We finished the play yesterday afternoon after two successful weekends.
I've been in a few shows, as an actor, and only one other as director. I've seen enough to know the difference between a terrible show, a mediocre show, and a hit. Never Too Late was a hit. We had Eight shows with eight nearly-full houses (we seat 100, and the number dipped below 70 only once.)
The audiences were responsive, appreciative, and fun. No stinkers. No sleepers. None of those audiences that for whatever reason left their collective sense of humor at home and scowled through the whole show. (I've suffered through shows like that. It felt like sitting in a laundromat on the hottest day in August).
Someone who is associated with OHMPAA (Oxford Hills Music and Performing Arts Association) who has produced and acted in and directed numerous shows, said it best. There's no science to it. There's no way to know, until it's all over, how a show will be received. He produced arguably the best OHMPAA show three years ago. With what many believe to be the best musical talent we've ever staged.
And it was a bust.
Corrine and I went to see it and went away thinking we had somehow been transported to Off Broadway. It was that freakin good.
They only sold 400 tickets. That's less than half the total available.
They produced a Neil Simon show this past winter and it fell flat. Neil Simon!!
I had never heard of Never Too Late. But, reading the script, knew it had the potential to be very funny.
After the first night of rehearsals, when I had very few show, I worried we would have no show and I would be the first director in OHMPAA's illustrious history to shut down a production before it even began.
Second night of auditions, I hit the lottery. With a female lead who had never had a lead and who hadn't acted on stage since music was purchased on something called "an album".
My male lead had never been a lead before.
My second female lead was 15 playing a 24-year-old.
But, it worked out. We had a couple full houses, and a few near-full. We made a profit. We put on a show that audiences left still laughing about.
I couldn't be happier with how it all came out in the end.
I've been in a few shows, as an actor, and only one other as director. I've seen enough to know the difference between a terrible show, a mediocre show, and a hit. Never Too Late was a hit. We had Eight shows with eight nearly-full houses (we seat 100, and the number dipped below 70 only once.)
The audiences were responsive, appreciative, and fun. No stinkers. No sleepers. None of those audiences that for whatever reason left their collective sense of humor at home and scowled through the whole show. (I've suffered through shows like that. It felt like sitting in a laundromat on the hottest day in August).
Someone who is associated with OHMPAA (Oxford Hills Music and Performing Arts Association) who has produced and acted in and directed numerous shows, said it best. There's no science to it. There's no way to know, until it's all over, how a show will be received. He produced arguably the best OHMPAA show three years ago. With what many believe to be the best musical talent we've ever staged.
And it was a bust.
Corrine and I went to see it and went away thinking we had somehow been transported to Off Broadway. It was that freakin good.
They only sold 400 tickets. That's less than half the total available.
They produced a Neil Simon show this past winter and it fell flat. Neil Simon!!
I had never heard of Never Too Late. But, reading the script, knew it had the potential to be very funny.
After the first night of rehearsals, when I had very few show, I worried we would have no show and I would be the first director in OHMPAA's illustrious history to shut down a production before it even began.
Second night of auditions, I hit the lottery. With a female lead who had never had a lead and who hadn't acted on stage since music was purchased on something called "an album".
My male lead had never been a lead before.
My second female lead was 15 playing a 24-year-old.
But, it worked out. We had a couple full houses, and a few near-full. We made a profit. We put on a show that audiences left still laughing about.
I couldn't be happier with how it all came out in the end.
Wonderful!!! Congratulations. A big success with the slow economy. Selling anything is very tough!!!!
ReplyDeleteIt was great! I enjoyed sitting among the crowds of people, that didn't know that I had a connection to the show. More times than one, it was called "the best production yet!"
ReplyDeleteI think people needed a laugh, Needed to forget what troubles they have. Even for only a few hours.
GREAT JOB!!
congrats!
ReplyDelete~AM
Congrats on closing a hit! It's such a bittersweet thing, the closing of a show...
ReplyDeleteCongratulations!
ReplyDeleteIt was awesome! I was sincere when I said it was as good as any of the shows that I have seen at the Seacoast Rep. in Portsmouth. It was well worth driving almost 2 hours to see (and 2 hours back on a highway that is under construction). I would do it again.
ReplyDeleteBravo to all involved.
Congratulations! I am glad it was a success!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! and a little late..Happy Birthday Griffin! wow, what a little cutie, he's gonna be trouble in a few years!
ReplyDelete