Wednesday, March 29, 2017
The Fantasticks to Close Off-Broadway After 57 Years
TheaterMania.com: Producers of off-Broadway's long-running musical The Fantasticks, now in its 57th year, have announced that the production will close on June 4. At the time of its closing, the production will have played a total of 21,552 performances in New York City. Following the show's closing, The Crusade of Connor Stephens will take up residency at the Jerry Orbach Theatre, beginning performances June 17.
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2 comments:
Such sad news to hear. I love The Fantasticks and think it is a truly hidden treasure. However, I had no idea the show had been running for so long. What's incredible- and also probably what kept it afloat- was that it felt incredibly contemporary and relevant. I felt like the discussion of gender roles, manipulation, and the defiance of the age old love story was very true to our time, for quite some time. What I wonder is why they are closing now, I assume for monetary reasons, but it seems as if the've been going for 57 years, a bad one couldn't kill the show, could it? I know it has also become incredibly successful as a regional and education theatre show. I wonder if that income was able to help support their decision to close? Also, I thought it was astonishing to note that the next show opens in less than 2 weeks. After inhabiting a theatre for over half a century, it seems like a very quick switch to the new show. Overall, it is very sad news to hear, but I am interested in how this decision was made.
This should not be shocking news to anyone that The Fantasticks is closing. Last year they had the same problem but an anonymous donor kept the show going. All it seemed was that they gave money. Money will only go so far. They need audience member’s to be filling the seats. A show that has been running off Broadway for that long will not get the audience they need to keep the show going. Off Broadway is sadly not doing as well as Broadway shows in getting an audience to come. A show that has been running over 50 years will definitely have this problem. Everyone who wants to see it already has. It is saddening when a show closes cause that means that artist are out of work. But what does make me happy is the fact they already have a show going up in June. Hopefully that show will run just as long!
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