Kiss A Chorus Line GoodbyeWhile I was apparently snoozing (actually getting caught up in yesterday's spectacular conclusion to the 2008 Presidential Primary Season), it was announced Tuesday that Broadway's first revival of
A Chorus Line had posted its closing notices.
The revival of the musical (which I avoided completely) was most definitely not the one singular sensation that the original was. When
A Chorus Line finally shutters at the
Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on August 17, it will have played a respectable 759 regular performances. Compare that with the original, which clocked in at 6,137 performances or 15 years and spanning three decades (1975-1990), and suddenly the revival's less than two years on the boards don't seem quite so special.
Could it be that
A Chorus Line just couldn't get past the criticism of its stuntcasting of
Mario Lopez, which snowballed into impassioned discussions from purists (including
here) about the vanities of stars and the liberties the production had taken with the original material?
Well, consider that last week,
A Chorus Line did a collective dip at the box office falling to a paltry 49% capacity, earning it the unenviable ranking as second lowest Broadway capacity of the week. It also plunged an astonishing 20.5% week over week.
Love, nothing. Maybe next time, producers will reconsider what they did for a
buck.
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Flex And Flexing (May 18, 2008)
A Chorus Line: From Priscilla To Mario Lopez (March 5, 2008)
Are Blogs Making The Time-Honored Preview Obsolete? (August 20, 2007)
Did Chorus Line Do Enough For Love Of Critics? (October 6, 2006)
Will Chorus Line Be A Double Sensation? (October 5, 2006)
A Chorus Line Revival Begins Previews Tonight (September 18, 2006)
A Chorus Line's Casting Announced (April 26, 2006)
Labels: A Chorus Line, Box Office, Broadway, Closing Notices, Jump The Shark, Mario Lopez, Musical, Revival, Stunt Casting
Blonde Not Quite Ready To Jump SharkImagine my surprise when one of my dear, regular readers sent me the following from
Us Magazine:
A source says Britney Spears’ ex, 30, may be heading to NYC in September to make his Broadway debut in Legally Blonde, the Tony-nominated musical adaptation of the hit film, Us Weekly reports in its latest issue, on newsstands now.
“He’s so excited!” a Federline source tells Us.
The former backup dancer and aspiring hip-hop artist — who is hitting the gym after packing on “daddy weight,” ex Shar Jackson says — will test his song-and-dance chops in a trio of roles — including the UPS guy who inspires the “bend and snap.”
“This is his chance to show the world what he can do,” says a pal.
And now that he has physical custody, sons Sean, 2, and Jayden, 18 months, might join him in the Big Apple.
“This is his dream and he wants to bring the kids,” says the insider. “Jamie and Lynne [Spears] promised to help him make it work.”
(A rep for the show says he is not scheduled “as of this time.”)
Federline may not be the only star hitting Broadway: New mom Nicole Richie has been approached to star in Chicago.
Then, imagine my even
bigger surprise when reading Chris Caggiano's post yesterday at
Everything I Know I Learned From Musicals:
Another sign of the impending apocalypse: US magazine reports that Kevin Federline may be joining the cast of Broadway's Legally Blonde. Presumably as Warner, the part originated by Richard Blake? Or perhaps as the UPS guy that Paulette falls for? Or maybe even the "Is he gay or European?" dude at the trial? Certainly not as Emmet, the good guy who gets the girl, a part originated by the talented Christian Borle?
My surprise wasn't necessarily that
Legally Blonde would actually jump the shark with stunt casting. No. It was that either of these fine people would read
Us Magazine!
So I clicked onto
Us this morning to see what's up. And guess what? Kevin Federline
will not be appearing in
Legally Blonde. Or at least, so they say now.
Impending apocalypse avoided? Well, not if the
Us rumor on Nicole Richie going
Chicago proves true. But let's just say, I'll believe it when I read it somewhere else.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Blogs, Britney Spears, Broadway, Chicago The Musical, Everything I Know I Learned From Musicals, Jump The Shark, Kevin Federline, Legally Blonde, Nicole Richie, Stunt Casting, Us Magazine
A Chorus Line: From Priscilla To Mario LopezOh, how the mighty have fallen.
Once a
cutting-edge show originally starring
Priscilla Lopez (pictured, left),
A Chorus Line is now a revival caught
jumping the shark with
Mario Lopez (pictured, right).
I'll leave the choicest comments to my friend Chris Caggiano over at
Everything I Know I Learned In Musicals.
P.S. I can't wait to see the
real deal later this month when I see
In The Heights at the
Richard Rodgers Theatre.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for A Chorus Line tickets.Click here for In The Heights tickets.Labels: A Chorus Line, Blogs, Broadway, Everything I Know I Learned From Musicals, In The Heights, Jump The Shark, Mario Lopez, Musical, Priscilla Lopez, Stunt Casting
Kiss A Chorus Line Goodbye
