Why did it close?
Why did it close?
Brooks0214
Understudy Joined: 4/9/18
#1Why did it close?
Posted: 11/14/18 at 7:54pmI just watched Tuck Everlasting and I’m so upset it closes so soon. Why do you think that is? I loved it and thought it was a good and fun show!
Clyde15
Leading Actor Joined: 5/9/15
#2Why did it close?
Posted: 11/14/18 at 7:59pm
The main reason is people weren’t buying tickets.
Marketing for the show was a mess, the direction of the show was a mess, the reviews (except the NYT if I remember correctly) were pans. I think the show has some beautiful moments and could work but needed to be scaled way back
Rainah
Broadway Star Joined: 11/24/16
#4Why did it close?
Posted: 11/14/18 at 8:18pm
It's a taste thing so the following is just my opinion after I saw it.
While it's a real charming show and had a lot of potential, it was also highly flawed. First off it was WAY over choreographed. I love Casey's work but he just did way to much with this one. This sort of mythical magical dancing chorus of faire folk show up in numbers they really shouldn't be in. And the other thing was that the show was just to safe. I really saw potential in what they could have done with it... IF they took a few risks with it but they didn't. It severely lacked a feeling of conflict and urgency. They fail to make clear what the motivation of their bad guy was and his reveal was rushed out then thrown to the side. And then in the moment where the book reaches a very tense and rather adult climax where the life of one of the main characters hangs in the balance, they just copped out with a slap on the wrist instead.
They were trying really hard to make it a happy go lucky family with kids musical must see but it was too boring for kids and to tame for adults. Don't get me wrong, I do like the show but it really makes me aggravated with how it could have been better if they just took a few risks.
#5Why did it close?
Posted: 11/14/18 at 8:24pmGod, this show was awful. I remember the entire mezz just bursting into laughter during that ridiculous ballet at the end and everyone just looking at each other like “I’m so glad you see how terrible this is, too”.
Bwayfan292
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/19/17
#6Why did it close?
Posted: 11/14/18 at 10:40pmI love the cast recording, but the show sucked. I remember half way through the show and it was yet another dance number, I found more entertainment in watching the kid in front of me slap his mom over and over with the playbill
"Why was my post about my post being deleted, deleted, causing my account to be banned from posting" - The Lion Roars 2k18
#7Why did it close?
Posted: 11/14/18 at 10:47pmProbably one of the worst shows I’ve seen on Broadway.
"When the audience comes in, it changes the temperature of what you've written." -Stephen Sondheim
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#8Why did it close?
Posted: 11/14/18 at 10:50pm
They didn't try to elevate the children's story in any way. I felt like I was sitting in a children's theater production - but I'd never subject a child to that dreck.
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.
Bwayfan292
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/19/17
#9Why did it close?
Posted: 11/14/18 at 10:52pmAlso casting Andrew to play a 16 year old, made it all just awkward.
"Why was my post about my post being deleted, deleted, causing my account to be banned from posting" - The Lion Roars 2k18
#10Why did it close?
Posted: 11/14/18 at 11:42pm
dramamama611 said: "They didn't try to elevate the children's story in any way. I felt like I was sitting in a children's theater production - but I'd never subject a child to that dreck."
This. I know it's a book often read by children in school but they is still some meat in the plot yet they actually stripped it of all the darker stuff that could have elevated it to something more that could have appealed to a better target audience. I CAN'T get over the ending. How.... book and musical spoilers ahead I guess...
Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content
IN THE BOOK: When the Man in the Yellow Suit threatens them, Mae shots and kills him. She is arrested, tried, and sentenced to death by hanging and they have to break her out of jail because their secret will be revealed when she hangs and does not die.
Meanwhile IN THE MUSICAL: Mae bonks him on the head lightly with the gun barrel and it kills him. The Constable shows up, Winnie explains it away fast and he's like "...K that seems legit but you better get out of town, Tucks. Hugo can you get that body outta here by awkwardly carrying it off stage? K thanks byyyeeee."
It took the actual interesting ending conflict the children's book had out to make it more family friendly and turned it into overpriced boring children's theatre. Because really what parent would take their kids to see Tuck Everlasting as an intro to Broadway when their are plenty of Disney shows to take them to see?
#11Why did it close?
Posted: 11/14/18 at 11:49pm
While people can argue why a show didn't catch on... there is only ever one reason why it closes.
#12Why did it close?
Posted: 11/15/18 at 12:11am
I know I'm in the majority but I liked it. Saw the final preview. I adore Carolee and would buy a ticket to anything she's in. I was not familiar with the book or film, and frankly I went because it was a free Monday night for me. Had a great time sitting next to a theater arts student focusing on set design. I'm fascinated by set design and was happy to have her point out a few secrets. The tree was an intriguing set piece. And while the ballet was a little bit long, I did like the story it told (though of course being a musical shouldn't they use words more than dance?)
To the OP: First, don't know where you are but TheaterWorks in Mountain View (north of San Jose, CA) is presenting the regional premiere later this month: https://theatreworks.org/201819-season/201819-season/tuck-everlasting/. I've seen dozens of shows at TW -- most recently, an outstanding production of Fun Home, and everything they do is very, very good. Second, Tuck has been discussed alot on this forum. If you do a search you'll find additional comments debating why it closed after a month.
