Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 10/22/23- Page 2

[DrMonicaDeMoneco]

Posted: 10/25/23 at 12:57am

B212323 said: "muscle23ftl said: "B212323 said: "muscle23ftl said: "Whoever said that Lindsay's fans are buying tickets for Merrily is completely delusional. Daniel's fans and Jonathan's fans you mean. Sorry! She is a talented actress who got very lucky with the shows she booked, but she is not a draw."

I know 3 people who bought tickets expressly to see her because they loved her performance in Carousel (they're older and don't really know Groff or Radcliffe)."

You know, you're right. Those 3 fans totally count. Actually, let me rephrase it, the show doesn't even need Daniel or Jonathan or Sondheim, Lindsay is selling out the show and bringing 2 million per week. Just like she did in Carousel, why it was such a huge hit."

that's three that one person knows - I'm not saying she's the sole reason its selling out but to dismiss her as not having any fans is not true. But by all means belittle the female diverse lead of the show."

Oh please, give it a rest. Practically no one is coming to see Merrily because of Lindsay Mendez. She’s not a name, she’s not recognizable outside the theatre community and even some in the theatre community have  no idea who she is.  It’s Daniel and Jonathan. They’re bringing in the crowds. They are names. Daniel is an international super star. 
get over it. Go cry your fake Lindsay tears elsewhere. 

[inception]

Posted: 10/25/23 at 4:12am

I didn't buy a ticket specifically because of Mendez, but I would say that since she was part of the original cast  of Dogfight, which fortunately got a recording, she has some allure - even if it is for a limited audience.  I didn't see her in Carousel as I made an X-mas trip to NYC that year, & was disappointed when it only lasted until September.   Of course my main interest in seeing that was for Renée Fleming.  I know reports on the whole show were basically "meh."  Also all the energy & vibes that year seemed to be with Mean Girls, Frozen, To Kill a Mockingbird, & maybe Band's Visit. 

Edit Also couldn't have helped to open vs the revival of My Fair Lady

Updated On: 10/25/23 at 04:12 AM

[Alex M]

Posted: 10/25/23 at 9:39am

y'all fight and get personally offended about everything.

 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/25/23 at 10:07am

Actors on Mendez's level are cast because they're good, not because their name means sales. And after her last two shows lost every dime (Carousel and Significant Other), what a luxury of not having to worry about sales!

People like Victoria Clark or Carolee Carmello or Betsy Wolfe/Stark Sands/Paulo Szot or Norm Lewis are not being cast with the expectation of selling tix to the masses. It's an added bonus if they do sell a few tix, and the MERRILY trio is certainly becoming a press narrative. But this is why we continually say the idea of the Broadway "star" is dead from a sales standpoint. Niche "fandoms" are virtually meaningless.

Updated On: 10/25/23 at 10:07 AM

[Jarethan]

Posted: 10/25/23 at 11:02am

HogansHero said: "Theatrefan2 said: "Dont get me wrong, it's great a Sondheim show is doing so well, but let's be realistic. It's not him or the show that's driving those numbers. The majority are seeing Daniel Radcliffe, no matter what he is in."

It is the coalescence of a number of factors (as is almost always the case). There is a very significant number of pure Sondheim-a-philes (many of whom can't use OMNY to get there). In this case, there are also those who might be deemed less than pure (i.e., they are making the gesture because of the relatively recent death). And there are the not insignificant number of Groff-a-philes. Finally, while DR certainly draws people, the number of no matter whats is not as large as you seem to think, judging by their willingness to stay away from at least 2 of his 5 shows and, iirc, Equus also softened before he left. And that was much closer to Potter. So I would not put all of your eggs in his basket. That said, I think the show will have a rougher time after the original cast splits, unless they find someone compelling who wants to be a replacement. (Something we are saying about a lot of shows right now.)"

I think you are grossly underestimating Radcliffe's ability to sell tickets.  Neither of us can prove anything, but I would propose that Radcliffe's name added hundreds of thousands of dollars to those shows' grosses every week.  To me, the fact the show is commanding the ticket prices it is getting is due less to Sondheim than Radcliffe being in a re-discovered Sondheim musical and, to a much lesser extent, Groff, who a lot of people have loved since Spring Awakening.  

Mendez, who is wonderful in the show, does not sell tickets, beyond maybe 'tens' over the course of a week.

