Not a single (straight) play on Broadway

[TonyVincent]

Posted: 8/15/10 at 10:07pm

When Race closes on the 21st, there won't be any straight plays open on Broadway. Any idea when the last time this happened was?

[AvenueQResident]

Posted: 8/15/10 at 10:33pm

A few years ago, the season which had the Local One strike, I remember there weren't any plays running during late August/early September.

Updated On: 8/15/10 at 10:33 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/15/10 at 10:36pm

See what happens when you let gays get married?


That will change soon enough when the new falls begin coming in.

[theatreguy]

Posted: 8/15/10 at 11:02pm

Last time it happened was 2007. Deuce, Frost/Nixon and Old Acquaintance closed on August 19 and there were no plays until Mauritius started previews on September 13. That's 25 play-less days whereas this year it's only 13 days between Race closing and Mrs. Warren's Profession beginning previews.

There have also been several years where only one play was running between the end of August and early September (usually the Best Play Tony winner). Last year it was The 39 Steps, 2008 was August: Osage County, 2006 was The History Boys, 2005 was Doubt, etc. Updated On: 8/15/10 at 11:02 PM

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 8/15/10 at 11:07pm

And there will be a straight play back on Broadway the week after.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/15/10 at 11:11pm

"Straight" as opposed to "gay"?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/15/10 at 11:14pm

(thus my previous post)

[Rudy2]

Posted: 8/16/10 at 5:21am

Actually, that unfortunate period in 2007 began not on August 20 but on August 27 after "The Year of Magical Thinking," which I loved dearly, closed on the 26th.

[TonyVincent]

Posted: 8/16/10 at 1:29pm

"Straight" as opposed to "gay"?

Exactly. If Next Fall hadn't closed already, it wouldn't count anyway.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 8/16/10 at 1:57pm

Most summer tourists would rather see a musical, so summer is notoriously tough on plays. The New York Times and Variety sometimes point out what a shameful occurrence it is when there are no straight plays running on Broadway in August, but most producers and non-profit theatre companies know that it makes sense to bring in a play when the New Yorkers and tri-state frequent playgoers are back from their vacations.

At any rate, between September 3 and the end of the year, eleven plays are on the way: four new, six revivals and one return engagement of a new play from last season.

Brief Encounter
The Pitmen Painters
Mrs. Warren's Profession
A Life in the Theatre
La Bete
Time Stands Still
Lombardi
Driving Miss Daisy
The Merchant of Venice
A Free Man of Color
Elling

Not a bad roster...

[Weez]

Posted: 8/16/10 at 2:26pm

Ooh, you're getting Elling? Marvellous! I look forward to hearing what y'all think of that! :3

[TonyVincent]

Posted: 8/16/10 at 6:07pm

Thanks for the rundown, Smaxie, I figured that was the case, but didn't realize how frequently it occurred around August.