By Sami DeSocio
Not every show is a success. It’s true, more shows close after opening than those that make it to become the next Phantom of the Opera. But what makes those shows that do survive so incredibly special?
First and foremost, I believe it starts with the music. A musical really is only as good as its score, and some of the longest running musicals have a signature song that they’re known for. For example, Rent is known for “Seasons of Love”, A Chorus Line has two, both “I Hope I Get It” and “One” are both synonymous to it. It’s songs like this that shape the specialness of the piece – the fact that even if someone doesn’t necessarily know the show, they’ll know the song.
Another important aspect is the story. Is it a ‘tale as old as time’, like Beauty and the Beast when Disney followed their movie to a T, including new songs written by the movie’s composer Alan Menken? Or, does it speak to a different part of the audience like in Cats? The story needs to speak to the audience while touching them and making them identify with the characters so deeply that they are willing to be taken on the ride of the show.
Then, there’s the cast. With the right actors at the beginning of the show’s run, the show has a better shot. I don’t think The Producers would’ve been nearly as popular, or even as expensive as it initially was, had it not been for Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick in the leads of Max and Leo respectively. Les Miserables might have gone on, but the roles originally filled by Colm Wilkinson and Terrence Mann have become so iconic that everyone else after them has had big shoes to fill – even after thirty years!
And finally, does it fit what the world needs right now, following the trend of other shows? Or is it so different that people have to stop and look. When jukebox musicals were big, musicals like Hairspray and Jersey Boys took advantage of the opportunity, opened on Broadway, and became successful, later capitalizing on its critical and audience response with productions around the world. While Avenue Q was so different that people had to flock to see it (the puppets are doing what onstage???), and Avenue Q remains Off-Broadway, where it plays nightly.
Whether the show stops your heart, grabs you and doesn’t let go, or it lets you escape your life or reflect on it life… the shows that are around the longest are the ones that make the audience feel something. That allow them to experience something together – and that, dear readers, is why these shows are around for as long as they are. What is your favorite ‘long running’ show?