Emptiest/Smallest Audiences at Broadway shows?- Page 2

[Jarethan]

Posted: 4/29/20 at 9:03pm

50 plus years ago, I saw The Subject Was Roses at the Belasco. The only occupied seats in the entire theatre were the first 10 rows center of the orchestra. I was only 16 and I remember feeling sorry for the actors. I also saw The Lion In Winter at the Ambassador Theatre — with Robert Preston and an incredibly acclaimed (and Tony winning Rosemary Harris) — in a theatre that could not have been more than 25% full. At least in this one, the audience reaction was much louder than the audience size would have suggested.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 4/29/20 at 9:03pm

50 plus years ago, I saw The Subject Was Roses at the Belasco. The only occupied seats in the entire theatre were the first 10 rows center of the orchestra. I was only 16 and I remember feeling sorry for the actors. I also saw The Lion In Winter at the Ambassador Theatre — with Robert Preston and an incredibly acclaimed (and Tony winning Rosemary Harris) — in a theatre that could not have been more than 25% full. At least in this one, the audience reaction was much louder than the audience size would have suggested.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 4/29/20 at 9:03pm

50 plus years ago, I saw The Subject Was Roses at the Belasco. The only occupied seats in the entire theatre were the first 10 rows center of the orchestra. I was only 16 and I remember feeling sorry for the actors. I also saw The Lion In Winter at the Ambassador Theatre — with Robert Preston and an incredibly acclaimed (and Tony winning Rosemary Harris) — in a theatre that could not have been more than 25% full. At least in this one, the audience reaction was much louder than the audience size would have suggested.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 4/29/20 at 9:28pm

I went to see the Hair revival before the big cast change. They let everyone from the last 2 rows of the mezzanine move down to the front.

They closed off the balcony at Finian's Rainbow when I saw that.

[Broadway Buddy]

Posted: 4/29/20 at 11:17pm

Lighting Thief. Only one in my row. Completely empty audience in general. Also second time I saw Tootsie it was pretty empty. Got a premium seat for $42 (rush though but still).

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/30/20 at 12:01am

Patti LuPone recounts that at one performance of THE BAKER's WIFE at the Kennedy Center there were only 23 people in the audience. She adds: "There's something to be said for someone who pays $25.00 for a balcony seat and chooses to stay there while the rest of the theater is empty"

[David10086]

Posted: 4/30/20 at 12:28am

For me it has to be when I attended the Sunday matinee of “Summer” in July, 2018. I had bought a discounted ticket in the rear mezzanine, and ended up moving down to the second row of the front mezzanine ( with everyone else in the RM) because the theater was empty. I probably could have moved down to the orchestra ( it was pretty empty,too, from what I could see), but my view was great from where I now sat. It wasn’t long after they announced its closing.

Updated On: 4/30/20 at 12:28 AM

[zainmax]

Posted: 4/30/20 at 1:06am

Wasn’t there, but I read that the attendance at THE GREAT SOCIETY was bad...

[broadway213]

Posted: 4/30/20 at 1:50pm

Quite a few come to mind for me- 

Head over heels for sure, where I was in maybe row H of the orch and the entire orch behind us was empty. 

Airline Highway at MTC- where I was maybe one of 4 people in the mezz

The tail end of My Fair Lady at LCT where nearly the full side sections of the orch were empty

I also know the revival of Side show didn't even open the balcony at the St James- but that's also a pretty big theater... 

[AuroratheGeek]

Posted: 5/1/20 at 6:10pm

I got $19 balcony tickets for Kander and Ebb's The Visit (apparently there were something like 1,975 steps up to the balcony), and they directed us all to the orchestra immediately, which wasn't full. I'm not sure if they had anyone in the mezz at all. 

