Musical of film 'Rocky,' battered on Broadway, will close in August, never having been a hit

The Broadway musical "Rocky" is hanging up its gloves after being battered at the box office.

Producers said Tuesday that the show will play its final performance at the Winter Garden Theatre on Aug. 17, after playing 28 previews and 188 regular performances.

Based on the Oscar-winning 1976 film by Sylvester Stallone, the musical features a score by "Ragtime" veterans Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, and a story by Thomas Meehan, who wrote "Hairspray." Alex Timbers directed.

The musical stays close to the film, which charted the rise and romance of amateur boxer and debt collector Rocky Balboa, who gets his shot against an undefeated heavyweight champ. Andy Karl starred as the hero.

The musical never took off after mixed to poor reviews, despite a spectacular final few minutes when the boxing ring is lowered onto the first few rows. It broke the $1 million-mark only once and lately was making only half its $1,263,688 potential.

The show earned four Tony Award nominations but took home only a scenic design award.

The closing notice comes a day after "Holler If Ya Hear Me," a musical that that uses Tupac Shakur songs, announced it would close on Sunday after finding little love at the box office.

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Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits