‘On A Clear Day’ revival with Harry Connick Jr. closes early, ‘Leap of Faith’ moves in

Harry Connick Jr. could not save the latest Broadway production he starred in, a revival of the 1965 musical, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. At the same time that it was announced that the show would be closing early, it was also announced that the musical Leap of Faith would make its Broadway debut in the same theater.

The St. James Theater, where On A Clear Day was performed, pulled the unusual move, according to The New York Times. Theaters typically delay the announcement of a replacement show until after a closing show’s producers tell its investors and cast about the closing. However, in this case, the changes happened nearly simultaneously.

On A Clear Day was budgeted at a cost of $8 million, but consistently received poor reviews. The Hollywood Reporter notes that the songs by Burton Lane and Alan Jay Lerner have always been popular, but Lerner’s book has always been criticized. It centers on a love triangle, but, as a twist, one of the people involved is actually a younger version of the other. Playwright Peter Parnell and American Idiot director Michael Mayer had tried to give the show a contemporary edge by switching the genders of one of the roles, but it failed to work.

The Associated Press reports that the show made just $584,711 at the box office last week. The show’s final performance will be on Jan. 29 after 29 preview and 57 regular performances.

Meanwhile, Leap of Faith, the show that will replace it, is based on the 1992 Steve Martin film and features music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Glenn Slater. Christoper Ashley is directing, with Raul Esparza in the lead role. The show’s previews will begin on April 3, allowing it to be eligible for this year’s Tony Awards.

Connick Jr. will be seen on Law & Order: SVU in a multi-episode arc.