Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/27/17- Page 2
Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/27/17
neonlightsxo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/29/08
#25Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/27/17
Posted: 8/28/17 at 6:21pm
The lead producer of War Paint is David Stone. He ran If/Then for a year. He also is making money from Wicked as we type.
#26Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/27/17
Posted: 8/28/17 at 6:32pm
It just seems weird to run a show that's losing money weekly. I wonder what David Stone's motive is. For anyone who has seen the show, what is it lacking that has turned so many people away? Is it the book? Score? I know Patti and Christine are giving their all, so it's probably not the performances.
raddersons
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/14/13
#27Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/27/17
Posted: 8/28/17 at 6:33pm
^^ Warpaint is based on a biography of the two women... and it takes too much from the source material. It is encyclopedic in nature and a total slog because of it.
TheThreadMaster
Featured Actor Joined: 2/25/17
#28Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/27/17
Posted: 8/28/17 at 6:54pm
Itonlytakesajourney said: "It just seems weird to run a show that's losing money weekly. I wonder what David Stone's motive is. For anyone who has seen the show, what is it lacking that has turned so many people away? Is it the book? Score? I know Patti and Christine are giving their all, so it's probably not the performances.
"
I mean, its just my opinion but most of the songs are pretty bad.
CurtainPullDowner
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/4/04
#30Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/27/17
Posted: 8/28/17 at 8:04pm
I was a big fan of If/Then. I didn't follow the box office back then. Was it performing as badly as War Paint is now? If War Paint indeed runs for a year, it'll run until March? If so, at least, the crew will have jobs til then.
#31Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/27/17
Posted: 8/28/17 at 8:06pm
CurtainPullDowner said: "I feel bad for ANNASTSIA.
It appears Anastasia is still performing reasonably well unless I'm missing something.
#32Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/27/17
Posted: 8/28/17 at 8:31pm
Anastasia is still performing very well. It has a strong, solid fanbase that lends themselves to many repeat viewings. Most people I've met/talked to have loved the show, and have you seen their stage door? Absolute madness.
neonlightsxo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/29/08
#33Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/27/17
Posted: 8/28/17 at 8:51pm
CurtainPullDowner said: "I feel bad for ANNASTSIA."
Yeah, same. ANASTASIA is crushing them box office wise.
bear88
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/26/16
#34Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/27/17
Posted: 8/28/17 at 9:59pm
I suppose Anastasia could collapse, but it's just lost what I assume was a big part of its audience - tourist families - and is still holding up well. Unless it gets crushed by Frozen next year, I think I will stick with my prediction that it will be the third-longest running show of its season after Come From Away and Dear Evan Hansen.
BroadwayConcierge
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/24/15
#35Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/27/17
Posted: 8/28/17 at 11:18pm
I see Anastasia becoming another School of Rock situation, with box office receipts that fluctuate slightly given school vacations, but ultimately becoming a strong, long-running hit.
jtishere
Understudy Joined: 12/10/10
#36Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/27/17
Posted: 8/28/17 at 11:30pm
Yeah, I don't think we need worry about Anastasia. As for War Paint, I'm glad for the cast and crew as they continue to be employed. I really wish I could have fit this in to my show week (and I've been tempted to come in a day early so I can). While I haven't seen it and so can't speak to it's merit, my impression is that it's the type of show that - back in the day - would have been your typical modest one-season wonder - not a hit, not a flop but runs it's course over a season and moves out for the next show to move in. There were plenty of shows in the 50s and 60s that played a season or so and it was considered respectable. It's lamentable that the show isn't doing well because how often do we get truly original musicals written for an adult audience, with what I feel is a pretty solid score, and get to see two Broadway legends perform their hearts out in it?
Incidentally, This Week on Broadway's podcast from this Sunday features a great interview with War Paint composer Scott Frankel. They also review The Prince of Broadway much more favorably than I anticipated they would.
#37Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/27/17
Posted: 8/29/17 at 12:14am
I wonder if War Paint would've had more success in a season without Dolly and Bette. Seems to attract a similar crowd. Are some picking one over the other?
#38Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/27/17
Posted: 8/29/17 at 12:32am
Off topic. ItOnlyTakesAJourney: I love your picture for your profile! So cool!
BroadwayConcierge
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/24/15
#39Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/27/17
Posted: 8/29/17 at 12:32am
loveinnewyorkcity said: "I wonder if War Paint would've had more success in a season without Dolly and Bette. Seems to attract a similar crowd. Are some picking one over the other?"
I'd imagine not. Dolly is a cultural event, Paint is just a bore.