[JasonC3]

Posted: 10/25/23 at 11:25am

I seem to recall people saying quite definitively in the past that Radcliffe did not move tickets for previous productions anywhere near expectations.  Were they only referring to plays? Or also musicals? I enjoyed him in How to Succeed, but didn't have any problem finding a discounted ticket.

I'm most curious about what is moving people to spend such high amounts for this production and Merrily in general.  Is it the "in" or buzziest show of the moment? Did the off-Broadway run and all the positive reviews helped set up the Broadway run for these kinds of sales versus opening here directly?

Don't get me wrong.  I loved it.  But I can;t imagine spending $400-$500 to see it as many are and I see everything Sondheim (and usually multiple times).  I'm incredibly glad I got my ticket for $169 the day they went on sale and hope to see it again at a low price come January or February.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 10/25/23 at 11:37am

But by all means belittle the female diverse lead of the show.

Which is exactly what he's doing, it's gross. The only reason I'd ever see that show is for Tony Award Winner Lindsay Mendez. You don't get to diminish her, ever, in favor of two white men. Period. 

[binau]

Posted: 10/25/23 at 11:56am

The level of emotion is so unnecessary. Lindsay was excellent in the show and an equally important part of the creative vision of this production - but obviously her name is not driving much in terms of ticket sales. It's not about the race or gender of any of these people, it's just simply the reality of what causes people to buy tickets. We all know that if Lindsay was replaced in the show tomorrow the show would probably still achieve similar commercial outcomes, and the same wouldn't be true if Daniel Radcliffe left (or to a lesser extent Jonathan Groff) because they are bigger stars. There is nothing shameful, embarrassing, sexist, racist or rude about this. As Sondheim said "it is what it is'. 

Updated On: 10/25/23 at 11:56 AM

[HogansHero]

Posted: 10/25/23 at 11:59am

Sutton Ross said: "But by all means belittle the female diverse lead of the show.

Which is exactly what he's doing, it's gross. The only reason I'd ever see that show is for Tony Award Winner Lindsay Mendez. You don't get to diminish her, ever, in favor of two white men. Period."

That's a total non-sequitur and also damaging. There are important evaluations of diversity, systemic racism, and many other related issues, but observing that an actor with any attributes is not selling tickets at the same rate as a major star is demonstrably true so it makes nonsense of the suggestion that that is not a valid observation. That does not mean she is fungible nor does it mean that she is not selling any tickets. If the show had been cast with Mendez and two  minor stars of any demographic, it would be closed now. That may say something about who attends Broadway, but pointing it out is not "gross," a silly word that is a part of your fake posture here. Playing pretend (when not on stage) regarding business decisions is unhealthy, just as it is for a putative adult in any context.

[lopside]

Posted: 10/25/23 at 12:16pm

JasonC3 said: "I seem to recall people saying quite definitively in the past that Radcliffe did not move tickets for previous productions anywhere near expectations. Were they only referring to plays? Or also musicals? I enjoyed him in How to Succeed, but didn't have any problem finding a discounted ticket.

I'm most curious about what is moving people to spend such high amounts for this production and Merrily in general. Is it the "in" or buzziest show of the moment? Did the off-Broadway run and all the positive reviews helped set up the Broadway run for these kinds of sales versus opening here directly?

Don't get me wrong. I loved it. But I can;t imagine spending $400-$500 to see it as many are and I see everything Sondheim (and usually multiple times). I'm incredibly glad I got my ticket for $169 the day they went on sale and hope to see it again at a low price come January or February."

I think that in most cases, barring a few exceptions (Jackman) people will not always turn up for everything well-known actors do (they almost never turn up for any Radcliffe movie). There has to be a certain level of hype behind the material and of course, the reviews. Moreover, the way they send out all three to do charming interviews together has certainly been helping, since people go in with the expectation that there might be more of the same on stage as well. Add to that the fervor for seeing Sondheim work since his passing.  

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 10/25/23 at 12:37pm

Alex M said: "y'all fight and get personally offended about everything.

"

People also love provoking others as well on here. It's like a game to them 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 10/25/23 at 12:42pm

Sutton Ross said: "But by all means belittle the female diverse lead of the show.

Which is exactly what he's doing, it's gross. The only reason I'd ever see that show is for Tony Award Winner Lindsay Mendez. You don't get to diminish her, ever, in favor of two white men. Period."

