Broadway musical that uses Tupac Shakur songs to close Sunday after poor sales

NEW YORK, N.Y. – Tupac Shakur fans, keep ya head up: The Broadway musical “Holler If Ya Hear Me” that uses songs from one of hip-hop’s greatest artists is closing after less than two months.

Producers said late Monday that the show will close Sunday at the Palace Theatre after playing just 17 previews and 38 regular performances. Producer Eric L. Gold in a statement cited “the financial burdens of Broadway” as the reason.

The show was in financial trouble from the moment it debuted in early June. Last week, it managed to pull in only $155,000 from a potential of $917,000 — or less than 17 per cent. Discounting had left the average ticket price at $38.44, easily Broadway’s cheapest seat.

It stars slam poet and singer Saul Williams as a recently sprung inmate hoping to stay out of trouble, and Christopher Jackson as his buddy, whose need for familial revenge threatens more violence in their unnamed Midwestern city.

It features over 20 Shakur songs, including “Holler If Ya Hear Me,” ”California Love,” ”I Get Around,” ”Thugz Mansion,” ”Keep Ya Head Up,” ”Dear Mama,” ”Me Against the World,” ”Unconditional Love” and “Hail Mary.” The rapper’s mother, Afeni Shakur, was a producer of the show.

___

Online: http://hollerifyahearme.com

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community? Create a free account to comment on stories, ask questions, and join meaningful discussions on our new site.

Leave a Reply

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.