Author: jknispel25

Sub Question #5 – Which shows were considered “flops” and how long did they last on Broadway?

 

When shows flop on broadway as you can imagine it is quite embarrassing. There are some key factors when some show flops. What I’m trying to say is that when a lot of shows flop it is likely that they have the same reasons of failure. According to smithsonianmag.com these are the top 10 broadway “flops”. #1 is the show Pipe Dream produced by Cy Feuer and Ernie Martin. It premiered on broadway on November 30th 1955, and closed after 246 performances. These successful producers couldn’t even prevent the show from flopping badly. “It is so warm-hearted about a cold world,” Louis Kronenberger wrote in Time magazine, “so high-minded about its lowlifes as to emerge mere hootch-coated butterscotch.” Even a Tony nomination wasn’t good enough to say the show from tragic. #2 Kelly it was produced in 1965 and produced by Eddie Lawrence and Mose Charlap not many people were excited to see this show. The plot was very odd and befuddling some people argue. They had one problem, no crew or even workers even had worked on a show before. This is the most shocking part, it only ran one performance at a 650,000 and the remains of the show were taken to the dump a few days later. #3 Breakfast at Tiffany’s produced by Truman Capote in 1966. There is not much to right about this show because it didn’t even survive previews. SHOCKING, right? #4 Via Galactica produced in 1972 by apparently so incomprehensible that synopses to help confused audience members. The show closed after only seven performances. #5 The original Rocky Horror Show in 1975 produced by Jim Sharman it closed after forty five performances. #6 Bring Back Birdie in 1981 even though they earned a Tony it still closed after four performances. #7 Into the Light in 1986 the show closed after a whopping six performances. #8 Carrie produced in 1988 overall the show got terrible reviews and nobody would even been payed to see the show again. Some even called it ill-advised. Lost $8,000,000 and closed after five shows. #9 The Civil War in 1999 people called this show poppy and serious and mixed with the Top 40 hits which made no sense at all. This show closed after 35 performances and 61 previews. Not as bad as the other flops surprisingly. #10 Taboo in 2003, the show was faulted for having a convoluted storyline overpopulated with underdeveloped characters. Taboo played 100 performances and closed at a total loss of 10,000,000 dollars.

 

Sub Question #4 – What are the most popular broadway shows of all time and why did they last so long?

 

The successes of broadway is really a fascinating topic. Some shows was successful for the same reasons and some are not. Wicked was a very successful show because of the great costumes and actresses. Beauty and the Beast was successful because it was the first venture to disney broadway shows. Mamma Mia because of how many views it got and how many people were interested in it. Oh Calcutta! Was popular because of how famous it got around the world in places like London. And how many years it ran: 13. A Chorus Line was successful because of how many awards it received, being nominated for 10 Tony awards and winning nine of them and other fantastic awards. Wow, that’s impressive! Les Miserables was famous because of how it was played a movie and a broadway show. Cats was successful for how much money it was getting, 1,000,000 a week. The Lion King was famous for costumes and singing and dancing. Chicago was successful for it’s critical acclaim and the title for longest running revival ever. And last but not least, The Phantom of the Opera because of its amazing experience including acting, singing and is still running going strong now.

 

Sub Question #3 – What makes a Broadway show successful or a fail? (advertising, ticket cost, casting)

 