[IAMREADING]

Posted: 5/2/20 at 9:04am

When I saw NeNe Leakes in Chicago, most of the mezzanine was empty. I got a rush ticket about 2 hours before. I also saw some empty ORCH during Lightning Thief previews but forget what the MEZZ looked like.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/2/20 at 10:04am

I’ve told this story before but after 9/11, I went to first performances of “Rocky Horror” and it was pretty empty. I only have a vague recollection of how many people were in the audience but it was only a handful. Anyways the lights dimmed, Daphne came out and started to sing and I immediately realized I was the only person doing shout outs - and that lasted for the entire performance. When it was over at the curtain call, the cast pointed to me and everyone gave me a round of applause, as well. Thank God I knew that show as well as I did because I felt like I was pulled out of a crowd and just thrown on a stage to make my broadway debut. It really was terrifying lol.

[nealb1]

Posted: 5/2/20 at 2:31pm

When I saw "The Visit," there was probably 20 people in the mezz on that Sunday afternoon.  I had a front row seat.

The night I saw "Scandalous," there was about 20 people in the entire Orchestra section.

[Joshua Rosenthal]

Posted: 5/3/20 at 8:50pm

dearalanaaaa said: "I wasn't there, but before the system glitch the audience for Getting the band Back together must have been empty. The mezzanine always had available tickets! And the orchestra didn't seem too packed either online."

What do you mean by "system glitch"? I was at the final preview of Gettin' the Band Back Together and it didn't seem to be empty, but then again I couldn't tell. my dad and I were in the sixth row I think since there was a ticket special for previews (I think it was specifically for the orchestra/certain rows in the orch, but I don't remember.). Likewise, since it was the final preview, perhaps it was more crowded than it normally would have been. 

[Joshua Rosenthal]

Posted: 5/3/20 at 10:05pm

I saw this revival in the Circle in the Square Theatre as well, and I was surprise that they didn’t dim or turn off the house lights other than for a few moments during a couple scenes for effect (which did work well). I think I may have glanced to see any empty seats, but then again I went on a Friday or Saturday evening show if I remember correctly so that’s probably why it was more packed to my memory at least. Seemed crowded. I have a few reasons why they may have kept the lights on, one of them being to make it seem like a hoedown (as if the fantastic renovation and decorations weren’t enough haha), and I applaud them for that (in my opinion somewhat brave) decision.

[Joshua Rosenthal]

Posted: 5/3/20 at 10:14pm

Phantom4ever said: "The Phantom of the Opera, two Saturdays after September 11th:

Everybody was saying that the long runners were going to close because tourists, especially international tourists, would not return to New York City. So I bought a rear mezzanine ticket to Phantom, bracing myself for seeing my beloved show one final time. A few minutes before curtain, the ushers told everyone in the rear mezz and front mezz to come downstairs. The jammed us into the first 7 rows of the front orchestra. When I turned around and saw the theater essentially empty and the ushers talking about how this is how it is at every performance, I got choked up and realized that the rumors were true and long runners like Phantom would never survive small audiences like that for long. Little did I know that by 2003, ALW and CM did strongly consider closing Phantom but luckily grosses bounced back.



Avenue Q, the first night back after the IATSE strike, December 2007

When they announced the strike was over, I was so happy I knew I had to see a show that night, so I raced to Times Sq and got tickets to Avenue Q. Word had apparently not gotten out yet because the mezz looked almost empty and the orchestra was at most 30-40% full.

Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune, summer 2019

This was was generally unpopular, and the performance I went to was no exception. I was in the front mezz and the ushers told everyone to sit wherever they wanted and to spread out. There was maybe ten people at most in the mezz. The weird part was two women sat right behind me even though there were acres of empty seats and they gave a running commentary of the play. Normally that would have angered me but they were actually witty and shady so I somehow enjoyed their rudeness."

These are all extremely interesting stories! Of course the context of 9/11 is extremely heartbreaking as it such such a tragedy. I was born on ‘02, but yeah it clearly is reasonable to imagine that theatres remained at low capacities for some time (especially since I don’t know when tourism started to rise again). Considering that the majority of ticket sales I believe are from tourists, it must be hard for touristy spots and their attractions like Broadway to survive during downtime’s on tourism. And it shocks me to even imagine a theatre being so empty that an estime of the orchestra’s capacity I would be in the minority (>50%), let alone being told by an usher that I can sit where I please, even if it be in a more expensive tier of seating (orchestra, front mezz, etc.). 

