People Who Saw Shows That Now Live In Infamy, What Was Your Experience At Said Show?

[Joshua Rosenthal]

I think Gettin the Band Back Together is one. Saw it for its final preview. I had a great time with my dad there and we moved from 6th row orchestra to centre orch. Great time, but theres something that just didntclick with me and Im not sure what. People from the town the show takes place in also liked it from my memory, I might be wrong. Shows I wish I saw are Carrie (198, Wonderland, Brooklyn, Kelly, The Best Little Whorehouse Strikes Back, The Wild Party (especially LaChiusa’s; I haven’t given Lippa’s as much of a listening to but wouldn’t mind at all seeing that one , for the songs I’ve listened to stress great, plus I’d love to watch them both and compare), A Broadway Musical, etc. <3

[Sutton Ross]

Show that live in infamy will always be remembered. That show is not one of them. 

[ggersten]

I saw Stephen Ward in London before it closed. Got a 5th or 6th row center seat for a day seat price.  The audience was practicing social distancing - not intentionally. There wasn't anything particularly bad about the show - well, the opening is kind of odd especially if you don't know the story and the show sort of presupposes some glancing familiarity with the Profumo scandal, so that is bad. There is a gun shot to end Act One, that is quickly dismissed at the beginning of Act Two - so like "Huh".  There was some gratuitous nudity as well - that kind of sort of was dictated by the plot, but not really necessary. The music was - well, I don't really remember it, so I guess it was not memorable. ALW has several excuses for the show from stating that he was heavily medicated on morphine to an inability to actually workshop a show or have an out of town preview.(except that Ward was workshopped).  It wasn't in the category of "OMG - what am I watching - my poor eyes" but it was just a big batch of "meh" and "why".  

[CATSNYrevival]

Stephen Ward was obviously a subject that was particularly interesting to Andrew Lloyd Webber but had limited commercial appeal to West End audiences, and virtually zero commercial appeal outside the UK. It's hard to build a hit show from that. Most people, particularly in America, likely don't know who Stephen Ward was and likely just don't care either. Having said that, there are some lovely tunes. "This Side of the Sky" is a favorite.

[Huss417]

I would have to give this a lot more thought but three that I saw in person that come to mind. Carrie, Legs Diamond and Moose Murders. I know there must be more as I saw my first show in 1975. 

[ggersten]

CATSNYrevival said: "Stephen Ward was obviously a subject that was particularly interesting to Andrew Lloyd Webber but had limitedcommercial appeal to West End audiences, and virtually zero commercial appeal outside the UK.It's hard to build a hit show from that. Most people, particularly in America, likely don't know who Stephen Ward was and likelyjustdon't care either. Having said that, there are some lovely tunes. "This Side of the Sky" is a favorite."

Except, who would have thought a musical about Eva Peron would have any appeal to West End audiences or US audiences? Richard Eyre may not be Hal Prince - but he was no hack director. And Christopher Hampton is not a hack book writer. Stephen Ward could have worked - it just didn't.

 

[Mr Roxy]

Sutton Ross said: "Show that lived in infamy will always be remembered. That show is not one of them

Saw it and remember Gower Champion dressed in white coming out against a black curtain to explain what we were to see. It didn't help.  Others listed from above. Saw Wonderland. Love Wildhorn but not one of his better efforts. Liked Best for reasons unknown to me now and Wild  Enjoyed it  .Although I saw Legs it was a disaster except for the opening number. Songs were weak and Best part was his remark about critics in the Cut of the Cards number  .Supposedly Fosse was to direct and choreograph it early on but sadly it never happened . like a book title from the book The Season entitled Washing Garbage. 

I also saw the 1 performance flame out Gantry and Late Night Comic. I have done my share of suffering 

 

 

 

 

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

I hated truly hated Mamma Mia on broadway when I saw it towards the end of the run especially cause you could tell the cast hated it to. It was one of the laziest low energy broadway shows I’ve ever seen. It felt zombie like and amateurish.

Does that count as infamy?

[Jibl]

I saw Merrily We Roll Along and loved the music and story (although not the idea of casting the entire show with very young, inexperienced actors).

My most vivid memories are all the people that left before the end and Hal Prince (who was sitting a few rows in front of me) shaking his head and covering his face with his hands a lot.

[ARTc3]

So many… Dude, Via Galactica, Carrie, Merrily We Roll Along, Something's Afoot, Got Tu Go Disco, Marilyn, A History of the American Film, Brooklyn, In My Life, Big Deal, Chess… the wild part is some of them were really good, or had very interesting aspects.

[sabrelady]

Lord of the Rings . I really do not know where to start with the dissection,there was too much and too much bad to boot.

