The length of a show's run has nothing to do with the quality of a show, only its ability to sell tickets. Many good shows can't always do it, and many mediocre shows excel at it.
There are a bunch more (including Mr. Smith for one) but he ends up spamming the board posts stating he's only trying to annoy us so the mods keep deleting his various personas.
I think the concept was great: Andrew Jackson was a populist like a rock star. But the execution was bad. I really didn't like the narrator on the wheel chair. If it's rewritten and it could be presented like US history suites: 1776, Hamilton, BBAJ. Three different styles of musical, it'll be a blast.
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson had essentially the same concept as Hamilton. American political biography with a modern score. It just didn't maintain its momentum and hype after it transferred.
I loved it at the Public, but the energy was totally different on Broadway. I still love listening to the recording from time to time.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
It's true that length of run isn't always directly linked to quality of show (my poor Ragtime revival,) but in this case I think the run was mercifully short.
I remember very little of the show, except for the fact that it was just awful.
I honestly love the show, but think it will never be seen on Broadway again. Let the record show I only saw the show on Broadway, but I can see what those who saw both productions are saying. The show was truly too small for Broadway, which is weird because the show is essentially set in a hipster bar/dive, just like Once, which also played the Jacobs. The show also had an energetic rock/pop/folk score, compared to Once's dreary Irish Folk. I think the production tried to hard to grow the production compared to Once though. The Jacobs was literally turned into a hipster Bar/dive, with memorabilia hanging everywhere. Right above where i was sitting was the butt of a fully taxidermied horse, hanging upside down. It was am impresive production, but it was just too big. Honestly I could see this being revived off-broadway with truly immersive production alla Here Lies Love.
I loved the show and saw it many times between the Public and Broadway. I think it remains Friedman's best score, and it was anchored by a terrifically funny cast and a breakout performance by Benjamin Walker.
It wasn't a particularly deep analysis of the themes and history it presented, but didn't need or desire to be. It was just a ****ing funny, smartass show. It was tremendously misplaced on Broadway, in a much-too-large house and with the totally wrong audiences.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."