S. Samuel
Diehard Tupac Shakur fans may want to rush out to New York City to support the new Broadway musical, "Holler If Ya Hear Me," if they hope to keep the production from prematurely ending. #GoodWhileItLasted
According to reports, poor ticket sales may have the musical end as early as this upcoming weekend.
Looks like some prime Broadway real estate is about to become available. “Holler if Ya Hear Me,” the Tupac Shakur musical that opened Thursday at the Palace, may throw in the towel Sunday, production sources say. The show — henceforth to be known as “Holler If Anybody Buys a Ticket” — took in a measly $170,000 last week, making it the lowest-grossing show on Broadway. (NY Post)
Reports also claim the vast majority of attendees are middle-aged women.
Broadway insiders doubt a rap musical can make it on Broadway, especially without a star above the title. “There is no demographic for this show,” says a veteran producer. “Middle-aged women buy the bulk of tickets, and they’re listening to ‘Tapestry,’ not ‘All Eyez on Me.’ ” (NY Post)
Reports last month revealed attendees would witness a slew of Pac records performed.
Directed by current Tony nominee Kenny Leon (A Raisin in the Sun) and starring veteran spoken-word artist and rapper Saul Williams, Holler If Ya Hear Me is not a biographical tale about the late Shakur. Instead, his songs build an entirely new narrative based on the themes of family, opportunity, community, poverty, and love that ran through Tupac’s lyrics. Some of his most beloved songs are represented, including “Dear Mama,” “I Get Around,” “Keep Ya Head Up,” and “I Ain’t Mad at Cha.” (Entertainment Weekly)
Recent reports suggested music veteran Saul Williams would take his talent to the big production.
Let’s just clear up some confusion that we’ve already seen floating around the internet: Williams is not, we repeat, not portraying Shakur in the musical. The plot of the play takes in the Midwest, where two friends (one of whom, presumably, is Williams) struggle to escape from the grips of poverty. It’s a plot line not unlike Shakur’s own, and will feature the late rapper’s hits, including “California Love,” “Keep Ya Head Up,” and “Me Against The World.” (Music Times)
