Shows that didn't do well on B'way, but have gone on to widely performed.

[Julian2]

These days, it seems like its becomeing a growing trend that even if your show dosen't do well on Broadway (or even play on Broadway), the show will go on to enter the "canon" (using the term losely) through local productions. Seussical only ran for 200 performances and is now MTI's most liscensed show. Little Women looks like its headed for a similar future, banking on its name. Lippa's A Little Princess is getting a recording and being liscensed by MTI, hoping this will work for them.

I have nothing against these shows (they're all at least decent) or the method of popularity (although I do wish that other not "name" shows could get a chance) But my question is, has this ever happened before in Broadway's history? Where mass local productions of a show have elevated said show from obscurity to a place in the "canon"?

[ComaBaby01]

thoroughly modern millie....?

i know, like, three schools in my area and one community theater that jumped on those rights.

[Jimmcf]

'Seusical'

[purpleprince101]

a high school near me did millie and it was fantastic. Acutally, last year they did "Seussical" last year

[ElFantasma14]

Once Upon a Mattress is huge with youth theatre groups, and it had very short runs on Broadway in its original production and the revival.

[RentBoy86]

Floyd Collins? Songs for a New World?

[Kringas]

Neither of those were on Broadway in the first place.

[Michael Bennett]

Neither of those were on Broadway. I'm not sure LITTLE WOMEN is going to have community and high school success a la THE SUESSICAL. That flop of TOM SAWYER hasn't exactly lit the regional circuit on fire since it became available...

INTO THE WOODS and GYPSY have certainly made a lot more money in regional and community theatre/high school production than they ever made on Broadway. Ditto WEST SIDE STORY.

[theaterdude87]

There was an article on playbill.com last year about how Seussical is one of the most liscenced shows.

[BobbyBubby]

Candide

[defyingravity11]

That's funny! I did Seussical last year and a group I regularly perform with is doing Thoroughly Modern Millie this year.

[circusliz]

Not on Broadway, but L5Y has done well.

[JoeKv99]

Suessical Millie and Little Women all have inherent appeal to school and community groups-- and remember that all of them are adapted from well-known properties.

I'm not sure I'd rank Mattress as "obscure"-- it made money, was revived, launched the career of Carol Burnett and was turned into two Television specials.

[CATSNYrevival]

I wish MTI would release the Lonny Price concert version of Candide...

[best12bars]

Working

[Mattbrain]

Parade

[vmlinnie]

SEUSSICAL!

[FutureAladdinOnB'Way]

I wish MTI would release DRS!! That show would be so fun to do

[Shakespearean]

Children of Eden.

[BobPopa]

Children of Eden did not play on Broadway.

For a comedy Neil Simon's God's Favorite is done quite a bit for being one of Simon's shortest running Broadway shows

[LuPonatic]

I know when I saw Dirty Rotten Scoundrels on Broadway, The Playbill had a little thing basically saying MTI already had their sights set on the show.

how funny is it that The community theatre I'm on the Board of is doing Little Women this summer, we did Once Upon a Mattress last summer, summer before that we did Seussical! And I have my sights set on Into the Woods or Thoroughly Modern Millie for NEXT summer (I usually direct their musical) HA! (before that was Radio Gals...BLECK!) well, actually, sort of, maybe, kind of cute...in a way

[LuPonatic]

A Year with Frog and Toad