1988, as I recall. I sat behind Cy Feuer. His wife had the (old?) audio assisting earphones they gave out. In the second act, I remember that it was so obvious a song was coming up that he asked her for the earphones ("Let me hear the ballad...") a full quarter minute or so before the song started. I only know it was Cy Feuer because we happened to chat as strangers at intermission and he introduced himself. At intermission, he was shaking his head, "Terrible. Terrible." But at the very end he had a big grin on his face, because it was the era dominated by Les Mis and the other more heavy-handed poperas, and he said, (and I remember now this was a preview), "It could work. It's got a lot of kicking and screaming and Broadway needs that right now!"
It bombed. Very literal, obvious plotting.
By the way, I may have missed it, but I don't think anyone mentioned the original "Merrily We Roll Along" - which says something about its durability and restoration in esteem over time. Sometimes flops are not the worst thing. (I love Merrily, didn't see the original, but admire its boldness, its ideas and message ... and its use of language both verbal and musical.) |