There are many reasons why broadway shows are a success or a fail. These are some of the main reasons. For example, money problems. Some shows fail because not a lot of people see it so they are making barely any money at all. Another problem is sets and costumes. Imagine everyone saying, this show was so good and fun. When the surprise hits you that the show is not good, you are most likely going to report it and mark it down on some rating website. The plot of a show is a common fail. For example the plot could be more dramatic and overdone but on the other hand it can be a lot less dramatic and boring/bland. So you have to hit the sweet spot for most people. Being most people have a preference that is very hard to match. This could take a while or need feedback before the show hits broadway. Hitting the main crowds sweet spot is the key for this problem which can be extremely hard. The last reason is very miscellaneous. Maybe the show just appeals to the older crowd or just the younger crowd, it might not follow some specific peoples interest. For example Mark Kaufman says, that Mean Girls the newest show in the spotlight is most appealing to the younger female crowd. And as a result, you won’t see many older men there which is losing part of your audience. Now moving on to the successes, music and acting is key to succeed. Most musicals are known for their hit song and or catchphrase. So, if both music and acting are spectacular, who wouldn’t want to see it? Another reason to succeed is the storyline of a show. If you are basing your show on a movie or television show if you really copy the show to a T lots of fans will hope and want to see it. One of the last reason to succeed is what’s trending. If you are following the trends people will like it but if it is really different and unique or unfamiliar it will get other reactions.

 

Sub Question #2 – How has the complexity of show ideas changed from the first Broadway shows to now?

 

As I studied this question I was having a lot of trouble finding anything to help me. As I went on still no luck. Complexity seemed the same. Apologies in advance, if this is not one of my strongest question. Apparently in the older days while walking into the New Victory Theater was always a fun time because you knew the show, sets, costumes and cast was always the best of the best and absolutely amazing. It was very impressive. No one had seen anything like it. The acting was very fascinating and many people were interested in the type of thing this theater was pulling off. In the last few years and now, it is also very impressive because of the detailed sets, amazing music and acting, complex costumes and the exceptional cast. The same feelings from back in time and now are felt when walking into theaters. Honestly this question is hard to be answered and mostly everyone thinks the complexity is very similar and barely anything different which is probably a shock to many.

 

Sub Question #1 –  How has the costumes, sets, and cast of original Broadway shows changed from then to now?

 

Pictures of the old broadway costumes were much more extravagant, special and ornate but now the costumes are short, revealing and simple. As time passed by the costumes got more simple and normal. For example in the show, “My Fair Lady” there is a white long ball gown with all sorts of bows and ties and a big fancy droopy hat. Oh, and did I forget to add that it comes with a umbrella with white fluff covering it. Now in the show, “Dear Evan Hansen” the main character wears a plaid shirt and jeans which is very far from extravagant. The only thing that is unique is his arm cast. As for sets, I think the roles are reversed. For older shows, there could be a simple bridge in the set. Or even better just simply… shadows. For more modern shows it will include montages or flashing images. For example in “The Rocky Horror Show” it is just woods in the background and you can barely even see it. But now in shows like “Frozen” there are shooting sharp looking icicles in the set which makes it look very realistic. Now for cast, this is where it all ties together. For example in a somewhat older show called “Wicked” they just auditioned random people and they made it big. No one was famous before their show blew up. I think it is the same now. This is my personal opinion but in the show, “Mean Girls” no one is very famous but like all other shows they probably will become more famous as the show ages. All of the famous broadway stars like Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth’s claim to fame is their acting and how their show became so popular not in any part of the background of their life.

 

Main Inquiry Question – How have broadway shows evolved over time and what elements have contributed to a show’s success or failure?

 

