Tammy Faye: A New Musical - Broadway

I really liked that one. I liked the syncopated clapping. But it also gave a sense of the public turning against them and how that built up over the course of their downfall.

Thing is, as good as Katie was in London (and my god she was good) this really did need a LOT of work doing to it I thought (with basically the entire second half needing restructuring and rewriting apart from If You Came To See Me Cry) and given the fact that Elton has been doing both this AND Devil Wears Prada at the same time, it sounds like he's spread what talent for songwriting he has left too thinly, and as a result both products have been short changed hugely...

I think you have pretty much nailed it. Some of the comments come across as so juvenile, dumb and mean-spirited that you cann help but smell a rat.

Deleted my own post, as I realised it might just give them further ammunition if they come here too; but...

Exactly.

The comments on Bway World, All That Chat and Reddit Broadway are pretty out of proportion. I would imagine that MAYBE one out of ten is authentic and even that might be stretch. Many weren't even there but are posting tripe such as "I met a couple on the subway who told me...." or my best friend who sees EVERYTHING said it was the worst....". Looks suspicious if you ask me.

Certain posters on Bway World have been on the attack since Andrew Rannells got canned so go figure. Totally predictable.

I think the show is likely very different given that they redeveloped it, but with a new cast and the show broadened to fit a larger space it will take time to adjust. They are on a reduced schedule until the final week of previews so there is ample space and time for them to correct whatever needs fixing.

You know, maybe- and this is just a thought- maybe the negativity for the Broadway community is that it hits closer to home.

(I think I'm right saying this) TV Evangelism was no way bigger anywhere else that in America.

It is my understanding that a lot of people lost a lot of money. And the show is reminding them of that time.

Whereas over here, we have a detachment, with an element of 'on the outside, looking in'.

I dunno.

Again, just a thought that crossed my mind.

It is a massive mistake to transfer this from a very small London theatre to the biggest theatre on Broadway, it should have run in the West End, but the producers are like Tammy Faye and only sees dollars, big mistake.

I think you all name some very good reasons (well "reasons that make sense", whether they're good is another question):

For me as a neutral third-party bystander, I often sense some bias on both sides: Americans sniff at British productions and vice versa. And Americans get extra sniffy when the British try to tackle very American subjects like the aforementioned Enron and American Psycho (and sorry, you Brits can get very sniffy, too, I remember the horrific bile that was poured onto the French musical "Romeo and Juliet" back then in a HOW DARE THE FRENCH LAY A FINGER ON SHAKESPEARE!!! way).

The whole televangelist thing was what had put me off Tammy Faye in the first place, I only went to see it at the Almeida after the raves here. It will definitely hit much closer to home in the USA, where people lost money to these people (or lost loved ones who got brainwashed) and where the radical evangelical right is destroying women's rights right now.

The Palace Theatre is one of the most iconic houses on Broadway, it was already cheapened by giving the opening concerts to nepo baby Ben Platt of all people instead of some glamourous concert series or at least one of the great divas. Now it's getting an unknown show by a British team instead of either a big revival (such as Audra's Gypsy) or a much hyped new musical.

What worked well in a small London fringe theatre and caused a stir among MT fans does not necessarily translate to a big Broadway stage at ridiculous Broadway prices, especially in a season stacked with bigger and more interesting things. And Katie Brayben, bless her, is a nobody in New York. How can she compete with people like Audra McDonald and now Nicole Scherzinger, who delivers THE talked-bout performance of the season?

The Rannells fans spewing bile online... I doubt that affects ticket sales to the general public who don't even notice that kind of thing. But it certainly adds to the sense of negativity around the show in forums like BWW.

PS: One should not forget that Tammy Faye isn't the only new musical struggling - Maybe Happy Ending is presently struggling just as much with very low advance sales because it's apparently not a title / story that generates much interest.

The BroadwayWorld thread appears to have imploded into a cabal of face-eating feral monkeys.

Welcome to Broadway World.

My God - just had a look - it really has.

What is it with that place? The bitchiness and poison is off the chart. Toxic!

Still, certainly makes this place look incredibly civilised and well mannered.

Is there any forum where one can discuss Broadway musicals (with higher volume content - can be a bit sparse here) in a pleasant environment or is it simply not possible?

As a massive Sunset and Tammy fan I have an interest in this currently.....