It’s virtually impossible to launch an original musical on Broadway without stars.
The latest casualty is Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman’s “Harmony.” It will close February 4th after 96 performances.
“Harmony” was a valiant effort but needed a marquee name to keep it going. The show did star Chip Zien, Sierra Boggess, Julie Benko, Allison Semmes, Andrew O’Shanick and the Harmonists: Sean Bell, Danny Kornfeld, Zal Owen, Eric Peters, Blake Roman, and Steven Telsey.
But they weren’t enough, and neither was Manilow’s name. Nevertheless, it was a good try. “Harmony” could certainly be produced in summer stock and other national venues. But it was too expensive to keep it on Broadway playing to half-filled theaters.
