Fascinating NERDS article in THR

[a-mad]

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/how-bill-gates-steve-jobs-musical-nerds-became-a-debacle-1200105

I had no idea this all happened.... Pretty interesting read.

[10086sunset]

This article brought back a ton of memories of the board during that time.

It’s truly a shame how all this went down.

[Kad]

I just remember how obvious it seemed to me, even as an observer, that something was wrong with the production- everything from its inexplicable appearance to its lack of publicity and online presence just a few weeks out and last minute casting just seemed suspect. 

[nasty_khakis]

I remember at the time people seemed to blame these boards for investors dropping out but the article doesn't seem to mention that. 

[Kad]

nasty_khakis said: "I remember at the time people seemed to blame these boards for investors dropping out but the article doesn't seem to mention that."

Probably because the article only focuses on what actually caused the production to fall apart, which was a deceitful producer. 

[nasty_khakis]

I know. I was being a little shady, especially since that false claim caused a major shakeup on the boards. 

[WhizzerMarvin]

I remember going to the official website and seeing a splash page that the site was in beta weeks before previews.

I still have my ticket stub to the first preview that I never got to use.

[WhizzerMarvin]

https://m.imgur.com/UdXLp5j

[Kad]

Now THAT is a collector's item!

[WhizzerMarvin]

I’ve thought about framing it...my two friends who also bought tickets and I have joked that we must have been the only three people in the world who purchased advance tickets to this thing! 

I remember on the day of the first preview at The Crucible playing across the street at The Kerr, my friend and I stood in the rush line watching the nerds load-in and saying things like, “We can’t believe this is actually going to happen!” Well, it didn’t. 

[Call_me_jorge]

I’m very much intrigued that Levin is still employed by the Tony Awards. Surely something like this would cause someone to be shunned by the industry, no? Kind of disgusting that he got to keep on making a living while the actors, crew, and creative team didn’t get anything for months, if not years.

I’m curious if a more competent producing team would ever take this on. I think this is still an interesting topic and is even more in the limelight than it was in 2016.

[gleek4114]

Wow Whizzer, that’s so cool/funny/amazing/sad. I would TOTALLY frame that. One of a kind for sure.

[wonderwaiter]

"There was one glitch in Levin's plan to bring Nerds to the Great White Way, however: The rights to the play belonged to Vicki Halmos, a Palm Beach socialite who mounted Waiting for Guffman-like productions of Miss Saigon and other shows in South Florida." 

I would give several internal organs to see that. 

[djoko84]

I was coming here to post this article too. It's a really great read on the perils of opening a new show on Broadway. I feel badly for all the actors involved because most theatre actors make very little. The article actually makes me want to see the show in a trainwreck sort of way.

[whatdoesntkillme]

Here's the thing. I appreciate this article and its further insight into the mess that was (is?) NERDS (though it leaves out a lot of details that I've read elsewhere that paint a better picture of how it was doomed for the start). But it seems to me that nobody wants to acknowledge that this looks like a terrible and unappealing show that would have flopped hard if it did happen to open on Broadway. 

[perfectliar]

whatdoesntkillme said: "Here's the thing. I appreciate this article and its further insight into the mess that was (is?) NERDS(though it leaves out a lot of details that I've read elsewhere that paint a better picture of how it was doomed for the start). But it seems to me that nobody wants to acknowledgethat this looks like aterribleand unappealingshow that would have floppedhardif it did happen to open on Broadway."

I feel like this is addressed in the article. The author says there was no interest in the show and mentions several times how bad the lyrics and plot were.

[massofmen]

so if there was no interest in the show.. what did the actors lose out on..a few weeks of paychecks?

     If the show is that bad then (like glory days) it would have closed on opening night or soon thereafter. So lets say they had about 2 more months of work if the show was produced fully..8 weeks of paychecks they lost. boo hoo.
People calling their mommies while sliding down walls. actors are hilarious. 

 

[blaxx]

massofmen said: "so if there was no interest in the show..what did the actors lose out on..a few weeks of paychecks?

If the show is that bad then (like glory days) it would have closed on opening night or soon thereafter.So lets say they had about 2 more months of work if the show was produced fully..8 weeks of paychecks they lost. boo hoo.
People calling their mommies while sliding down walls. actors are hilarious.

"

Let's see: A Broadway credit, an opportunity to display their talents to the community and casting directors (regardless of the quality of the material), develop their skills, networking - you know, things actors need past their paycheque and the call to mommy.

 

[Alexander Lamar]

If losing out on 8 weeks worth of paychecks isn’t a big deal, I’ll gladly accept two months of your salary.

[missthemountains]

This happened the same year I graduated college. My friend and I had both worked on flops that season, and she was like, "at least yours got to go on!" lol. The show had about the same amount of charm that PHARAMABRO, the musical about Martin Shikrelli did. It's so crazy with a show like this that they wouldn't try and at least go Off-Broadway, because it's true this would've flopped hard. It felt like a Fringe show that got there by accident, which, according to the article is totally true. 

[LightsOut90]

missthemountains said: "This happened the same year I graduated college. My friend and I had both worked on flops that season, and she was like, "at least yours got to go on!" lol. The show had about the same amount of charm that PHARAMABRO, the musical about Martin Shikrelli did. It's so crazy with a show like this that they wouldn't try and at least go Off-Broadway, because it's true this would've flopped hard. It felt like a Fringe show that got there by accident, which, according to the article is totally true."

Oh man I saw PHARMABRO and it was baaaadddd

also to the person mocking actors, screw you dude, take that energy elsewhere. 

[uncageg]

I also remember walking by during load in. Was excited as a friend was in the cast and planned to see it.

Also, Rob Morrison appears to have rejoined Avenue Q.

[PattyO'Furniture]

I was today's-years-old when I realized that NERDS was about Gates/Jobs and not actually REVENGE OF THE NERDS: THE MUSICAL.