First off, I didn't say the Times could make a show, just that it could break them (and I added the caveat that a rave wouldn't likely have helped KPOP). And that is absolutely true. I know it from making theater in New York, and I know it from making theater regionally. The Grey Lady can hurt your show immeasurably if you don't have a built-in hook like Girl Power or American Pop Star.
Which brings us to Secondly, your two examples of shows that defied bad reviews are: A) a global phenomenon that is still running nearly two decades after its premiere and will soon be a two-part movie; and B) a show about a (surprisingly, to me) beloved pop icon that was doing well over a million dollars during previews and so clearly isn't review dependent. Those are some very specific cherries you are picking.
Thirdly, since you've got me going, a show like "Strange Loop" or "Kimberly Akimbo" would never come to Broadway without a rave Times' review in its pocket, and a show like "jagged little pill", which gets a rocky out-of-town Times review, will re-write itself expressly to meet the Times' critique. So don't tell me that just because a big, Black, gay show about racism and butt fucking didn't run for more than nine months - even after it WON the Best Musical Tony - that the Times' review doesn't mean anything. Heck, a Critic's Pick alone will sell a lot of tickets Off-Broadway, which you should know, since you're a producer. |
