So, Good-bye, So Soon?

Let's face it, the economy has been at the forefront of everyone's mind the past few weeks. Wall Street has become the newest thrill ride with stocks gong up and down faster than the Tower of Terror drops tourists. Bush has plans to bailout Wall Street while Congress investigates these businesses. However, my sign of the state of the economy has shown up on the Playbill Online website.

Three musicals have announced closing dates within the next few weeks. These annoucements have surprised me and I believe that it must be due to financial worries. And the fact that no one can afford to see a Broadway play.

Camp musical Xanadu will close next week. This one surprised me both in how long it ran and now that it is indeed closing. I saw the movie once upon a time and it was Bad. However, the musical decided not to take itself seriously and embraced its camp. Theatre-goers loved it and it quickly became Summer 2007's hot ticket. It also received a boost in that it was not affected by the stagehand strike last November, making it one of eight shows to continue running. But insurance rates must be killer--nearly everybody wears roller skates in the thing. Accidents are bound to happen.

Following Xanadu's departure is [title of show]. Granted, while I am a fan of this little show that could, did I expect it to have a long run? No, not really. In an episode of the [title of show] show, we are playing we, co-creaters Hunter and Jeff discuss the replacement cast. But Aaron Lazar (as Jeff) put it best when he explained that the whole appeal was the fact that he and Hunter were playing themselves. Best case scenario would be a year-long run or at least making it to the Tonys. But the realist in me figured it would at least make it past the holiday season which is just around the corner. I was looking forward to the inevitable [title of show] show episode where the cast comes up with some zany way of convincing the people out there in cyberspace to come to New York to see a play.

Finally, the last musical to see the final curtain is Legally Blonde the Musical. Now this one really surprised me, perhaps because it is my favorite musical currently playing on the Great White Way. It is popular and I attended with near-full houses. And the MTV coverage--including the reality show to find the next Elle Woods, the real reason I started this blog (besides trying to keep up my writing)--didn't hurt either. But I guess all good things must come to end. I just wish it wasn't so soon.

Xanadu finishes its run on Sept. 28th. [title of show] will conclude on Oct. 12th. And Legally Blonde will don its trademark pink one last time a week later on the 19th. Now yours truly just has to figure out how to go see [title of show] before the 12th. The movie put me off seeing Xanadu and I'll always have my taped copy of the MTV airing of Legally Blonde.

If you can go see one of these shows one last time, which one would it be? Vote in the poll now!