The Last Ship Opening

This week my buddy Sting opened his show The Last Ship on Broadway. Besides many differences between the two of us — okay, too many to list — here’s one of the big differences between Sting and me when it comes to opening a commercial show in NYC.

Here’s a picture of Sting at the opening of The Last Ship.

Here’s a picture of me at the opening of Around the World in 80 Days.

Can you spot the big difference? I mean, besides Sting being front and center and me being shoved to the side?

If you can’t see it I’ll tell you. Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen showed up at the opening of The Last Ship. Who showed up for my opening? Randy Jones. The cowboy from the damn Village People.

You can see Sting trying to put on a brave face with Billy and Bruce but I know just under the surface he’s dying and thinking, “Where the hell is Randy? He comes to the opening of an envelope. Why isn’t he here?”

The Randy Jones Difference

And I don’t blame Sting for being upset about Randy not being there. The old Cowboy brings magic to an opening. A sort of gravitas. And right now The Last Ship is trying to right its course because of it.

Reviews for Sting

Here’s what the NY Post said yesterday:

The critics praised his lyrics and music, using nearly identical words and phrases — “haunting” (The Post, Newsday, The Times, Variety), “heartfelt” or “heart” (The Post, The Daily News), “crafted” or “craftsmanship” (Deadline, The Post, The Times). “Stirring” and “mournful” were in the mix as well.

Alas, “throw-your-hats-in-the-air, Broadway-has-a-new-smash,” “not-to-be-missed,” or that old standby, “run-don’t-walk-to-the-box-office” were nowhere to be found.

“The Last Ship” needed old-fashioned money reviews. It didn’t get any, and it’s in trouble.

Reviews for me

If Randy Jones had been there, I’m sure The Last Ship would have gotten reviews like this:

“Eye-popping new Off-Broadway production!” 

“Highly inventive theatricality! A trip well worth taking!” 

“May be the best staycation New York has to offer.” 

“Rarely has the magic of the theatre been more brilliantly and delightfully achieved.”

You see? The YMCA Squatter came to my opening and I got terrific reviews. No Randy at Sting’s opening and ok but not boffo reviews.

The Final Verdict

Sting and I will probably get together and commiserate. He got ok reviews, will get a couple of Tony nominations, probably will win a Tony or two, and end up the darling of Broadway. I got boffo reviews, won bupkiss and am the darling of no one.

But one thing is clear. Sting may have gotten Joel and Springsteen but I got Randy Jones. Point goes to Brown.