Vegas, a Broadway Bust?- Page 2

[ken8631]

Posted: 3/29/06 at 12:23pm

Maybe "Jersey Boys" would do well at NYNY?

[JustChillin8908]

Posted: 3/29/06 at 12:31pm

Yes, sadly I must say when I went to Las Vegas I had absolutly no clue what Avenue Q was and therefore didn't want to see it (plus my Dad's friend told me you had to be 18 or older to get in, is that true?).

Although I must say the fuzzy taxi's did peak my interest.

[LA Guy]

Posted: 3/29/06 at 4:37pm

Working in the entertainment biz in LA, I have heard a lot about the problems in Vegas. Many people contend that Vegas simply isn't a great town for titles that are not all that well known. MAMMA MIA is a success, but it only set up shop in Vegas after playing for years in London and NYC. Not to mention the fact that everyone knows ABBA and their songs.

Problem with an AVE Q and HAIRSPRAY is that these shows really require a kind of "word of mouth" publicity, that just can't be had in Vegas... the people who see the show one day are on a plane the next... It makes it very hard to have advance sales, and to get buzz going.

In addition, these shows are competing with Celine and all the Cirque Shows that simply can't be seen anywhere else IN THE WORLD. If I am in Vegas for a day or two, I am going to see those shows, not some show I can see on B'Way.

[tophertilson]

Posted: 3/29/06 at 4:41pm

I have a feeling that PHANTOM will do well enough. It's not just a show anymore; it's a brand name. It'll be a must for all those tourists who've never been to NY or live in cities too small to get the PHANTOM tour.

TT

[Stexer1974]

Posted: 3/29/06 at 10:39pm

I saw both Hairspray and Ave. Q in Vegas two weeks ago and enjoyed them both immensely. Now, that being said my husband who was also with me and liked both of those shows enjoyed The Blue Man Group more. Their theatre in the Venetian was almost sold out, compared to the half full theatre in the Wynn for Ave. Q and the slightly over half full theatre in the Luxor for Hairspray. I however enjoy musicals and had researched what I wanted to see beforehand, whereas, he was in Vegas for, well, the gambling and didnt get the, as he put it, "Sesame Street X" until the second act.
Updated On: 3/29/06 at 10:39 PM

[Mamie]

Posted: 3/29/06 at 10:55pm

I have a lot of family in Vegas and they were all excited about the Broadway shows coming there - only they were only hearing about them from me. They just don't pitch those shows to the locals. Only the gamblers, coming in to the strip from LA or thereabouts for their 3-day gambling weekends are hearing about them. As you've said - those people couldn't care less about these shows. If they spend any money at all on them, it's to use them as a 'baby sitter' while they gamble.

They've got to let the locals know about them and then make them special deals in order to bring them in from the burbs. Running coupons in the local papers would help a lot there. It could be their version of a TKTS.

Believe me - make them a deal and THEY WILL COME!

[CarolynW]

Posted: 3/30/06 at 1:25am

How many shows close on Broadway a year? Talk about that. Every city is going to have shows that do not do well.

Someone mentioned "Starlight Express" it played in LV for 4 years and was a 90 min show. HAIRSPRAY is good and I found nothing hard to figure out and on Monday it was a sold out show and last night too a friend told me. Marissa did not want to do Las Vegas from what I heard recently. The cast in that show is fantastic. Best dancers I have seen in a long time. Also, the girl playing Tracy is great and she has done the show in Toronto, understudy on Broadway and the National Tour. She is staying for another year I hear.:)

Mamma Mia! is going on 3 years I thin, Chicago played a year.

Ave. Q failed due to publicity or should I saw lack of publicity. They neer advertised it to the people they needed and most people thought it was just a puppet show. If they do not get someone who knows how to promote a show at Wynn's then Spamalot will not be there long.

WWRY was longer tha 90 min but not the amount of time the show was in the UK. It was written specially for Las Vegas. I think the problem with it was more that people did not know the show. I loved it.

Forever Plaid an off-Broadway show has been playing in Las Vegas this time for a year and before it move to the Gold Coast it played for 5 years at the Flamingo.

So shows can do well, but the big problem is publicity in this town. One PR firm is learning. Our touring shows do not do well, except for shows like Les Mis and Miss Saigon and the locals will go to those types of shows. Phantom has never played in Las Vegas evn as a touring production. JOSEPH, CATS and the MUSIC OF ALW all played well in Las Vegas. So who knows what Phantom will do, only time will tell.:)

We do have people that come to LV to see the see Broadway shows. Because of conventions and golf tournaments there are wives that come and have nothing to do while the husbands are shopping. So you see a lot of ladies in the audiences of the shows.

Anwyay, give LV a break. We are building a Performing arts center finally. We have ballet, symphony like any other city when you go past the LV Strip it is a regular city. Locals don't liek to go to the strip unless it is a special show due to the tourist. When we do, we can get discounts at times. We have a half price booth too. Maybe we are not Broadway, but then again, we are not Los Angeles. We neve get the good touring shows because they go to LA well now LA will not get Phantom as it is in LV.:)

We are not trying to be Broadway. We just want shows like other cities get. :) You know what gets me is other people say we are trying to be like Broadway...no we are not. We do not sit on the internet bashing Broadway. I live her and I like my city. I knwo everyone at my market and pharmacy. You do not feel like you are just another number in the crowds of people.

Just my 2 cents.


Yours,

Carolyn

Updated On: 3/30/06 at 01:25 AM