It Shoulda Been You Production Still - H 2015
Joan MarcusDespite putting up a valiant fight to overcome the obstacle of being one of the Broadway season’s commercial underdogs, It Shoulda Been You will call it quits, playing its final performance at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on Aug. 9.
An effervescent musical comedy about the wedding-day hysteria that results when a Catholic and a Jewish family collide and hidden agendas are revealed, the show features an ensemble cast headed by Tyne Daly, Harriet Harris, Sierra Boggess, David Burtka, Lisa Howard, Edward Hibbert and Josh Grisetti.
“At a moment in which the Supreme Court has made a historic decision to extend the right to marry to each and every citizen, the message of love and acceptance at the core of It Shoulda Been You feels particularly resonant,” said lead producer Daryl Roth, announcing the decision to close the open-ended run.
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One of an increasingly rare breed of original musicals that arrives on Broadway not based on pre-existing material, the show features a book and lyrics by Brian Hargrove and music by Barbara Anselmi. It was directed by Hargrove’s husband, David Hyde Pierce, providing a mini-reunion with his former Frasier castmates Harris and Hibbert. (Another Frasier alum, Kelsey Grammer, is appearing a few blocks away in Finding Neverland.)
Read more ‘It Shoulda Been You’ Star Tyne Daly Gives Emotional Curtain Speech After Gay Marriage Ruling
It Shoulda Been You began previews on March 17 and officially opened on April 14, garnering mixed reviews for the writing but praise for the cast and direction. Writing for The Hollywood Reporter, Frank Scheck called it “a textbook example of how expert staging and performances can spin tired material into comic gold.”
The small-scale production failed to score any Tony nominations, and while business did see a modest bump after the showcase of a number on the awards telecast, box office never went higher than $450,000 in a single week, with a total gross to date of $5.5 million.
When it closes, the show will have played 31 previews and 135 regular performances. It follows Honeymoon in Vegas, The Visit and Gigi as the fourth Broadway musical to open in 2015 and close at a financial loss.
The original cast album will be released by Ghostlight Records on Aug. 14, while licensing rights for future productions will be available through Music Theatre International.
