Is there any demand for The Addams Family to come to Australia?

I've not heard the music yet but the composor is Andrew Lippa and has has done some good stuff: New Philosophy and Beethoven day from Charlie Brown, Vocal Tracks from The Prince of Egypt, and a musical called The Wild Party which has some great songs. So although I can't vouch for the musical, I do like the composor of the music. It does have that going for it.

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• 120 votes

The Book of Mormon will come to Melbourne, I assure you. Catch Me If You Can has nothing approaching a cult following -- nobody except the REALLY music-theatre-connected people over here will have heard of it. It still may come, but it won't be riding any cult following -- it'll come with a large advertising budget to try and convince the Melbourne public that it HAS a big following and that there is a Broadway wave for it to ride on.

The Addams Family has a recognisable name and a recognisable composer. Incidentally, I'm not a fan of Lippa, but his style suits this show, and it's a catchy, stylish soundtrack. I haven't heard any reviews one way or the other, and I don't know how it's being received financially, but it's the kind of thing I could see working down here, with maybe a little smaller budget, given Melbourne's fickle music theatre audience.

And Spiderman will NEVER come down here. Way, way too expensive -- too massive a risk. If they can scale it down, and find a way to stage it with like a tenth of the budget, then yes. Not until then. It would be a fool's move.

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• 119 votes

It's my firm belief that this musical will most likely do quite well here given the fact it is a recognizable brand, based on already known work and with the opportunity for celebrity casting. I think a lot of people forget that yes the theatre-loving and musical-theatre-loving community care that a show has been successful on Broadway or that a show is artistically brilliant but the other 90% of the audience in this country (and they are the one's that actually bring in the money) is made up of general population who don't really care whether a show has been successful else where - they care that its from a recognizable property (i.e. Tv Show, Film) and who's in it - particularly if the casting is based around someone doing something they wouldn't normally do - i.e. Guys & Dolls with Gary McDonald as Nathan and the various incarnations of Frank N Furter in Rocky in the early 2000s. Thats what sells tickets here. For shows with a cult following that are really made for the musical theatre lover - they have most success with the funded companies like MTC, STC etc..

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• 48 votes

Do you think Hairspray would have had the same success if they hadn't waited til after the Zac Efron movie to bring it to Australia???

I saw The Addams Family on Broadway last year and while it wasn't my new favourite show ever, it certainly wasn't the worst thing I have ever seen. Some of the songs are a bit cliche and predictable, but the show as a whole was quite good. The set and costumes were amazing and the character work and dialogue were what sold it for me, Nathan Lane and Kevin Chamberlin in particular were fantastic as Gomez and Fester.
I think it will be a modest success here in Oz.

Personally I'm hanging out for a production of American Idiot or Memphis :D

Jman

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• 83 votes

I think Addams will do well based on it's cross-generational span. That reason alone. It'll be interesting to see the results, regardless!

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• 98 votes

Cross- generational! I'm old enough to remember, and be a fan of, the original Chas Addams cartoons in the New Yorker magazine that the TV series Starring John Astin & Carolyn Jones was based on. They still rank among my favourite cartoons. I thought the movies were only so-so and don't have any real desire to see the musical (although Nathan Lane would have made a great Gomez Addams I would think!!)

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• 77 votes

Sean, I must say when I read your post I have thought the same thing. I wouldn't think there would be a demand for The Addams Family in Australia. I could think of plenty more musicals that would probably be popular and provide more revenue.

But I then agree with others as well. To us theatre folk the idea of this musical being performed sorta makes you roll your eyes and think we could do better, but the majority of theatre goers are not as critical and I actually think it will do quite well as people will see it just 'cause they recognise the name.

I recently saw The Addams Family on Broadway. I agree with Jman, it wasn't the best musical I've ever seen but it definitely wasn't the worst. It has a good concept and quirky storyline. The set was amazing and you left feeling relatively entertained. I don't know how Australia will go without a Nathan Lane though... he was brilliant.

Should be interesting to see how it goes. At least it is good to see Australia are bringing down some new musicals rather than the ones we have seen a hundred times over.

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• 88 votes

Brenton, my dad and male family members are all excited about Addams and they are non theatre folk. I don't think it will be marketed to music theatre goers, similar to that of Hairspray.

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• 87 votes