This has been an interesting week for Broadway, to say the least. Two shows have announced their closing dates: Once on This Island (OOTI in further references) on January 6, and Summer: The Donna Summer Musical on December 30. Hadestown is coming to Broadway, and Dear Evan Hansen is getting a movie adaptation.
Wow.
When I heard OOTI was closing, I could feel my heart break. This show was one of my absolute favorites when I visited NYC. When I walked (well, ran after getting lost on the subway & having to take a taxi across the city) into the theatre, I knew immediately that I was about to experience something special. I was immediately swept into another world. The set was unlike everything I'd seen before- it surrounded me. The show was performed in the round, which means all of the seats surrounded the stage. Actors were on stage, talking to the audience members. A goat was eating paint out of the can (and an actor, soon realizing this, chased the goat around the stage). Throughout the show, I was in awe of what I was seeing. People of color being represented in a show as main characters. A totally immersive experience. While the plot isn't my favorite, the performance made it unforgettable and immediately one of my favorite pieces of theatre.
While OOTI was a revival, this show is original. While it is based off of an old folk tale, the playwright took many creative liberties. The staging was completely new, and something people hadn't seen in theatre before. The one defining characteristic that would end up becoming its downfall: it didn't have a prior fanbase.
So many shows on Broadway are based off of movies and books, media that already has a fanbase that can easily be transferred to a Broadway audience. With the exception of Dear Evan Hansen, every show on Broadway right now is based off of previous works. They're successful. They run for a long time. Tickets are in high demand.
Once on this Island brought in newcomers, Hailey Kilgore and Isaac Powell, as the leads. They didn't lack star power, though. Alex Newell from Glee and the original voice of Jasmine and Mulan (and the original Miss Saigon), Lea Salonga were part of the award-winning cast. OOTI won the Tony for Best Revival in 2018.
Why aren't original works getting the attention they deserve? Why are we continuing to stage work that has already been done one, two, or even three times? My theory is money. Broadway has a niche audience, and the way to get more of the public interested is to bring in themes and stories that they already know.
Maybe one day down the road this will pay off. Don't get me wrong- I love Anastasia, Beautiful, and Wicked as much as the next person- but it would be nice to see more new artists and creators in the spotlight.
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