Odd Shows That Ran on Broadway

As a fan of obscure plays, I did a little digging today and found some shows that are weird, quirky, and downright odd! The following information comes from such incredible websites as broadwayworld.com and playbill.com. Enjoy!

The Vamp (1955) This crazy, over-the-top Hollywood satire opened at the Winter Garden Theatre and ran for 60 performances. It starred Carol Channing as Flora Weems, a simple farmgirl who allows herself to be transformed into a silent screen star.

Shinbone Alley (1957) This unconventional "back-alley" opera is about a lovelorn cockroach and his feline friend. The show starred Eartha Kitt and ran for 49 performances. It was abridged for a television broadcast, as well as adapted by Allied Artists into an animated film.

Rockabye Hamlet (1976) Based on Shakespeare's classic play, this show utilizes rock, pop, and country music to tell the story of the besotted Danish prince. The musical was staged as a rock concert and starred Beverly D'Angelo as Ophelia., but it only ran for 7 performances.

But Never Jam Today (1979) This all-black adaptation of Lewis Carroll's classic Alice in Wonderland starred a talented company who played all of the denizens of Wonderland. The musical opened at the Longacre Theatre, but critics felt the script didn't grasp the humor of the original story. It closed after only 8 performances.

Raggedy Ann (1986) What seemed like the perfect idea for a children's musical turned into a theatrical nightmare. Rag dolls Ann and Andy go on an adventure to find a new heart for the sick little girl who owns them. Along the way, they meet a woman attempting to commit suicide, a forest of skeletons, and a man who insists on marring their sick owner. As most people couldn't tell what audience this musical was trying to target, the show only ran for 5 performances.

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I haven't shared my good news on social media yet, so hear goes! One of my plays, Historical Mutilations, will be produced this summer by Theatre Off the Square in Weatherford, Texas. Along with Mike Byham's play, Arti Doll, my play will be produced on June 7-9, 2024. Both plays were winners of the 2023 New Works Contest, and I am thrilled that such a prestigious venue as Theatre Off the Square will be taking on this project! Historical Mutilations tells the story of the murder of Gary Hinman. A hippie renaissance figure in the 1960s, as well as the Manson Family's "forgotten victim," Hinman was found dead in his home on Old Topanga Canyon Road on July 31, 1969. This was eight days before Sharon Tate and four others were found murdered at Tate's Cielo Drive residence. My play, a biodrama, depicts a possible conversation that Hinman and cult-leader Charles Manson may have had prior to Hinman's murder. In doing so, Manson compares what is happening t

Bradley Nies, Playwright

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