Hi. My name is Jordan and I have chose Broadway shows as my topic. You might be wondering, why did she pick Broadway? There’s nothing special about it even at all. Throughout this presentation I will be showing you how Broadway is so special. I chose Broadway because I am very passionate about, acting, singing, dancing, costumes, sets and even actors and actresses. Which are all the components of Broadway. Just a reminder, my main question I will be answering for you guys is, “How have broadway shows evolved over time and what elements have contributed to a show’s success or failure?” If you were wondering what it meant, it’s your lucky day. For starters, in many shows like Hamilton, wow what a success! Probably everyone’s wondering how this show is so successful. And now for shows like, Pipe Dream. Oh wait, I bet no one knows what Pipe Dream is this is most likely because this show was a huge… flop. Now that I told you, you probably want to know why this show was such a failure. Now I present to you, a couple reasons why shows succeed. Music and acting is key to succeed. Most musicals are known for their hit song and or catchphrase. So, if both music and acting are spectacular, who wouldn’t want to see it? Another reason to succeed is the storyline of a show. If you are basing your show on a movie or television show if you really copy the show to a T lots of fans will hope and want to see it. One of the last reason to succeed is what’s trending. If you are following the trends people will like it but if it is really different and unique or unfamiliar it will get other reactions. Now why do shows fail? This is what I have found. For example, money problems. Some shows fail because not a lot of people see it so they are making barely any money at all. Another problem is sets and costumes. Imagine everyone saying, this show was so good and fun. When the surprise hits you that the show is not good, you are most likely going to report it and mark it down on some rating website. The plot of a show is a common fail. For example the plot could be more dramatic and overdone but on the other hand it can be a lot less dramatic and boring/bland. So you have to hit the sweet spot for most people. Being most people have a preference that is very hard to match. This could take a while or need feedback before the show hits broadway. Hitting the main crowds sweet spot is the key for this problem which can be extremely hard. The last reason is very miscellaneous. Maybe the show just appeals to the older crowd or just the younger crowd, it might not follow some specific peoples interest. For example Mark Kaufman says, that Mean Girls the newest show in the spotlight is most appealing to the younger female crowd. And as a result, you won’t see many older men there which is losing part of your audience. Now for the second part of my main question. How has Broadway evolved over the years? A couple ways it has evolved is the set, costumes and even cast members fame. Pictures of the old broadway costumes were much more extravagant, special and ornate but now the costumes are short, revealing and simple. As time passed by the costumes got more simple and normal. For example in the show, “My Fair Lady” there is a white long ball gown with all sorts of bows and ties and a big fancy droopy hat. Oh, and did I forget to add that it comes with a umbrella with white fluff covering it. Now in the show, “Dear Evan Hansen” the main character wears a plaid shirt and jeans which is very far from extravagant. The only thing that is unique is his arm cast. As for sets, I think the roles are reversed. For older shows, there could be a simple bridge in the set. Or even better just simply… shadows. For more modern shows it will include montages or flashing images. For example in “The Rocky Horror Show” it is just woods in the background and you can barely even see it. But now in shows like “Frozen” there are shooting sharp looking icicles in the set which makes it look very realistic. Now for cast, this is where it all ties together. For example in a somewhat older show called “Wicked” they just auditioned random people and they made it big. No one was famous before their show blew up. I think it is the same now. This is my personal opinion but in the show, “Mean Girls” no one is very famous but like all other shows they probably will become more famous as the show ages. All of the famous broadway stars like Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth’s claim to fame is their acting and how their show became so popular not in any part of the background of their life. Another main way it has evolved is through the complexity of the show. The complexity of the show, plot, costumes and sets and much more. As I studied this question I was having a lot of trouble finding anything to help me. As I went on still no luck. Complexity seemed the same. Apologies in advance, if this is not one of my strongest question. Apparently in the older days while walking into the New Victory Theater was always a fun time because you knew the show, sets, costumes and cast was always the best of the best and absolutely amazing. It was very impressive. No one had seen anything like it. The acting was very fascinating and many people were interested in the type of thing this theater was pulling off. In the last few years and now, it is also very impressive because of the detailed sets, amazing music and acting, complex costumes and the exceptional cast. The same feelings from back in time and now are felt when walking into theaters. Honestly this question is hard to be answered and mostly everyone thinks the complexity is very similar and barely anything different which is probably a shock to many. All of of this information is what answered my question the best. Learning about this topic was very inspiring and a amazing experience. And I couldn’t have asked for a better question to answer. I am very pleased by the end and I would love to do it again.

 

About a week ago, I went to the White Plains theater of performing arts. There a worker gave us a tour of the whole building including the stage, backstage, dressing rooms, costume rooms, wig selection and more. I learned a lot about working there and the hard work it takes for a show to be put on the stage. It was a very inspiring tour that I learned a lot about.

