Six weeks into hotly-anticipated run, the Broadway musical ‘Holler If Ya Hear Me’ is to come to an untimely end this Sunday, after failing to captivate the very audience is sought to attract.
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Inspired by the life and lyrics of latter 2Pac, the musical was staged by ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ director Kenny Leon and led Hip Hop poet Saul Williams, both of whom were expected to carry the play to the top of the musical food chain.
So, supporters of the play will be hurt to learn that this Sunday will see the show bid adieu to the world, after only 38 performances, plagued by poor ticket sales which made it one of the worst-selling musicals in recent years.
‘The Guardian’ explains:
In a statement, Holler producer Eric L Gold said: “It saddens me that due to the financial burdens of Broadway, I was unable to sustain this production longer in order to give it time to bloom on Broadway. Tupac’s urgent socially important insights and the audiences’ nightly rousing standing ovations deserve to be experienced by the world.
The production grossed $154,948 last week, just 17% of the show’s potential weekly earnings. Sales never cracked $200,000 a week, whichVariety called “a drastically low number for any Broadway production, much less a musical with a cast of 22 and an orchestra of 9.”
Holler If Ya Hear Me did not feature Tupac as a character, instead using his music to explore the challenges facing a group of young African Americans who are torn between gang revenge and living law-abiding lives. Critics panned the production’s “stereotypical” depiction of black America, calling it “painfully cliched” and “clunky”. In her review for the Guardian, Alexis Soloski called it “dead on arrival” and “profoundly un-engaging”.
In an interview with Variety published last week, Gold said he made a “rookie mistake by underestimating how much capital was necessary” to keep it running and said if Holler failed, “it’s going to be difficult to do another rap or hip-hop show on Broadway.
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I didn’t know he was so animated. I hate that he must have felt like he had to act like a thug to be accepted.
Didn’t you know he studied ballet? Part of the reason he was successful is because he was educated which is why he could take a more informed view of what he was talking about.
The problem with most of these rappers today is that they have a assbackwards hood mentality and can’t see anything beyond that lifestyle. That’s why they have all the opportunity in the world but still end up in prison like someone WITHOUT any opportunities.
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That’s a shame but I don’t think people are here for these hood stories anymore. Most people wanna give off the illusion that they’re rich even when they’re poor so being from the hood isn’t aspirational anymore.
He was so beautiful.
I’ve never seen him speak before until now and I’m pleasantly surprised, what a beautiful man he was.
I expected this to do so well but you can never tell how these things will go. Maybe it’s because most people today don’t really relate to his music so had no real reason to go to see it.
Not that this matters but Tupac was a supporter of gay rights. He used to go to gay pride events with Queen Latifah.
Kenny Leon sucks anyway. Have you seen his adaptation of A Raisin in the Sun and the Steel Magnolias remake? He sucks as a director!
Look how gorgeous Janet looks….I love 2pac
It was a stupid idea anyway, so I’m not surprised.
I think it was stupid not to base it around Tupac’s life, but the effort was noble.
How likely is it that 2Pac/Death Row fans would want to go to Broadway and watch a musical?
Exactly.
The best
I didnt even know they had a play