Bad first previews, big hit shows? SPIDER MAN

[NewYorkTheater]

In recounting the fracas over the Into The Woods first preview for my weekly NY theater summary, I asked this question: Which plays or musicals that have #horrified some preview theatergoers have gone on to great success?
Two were mentioned: Hello, Dolly and Movin' On. (Scroll to very bottom for the exchange)
Any others?
New York Theater Week July 23 - July 30, 2012

[willep]

Not a huge show, but recently didn't Motherf****r With the Hat really take advantage of its preview period and re-work/fix up the show? I remember reading really bad reports from the first couple of previews.

[Mister Matt]

Titanic was saddled with major technical issues and set malfunctions during its rocky preview period.

[bwayphreak234]

Ironically, they had a hard time making the ship sink during the previews.

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

^ By opening night, they had no problem sinking their ship.

(Too bitchy?)

[ClapYo'Hands]

Although not necessarily bad first previews, Cameron Mackintosh was famous for cancelling the first previews of many of his big 1980's hits (The Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Les Miserables and Miss Saigon were all victims I understand). The Phantom of the Opera even had a theatre full of patrons when they were informed they would not be seeing a show that evening.

[AEA AGMA SM]

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum had a hard time finding its footing during the out of town tryouts, mainly due to finding a suitable opening number. It wasn't until "Comedy Tonight" was written that audiences really began embracing the show that followed. It goes to show how vital a good opening number really is.

[Phantom4ever]

Hi Clap, I've never heard that story of The Phantom cancelling its first preview. I assume that was on January 8, 1988? Do you have any links to that info?

[AEA AGMA SM]

I believe it was the first preview in London in 1986. I know I've heard that tidbit before, maybe in the documentary on the DVD of the movie?

[ClapYo'Hands]

Sorry, yes, should have mentioned I meant the West End production! One of the posters on the West End board was in the audience that night, I believe!

[jv92]

I heard it was less Mackintosh's fault and more "Lord" Lloyd Webber's, simply because his "masterpiece" wasn't ready. (I guess he needed to hear TOSCA one more time...)

SWEENEY TODD's first preview was not a huge "disaster", but it significantly improved during New York previews, with the last scene getting a major rewrite.

[Dollypop]

Sorry, but HELLO, DOLLY! was in mint condition when it previewed in NY. It had a bumpy out-of-town tryout, though.

[jv92]

Yes, I believe DOLLY played 2 NY previews, both very successful.

[Dollypop]

You believe correctly.

[mridley2]

More recently Spider Man..

[newintown]

Comparing revivals to new works in previews is apples to oranges; revivals already have the words and music set; new works can change everything during previews (but usually don't seem to change much).

The joke that the ship didn't sink in Titanic previews is a silly one; anyone who saw the show knows that the audience never saw the ship sink; we saw some heavy listing, but no sinking. People also seem to think that the model ship, seen at the end of Act I, was meant to be seen to hit the iceberg, but that's also a fallacy. It was a purely cinematic image of the relatively tiny ship (huge on our scale, tiny in relation to the sea) sailing into imminent disaster.

[bwayphreak234]

It was a purely cinematic image of the relatively tiny ship (huge on our scale, tiny in relation to the sea) sailing into imminent disaster.

Can you explain this effect? I am quite interested!

[newintown]

It was the final image of Act I, after the guy in the crow's nest spots the iceberg; I don't remember the exact transition, but the last image was a model of the ship on a perfectly shiny calm surface, in front of a huge starry moonless sky, sailing off upstage left, away from the audience.

[Quiche2]

WICKED.... Critics didn't like the first previews, but now it's obviously a huge hit. Source: I took the Behind the Emerald Curtain Tour.

[AEA AGMA SM]

It wasn't just the previews critics didn't care for with Wicked. The final product didn't exactly get glowing review either. It just, by whatever stroke of luck, caught on with the audiences (proving that the power of critics is not as absolute as some may claim, though I don't think their power has vanished completely).