[Joshua Rosenthal]

ARTc3 said: "So many… Dude, Via Galactica, Carrie, Merrily We Roll Along, Something's Afoot, Got Tu Go Disco, Marilyn, A History of the American Film, Brooklyn, In My Life, Big Deal, Chess… the wild part is some of them were really good, or had very interesting aspects."

You got to see these? If so you HAVE to tell me more!! I’d love to hear About one’s true experience with these shows. Via Galactica is an inter sing Ike considering it was apparently so complex and confusing, they had plot synopses Inserted in the playbill. 

[emilyfaye48]

I loved Scandalous. It was glorious.

[Broadway61004]

Soul Doctor.  I don't even know where to begin.  First of all, it was in Circle in the Square, but in proscenium (with the audience still in the typical Circle in the Square thrust setup, but added seats on what would normally be the stage floor).  Then the budget was so low they had clearly painted styrofoam books instead of buying real ones.  And finally, it gave us lines that included the rabbi getting fired and a woman turning to the audience "yep, and another rabbi gets nailed".  Although the show did at least give us Eric Anderson and Amber Iman, both of whom are clearly a thousand times better than the material.

[Gpvegas]

I saw Taboo several times.  I loved it.  I thought it was a fun time.  Most of the performances were amazing and I found the show ti be a lot of fun.  Unfortunately, Rosie was not in a good place at the time and it really was the nail in the coffin for that show.  

[Jarethan]

I saw the original production of Merrily and hated the show so much that I did not even notice that the score was a great one.  I have always considered George Furth a hack with the right friends (IMO the weak spot in Company is the book).  Here, we had hack work from Furth competing with the worst direction I have ever seen in a Harold Prince show (the second worst direction I ever saw in a HP show still had moments of brilliance), a super ugly set, annoying costumes (how often have you been annoyed by costumes?), and some really mediocre performances (starting with Jim Walton as Franklin J Shepherd), all competing for the worst component of the show.  The audience was actually angry as it left the theatre.

Second, I would have to say was Mack and Mabel.  Many terrific components, all doomed by an atrociously unworkable story line and a horrible book trying to make that story line viable.  The show did not work from the outset, but having the heroine die from a heroin overdose in a show that had lavish sets and costumes,  lavish production numbers including dancing Keystone cops, a bright Jerry Herman score with 'Jerry Herman score orchestrations', not a single defined character other than the title roles, made for a hopelessly listless mess.  The audience was truly bored, and the applause at the curtain call were quieter than I have heard in an off-Broadway theatre with 100 people in it.  

Lastly, I would point to the Boston engagement of Prettybelle.  Gower Champion direction / choreography, Jules Styne score (I can still hum 2 of the songs 50 years later, based on one hearing), and Angela Lansbury.  Lansbury played and mentally disturbed person (depression? bi-polar? schizophrenia? I don't remember, but you get the idea) person who became aware of the horror around here in a deeply racist South (AS I REMEMBER).    Two things I remember: (1) Lansbury gave a brilliant performance, carrying the entire show on her shoulders, and making it eminently watchable, if bad.  She had a solo number, When I'm Drunk, that was as good as anything she ever did, with the exception of Rose's Turn.  She had a dance in that number that was astounding in its complexity, and she pulled it off brilliantly); and (2) it was an intimate story dressed with a large Gower Champion production.  Scheduled to open in the Majestic Theatre, it was a show that should have scaled to play at the Booth or the Music Box.  I think the book could have been fixed, but the production was enever going to do the intimate story justice.  Unlike the other two, I actually enjoyed this one, but only because of Lansbury's 'gofer broke' performance.

Sure I have seen other shows that might meet that definition; I have focused on disasters created by theatre geniuses.

[jpbran]

Only ones I've seen that will truly "live in infamy" would probably be Pirate Queen, King Kong, Lestat, Spider-Man and Cry-Baby. Cry-Baby and Pirate Queen were just lame bores, but the others were jaw-dropping in a "still glad I saw them even while cringing" kinda way. 

[BWAY Baby2]

When I was 12, I saw the third performance of Drat! The Cat! with Elliott Gould and Lesley Ann Warren- it lasted 4 performances- does that show qualify as living on in infamy- probably not. BTW- I loved it.

[Dollypop]

Let me add to the list:

MOLLY, where big and brassy Kaye Ballard tried to play a loveable Jewish mamalah and the big, splashy production number "Sullivan's Got A Job" neglected to define who Sullivan was. And the show was set during the Depression but another production number was set in a Chinese restaurant on the Grand Concourse and everyone in the neighborhood was eating there and dressed to the nines.

THOU SHALT NOT, where the heroine of the show humped the headboard of a bed that revolved to the music. And Norbert Leo Butz did a soft shoe after his character had been knocked off.

