‘The Band’s Visit’ to end Broadway run

New York Times reports that, while successful, Israeli musical did not draw large enough audiences to sustain extended shows; national tour to begin in June

“The Band’s Visit,” a musical set in a small Israeli town that won 10 Tony Awards last year, will end its Broadway run on April 7.

The New York Times reported that although the play was relatively successful on Broadway and has booked a national tour to begin in June, it failed to draw a large enough audience to sustain an “extended run.”

“[I]ts delicate tone and subtle story line proved a tough fit for brassy Broadway … where ticket-buyers are mostly tourists drawn to shows with more pizzazz or bigger brand names,” Michael Paulson wrote.

The show, which won the Tony for best musical, depicts an encounter between a group of Arab musicians from an Egyptian police band and residents of a small fictional Israeli town, and drew rave reviews from critics. It was adapted from a 2007 Israeli film by Eran Kolirin.

Three of the show’s leads — Katrina Lenk, Tony Shalhoub and Ariel Stachel — won Tony Awards for their performances, in addition to its director, composer and book writer.