Finally returned to NYC for a stretch, and as readers may have noticed, attended two shows, Peter Pan Goes Wrong, and Prima Facie. The first fabulously funny. The second unfortunately woke.
Broadway is the circulation system of New York, and has been for decades. The cratering and closing of the theaters because of Covid stupidity has PERHAPS damaged the venues forever. Can't tell yet.
Some quick research shows 30 of the 46 theaters are open and hosting professional shows. Additional quick research finds only a handful are turning a profit and filling seats. Some of the problem lay in plays such as Prima Facie, which turn off a large portion of tourists, the biggest attendees of Broadway Shows from Memorial Day through the Christmas Holidays.
A short list of Woke Broadway:
- Six - Faux Feminism turns Henry VIII on his, uh, head
- Hamilton - Let's Just Ignore the American Revolution
- Bad Cinderella - The Children's Fairy Tale Goes Wrong . . . but ain't funny
- The Book of Mormon - When the South Park Boys do The Koran, let us know
- Some Like it Hot - Box-Checking Casting
- Hadestown - Orpheus and Eurydice ain't buying it
As an artist, expression without limit is important. However, for an artist who wants to make some money, discretion is necessary. That is a little nugget conveniently forgotten by the pinch-faced Manhattan Liberals who run (Gasp!) The Great White Way (When's the last time ya heard the phrase? 2003?).
How about, as has been asked about Hollywood movie production for twenty-five years, Broadway mount plays which are funny and entertaining for more than 6% of the population?
Besides progressives don't have a sense of humor and hate being happy about anything, so live theater is lost on them.
More Shucked, Broadway. More Peter Pan Gone Wrong. Bring back Peter Schaffer's The Public Eye.
Anything but what's out there now.