Signature's "Glory" Lasts One Day
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Signature's "Glory" Lasts One Day

Broadway doesn’t take to intimate musical

The four-character musical "Glory Days" which made history by transferring intact from the Signature Theatre in Shirlington to Broadway simply didn't capture the fancy of either the New York critics or the Broadway ticket buyers.

The show, which had its world premiere in January at Signature Theatre, was a one-act, one-set, four person show about the night when, after their first year of college, four young men who were buddies in high school reunite and discover how they have begun to grow apart as they mature at different rates. It was well received by critics and theatergoers alike during its scheduled one-month run here in Shirlington.

After two weeks of poor attendance at preview performances in the 623-seat the Circle in the Square Theatre in New York, the musical had its official opening on Tuesday evening, May 6 after which the producers, considering both the lack of ticket sales and a host of negative reviews, decided to close the show.

The record books will document that the show had 17 previews and one official performance - the opening, which turned out to be the closing performance. It was the first Broadway credit for three of its four cast members, Steven Booth, Adam Halpin and Jesse JP Johnson. Andrew C. Call had previous credits including another short run musical, "High Fidelity," which lasted only two weeks on The Great White Way.

It was the second Broadway show for Signature Theatre's artistic director, Eric Schaeffer, who directed this production and also directed the revue of Stephen Sondheim material "Putting It Together," which ran for three months with Carol Burnett heading the cast in 1999.

"Glory Days" marked the Broadway debuts for its young writers from Montgomery County, James W. Gardiner who wrote the script, and Nick Blaemire who wrote the songs. Blaemire is also making his Broadway debut as a performer this season as a member of the cast of the musical "Cry-Baby" which opened at the Marquis Theatre just five blocks from the theater where "Glory Days" has now closed.

<b>by Brad Hathaway</b>