 

OFFS -- calm down, Britney...

 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/25/23 at 12:47pm

JasonC3 said: "I seem to recall people saying quite definitively in the past that Radcliffe did not move tickets for previous productions anywhere near expectations. Were they only referring to plays? Or also musicals? I enjoyed him in How to Succeed, but didn't have any problem finding a discounted ticket.

This is rewriting history and I don't know where the sentiment is coming from. All of his Broadway shows have sold exceptionally well. H2$, Equus, and Lifespan of a Fact all turned a profit, and I think Cripple came close to it. He's one of the most consistent ticket-drawing stars we have –– and it helps that he usually gives a great performance. SWEENEY is selling well and yet sometimes there are discounts available, even when JG is on. A range of price points is healthy and expected once a show settles in to its run. It's been running 5 weeks.



I'm most curious about what is moving people to spend such high amounts for this production and Merrily in general. Is it the "in" or buzziest show of the moment? Did the off-Broadway run and all the positive reviews helped set up the Broadway run for these kinds of sales versus opening here directly?"

As discussed above it's a confluence of things. The buzz from Off-Broadway + critics reviews + press attention + the star power of Radcliffe & Groff + nostalgia for Sondheim...etc. We don't know how long these numbers will hang on, but it's very safe to say they would be NOWHERE near this high if the trio was, say, John Behlmann, Will Blum, and Lindsay Mendez.

Updated On: 10/25/23 at 12:47 PM

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 10/25/23 at 1:07pm

muscle23ftl said: "She is a talented actress who got very lucky with the shows she booked..."

That is literally the description of every successful actor. So...

[Kad]

Posted: 10/25/23 at 1:08pm

Mendez is less of a mainstream draw and saying so does not diminish her talent. It would be true if it were said about anybody who is mostly known for theatre, regardless of their gender and race. Christian Borle isn’t exactly a major draw for Some Like it Hot, for instance, and he has two Tonys and was on Smash. Acknowledging the reality that being predominately a theatre star does not translate to huge Broadway ticket sales anymore is realistic and trying to spin saying so into a sexist/racist slight is truly just a grasping virtue signal. 

[TalksAboutBruno]

Posted: 10/25/23 at 1:08pm

While this could have been the Daniel Radcliffe or the Jonathan Groff show, marketing has been very clear in that all three have equal billing. The trio of them have done a slew of interviews as a group, all highlighting their chemistry as a trio (note they gave Lindsay Mendez first chair next to Stephen Colbert which I thought was super classy). Initial money and pre-sales might have been for one of the more mainstream "stars", but I'm sensing a shift in buyers wanting to see all three, rather than just one or two stars.

 

My mom knows very little of broadway and will be seeing it in a few weeks. Over the past few days, she has started asking "Will all three be in the show that night?", not just DR.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 10/25/23 at 1:15pm

I'm interested in seeing how the very canny marketing - the selling of these three incredibly likable actors as the best of friends - will burnish Mendez's star. I'm excited to see what opportunities open up for her. 

[binau]

Posted: 10/25/23 at 1:46pm

God, we need a Merrily cast recording URGENTLY. HOW HAS THIS NOT BEEN ANNOUNCED YET? 

Edit: Nevermind apparently Groff said they've already recorded it!!!!

Updated On: 10/25/23 at 01:46 PM

[Wick3]

Posted: 10/25/23 at 1:55pm

TalksAboutBruno said: "While this could have been the Daniel Radcliffe or the Jonathan Groff show, marketing has been very clear in that all three have equal billing. The trio of them have done a slew of interviews as a group, all highlighting their chemistry as a trio (note they gave Lindsay Mendez first chair next to Stephen Colbert which I thought was super classy). Initial money and pre-sales might have been for one of the more mainstream "stars", but I'm sensing a shift in buyers wanting to see all three, rather than just one or two stars.



My mom knows very little of broadway and will be seeing it in a few weeks. Over the past few days, she has started asking "Will all three be in the show that night?", not just DR."

I believe all three are above the title. If Daniel Radcliffe is out, I can see a lot of people asking for refunds. If Groff is out, some people will ask for refunds. If Mendez is out, I think only a few will ask for refunds.

i agree that the ideal situation is to watch all three stars together especially when paying such a high price for a ticket.

[JasonC3]

Posted: 10/25/23 at 3:40pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "This is rewriting history and I don't know where the sentiment is coming from."

