Wow.  That was quick.  The new musical Glory Days opened on Tuesday night and by yesterday afternoon the producers announced that it would be CLOSING. 

The show, a last minute entry into the B'way season, transferred from the Signature Theater in Washington D.C.  Written by 23 year old Nick Blaemire (Music and Lyrics) and 24 year old James Gardiner (Book), Glory Days was (notice the past tense -ugh) about 4 high school friends reuniting one year after graduation.  At midnight on the school gridiron they plot to sabotage the next day's alumni football game by programming the sprinklers to go off during the event (not exactly War & Peace, right).  During the proceedings they examine their relationships and (I think it is safe to spoil this, since the show has closed) one of the boys reveals he is gay.

The producers of Glory Days (John O'Boyle, Ricky Stevens, Richard E. Leopold and Lizzie Leopold, Max Productions, Alan Mingo, Jr. and Broadway Across America in association with Signature Theatre) hoped to capitalize on the success of small form musicals that have been having good luck on The Broadway lately.  They clearly had great enthusiasm for the show but when the critics clobbered the show in the papers yesterday they shut things down ASAP.

In a released statement the producers said, "We adore Glory Days and everyone connected with this production. Sadly, given the over-night reviews and our low advance sales, we believe it is prudent to close the show on Broadway immediately."

Speaking of those reviews...did you see them?  Ouch.  Let's do a mini round up, we don't want to rub salt in the wounds, but you should know what was being said.

Ben Brantley in the NY Times suggested that show didn't have the "raging hormonal current or electrified anguish that made teenage cult favorites out of Spring Awakening, Rent and, four long decades ago, Hair."  He finishes his review by saying, "ultimately, though, they [the producers] have done this little, hopeful show no favors by dragging it into a spotlight that invites close and unforgiving inspection. I do find it heartening that a pair of enthusiastic and gifted young artists have fallen in love with that beleaguered form, the musical, as a means of self-expression."  Click HERE to read the full review.

Clive Barnes in the NY Post was not so generous in his ½ star review saying, "the best thing about Glory Days is that it lasts 90 minutes. But those 90 (intermissionless) minutes seem longer than all of Tristan and Isolde without Wagner."  I personally don't get the reference but I did understand when he wrote this: "but it wasn't long before I found myself wishing that they would turn on the sprinklers and let us go home to read a good book." Yikes.  Click HERE to read the full review.  

Finally, David Rooney reviewing for Variety reports that the show is "immature", "one dimensional" and "self-indulgent".  "The producers have done an extreme disservice to the inexperienced creative team by shoving them into the spotlight with what's likely to be a commercial embarrassment," he writes (prophetically).  Click HERE to read the full review.

Ironically, Variety gave the show a good review back in January when the show opened at The Signature Theater - you can check that out HERE.

I saw the show last week and have to agree with the critics.  I applaud the efforts of the young writers for their work, but I do not think the show merited a transfer to Broadway.  It might have prospered in a small Off Broadway production (I am not even certain of that) but it was too small (both emotionally and physically) for Broadway.  I, as many critics noted, really blame the producers for not protecting this show.  I guess they fell in love with the project, but they should have realized that these young talents needed a bit more time to develop their skills.  They should have given money to Blaemire and Gardiner to begin work on a new project instead of wasting it on this, now defunct, show. 

This is one for the "record books" folks.  Broadway shows cost a TON of money to produce - you don't usually see them shutter on OPENING NIGHT!  Yowza.  After 17 previews and one opening night performance, Glory Days becomes the first show to close on opening night since....can you guess it?  Take a stab in the comments section and I will have the answer for you tomorrow.

~ See You On The Aisle