Why did The Producers close?

[Gmerchant123]

It's a brilliant show and the score is amazing (except for "when you got it flaunt it" that song is a mess and a half)score,I'm just curious on why it closed! If it won 10 tony awards then why did it close?

[Brave Sir Robin2]

1. It won 12 Tony Awards.
2. "If You Got It, Flaunt It" is one of the best songs in the show.
3. You have to be a troll.

Personally, I saw the show in LA and loathed it. Some funny moments, but not my favorite or deserving of 12 Tony awards.

[TheatreFan4]

Because it was a front loaded power house. For the first few years it was completely sold out and then it just died. Everyone who wanted to see it did so and then it limped along to death with some really ****ty replacements.

[Brave Sir Robin2]

^ I feel like the same thing could happen to BOOK OF MORMON. Not saying it will, but for sure possible. However, MORMON is a superior show.

[rhdery]

All shows close eventually. The Producers was also very star driven and was much more enticing to audiences with Broderick and Lane. They did seem to go to gimmicky b-list celeb casting very fast, and it made the show look a little desperate in my view.

BOM is a different beast in that it has never been driven all that much by the star power of the leads-- the names Parker and Stone are the biggest draws for tourist $$$$$. It also became a thing by becoming a thing, but given the success of the tour seems to need no big name celebs to sell tickets. Parker and Stone seem focused on casting people who are really, really good.

[James885]

Because it was no longer making money.

[goldenboy]

Two words:
Tony Danza

[dramamama611]

It closed for the same reason ALL shows eventually close: $$$$$$.

When a show fails to make enough, it closes.

[CarlosAlberto]

Because all things must come to an end. Except of course for Phantom and Chicago, they're exempt.

[dramamama611]

And "enough" $$$$$$$$$$$ is totally subjective.

[rhdery]

Wasn't it because Mel Brooks wanted it to fail and cast Larry David to ruin it?

[Auggie27]

It is a nightmare to cast. When the casting is off, the jokes don't come close to landing. They sound like jokes. And when Max and Leo are not in comedic sync, half of the show is in jeopardy. If you've ever seen it with a Max who cannot pull off what Mostel and Lane achieved, you'll get what doesn't work.

It's a very rarefied piece that demands precision and definitive casting. It's about as far from "actor proof" as any show can be. And sit through the film. Watch what happens when even experts push. It can be painful.

And the score is paper thin.

[Jordan Catalano]

I saw the original cast and just sat there in a theater of people howling with laughter, wondering what the hell they were seeing that wasn't. I chuckled a few times and there was a very funny line in Act 2 but besides that, I think it's one of the worst shows I've ever seen and has just a horrendous score. Add to that the theatrical ambien that is Matthew Broderick and you get a total mess of a show that got VERY lucky.

[little_sally]

It was definitely the most overrated show I've ever seen.

[RENT_is_Wicked2]

I thought the show was overrated. I thought some songs were hilarious, but it wasn't my favorite.

Sometimes shows close cause of cast replacements, or people just don't to see it anymore. I think the reason for the closure of this show is a mix of both. I think that only great cast was the original.

[morosco]

I saw the original cast and just sat there in a theater of people howling with laughter, wondering what the hell they were seeing that wasn't.

Me too Jordan. I too saw it with the original cast less than a week after it opened. I couldn't wait for it to be over.

[Jonwo]

I heard an interview with Tony Sheldon where he said when they did the Australian production of The Producers, they were forced by the creative team to replica what had been done by the orginal Broadway production and the cast found the audience weren't responding to jokes and felt restrictive but as soon as the creative team and producers had left they were able to do the show their own way and it became a better show.

[Jordan Catalano]

And don't get me started about how thIs awful show stole pretty much every award from URINETOWN.

[Jordan Catalano]

And don't get me started about how thIs awful show stole pretty much every award from URINETOWN.

[Outoftowner2]

I saw a very well done regional production of it. I thought parts of it were very good..I too don't think it's the incredible masterpiece so many thought it was when it won all those Tony's.

[little_sally]

Urinetown was the year after. The Producers stole the awards from The Full Monty, unfortunately.

[SonofRobbieJ]

^ I was gonna say. MILLIE took a bunch of awards from URINETOWN (even though it won book, score and director).

[little_sally]

Ugh, don't remind me of Millie winning best musical over Urinetown that year.

[Jordan Catalano]

Oh dug, you're absolutely right. It's the incredibly overrated MILLIE that I disliked almost as much as THE PRODUCERS that stole those awards.

[hushpuppy]

I really loathed THE PRODUCERS and hated the fact that it broke HELLO, DOLLY!'s Tony record. But DOLLY ran longer so I guess it got the last laugh, so to speak. My favorite show that season was A CLASS ACT, an OCR of which I still listen to often. I never even bought the OCR of THE PRODUCERS.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Funny, seeing the original cast of THE PRODUCERS is one of my all time favorite theatergoing highlights. I laughed my ass off and Nathan Lane's performance was probably the funniest performance I've ever seen onstage. I thought it was pretty close to perfect. No replacement cast ever even came close to reaching the gold standard set by the OBC. Their chemistry was like catching lightning in a bottle.