IF THAT'S WHAT IT IS...

I am officially just a little worried...

*updated 12/14/08: Gypsy (moves up its opening date from 3/1/09 to 1/11/09) is the next casualty on the unfortunate Broadway chopping block.

In the last few weeks, closing notices were announced for the following Broadway shows and Spring Awakening is the latest casualty announced today:

• Xanadu -- closing date initially announced for 10/12 then moved up and CLOSED 9/28/08
• [title of show] -- CLOSED 10/12/08 (The Lyceum Theater now sits vacant)
  
• Legally Blonde -- CLOSED 10/19/08 (After Liza's 11 day run, West Side Story is set to occupy the Palace Theater).
  
• A Tale of Two Cities -- CLOSED 11/9/08 from the initial announcement of 11/16/08
  
• American Buffalo -- CLOSED 11/23/08 after only 20 previews and 8 performances (even with a relatively well known cast).
  
• Hairspray -- closing date initially announced for 1/19 then moved up to 1/4/09
• 13 -- another one bites the dust: CLOSED 1/04/09
• Young Frankenstein* -- CLOSED 1/04/09
• Boeing-Boeing -- CLOSED 1/04/09
• Grease -- CLOSED 1/04/09
• Gypsy -- moves up its closing date from 3/1/09 to 1/11/09
• Spamalot -- CLOSED 1/18/09
• Spring Awakening -- CLOSED 1/18/09

That's a lot of closing notices in a few weeks span and it sort of worries me. What's going on people? So this either means that there are a lot of shows waiting in the wings to come to Broadway (doubtful...unless [title of show] is planning on their return to the Rialto in which case I'd be delighted) or there will be several empty theatres in the coming season. Is this due to our nation's struggling economy? But isn't this the time of year when ticket sales typically go up because of advanced sales and the holiday season? I don't even know what to say right now...I was just looking at Broadway grosses for the week ending 10/5 and its not good for some shows who are reporting under 50% capacity. Everyday, it seems like another show posts its closing...maybe its just a coincidence, but it still concerns me since a slew of long-running shows recently closed this season. Ok people, just...go see a Broadway show...soon!

ALL THAT'S KNOWN

July 3 -- So I finally broke down and downloaded the cast recording of Spring Awakening on iTunes. I wasn't sure if I wanted it, but since the Tony Awards, its been rolling around in my head and I had to find out if it was really that impressive. I've listened to it all the way through once since I downloaded it yesterday, and I'm still scratching my head. Does it sound musically groundbreaking? No. It is definitely rock musical-y and has a good sense of rhythm and I can't get the chorus of "The Bitch of Living" out of my head. But innovative? I'm not sure I understand that with this show yet either.

* * *

Ok, so as of today its now been a little over a week and I've been listening to Spring Awakening a lot (too much maybe). I'm trying to get into it and understand the cult-like following behind it. I've been playing it at work, in the car, while studying and writing my papers and still...haven't had that epiphany. All I can say is that it is very rock musical-y, but I knew that from the first listen to music clips. I do find myself enjoying Spring Awakening's fresh, modern sound that Broadway has received from Duncan Sheik's work. But hearing that Broadway will "never be the same again" is a line that comes around every few years on the Great White Way. As I mentioned before, its reminiscent of the hoopla that surrounded Rent. I just watched the YouTube clip from Spring Awakening on The Today Show and after seeing that, I wish I could get the impact of the show the way those audience members have talked about.

I still really want to understand why Spring Awakening is so amazing. So again, if you have an answer, I'm willing to listen.