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re: Side Show

Posted by: keikekaze 04:36 pm EDT 08/09/14
In reply to: Side Show - jtong43 03:36 pm EDT 08/09/14

Pal Joey was actually a success the first time around (1940), as well as the second (1952), though the revival did run longer than the original. But Candide really did fail in 1956, but was a big hit in revival in 1974. That revival, though, was a radical revision of the original. There may have been musicals that flopped the first time around and then were hits in revival in substantially the same form, but I'm not thinking of any off the top of my head, and the list can't be a long one in any case.

There are probably more plays than musicals that succeeded in revival after failing originally. Morning's At Seven would be one.


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Porgy and Bess & Zorba

Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 05:57 pm EDT 08/09/14
In reply to: re: Side Show - keikekaze 04:36 pm EDT 08/09/14

The original production of Porgy and Bess in 1935 ran only 124 performances and was not a commercial success. The revival in 1942 ran for 286 performances (and the subsequent national tour returned to Broadway in '43 and '44) -- this revival was a commercial success. The 1953 revival ran for 305 performances and was also declared a "hit" by Variety.

The original production of Zorba in 1968 ran for 305 performances and was not a commercial success. The 1983 revival with Anthony Quinn and Lila Kedrova had a long pre-Broadway tour, ran for 362 performances on Broadway, and was declared a "hit" by Variety.

It should be noted that the original Porgy and Bess opened in the middle of the Depression and received great (if not unanimous) critical acclaim. Zorba also pretty much well-received critically and (I believe) closed prematurely due to health and related problems of both the leads.


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re: Side Show

Posted by: Singapore/Fling 04:46 pm EDT 08/09/14
In reply to: re: Side Show - keikekaze 04:36 pm EDT 08/09/14

"Chicago" was a modest hit in its first incarnation, and its revival has become a monster long-runner on both Broadway, West End, and the movies.

Not quite the same thing as the original question, but certainly an example of a show doing much better in its second incarnation than its first.


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