THE BODYGUARD to Broadway - What Happened?

[quizking101]

Posted: 7/1/19 at 2:16pm

Hey guys,

So I saw Deborah Cox performing I Will Always Love You at the WorldPride Closing Ceremony last night and, maybe the ambience contributed to it, but I thought she freakin NAILED it.

She also sang something from Aida as well (I dont remember which song though) and spoke about how she dreamed of coming to Broadway and loves coming back.

So my question is was The Bodyguard only ever meant to tour, or did it have a Broadway trajectory in mind.

[zainmax]

Posted: 7/1/19 at 2:19pm

Probably wanted to come to Bway after the tour, but the bad reviews/poor performance on the road lead to its demise.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 7/1/19 at 3:04pm

I saw the tour launch at Paper Mill Playhouse. I am a huge fan of Deborah Cox, and I thought she was remarkable. Witnessing her performing those iconic songs was a great experience. However, outside of Cox, the show was REALLY bad. The book was horrendous, the set was dirt cheap, the projections were laughable. I can definitely see why this didn't come to Broadway.

[JeaniusIsMe]

Posted: 7/1/19 at 3:23pm

I saw the tour when it came through Chicago and aside from Cox, it was atrocious. I described it to friends thus: "As a concert of Whitney Houston songs sung by Deborah Cox, it was a delightful evening. As a musical, it was a disaster."

You definitely got the good end of the deal just seeing Cox sing and not having to see the rest of the show along with it.

[alovingfan]

Posted: 7/1/19 at 3:24pm

It is a dreadful show.  

[sabrelady]

Posted: 7/2/19 at 12:29am

I had a free ticket otherwise I'd never have gone. The "expanded" book w the sister rivalry was just soooo baaaadd.

[Alessio2]

Posted: 7/2/19 at 1:01am

The show was one of the worst things I ever saw when it played the Pantages in LA.  Also Cox must have been having an off night, she looked and sounded exhausted and over it.  Truly horrible all around.

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 7/2/19 at 8:04am

What happened? Everyone associated with the show had a heart attack over the gunshot sound effect at the top of the show.

[TheSassySam]

Posted: 7/2/19 at 9:17am

You do not want to, or need to, ever see this dreadful show.

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 7/2/19 at 11:04am

Cox was wonderful in a horrid production of a lifeless musical.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 7/2/19 at 11:14am

It was Jebus awful enough said 

[binau]

Posted: 7/2/19 at 4:01pm

It is probably the worst professional musical I've ever seen. But if they could get Jennifer Hudson signed on I'd be there front row centre to hear her perform this incredible catalog of songs. 

[Impossible2]

Posted: 7/2/19 at 4:03pm

qolbinau said: "It is probably the worst professional musical I've ever seen. But if they could get Jennifer Hudson signed on I'd be there front row centre to hear her perform this incredible catalog of songs."

As long as they got someone else to come on and do the acting scenes for her x

[binau]

Posted: 7/2/19 at 4:08pm

Gurl, there is no acting required. This is like high-school level writing here. 

[Impossible2]

Posted: 7/2/19 at 4:24pm

qolbinau said: "Gurl, there is no acting required. This is like high-school levelwriting here."

LOL

[Zamedy154]

Posted: 7/2/19 at 4:59pm

I'll pile on and agree. A truly awful piece of 'musical theatre.' Cox was the one and only highlight (and is genuinely a very nice person and gracious with her fans). The whole time I was watching it at Shea's in Buffalo I was thinking -- is this real, or am I trapped in some SNL skit of actors acting in a horrible production? It was laughable for all the wrong reasons.

[LoriBelle2]

Posted: 7/2/19 at 5:03pm

I saw it in a London on vacation a few years ago and it was pretty good. Not sure what happened here.

[Angpensa]

Posted: 7/2/19 at 8:16pm

It's playing in Long Island right now at the Gateway
https://www.broadwayworld.com/long-island/article/THE-BODYGUARD-THE-MUSICAL-Announced-At-The-Gateway-20190621

[Dancingthrulife2]

Posted: 7/2/19 at 10:18pm

I saw it in London and thought although it was not a good musical, it was at least fun for the most parts. Not sure what happened with the transfer though.

Updated On: 7/2/19 at 10:18 PM

[ArtMan]

Posted: 7/2/19 at 11:09pm

We have a production coming through Jacksonville in a really small venue that even I haven't heard of.  I can't get any information off their website.  Is this a nonequity tour,  a regional tour, or even less?  If Deborah Cox is still in it, then I'm in.  If anybody knows anything, please educate me.

[BenjaminNicholas2]

Posted: 7/2/19 at 11:19pm

I still haven't forgiven Cox for her performance in Jekyll & Hyde. 

She used up all her Aida goodwill with me by ruining those Wildhorn key changes.

[sabrelady]

Posted: 7/2/19 at 11:23pm

qolbinau said: "Gurl, there is no acting required. This is like high-school levelwriting here."

 

No i'd put it lower like- a combo of reality show & soap opera all done on the cheap.

 

[matty159]

Posted: 7/7/19 at 8:37pm

I saw this at Gateway today. Some lovely voices, but quite obvious why it didn’t make it to Broadway. The book is dreadful and in this production, at least, it didn’t know what time period it was in. It would be eviscerated by every critic in NYC and by everyone on this board. While I had fun (I mean, those songs!), I felt like I was gonna exit the auditorium and find myself on the Empress of the Seas or in front of a coaster at Six Flags. Credit where credit is due though...the cast was giving it their all and the audience seemed enamored. Again, the book is the problem. You could plop Queen Bey and Chris Pine into the leads and it would sell, but in the end all you got is Whitney’s great catalog.

[Skip23]

Posted: 7/7/19 at 9:57pm

One of the few shows I’ve left at intermission (in FLA).

NTTC

[binau]

Posted: 7/8/19 at 3:10am

You missed “I’ll always love you?!!!”. To each their own lol.