You consistently choose a condescending way to respond.  I clear prefaced my post with "I seem to recall people saying ...."

You could easily have replied with "I think you are recalling things incorrectly because ... "

But choosing the least generous interpretation of what others say seems to be your thing.

Updated On: 10/25/23 at 03:40 PM

[Jarethan]

Posted: 10/25/23 at 7:34pm

Sutton Ross said: "But by all means belittle the female diverse lead of the show.

Which is exactly what he's doing, it's gross. The only reason I'd ever see that show is for Tony Award Winner Lindsay Mendez. You don't get to diminish her, ever, in favor of two white men. Period."

If you are referring to me, you are way overreacting.  I said that she is wonderful in the show, but that she doesn’t sell tickets.  Maybe to some people on this board, but not to the general public.  Right now, Sondheim and Friedman and Radcliffe and Groff are why the show is selling tickets.  Audiences are loving the collective work of the three leads, which is undoubtedly spurring on further sales, but it’s a stretch to say she sells many tickets herself.

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 10/25/23 at 7:50pm

Sutton Ross said: "But by all means belittle the female diverse lead of the show.

Which is exactly what he's doing, it's gross. The only reason I'd ever see that show is for Tony Award Winner Lindsay Mendez. You don't get to diminish her, ever, in favor of two white men. Period."

What disingenuous faux-outrage response. No one is disrespecting Lindsay Mendez by pointing out her two co stars are bigger box office draws. They are.

[ScottK]

Posted: 10/25/23 at 10:52pm

CRIPPLE was NOT EVENT CLOSE to recouping--if it returned anything at all, actually

[binau]

Posted: 10/26/23 at 2:48am

It's true that not all of Radcliffe's work has set the box office alight - but it seems that people would prefer to see him in musicals than plays (which is not an uncommon phenomena). The box office for How to Succeed was strong, and you only need to look at how the show did without him to see he likely a draw. 

As one of the many people here that have likely followed the financial performance of every single Sondheim revival in the last 15 years on a literal weekly basis (including obsessively refreshing seating charts to get a proxy measure of advance) + have a reasonable understanding of what the likely general public sentiment is of all of his shows, we all know that these numbers (and even more importantly the advance) are insanely strong for a Sondheim revival especially for this show,  and especially with the current state of Broadway. The only explanation is star power. And since there are only really two stars, Radcliffe & Groff - it has to be them. It will become obvious if we see vacations or missed performances, because I don't think people will be very happy paying $200+ to sit in the audience with understudies. 

That said, I also agree that the the show has a certain allure to it that is only force-multiplying the star power - Sondheim is hot right now, the revival is a critical success and actually works (so it's not like an IF/THEN Menzel situation), and they are doing a great job at conveying that the dynamic of the 3 leads is something special. The whole thing comes across (whether actually real or planned) as very natural and spontaneous too.

It's the complete opposite to say the Cabaret revival, where the entire enterprise comes across as VERY planned by a mastermind micromanaging psycho to ensure it's an EVENT that is IMPORTANT and is going to SHOCK and SHAKE US TO OUR VERY CORE with a new EXPERIENCE - every single detail from their marketing, website, theatre, lobby experience, to the direction on stage. I mean, it's incredible because of this. But Merrily is kind of taking the opposite direction - it's telling us we are going to have FUN with 'friends' and that's it really. That is quite a compelling proposition. And then the fact that it is so moving once you are there is part of the surprise. 

I hope that they extend at least a few more months to give them a shot at winning Tonys for the leads (it's hard to imagine it won't happen). 

Updated On: 10/26/23 at 02:48 AM

[bear88]

Posted: 10/26/23 at 4:21am

While I agree that Cabaret is promoting itself as an event in all caps, the marketing for Merrily is very focused and shrewd in its aw-shucks way. Groff, Radcliffe and Mendez are playing their roles as best friends in all their interviews too. It’s a little corny but has been strikingly successful. I don’t know whether Merrily can sustain these crazy numbers going forward, much less into the winter months, but now they have the glowing reviews and word of mouth and the fantastic quality of the revival.

As we have seen with Sondheim revivals, star power makes all the difference. But there’s an extra something here, a mysterious combination that started even before the musical opened and people saw what a wonderful achievement it’s turned out to be. It’s kind of fascinating.