Why Your Show Will Never Get to Broadway

Why do some shows make it to Broadway while most don't? Why do more adaptations get to Broadway than originals? Why are there so many talented writers writing musicals that never get heard? (And trust me there are brilliant writers out there whose work you don't know.)

I hear a lot of opinions on this. Articles exist on it. In one view, a show gets to Broadway because it's that good. This is the "cream rises to the top" theory. Can you point to shows to support this? Sure. But it ignores the intangibles of developing musicals. Take Come From Away or Wicked. Both shows were reportedly very messy at critical points in their development. Thank goodness they made it through.

Another is it's the writer or writing team. The last couple decades include flawed Kander and Ebb shows that made it to Broadway. But also a show by Sondheim that didn't make it (Bounce) and another that took him dying (Here We Are.) And that was still off-Broadway.

Another theory is that adapting existing work with a following is key. The Outsiders and The Producers back this up. But you stretch credibility with Hamilton. Those thousands of Chernow readers really came through! Or Something Rotten. What about Some Like It Hot or that it took The Great Gatsby this long to get there?

What, then, is the answer? Why do some shows make it and others don't?

First, we have to look at what a show needs to get to Broadway. This doesn't get talked about much. I know I grew up believing Broadway was a stamp of the best of the best. You don't have to see many plays outside New York each year to realize that's not true.

A show needs three things to get to Broadway. The show, money, and an available theater.

The show, of course, but that can consist of wide differences. Compare Illinoise to Here Lies Love to Book of Mormon. There has to be a show. Of some kind.

Money. Boatloads of it. Look at The White Rose and Winesday. Both were solid off-Broadway shows this year. They likely had somewhere in the half-million dollars range. The Connector by Jason Robert Brown ran off-Broadaway. Water for Elephants, which was Tony-nominated, had $25 million. Suffs reportedly was $19 milion.

What about a theater? Well, Broadway is defined as one of 41 theaters in a specific area of New York City. If one of these theaters isn't available, no Broadway for you. That became an issue last year with so many shows opening. And, of course, the shows that continue on and on like The Lion King. Some shows close sooner than they would so that a specific theater is available.

All three of these have to lineup. Combine that with your desired creative team and cast we can see why there was a traffic jam of shows this year.

And that points to the money aspect. Quality is not the deciding criteria. Someone has to raise all that money. Cudos to the producers that can put together the number of investors required for that. See the list of this year's winners. Just the "above-the-title" names can exceed 40.

So what about the money? Here's what I think makes the difference. One person or a small team has to have two qualities. They believe in the commercial prospects of the show and are capable of raising $15 to $30 million.

Wait a minute, what about the adaptations? If you go to a movie studio for rights to one of their properties, they're happy to talk to you. If you're an experienced commercial producer. Writers are rarely able to license those properties. (There are exceptions. One is when the writer is a celebrity or also a producer. Or when the property is obscure or unlikely to generate other interest.)

What gets a show to Broadway is the producer. Their interests. Their opinion what's commercial. Their aesthetic. Why are there fewer originals? Producers. (And that it can often take longer to develop and work out the kinks.) That's not a criticism. It's also not new.

If you want your show on Broadway, go raise a bunch of money and book a theater. Or convince someone to do it with/for you.

That is, if you already have a show. You do have a show, right?