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| FROZEN Sets New House Record at the St. James Theatre for the First Time in Over a Decade | |
| Posted by: Official_Press_Release 05:50 pm EDT 04/02/18 | |
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| FROZEN BREAKS HOUSE RECORD AT THE ST. JAMES THEATRE IN FIRST WEEK SINCE OPENING ON BROADWAY The New Record Marks the First Time a Production Has Broken The 8-Performance Record Set by The Producers Over 14 Years Ago In its first full week of performances since opening on Broadway on March 22, Disney Theatrical’s new Broadway musical Frozen broke the house record at the St. James Theatre for the week ending April 1 with a gross of $2,246,997.50 on eight performances. This marks the first time a production has broken the eight-performance house record of $1,600,243.00 established by the smash hit The Producers over 14 years ago for the week ending January 4, 2004. Prior to last week, the only other production to break that record was Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, which set a new house record at the St. James with a gross of $1,645,221.00 for the week ending December 23, 2007, a week in which that production played 15 performances. Frozen has joined Disney Theatrical hits Aladdin and The Lion King on Broadway, playing at the historic St. James Theatre. The new Broadway musical opened on Thursday, March 22, and Variety has already declared, “Frozen sizzles!” “Disney’s struck gold! Sumptuous sets, gorgeous costumes and plenty of special effects to wow the audience!” raves the New York Post. The Wall Street Journal applauds Frozen’s “spectacular stagecraft;” Newsday writes, “the show has all the makings of a serious megahit” and The Telegraph declares, “Frozen will burn up Broadway for years to come!” Frozen, a full-length stage work told in two acts, is the first and only incarnation of the tale that expands upon and deepens its indelible plot and themes through new songs and story material from the film’s creators; in fact, this new stage production features more than twice as much music as the film. Like the Disney Theatrical Broadway musicals that have come before it, it is a full evening of theatre running over two hours. Based on the 2013 film written by a trio of Oscar® winners, Frozen features music and lyrics by the creators of the film score Kristen Anderson-Lopez (Up Here, Winnie the Pooh, In Transit) and EGOT-winner Robert Lopez (Avenue Q, The Book of Mormon, Up Here) and a book by Jennifer Lee (Zootopia, Wreck-It Ralph), the film’s screenwriter and director (with Chris Buck). Frozen won 2014 Oscars for Best Song (“Let It Go”) and Best Animated Feature. Four of the 12 new songs written for the Broadway musical are available now at FrozenTheMusical.com/music and wherever music is streamed or sold. Frozen’s director is Michael Grandage, a Tony Award® winner (Red) and director of three Olivier Award-winning Outstanding Musicals (Merrily We Roll Along, Grand Hotel and Guys and Dolls), and Rob Ashford, Tony Award winner (Thoroughly Modern Millie) and multiple Tony and Olivier Award nominee, is choreographer. Frozen stars Broadway veterans Caissie Levy as Elsa and Patti Murin as Anna. The two women are joined by principal cast members Jelani Alladin (Kristoff), Greg Hildreth (Olaf), John Riddle (Hans), Robert Creighton (Weselton), Kevin Del Aguila (Oaken), Timothy Hughes (Pabbie), Andrew Pirozzi (Sven), Audrey Bennett (Young Anna), Mattea Conforti (Young Anna), Brooklyn Nelson (Young Elsa), Ayla Schwartz (Young Elsa), Alyssa Fox (Elsa Standby), Aisha Jackson (Anna Standby) and Adam Jepsen (Sven Alternate). In a cast of over 40, Frozen also features Alicia Albright, Tracee Beazer, Wendi Bergamini, Ashley Blanchet, James Brown III, Claire Camp, Lauren Nicole Chapman, Spencer Clark, Jeremy Davis, Kali Grinder, Ashley Elizabeth Hale, Zach Hess, Donald Jones, Jr., Nina Lafarga, Ross Lekites, Austin Lesch, Synthia Link, Travis Patton, Adam Perry, Jeff Pew, Olivia Phillip, Noah J. Ricketts, Ann Sanders, Jacob Smith and Nicholas Ward. The design team for Frozen includes scenic and costume design by two-time Tony and Olivier Award winner Christopher Oram (Wolf Hall Parts 1 & 2, The Cripple of Inishmaan, Evita), lighting design by six-time Tony Award winner Natasha Katz (Aladdin; Hello Dolly!; An American in Paris), sound design by four-time Tony nominee Peter Hylenski (The Scottsboro Boys, Motown, After Midnight), video design by Tony winner Finn Ross (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time), puppet design by Michael Curry (The Lion King, Spamalot), hair design by David Brian Brown (War Paint, She Loves Me), makeup design by Anne Ford-Coates (On Your Feet!; On the Twentieth Century) and special effects design by Jeremy Chernick (Aladdin, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child). Two-time Tony Award winner Stephen Oremus (Avenue Q, Wicked, The Book of Mormon) is music supervisor and creates vocal, incidental and dance arrangements. He is joined on the music team by Tony nominee Dave Metzger (orchestrations), Chris Montan (executive music producer), David Chase (additional dance arrangements) and Brian Usifer (music director). Frozen is produced by Disney Theatrical Productions under the direction of Thomas Schumacher. |
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| Not impressed! | |
| Posted by: icecadet 10:47 am EDT 04/03/18 | |
| In reply to: FROZEN Sets New House Record at the St. James Theatre for the First Time in Over a Decade - Official_Press_Release 05:50 pm EDT 04/02/18 | |
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| Frozen’s top ticket price (for the sold-out week in question) was $297.00! | |
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| re: Not impressed! | |
| Posted by: Mac29 01:13 pm EDT 04/04/18 | |
| In reply to: Not impressed! - icecadet 10:47 am EDT 04/03/18 | |
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| Me neither. If you are a theatre owner or producer, total money taken in is important. But to evaluate the popularity of a show, it's how many seats were filled. | |
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| something rotten is the longest running show since producers at a year and half. | |
| Posted by: dramedy 07:06 pm EDT 04/02/18 | |
| In reply to: FROZEN Sets New House Record at the St. James Theatre for the First Time in Over a Decade - Official_Press_Release 05:50 pm EDT 04/02/18 | |
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| and really wasn't that strong of a seller. There have been mostly flops at the theater like revivals of side show, on a clear day, finians rainbow and gypsy. bullets over Broadway, bring it on, leap of faith only lasted a few months or less. American idiot managed a year. But really, that track record isn't any worse than minskoff or Gershwin that had a string of flops for,decades until a hit took over the theater. Even Shubert theater houses flops like hello dolly!!! | |
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| re: something rotten is the longest running show since producers at a year and half. | |
| Posted by: Thom915 07:36 pm EDT 04/02/18 | |
| In reply to: something rotten is the longest running show since producers at a year and half. - dramedy 07:06 pm EDT 04/02/18 | |
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| Um, "Hello, Dolly" (still running) isn't a flop. At least not yet and will likely recoup. | |
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| that was a joke | |
| Posted by: dramedy 07:43 pm EDT 04/02/18 | |
| In reply to: re: something rotten is the longest running show since producers at a year and half. - Thom915 07:36 pm EDT 04/02/18 | |
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| Why haven't they announced recoup when it's taken in $100m so far in its first year. | |
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| re: that was a joke | |
| Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 08:08 pm EDT 04/02/18 | |
| In reply to: that was a joke - dramedy 07:43 pm EDT 04/02/18 | |
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| Given what we have recently learned about Meteor Shower, I suspect Dolly hasn't recouped yet most likely because the weekly operating expenses with Bette, Murphy, and Hyde-Pierce were far higher than most of us figured. On the plus side, the weekly grosses with Bernadette have been a hell of a lot stronger than I thought possible given that she has been doing the role during the winter months of January through March. Nevertheless, I do think that this show (like the Night Music revival) will eventually recoup before she leaves. Just my gut opinion. | |
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| re: that was a joke | |
| Posted by: Thom915 07:47 pm EDT 04/02/18 | |
| In reply to: that was a joke - dramedy 07:43 pm EDT 04/02/18 | |
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| I am sorry. I didn't get it. I am still getting over April Fool's Day. And yeah I agree it's weird they haven't announced recoupment. Maybe Bette got more money than we think. | |
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| There is no requirement to announce | |
| Posted by: dramedy 08:08 pm EDT 04/02/18 | |
| In reply to: re: that was a joke - Thom915 07:47 pm EDT 04/02/18 | |
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| Although Rudin usually does. Maybe the numerous press releases on how Shubert boxoffice was being broken weekly put them in a position to not announce. They may do it when the show closes at the end of the year (if rumors are correct) so that no one except investors know how much profit was made. | |
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| re: There is no requirement to announce | |
| Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 08:20 pm EDT 04/02/18 | |
| In reply to: There is no requirement to announce - dramedy 08:08 pm EDT 04/02/18 | |
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| There is no requirement, but I don't think it makes good business sense to not announce it. Branding a show as a bona fide hit encourages more people to see it and will make it easier to promote the upcoming tour (which will need all the help it can get). Has there ever been a hit show that did not announce it recouped (if not openly then at least by leaking the recoupment news to a journalist like Suskin)? | |
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| i don't think Aladdin actually announced. | |
| Posted by: dramedy 08:44 pm EDT 04/02/18 | |
| In reply to: re: There is no requirement to announce - BroadwayTonyJ 08:20 pm EDT 04/02/18 | |
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| But Disney is a little different than other producers. There are a few plays that I wonder about like no mans land with Stewart and mckellen | |
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| re: i don't think Aladdin actually announced. | |
| Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 12:34 pm EDT 04/03/18 | |
| In reply to: i don't think Aladdin actually announced. - dramedy 08:44 pm EDT 04/02/18 | |
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| Disney is different. My recollection is that King David and Newsies announced their recoupment in the conventional manner. I think Suskin in either his books or columns reported the recoupment of Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Aida. I don't know if he still is involved in recoupment research. In any case you are right that Aladdin has never announced. However, I have no doubt that after over 4 years averaging $1.496 million plus per week (in addition to a blockbuster tour) Aladdin has recouped. Regarding the 2013 revival of No Man's Land, I didn't see it and don't remember much about its grosses. When a play recoups at the Cort, it's usually considered an event and gets covered a lot in the press. There was considerable hoopla when You're Welcome, America; Fences; A View from the Bridge; and Fish and the Dark recouped so I'm guessing that No Man's Land didn't. |
