Will [title of show] Return?

As some of you know, in addition to blogging about musical theater and teaching it at the Boston Conservatory, I'm also a freelance writer and editor. Recently, I received my first assignment from The Advocate, the national news magazine for the LGBT community. The assignment was to find and profile gays and lesbians who had been significantly affected by the recent economic downturn.

As I was thinking about whom I could profile, I had a sudden inspiration. What about the [title of show] guys? Although there are various opinions on why the show [sniff sniff] closed, there seems little question that the struggling economy had something to do with it. So I gave Hunter Bell a shout, and he graciously agreed to participate in the article.

Alas, as I know all too well from my many years of journalism, all the stuff you hope to include in an article doesn't always make it into print. Although I was assigned to write three profiles, I actually wrote five, and The Advocate wound up using four of them. (The article posted to The Advocate's Web site today, and and hits the newsstands November 18th.) Hunter unfortunately got cut, not because the story wasn't compelling, but rather because we were going for a diverse mix of people, and we already had a story from someone in New York.

So, the folks at The Advocate have graciously allowed me to run Hunter's profile here on my blog. And here it is:

Recessionary Tremors: Hunter Bell

Hunter Bell is convinced that, were it not for the economic downturn, his show would still be on Broadway. And he means to bring it back 

On October 12th, 2008, Hunter Bell was starring in his own Broadway musical. On October 17th, he filed for unemployment.

Before it opened on Broadway in August, the musical [title of show] was a bit of an Off-Broadway phenomenon. The show’s plot relates how Bell and his writing partner Jeff Bowen, two self-proclaimed “nobodies in New York,” put together the plucky little musical. The pair helped fan the flames of fandom by producing a series of online video episodes, which helped the show develop a vociferous cult following, and eventually led to the Broadway run.

Unfortunately, the show only ran about three months, limping along at about 30% capacity at Broadway’s historic Lyceum Theater. Catty insiders blamed the show’s demise on its insular focus: much of the show’s considerable humor derives from its barrage of obscure theater-related references. But [title of show] librettist Hunter Bell thinks the show could have crossed over to attract a more mainstream audience, had it not been for the current economic uncertainty.

“We knew it was going to be a struggle,” says Bell. “We had an original story at a time when most Broadway musicals are based on established brands, like Shrek or 9 to 5. And when you introduce something new, it takes time for it to catch on.”

Bell says the show’s success was hampered by an economic double whammy. First, audiences currently have less expendable income, and are thus less likely to take a chance on an unknown show. “And I understand that totally,” he says “People are being a lot more careful with their money, and maybe see theater as a luxury.”

Second, investors have less available capital to keep the show open long enough to build awareness as well as a healthy advance ticket sale. “We had some really smart, awesome producers,” says Bell. “But it takes a lot of money to keep a show running.” And the folks who have that kind of money tend to be disproportionately sensitive to Wall Street fluctuations. “It’s not that people don’t believe in you,” says Bell. “It’s just that these are tricky times.”

For Bell personally, the show’s fortunes, or lack thereof, have presented an economic challenge. “I tried to put a little away from the run,” he says. “But a lot of that money we used to pay off the debts that we had created over the past four years trying to put the show together.” So for Bell and Bowen, it’s back to temping and the occasional catering job. “We’ll have to take odd jobs here and there,” says Bell, “But we’re really hoping that doing the show will open doors for us creatively. The hope is that we can eventually make a living as working artists.”

As for future earnings prospects, Bell says he and Bowen are working with the Rodgers and Hammerstein organization on licensing the show for regional and amateur productions. “And that will be a great for generating income in the future,” he says. Bell and Bowen are working on different versions of the show, depending on whether theater groups want to personalize the show. “The idea is to have the original version if you want to play Hunter and Jeff, but we’re also working on a sort of Mad Lib version, kind of a [title of show] template where you can fill in the blanks and make it your own,” he says. “I think we can find a way to do that and not compromise the show, to keep its integrity but still let people make it their own.”

But the show’s licensing future depends on what’s next for [title of show] in what Bell calls the “first-class arena.” Bell says that he and his show partners are actually planning to bring [title of show] back to Broadway once the economic turmoil abates. “Our true goal is to be back in the spring around awards season,” he says. “People are more focused on the theater then, and we want to be a part of that conversation.”

There’s not a question in Bell’s mind that he and his beloved show are the victims of circumstances beyond their control. “Had there not been an economic scare,” he says, “I believe that [title of show] would still be around, able to weather the storm.” – Christopher Caggiano

Comments

[Joseph Gomez]

if ever there was a show that deserved a second chance, its this show. i know ill be back in nyc in the spring, and to get another chance to see this show would be friggin great.

heres to hoping!

[Esther]

Wow, congratulations on the new writing gig! Im still hoping someday somewhere Ill get to see [title of show].

[Vance]

They need to tour and to start it in Toronto! (and fast! cause we usually lag a year behind you guys in the states so so far our economy is still good so get our money while you still can!)

[Jessica]

I reallly hope this comes back, since I have yet to see it.

Oh, and thanks for the linkage, I didnt notice it until now!

[Stephen]

I hope it returns to Broadway. I didn't learn about [title of show] until after it closed.