A new musical based on the lyrics of Tupac Shakur, Holler If Ya Hear Me, will close next week (July 20), just one month into its run.
The non-biographical musical uses the rapper’s lyrics to tell the story of a tough inner-city neighbourhood in Midwest America. Musician, poet, actor and writer Saul Williams leads the cast of the show, which started its run at the Palace Theater in New York on June 19 and is being overseen by stage director Kenny Leon.
As Billboard reports, there had been speculation that the show might be pulled before it officially opened due to low turnout during previews, which started on June 2. Despite the 1,700 capacity of the Times Square theatre being reduced by 600 to create a more intimate stage setting, and following lukewarm reviews in the press, the musical failed to shift tickets.
The show never reached more than $200,000 sales during its six weeks on the boards, far behind the $1 million to $2 million hit shows such as The Lion King and Wicked gross each week.
Ticket prices for Holler If Ya Hear Me ranged from $24 to $45 according to figures published by the Broadway League, which is also way behind the $130 to $160 average ticket price for big-selling Broadway shows.
The musical will have played 17 previews and 38 standard performances by the time it closes. There are currently no plans for regional productions or a tour.