 

There I was given a detailed tour in all of the dressing rooms which was my favorite part. I learned that the stars get special treatment and there own private dressing room which has a personal shower and bathroom. Unfair!

 

This the stage and the set for the upcoming show, really cool right?

 

This is the strings that control the curtains. I thought it was cool how many panels it had and all the strings altogether. There were hundreds of strings which amazed me.

 

These are the seats for the crowd of the show. I even learned a fun fact. This specific theater used movie theater chairs to make it very comfortable and cusiony. And I tested it – turns out they were not lying it was so comfortable.

 

This was the dressing room. What I liked was the mini lights around the mirror it is really helpful and useful.

 

Overall, the I really liked the experience and thought it was so much fun!

I was certainly nervous about my interview. I mean, what if I got no information? What if my questions were horrible and unanswerable? This could go terribly wrong if I came at it with the wrong approach. I was pretty confident about my questions and just incase I got multiple people with different opinions to revise and listen to my questions. All was set and ready as we were going to the office. I just thought one thing, hopefully I get enough information. Walking into the office calmed me but the anticipation was still killing me. Just as we started to record my nerves magically just started to melt away. It was like magic. The interview was flowing and I could tell the tension wasn’t awkward or anything like that. Turns out, the less questions you ask the better. I have found that if you are trying to squeeze a couple more questions in you may be rushing. As a result, the unuseful questions could be repetitive or just completely won’t make sense at all.

 

A couple days later while taking notes I found that his input was very helpful and without it I don’t know how far into this project I would be. So in conclusion, I am very grateful that I could have such a helpful source and now because of that I know a lot of my answers and I am very happy with the final product with my interview. The whole entirety of the experience was inspiring. Before the door of his personal office there were big signs of all of the shows he had produced and I was shocked of how many successes he produced. Starting with “Hairspray” and ending with “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” I was wowed with the shows he had once produced. All I can say is this, the whole experience of the interview was great and I am super glad that Mark was willing to help and make a huge impact on my project.

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They are some terrible social issues. Personally, I can’t relate to much of them which could be a great thing. The two that hits closest to home are bullying, and poverty. As a kid, bullying is what relates most to me though I don’t get bullied or take part in it. But just thinking about it makes my skin crawl. I am so lucky to be fortunate enough but some people are not which makes me very sad. These social issues makes me sad and persuades me to take part of any thing to stop them.

Bullying is an act where a powerful person picks on the weaker. They start off by embarrassing the weak and hurting them. It is not fair and is only benefiting the bully. The bullies need that attention and embarrassment to feed off of. It is just an horrible act that needs to be stopped and something done about it. As I walk into the city and see the poor homeless people my heart aches for them. And I just want to help.

Unfortunately, these problems are still occurring today. And we need to fix them and make a difference. Although, it is still happening we need to power through it.

 

The SpaceX launch will go down in history for sure. When the rocket left the launch pad, it shocked many. This rocket was the most powerful rocket in the world. Imagine how many rockets we have launched. How impressive is that? This rocket burned through the sky at a crazy fast pace. The company must be very proud because they got a congratulatory tweet from President Trump. This rocket has proved to many that there is hope for more space exploration and sending more people into space. NASA is SpaceX biggest competition so when they were more successful than NASA it was a huge accomplishment to them. Imagine beating your enemy. Feels good.

When I reacted, I was surprisingly shocked. I mean, if I was the one launching that successful rocket, I would feel very proud, and I would feel like I was on cloud nine. SpaceX after launching the Falcon Heavy, the company has blown up. When I realized how much work was put into the project and money I was flabbergasted. A lamborghini is cheaper then the 90 million cost of launching the Falcon Heavy. I’m guessing it was all totally worth it. Price, work, and lots of effort was put into this hardworking project.

Though, all of this information is making me wonder still a few things:

• Would you do this again?
• Is NASA a competition to you?
• How many people worked on this project?
• Was the money worth it?
• How much has SpaceX grown because of this?