It's a Hit! ...And It's a Flop.

The 2011-2012 theatre season was filled with highs and lows. Eight-time Oscar winning composer Alan Menken experienced these highs and lows first-hand. Newsies, based on the 1992 box office failure, played at Millburn, New Jersey's Paper Mill Playhouse in September-October 2011, and was very well recieved. The show gained a Broadway transfer and even extended its limited run to close on August 19. To top it off, the show garnerned an outstanding eight Tony Award nominations.

On the other hand, Leap of Faith opened to very harsh reviews and an extremely negative word of mouth. The show had previously played in Los Angeles and starred Brooke Shields, hoping for a Broadway transfer. The show was tweaked and an opening for fall 2012 looked promising. After On a Clear Day... closed this past December, producers announced Leap of Faith would open in April 2012 starring Raúl Esparza and Jessica Phillips, Phillips replacing the role Shields formerly played. Leap of Faith will close on May 13 after playing only 24 preveiws and 20 regular performances.

ArtsBeat: 'Leap of Faith' to Close on Sunday