Godspell Revival Cancelled – More to come?
A planned revival of the 1970s hippy-chic musical Godspell has been postponed and will no longer be hitting the stage this fall as previously planned. Producer Adam Epstein said, “I am devastated that, due to the loss of a major investor and the harsh reality of a slowing economy, there will be no other options at this time than to postpone.”
Godspell had been scheduled to open on October 23rd in the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on Broadway. This could be the first of several planned shows that succumb to the suffering economy that has made this summer’s Broadway season one of the slowest in recent history.
Reports are showing that a growing number of planned shows may not see the light of day this fall as nervous, recession-minded patrons are not buying Broadway tickets in the numbers that executives would like to see.
Howard Sherman, executive director of the American Theater Wing thinks that there may still be hope, “It’s impossible not to be cognizant of the national economy and its potential impact on the theater. But it’s also premature to say whether the recent changes in plans by certain shows represent a trend, especially as we’re likely to see other productions quickly step up to fill the available theaters in their stead,” he said.
Will Broadway be the next victim of our suffering economy? Or will Godspell be an isolated incident as the shows continue to go on? I guess only time will tell.