[Joshua Rosenthal]

Posted: 5/3/20 at 10:29pm

Broadway Buddy said: "Lighting Thief. Only one in my row. Completely empty audience in general. Also second time I saw Tootsie it was pretty empty. Got a premium seat for $42 (rush though but still). "

I saw this with my dad in November and from what I remember it seemed pretty full. Rushed the show at the Marquis box office probably at half-hour it so, maybe more idk. Had AMAZING seats, row H very close to the centre of the row, if not there, for $99. Seat 106 and I believe 108. The purple next to us liked it I think and I love the show. 

[Joshua Rosenthal]

Posted: 5/3/20 at 10:40pm

nealb1 said: "When I saw "The Visit," there was probably 20 people in the mezz on that Sunday afternoon. I had a front row seat.

The night I saw "Scandalous," there was about 20 people in the entire Orchestra section."

I think I heard some negative things about The Visit but I don’t remember, however there is another story, maybe two or so, on this thread about The Visit as well. And 20? Is that an over-exaggeration because wowee that’s quite a small number, even for a flop like Scandalous 

[Joshua Rosenthal]

Posted: 5/3/20 at 10:43pm

Jordan Catalano said: "I’ve told this story before but after 9/11, I went to first performances of “Rocky Horror” and it was pretty empty. I only have a vague recollection of how many people were in the audience but it was only a handful. Anyways the lights dimmed, Daphne came out and started to sing and I immediately realized I was the only person doing shout outs - and that lasted for the entire performance. When it was over at the curtain call, the cast pointed to me and everyone gave me a round of applause, as well. Thank God I knew that show as well as I did because I felt like I was pulled out of a crowd and just thrown on a stage to make my broadway debut. It really was terrifying lol. "

Obviously the context of this story (9/11) is very sad and heartbreaking, however your experience at the show itself seemed rather interesting haha! As I was reading this I felt uncomfortable only because I was thinking that if I were to resaliez that I was the only one doing the shoutouts, I’d feel awkward, but that’s nothing to say about you, as that experience seems really cool! Especially to get recognized by the cast and get your own applause! 

[sppunk]

Posted: 5/3/20 at 10:51pm

I saw that horrifically bad Radio City Summer Spectator with what I think was 280 others in Radio City Music Hall. 

That wins. 
 

When we saw War Paint there were 8 of us in the mezzanine, abd iirc the orchestra was about 3/4 full.

 

[MichelleCraig]

Posted: 5/3/20 at 11:16pm

In the late Summer of 1979, I saw Liv Ullmann in I REMEMBER MAMA. I think it was Richard Rodgers last musical. I was (ignorantly) surprised at how empty the theater was. I think when I checked Variety a week later, the show was doing about 45% capacity business. 

[Joshua Rosenthal]

Posted: 5/3/20 at 11:58pm

sppunk said: "I saw that horrifically bad Radio City Summer Spectator with what I think was 280 others in Radio City Music Hall.

That wins.


When we saw War Paint there were 8 of us in the mezzanine, abd iirc the orchestra was about 3/4 full.

Damn  with 280 in a 6,000+(?)-capacity theatre, it must have felt barrennnnnnnn. War Paint seemed like it had a decent following and that it was a good musical, though it didn’t last very long did it? unfortunate 

 

Updated On: 5/3/20 at 11:58 PM

[Joshua Rosenthal]

Posted: 5/4/20 at 12:00am

MichelleCraig said: "In the late Summer of 1979,I saw Liv Ullmann in I REMEMBER MAMA. I think it was Richard Rodgers last musical. I was (ignorantly) surprised at how empty the theater was. I think when I checked Variety a week later, the show was doing about 45% capacity business."

Interestingly enough, I don’t think I’ve heard of this show before. If I have I can’t recall. Was it maybe not the best show?

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 5/4/20 at 3:10am

Bat Out Of Hell.

[Joshua Rosenthal]

Posted: 5/4/20 at 8:48am

SmoothLover said: "Bat Out Of Hell."

I thought that show had a good following on Broadway. The show seemed hyped up at least