#40Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/27/17
Posted: 8/29/17 at 12:33am
It is possible (as with all shows) that in a less crowded season they might have had a better chance - without Bette the Tony might have been LuPone or Ebersole's (should have been anyway) - and they would have had a better chance at scoring some more Tony nominations and wins without the multitude of other shows crammed into this season. The same could be said about Groundhog Day. It was a great season for a theatre lover - and it was surprising that almost everyone seemed to have a good start. But there is only so much audience, money and marketing space to go around.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Updated On: 8/29/17 at 12:33 AM
#41Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/27/17
Posted: 8/29/17 at 3:40am
Musicals. Essentially the show is about The Music.
Some get by with a great story, humour, dancing.
The shows that are failing[flops?] that are not bringing in the numbers[intentional] perhaps the fault lies in the music.
#42Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/27/17
Posted: 8/29/17 at 7:36am
Itonlytakesajourney said: "It just seems weird to run a show that's losing money weekly. I wonder what David Stone's motive is. For anyone who has seen the show, what is it lacking that has turned so many people away? Is it the book? Score? I know Patti and Christine are giving their all, so it's probably not the performances."
It could be for his financials and tax purposes (either personal or for his company). "Wicked" is a money-maker, but to off-set it at the end of the year, he has "War Paint" which (allegedly) is a money-loser. They therefore balance each other out, and he's not stuck come tax time.
#43Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/27/17
Posted: 8/29/17 at 7:39am
EthelMae said: "Off topic. ItOnlyTakesAJourney: I love your picture for your profile! So cool!
Thank you! Yours is very nice too 
#44Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/27/17
Posted: 8/29/17 at 9:25am
David10086 said: "It could be for his financials and tax purposes (either personal or for his company). "Wicked" is a money-maker, but to off-set it at the end of the year, he has "War Paint" which (allegedly) is a money-loser. They therefore balance each other out, and he's not stuck come tax time."
There is no strategy in which losing a dollar has a tax advantage. When you offset a dollar of Wicked profit with a dollar of War Paint loss, the tax benefit (let's say 40 cents) cost you a dollar to obtain. Net loss 60 cents.
godlessondheimite
Understudy Joined: 7/30/15
#45Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/27/17
Posted: 8/29/17 at 11:19am
David10086 said: "Itonlytakesajourney said: "It just seems weird to run a show that's losing money weekly. I wonder what David Stone's motive is. For anyone who has seen the show, what is it lacking that has turned so many people away? Is it the book? Score? I know Patti and Christine are giving their all, so it's probably not the performances."
It could be for his financials and tax purposes (either personal or for his company). "Wicked" is a money-maker, but to off-set it at the end of the year, he has "War Paint" which (allegedly) is a money-loser. They therefore balance each other out, and he's not stuck come tax time.
"
You could make more money with a flop than with a hit?
JustAnotherNewYorker
Broadway Star Joined: 12/20/16
#46Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/27/17
Posted: 8/29/17 at 11:33am
HogansHero said: "David10086 said: "It could be for his financials and tax purposes (either personal or for his company). "Wicked" is a money-maker, but to off-set it at the end of the year, he has "War Paint" which (allegedly) is a money-loser. They therefore balance each other out, and he's not stuck come tax time."
There is no strategy in which losing a dollar has a tax advantage. When you offset a dollar of Wicked profit with a dollar of War Paint loss, the tax benefit (let's say 40 cents) cost you a dollar to obtain. Net loss 60 cents.
"
Does the producer have anything coming to Broadway this season? I wonder if, once warpaint was clearly a flop, he decided to take a loss to hold the theatre until his next show came out?...
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#47Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/27/17
Posted: 8/29/17 at 12:25pm
Or maybe, with all the other shows closing in the next few weeks, he's hoping there will be a bump for War Paint. I don't think it's a tourist heavy show, so maybe the next few months aren't as bad as we think for them.
BroadwayConcierge
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/24/15
#48Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/27/17
Posted: 8/29/17 at 12:28pm
I'm just curious what the number is that invokes the Nederlander stop clause for War Paint. $510k for a musical that big is just embarrassing.
Updated On: 8/29/17 at 12:28 PM
evic
Broadway Star Joined: 3/5/04
#49Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/27/17
Posted: 8/29/17 at 12:59pm
War Paint got a pass from most critics. It is a bore with awful music. Only the draw of the stars is keeping it open. And they don't come cheap. They will continue in a downward path until the women's contracts are up or maybe sooner. And if Cameron Mc wants to keep losing upwards of 300,000 a week on Saigon, that will continue until January. So much money flushed down the toilet. You can shoot deer in the Broadway Theater.
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