"And that's the mistake that was made with Steel Pier. Roger was caught between a rock and hard place. It would have cost a couple of million dollars more to take it to Boston or someplace first. So we opened about a month too early"

Gregory Harrison recalls the challenges faced during the launch of "Steel Pier", focusing on critical decisions that impacted the show's fate. He points out that there was a strategic dilemma for Roger, likely referring to producer Roger Berlind, who had to choose between spending additional money for an out-of-town tryout or proceeding directly to Broadway. Harrison illustrates how financial constraints and scheduling pressures can profoundly affect creative works in theater production.

The metaphor "caught between a rock and a hard place" highlights the virtually impossible decision-making process: allocating "a couple of million dollars more" for a pre-Broadway run in a city like Boston might have enabled the creative team to refine and strengthen the show, which is standard industry practice. Such out-of-town previews provide the opportunity to test the musical in front of audiences, receive feedback, address technical issues, and make necessary changes based on real-time reactions. Skipping this important step, Harrison suggests, forced "Steel Pier" to premiere in New York before it was fully ready, sacrificing crucial development time due to budgetary and perhaps external pressures.

Saying they "opened about a month too early" conveys regret over the compressed timeline, which deprived the show of its natural gestation period. It suggests that the production may have suffered critically or commercially, issues like pacing, tone, or character development might not have been properly resolved. Harrison’s words hint at a broader commentary on how economic realities can undercut creative ambition within the high-stakes context of Broadway theater. Ultimately, the observation reveals the vulnerability of stage productions when sound artistic process is trumped by monetary limitations or scheduling demands, and it serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of giving creative work the time, resources, and space it needs to succeed.