Sting gives Broadway show The Last Ship a boost

Sting jumped aboard his Broadway musical The Last Ship as its newest star on Tuesday night, hoping to help right a show that’s been listing dangerously at the box office.

A bearded Sting got a standing ovation at the Neil Simon Theatre after playing the role of a foreman in the musical. He took no special bow, choosing to stay in line with the ensemble as the clapping grew deafening.

“It’s a play. It’s supposed to be fun and it’s great fun,” Sting said afterward. “The audience were so with us. They were so buoyant. The cast, too. It was a wonderful experience.”

The Last Ship is a semi-autobiographical story about a prodigal son who returns to his northern England shipbuilding town to reclaim the girl he abandoned when he fled years before. He finds the workers are now unemployed and entertaining the idea of building one last boat to show off their skill and pride.

The show has struggled at the box office, attributable in part to its challenging topic. Sting hopes he can help raise both awareness and the weekly take to $625,000 a week, which would put it in the black.

“I had no intention of going in when I was writing it, but I wanted to help the show out. It’s hard to put on a new musical on Broadway, as many shows will tell you,” Sting said. “We had a secret weapon and we used it.”

Producer Jeffrey Seller said that though Sting is an ensemble player in an ensemble show, he’s done two things: “He has given the audience enough of his own unique gifts to please them and satisfy them. And he has also lifted up the whole evening, emotionally.”

Since word of Sting’s arrival, Seller said the show quickly raised $1 million.

“We’re going to make real money this week and for every week he’s in the play, I hope.”

Sting took over the foreman’s role from Jimmy Nail. In the show, the softhearted foreman with a gruff exterior helps lead the workers.

Nail was in the audience on Tuesday and called the experience “absolutely extraordinary.”

“I can’t tell you how proud I am that my name is associated with it,” he said.