT COMET??
Posted: 9/12/18 at 10:52pm
Hadestown seems to have a better team working on this one making smart choices. The choice to take it to the West End first being their biggest strength. Take it to get it's feet wet in a place that is honestly less judgmental then Broadway, earn it a reputation and hopefully get some awards under it's belt so it can come to Broadway with a bit of prestige established. Something to bill it as the "Award Winning" Hadestown especially if it's actors can nab some awards as well to bring with them. It won't need a name if can come prepackaged with it's prove of it's greatness in the form of a few Olivers.
#17Will HADESTOWN end up like THE GREAT COMET??
Posted: 9/12/18 at 11:07pm
^^^Or a really creative TV commercial emphasizing the bluesy nature of the score.
I am well North of the target demo, but I have both HADESTOWN albums and would go see the show on the basis of those alone.
#18Will HADESTOWN end up like THE GREAT COMET??
Posted: 9/12/18 at 11:09pm
I'm thinking many people who couldn't see comet (like myself) will see Hadestown since many people have drawn comparisons between the two. I'm hoping it has a healthy run in a small theatre since it seems pretty good!
#19Will HADESTOWN end up like THE GREAT COMET??
Posted: 9/12/18 at 11:12pm
HogansHero said: "Please, people, think a little. Just a little."
Are you ever not obnoxious?
Caption: Every so often there was a rare moment of perfect balance when I soared above him.
#20Will HADESTOWN end up like THE GREAT COMET??
Posted: 9/12/18 at 11:15pm
I predict it will do very well at the Oliviers, and that would be great for “buzz” as well as advertisements. It will do fine on Broadway, although I don’t think it will be until next season at the earliest.
P.S. - Oak will never get hired for a Broadway show again, so no, he’s not gonna be in this thing. I imagine all the Americans in the London cast will transfer with it anyway.
#21Will HADESTOWN end up like THE GREAT COMET??
Posted: 9/12/18 at 11:48pm
The Distinctive Baritone said: "
P.S. - Oak will never get hired for a Broadway show again, so no, he’s not gonna be in this thing. "
I said I would love for him to, not that I’m expecting him to.
Miss Keisha? Miss Keisha? Miss Keishhhaaaa?
GVS2
Swing Joined: 7/25/18
#22Will HADESTOWN end up like THE GREAT COMET??
Posted: 9/12/18 at 11:54pm
Hadestown is one of my favorite shows ever. I flew to Edmonton to see it last December. The changes that were made only improved the show from the NYTW show from 2016. I am flying to London to see it this November and can't wait to see what additional improvements were made. Simply put, it will draw people in on word of mouth alone when it opens on Broadway!
#23Will HADESTOWN end up like THE GREAT COMET??
Posted: 9/13/18 at 12:10am
Valentina3 said: "HogansHero said: "Please, people, think a little. Just a little."
Are you ever not obnoxious?"
Yes, all the time. But in this case, if you consider what I wrote "obnoxious," then ask yourself what makes it obnoxious. Surely you don't think asking people to put a little thought in their posts is obnoxious, do you? To me, if anything is obnoxious, it's interrupting a thread to make a personal comment that's basically 100% off-topic. But there you go.
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#24Will HADESTOWN end up like THE GREAT COMET??
Posted: 9/13/18 at 12:18am
Your disdain for everyone that posts here is obnoxious. We/they are fans, not experts. They are talking from their hearts with whatever knowledge think they have.
No one needs to be shat upon for not being a professional in the field.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
#25Will HADESTOWN end up like THE GREAT COMET??
Posted: 9/13/18 at 12:32am
I hope it is like a Comet, a brilliant experience the likes of which I never saw before (nor will again), that makes you fall in love with the musical and its potential all over again.
Will it sell tickets? Who knows?
