"In theater, the process of it is the experience. Everyone goes through the process, and everyone has the experience together. It doesn't last - only in people's memories and in their hearts. That's the beauty and sadness of it. But that's life - beauty and the sadness. And that is why theater is life." - Sherie Rene Scott
Actually, contary to popular belief, several of Sondheim's shows turned a profit:
Forum (OBC & Lane revival) Company (OBC) A Little Night Music (OBC) Side By Side By Sondheim Into the Woods (OBC) Sweeney Todd (revival)
Also, Hal Prince said last year that the original production of Sweeney FINALLY recouped to its investors (presumably due to licensing fees, CD and DVD sales).
Assassins (Roundabout) and The Frogs (LCT) were not-for-profit productions (as were the revivals of Company, Follies, and Pacific Overtures from Roundabout) and, as such, none can be classified as being either a "hit" or a "flop."
The same is true of several shows mentioned in this thread: Dessa Rose, A New Brain, Floyd Collins, My Life with Albertine, Violet, A Man of No Importance, Lippa's Wild Party, and the recent Threepenny revival were all not-for-profit productions that played out their scheduled limited engagements -- and some even extended. Several even received cast recordings. The definition of success in the not-for-profit realm is completely different than the commercial model, so it doesn't make any sense to include such shows on these sorts of lists.
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
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"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney