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| Their pre-pandemic prospects. | |
| Posted by: portenopete 11:42 am EDT 06/19/22 | |
| In reply to: Farewell to Hangmen and Girl From The North Country - TheOtherOne 09:49 am EDT 06/19/22 | |
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| I saw both shows in London and neither seemed like very likely Broadway prospects, given the material, the stories and the size of the casts. Their dogged determination to re-open (multiple times) was admirable and I think the producers put in a valiant effort. To be honest, I am hopeful that the Broadway landscape will shift more towards shorter runs of more shows and that two or three months' run will be more frequent. I imagine there will have to be some readjustment in the financial planning and fundraising and presumably lessen the profits for all involved, chiefly investors and theatre owners. It's beyond my ability but I hope there are people who are trying to figure out how to do it. |
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| 3 month runs for musicals will never happen | |
| Posted by: dramedy 01:42 pm EDT 06/19/22 | |
| In reply to: Their pre-pandemic prospects. - portenopete 11:42 am EDT 06/19/22 | |
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| It costs $8-12m for a small musical. I think sing street is $11m. There is no way to recoup that in 3 months even sold out run. Plays barely do it and they cost $3-6m with a lot lower weekly costs. I think a year might work. There are shows like promises promises, boy from oz and maybe music man that are built around stars for one year contract to recoup and close. Hello dolly kind of did that. Bette milder returned and show closed without stunt casting—but part of that was Scott rudin wanting to put mockingbird in the shubert. And most hot ticket musicals do recoup within a year. And if a show doesn’t recoup in the first year it’s almost unlikely that it ever will. There are exceptions like revival of 42nd street that took almost 4 years. Revivals seem to be built around a one year model. I think most new musicals are expected to run 3-5 years like Hansen and come from away. |
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| re: 3 month runs for musicals will never happen | |
| Posted by: portenopete 02:00 pm EDT 06/19/22 | |
| In reply to: 3 month runs for musicals will never happen - dramedy 01:42 pm EDT 06/19/22 | |
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| I didn't actually state it but when I wrote that I had plays in mind, more specifically offbeat things like Dana H. and The Lehman Trilogy. I admit to not really understanding where all the money goes. Are theatre owners already willing to lower their profits by offering more affordable rates to use their theatres? Are the three governments giving cultural businesses (as opposed to charitable not-for-profits) as much of a break as they can? Have the unions made concessions to the (quite lucrative) deals that their members (stagehands, performers, musicians, support staff) enjoy in a Broadway house? Having spent my whole career in the not-for-profit sector I am always shocked to hear commercial producers in private talking about the prospects of shows in their control and the rather bloodless way they discuss closing things down that are not breaking even. I don't have a business brain and although I can understand not wanting to lose your entire net worth on a show, I can't wrap my mind around people and organisations worth hundreds of millions not willing to lose a few million a year in times like these where the whole existence of the business/art form is in jeopardy. |
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| re: 3 month runs for musicals will never happen | |
| Posted by: Delvino 01:57 pm EDT 06/19/22 | |
| In reply to: 3 month runs for musicals will never happen - dramedy 01:42 pm EDT 06/19/22 | |
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| I returned to Dolly - hottest ticket with Midler - and saw it with Peters on TDF. To those who wanted Murphy to have six months of her own, some of those crying out for her Mame, she just couldn’t fill the Shubert 8 times a week with a profit. “Stars” have to be greater that theatrical stars in this climate. | |
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| Peters probably made enough to pay the bills | |
| Last Edit: dramedy 02:24 pm EDT 06/19/22 | |
| Posted by: dramedy 02:23 pm EDT 06/19/22 | |
| In reply to: re: 3 month runs for musicals will never happen - Delvino 01:57 pm EDT 06/19/22 | |
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| There were rumors of queen latifah taking over—she would have been a boxoffice draw and do a great job in the show. I agree that a broadway star as replacement doesn’t usually work. | |
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