FLASHDANCE a no go

[RippedMan]

Did anyone think this would be a hit? It's just an awful idea.

[bwayphreak234]

What does this mean for the national tour?

[massofmen]

its probably all dead.

[massofmen]

i am kidding. :)

[followspot]

what a feeling

[Kalimba]

Wow miracles do happen. No one wanted to see this piece of crap. Isn't this the show that caused the West End production of Hairspry to close?

[choitoy]

I hope the whole thing gets delayed indefinitely. It was the one show at the Paramount Theater in Seattle that I was not looking forward to at all.

I'm hoping that now they can sub in "La Cage" or "Anything Goes" instead...

[bwayphreak234]

^ So is the tour canceled too then?

[kipster]

Mirvish up in Toronto just removed Flashdance from their lineup, more info from Playbill:

Flashdance's Toronto Engagement Bumped

[Markecib]

So far it's still on the Pittsburgh schedule, but I wouldn't be surprised if it fell through. It would've been the weakest show in the subscription.

[roadmixer]

FLASHDANCE is definitely happening in Pittsburgh as scheduled. Why do people want to knock this show when it is being completely rethought after the London run. It won't be the same show at all other than the title and some of the music. Why crap all over something that isn't even open yet? Anywhere?

[choitoy]

Isn't that verbatim of what people said about "Leap of Faith"...?

[gfaustswa]

Still on the Nashville schedule. I think it looks like it will be pretty good. Great poster, if nothing else!

[roadmixer]

choitboy - did you even see the show in the UK. No?

[choitoy]

Didn't see the show (but as you can tell by my first post in the thread, it's not my cup of tea, and I wouldn't have sought to go see it if I was in London). But I did remember reading the tepid responses to the show. It closed earlier than some thought it would, didn't it?

[songanddanceman2]

'Isn't this the show that caused the West End production of Hairspry to close?'

Erm no, dwindling ticket sales caused Hairspray to close.

The UK National tour prior to the West End did incredible business and earned some pretty good reviews. Before moving to London the show was redesigned and reworked and opened to average reviews, sadly it just could not find an audience and closed a few weeks ahead of schedule.

I enjoyed the show as a piece of fluff, it was fun, had a pretty catchy new score and some great choreography, the book was also beefed up from the movie but still needed some work. Victoria Hamilton Barritt who played Alex was a revelation and received a few major award nominations for her performance. With some work this could be a good feel good show, it was pretty close to that in London.

Oddly since shutting in London it has not gone back out on tour here which is silly as it made a lot on the road.

Clips from the London run
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJVM7SPgSrY

Clips from the UK Tour
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR73PNJ3Z_0

[CarlosAlberto]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS!!!!!

[EricMontreal22]

The film was a classic example of Bruckheimer's early production work, with stylish direction by Adrian Lyne and zero story there at all. Some well done scenes, a score (meaning many of the songs but also the background music) I love for its 80s cheese synth, and... that's all. Did they beef up the story? I know Giorgio Moroder who did much of the score was working on his own version with Sylvester Levy back in the 90s for Germany--but this one only used the title song, right?

[CurtainPullDowner]

Does anyone think the reception GHOST got gave them second thoughts?

[songanddanceman2]

Yes the story was beefed up as much as it could be.

*spoilers*
Alex had a mum in the show who ended up getting shot by one of Alex old friends (Jimmy) who's life was spiralling out of control (he held up the store she worked, he never meant to shoot her).

We also had Alex best friend who left the club to work for another club that was wanting far more off her than they initially let on, this story could have been fleshed out more but did work.

The romance from the film is of course still in but that was also beefed up.

CurtainPullDowner unless Broadway is planning to unfairly bash all new British imports then i doubt it

[RippedMan]

The producers of Flashdance, I think, are the same ones that are tied up with Leap of Faith. I think? So, that could be a reason.

I know they've been rehearsing, or auditioning or something like crazy in NYC.

Oh well.

I don't think it would have done very well. The movie is considered pretty "cheesy," so to try and turn it into a serious musical just seems stupid. Look at "Carrie."

[JoanBennett]

I saw the workshop expecting to not like it and instead enjoyed it.

The shooting no longer happens

[songanddanceman2]

Rippedman it's not a 'serious' musical, it's still camp and fun just also has some serious moments. Oh and many people liked the new Carrie, including it would seem many of this years awards panels judging by the many nominations it received.

[EponineAmneris]

FOOTLOOSE.
DIRTY DANCING.
SATURDAY FEVER.

Did anyone expect FLASHDANCE to do well?

Talk about great source material with GREAT Broadway potential that... didn't translate to the stage to put it nicely.

[EponineAmneris]

Sorry for the double post.

Technical difficulty.

[RaisedOnMusicals]

As others have pointed out, I've heard that this show has been COMPLETELY reworked since its horrible run in London. Not only did the London production have a dark quality to it (drugs, death), it was in a poorly locatated venue. But people who went to see it expecting an uplifting experience because of the film were often taken aback by the darkness.

I believe that all of the originally planned tour dates are still in place.