Bruce Springsteen fans eagerly await ticket information for his gig this fall at Broadway’s Walter Kerr Theatre. I know, because not a day goes by when I don’t hear from them.
Sources say that Jujamcyn Theaters, which owns the Kerr, is getting a little nervous: The company passed on some plays to make room for the Boss and would like to get things rolling. But Springsteen, 67, seems to be in no rush to make his Broadway debut. He’s putting together his act and will make an official announcement when he’s good and ready.
“It’s not like he needs to crank up the publicity,” one source says. “I think tickets will sell out in about 30 seconds.”
As The Post reported in June, Springsteen plans to perform five shows a week for eight weeks. He wants to appear in a cozy setting — the Kerr has just 975 seats — as opposed to the huge arenas he sells out all over the world.
His show, sources say, will reflect the intimacy of the Kerr. He’ll be reading from “Born To Run,” his best-selling memoir, and picking up his guitar from time to time to illustrate a point or a moment from his life with one of his songs. (Sounds like an evening at the 92nd Street Y to me.)
There may not even be a backup band, but if there is, a source says, “it will be very small.”
“Born To Run” won raves from book critics. It’s an unvarnished, often painful, account of his troubled childhood. His father was a heavy drinker who suffered from depression. One night, when he threatened Springsteen’s mother, the Boss hit him with a baseball bat. His dad just laughed.
Anecdotes like that could make for a compelling evening, though the Boss should practice his delivery. And he might consult a few theater pros to help him shape the show.
I’d nominate Doug McGrath, who wrote “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” and Lonny Price, who’s staged a number of acclaimed Broadway concerts. Both are fast and work well with big stars.
We don’t want the Boss wandering around up there, riffing. A Broadway show needs to be tight and bright, not four hours long. The stagehands would be happy — overtime, baby! — but there’d go the profits.