Great Muppet Expectations

If you’re the kind of Writer who is paying attention to Broadway openings and closings, then you know that the production of Rob Lake Magic With Special Guests The Muppets recently posted closing before it even opened, eventually finishing up with a run of 20 previews and only four regular performances. While we never want to revel in the untimely death of a show, I do have to admit a certain amusement at how excited Facebook’s Broadway Flops group was about this new milestone. The schadenfreude is real, folks…

But we’re not here to revel or even commiserate… we’re here to learn from one of Rob Lake’s (and his Producers’) mistakes.

No, it’s not about Lake’s stage presence. Nor his illusions. Though folks have had plenty to say on these points.

It’s about the expectations that the show built up for the audience before they ever stepped foot inside the Broadhurst. And that expectation was…

THE MUPPETS.

Now, yes, technically, the title only suggests that The Muppets are “special guests.” It doesn’t say “starring,” nor even “featuring…” they very specifically say “special guests.” But you’ll notice something else: the title isn’t “Rob Lake Magic” with “with special guests The Muppets” as a subtitle or tagline. They are IN THE ACTUAL, LEGIT TITLE OF THE SHOW.

I don’t care what you might mean by “special guest,” or what the legalese of the contracts might stipulate regarding billing and the like, but if I see Muppets in the title… well… I expect some damn Muppets.

Turns out they had a combined stage time of about 10 minutes, which was composed of glorified cameos with no real character or engagement.

But… the title said…

I’ve talked in this space about expectations in the theater before. Our art and industry is built upon them… Story structure is all about expectations and logic. It’s why folks know that there will almost always be an I Want song or an 11 O’Clock Number and can be upset or confused if they are not provided with those things… We also have expectations about what the content of an evening of entertainment will be based on things like the ad campaigns we’ve been fed, the music we’ve heard, the production photos we’ve seen, and… the TITLE OF THE SHOW.

Now, savvy Writers know how to manipulate audience expectations. They know when to satisfy those expectations (giving audiences that comforting, I-understand-this feeling) and when to pull the rug out from under them (usually in an effort to surprise or delight the audience).

Rob Lake and co’s unmet expectations provided surprise, for sure, however it seems they failed to delight.

The moral of this cautionary tale? Be extremely careful with how you sell your show and what expectations you create for your audience. And, as always, those expectations begin with the title of your show. It’s part of why it can often be so difficult to come up with a good title. It has to be something provocative and easy to remember that encapsulates the feeling of your show without giving it all away. 

We’ll call these expectations born from one’s title (and perhaps this should have been the title of this post): Chekhov’s Muppet. If there is a Muppet in the title, there better be a heaping dose of Muppets by the Third Act.

So what’s your show’s Muppets? What expectations does your title, website, marketing campaign, or interviews set for audiences buying a ticket for your show? Are you meeting them?

With great expectation,

Eric Webb

PS: Let me know your favorite Muppet. I’ll tell you mine.