“Rocky” has been knocked out on Broadway. Despite a stellar set, and actors like Andy Karl who were terrific, the musical version of the Sylvester Stallone classic film never caught on. With bad reviews and no Tony awards, “Rocky” was not long for this world. Yo Adrienne, the show will close on August 17th.
The news comes as the Tupac Shakur musical “Holler If You Hear Me” has announced it’s also closing shop a month after it opened. Already closed from the 2013-14 season: “Mother and Sons” and “The Bridges of Madison County,” as well as short runs like “Act One, ” “All the Way” and “A Raisin in the Sun.” “The Cripple of Inaashman” and “Of Mice and Men” are next. “If/Then” with Idina Menzel, which started strong, is now on discount.
Wait: “Violet” is on its last legs, and “The Velocity of Autumn” came and went in a minute. I hope the “Realistic Joneses” is gone. Yikes.
What a season! Last year we had Matilda, Pippin, Kinky Boots and Motown. They’re still playing. This year we are left with Beautiful, Les Miz, and Hedwig. I’m avoiding the obvious about Bullets Over Broadway.
Were the shows that bad? No, not really. But ticket prices are high. And the theater district aka Times Square is a mess. The pedestrian mall has turned into a nightmare. Jack hammer that thing up, put back the streets. The mall is filthy and scary. The Great White Way needs an angioplasty– and fast!
Luckily, a great fall season is just around the corner, with “The Last Ship” among the many highlights.