TITANIC. I saw one of the first previews and it was dreadfully boring. I understand it was completely revamped and the show that ultimately opened was quite good. Based on what I saw at that preview, NOTHING was going to drag me back into the theater to bee the improvements.

KELLY. I saw one of the last previews and only remember the bridge and being very confused at to what was going on.

STEEL PIER. I don't remember much about it other than it was dreadfully boring.

[MCW1227]

I saw the original cast of Evita and while even as a theater newbie at the time, I recognized the stellar performances and the crowds excitement.  However, I didn’t enjoy the production overall ( I know, horror!) but I can’t remember why I didn’t enjoy it only that I didn’t and especially when comparing it to the two iconic productions I saw before this, Chicago (Gwen and Chita) and Annie (original cast).  

[PatrickDC]

Since I live in San Francisco I can’t get to NYC fast enough to see the rapid closures. LOL

I did see the final preview of TUCK EVERLASTING and loved this sweet show that closed a month or maybe less after opening. There were lots of young women and girls who clearly read the book. I never had, nor had I seen the film. The audience around me seemed to enjoy it. At intermission I was chatting with a young woman next to me. She was a scenic design major at Columbia. Given my interest and fascination with this area of the theater, it was great to talk to her and ask a bunch of questions about stagecraft. 

[ARTc3]

Joshua, I have seen all of these shows and many many more…

Via Galactica was dreadful. I don't remember it being so complicated though. Just silly and poorly realized with some really interesting elements…

It took place in a future where Earth had been taken over by an authoritarian dictatorship. Some of the main characters were garbage collectors who at the start of the show escape earth to travel to a free society currently safe by their distance from Earth. They are able to accomplish this because garbage is dumped in space. They use their 'garbage spaceship' to escape and travel to this new land.

To complicate things, the Earthlings wear hats that resembled dunce caps and painted similar to barbershop poles. These hats keep the population under control. When there is disobedience the dunce caps revolve similar to a barbershop pole.

They were a ridiculous costume choice and was far more comical than oppressive as intended.

The new land, where our protagonists escape to, was interesting as when they were on this distant planet, the stage floor was a series of 6 trampolines. (The choreography took great advantage of the trampolines and was sort of cool.)

The free planet is mentored by a scientist who appears throughout the show as just a head on top of a box that travels on a wagon between the trampolines. I remember thinking that the actor must be a paraplegic as the effect was impressive and it seemed impossible that the actor had limbs. (Years later, I question if the effect was similar to Chip from Beauty and the Beast.)

The plot takes us back and forth between both planets. While on Earth, the floor ceases to be trampolines.

Eventually, Earth discovers the renegade planet and plans on attacking and bringing the population back into their oppressive fold. At the end, when they all have to escape. A big spaceship comes down and the free folk escape by climbing a stair up into the ship while singing the final song. The head only scientist also escapes as the box disconnects from the wagon, and cables from above, are attached to the sides of the box lifting the scientist's head up into the flies next to the spaceship.

The cast was interesting as quite talented. Raul Julia was the male lead. Virginia Vestoff, Irene Cara and Ralph Carter were all in the cast.

It was also the first show to open the new Uris theater, now The Gershwin (Wicked).

The composer was Galt MacDermott (Hair) and it was directed by Peter Hall (Royal Shakespeare).

Mostly, it was a mess. The dunce cap hats were just terrible and broke any ability to take what was going on, onstage seriously.

[ARTc3]

I too saw Taboo on Broadway several times (3) and loved it. I also loved Merrily We Roll Along, which I believe I saw just about every performance (I lived around the corner and often spend my nights seeing shows multiple times. I discovered lots of cool ways to sneak into the theater as at the time I was a struggling performer without the funds to cover my theater addiction.)

[Jarethan]

BWAY Baby2 said: "When I was 12, I saw the third performance of Drat! The Cat! with Elliott Gould and Lesley Ann Warren- it lasted 4 performances- does that show qualify as living on in infamy- probably not. BTW- I loved it."

It actually lasted 8 performances.  I personally loved it and think it has a terrific score.  It had great production design, a witty book, good roles for 5 - 6 people, and Lesley Ann Warren and Ellkott Gould were delightful (at least from this 15 or 16 year old's perspective).    I read decades ago that they had no advance sales (no name attractions were associated with any aspect of the show) and had not budgeted any money to get them through the early run to see if it would catch on.  The only thing that would have saved them was rave reviews, which it did not get (although Walter Kerr did give it an excellent review).  I think this deserves an asterisk for a really short run, but does not warrant infamy.

[Dollypop]

Lordy me, how did I forget BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY's with Mary Tyler Moore and Richard Chamberlain? Edward Albee's book was exceptionally talky and leaden and it's true, the audience did talk back to the actors. At one point Moore's character asked the rhetorical question, "What am I to do?" and a male voice from the audience answered, "Go home so we can, too!"