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| re: i don't think Aladdin actually announced. | |
| Posted by: ryhog 12:20 pm EDT 04/04/18 | |
| In reply to: re: i don't think Aladdin actually announced. - BroadwayTonyJ 12:34 pm EDT 04/03/18 | |
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| Using the word "recoupment" in connection with Disney (or any show wholly produced by a corporation) is gibberish. | |
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| re: i don't think Aladdin actually announced. | |
| Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 04:19 pm EDT 04/03/18 | |
| In reply to: re: i don't think Aladdin actually announced. - BroadwayTonyJ 12:34 pm EDT 04/03/18 | |
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| "My recollection is that King David and Newsies announced their recoupment in the conventional manner." KING DAVID? Do you mean the production that was done for six performances in 1997 to reopen the New Amsterdam? |
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| re: i don't think Aladdin actually announced. | |
| Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 05:49 pm EDT 04/03/18 | |
| In reply to: re: i don't think Aladdin actually announced. - Michael_Portantiere 04:19 pm EDT 04/03/18 | |
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| Yes. 6 performances and 3 previews. Variety announced that it had recouped its investment shortly after it closed. The operating costs must have been minimal -- it was a concert. King David did receive a cast recording, which I purchased at the time. I haven't listened to it in ages, but I may pull it out today for the hell of it. | |
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| re: i don't think Aladdin actually announced. | |
| Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 03:36 pm EDT 04/04/18 | |
| In reply to: re: i don't think Aladdin actually announced. - BroadwayTonyJ 05:49 pm EDT 04/03/18 | |
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| "Yes. 6 performances and 3 previews. Variety announced that it had recouped its investment shortly after it closed. The operating costs must have been minimal -- it was a concert. " I don't doubt you, but that is very surprising. I don't remember what the ticket prices were, but regardless, I can't imagine how it could recoup over so short a run. It may have been a concert, but it was quite an elaborate one, as I recall, with a large cast. Perhaps they were able to keep costs down by writing the contracts along the lines of an Encores! show? |
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| re: i don't think Aladdin actually announced. | |
| Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 04:22 pm EDT 04/04/18 | |
| In reply to: re: i don't think Aladdin actually announced. - Michael_Portantiere 03:36 pm EDT 04/04/18 | |
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| Variety did describe it as an Encores-type show. I believe the tickets may have been $75. If they sold out all 9 performances, 1727 x 9 = 15,543 x 75 = $1,165,725.00 -- I guess recoupment theoretically would be possible. | |
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| re: i don't think Aladdin actually announced. | |
| Posted by: ryhog 10:34 pm EDT 04/04/18 | |
| In reply to: re: i don't think Aladdin actually announced. - BroadwayTonyJ 04:22 pm EDT 04/04/18 | |
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| Apropos of what I said earlier about recoupment being gibberish for Disney, this is the explication. What expenses were offset (and not) against revenue? Like not many of the big ticket ones. | |
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| re: i don't think Aladdin actually announced. | |
| Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 03:57 pm EDT 04/04/18 | |
| In reply to: re: i don't think Aladdin actually announced. - Michael_Portantiere 03:36 pm EDT 04/04/18 | |
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| I don't know. Back then I used to subscribe to Variety. Like a true theatre nerd, I used to save the theatre section from each week. I always highlighted articles that reported that various Broadway shows had recouped. I know King David was supposed to be a fill-in show until The Lion King was ready. I knew it was a short run -- I'm not sure if I realized at the time that it only ran for 9 shows. I do know that its recoupment was announced in Variety. | |
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| re: i don't think Aladdin actually announced. | |
| Posted by: Ann 04:14 pm EDT 04/04/18 | |
| In reply to: re: i don't think Aladdin actually announced. - BroadwayTonyJ 03:57 pm EDT 04/04/18 | |
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| Link | Maybe this was the article |
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| re: i don't think Aladdin actually announced. | |
| Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 04:36 pm EDT 04/04/18 | |
| In reply to: re: i don't think Aladdin actually announced. - Ann 04:14 pm EDT 04/04/18 | |
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| That is definitely one of the articles I remember reading in the theatre section I had clipped out for that week. I believe there was an earlier very brief one -- probably a paragraph or just a few sentences referring to King David. I tried googling and couldn't find it. I actually saved the theatre sections of Variety for about 20 years, but finally had to discard them. Thanks for finding that article. | |
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