Short Runs on the Stage: Some of the Biggest Broadway Flops in History

There’s no way to predict success. In much the same way that TV pilots and movies get the green light but ultimately tank, there are several Broadway shows that flopped on a monumental scale. Although some of them seemed to have all the ingredients for a long stint on the Great White Way, these shows simply didn’t make the cut. In fact, some titles didn’t even enjoy enough of a run to capture the attention of audience members.

Remember the charm of Holly Golightly in the film version of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”? The musical adaptation that appeared on Broadway lost much of its magic when it turned vulnerable Holly into a call girl with a foul mouth. An attempt to bring Stephen King’s telekinetic anti-hero, Carrie, to the stage resulted in a similar failure. The 1988 show managed 16 previews and five performances, but theatergoers weren’t particularly fond of a musical number that revolved around the infamous pig slaughter. “Via Galactica,” a 1972 disappointment, had to summarize the plot in the playbill because it was so confusing.

Just like blockbuster movies that fail, the biggest Broadway flops lose staggering amounts of money for its investors and patrons. “Into the Light,” a confusing show that mixed archaeology, science, and strained familial relations, pulled in less than $100,000 during its run. “Carrie” cost investors somewhere around $8 million. Picture all the work that goes into a Broadway show — and then imagine that it never even makes it to a performance. Have you ever seen a musical or play that never made it past the preview?