Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/20/17- Page 4

[Itonlytakesajourney]

Posted: 8/22/17 at 9:07am

I think they'll want to grab someone popular to play Jenna, because the show's grosses are declining fast. Maybe not a star, but someone with a respectable following. I'd love for Kara Lindsay, Annaleigh Ashford, or Megan Hilty to give their take on the role. 

[jbird5]

Posted: 8/22/17 at 9:09am

Cristin Milioti did "She Used to be Mine" at her Joe's Pub Concert. Audition?

[little_sally]

Posted: 8/22/17 at 9:19am

TapDanceGal said: "Jennifer Nettles would be a great Jenna. She's already sang She Used to Be Mine in concerts. 

http://youtu.be/EsISGz8IItk

That's a terrific idea and I think she'd be a big draw.

I'd like to see Stephanie J. Block take on the role as well.

 

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 8/22/17 at 9:31am

poisonivy2 

and I'm not saying Jenna has to be plain. I just find Betsy way too dolled up for the role. Huge bouffant wig, Southern pageant queen makeup, etc. I feel like Jenna should blend in somewhat with Becky and Dawn and the rest of Joe's Diner. 

 

"I'm still  not sure why Jenna needs to wear a particular type of wig. I don't think it's far fetched for someone who is suffering to mask oneself with extra make up and hair.  It might not be my choice but I don't see anything wrong with it in term of making Jenna less believable. 

Again everyone has their favorites (mine frankly is understudy Stephanie Torns) but I think each of the Jennas have their own special unique quality to bring to the role that I appreciate. 

Updated On: 8/22/17 at 09:31 AM

[raddersons]

Posted: 8/22/17 at 10:10am

Honestly, Waitress should close instead of struggling to be kept afloat by a new Jenna every few months. Its already recouped, and at this point its popularity is dying down. The music is wonderful but the book is ridiculous -- It's based on source material that is definitely dated. It's just not that great a show in my opinion, and it has had it's time.

I'd rather it make room for something else. Then again, I think everything almost should close after around two years, so...

[haterobics]

Posted: 8/22/17 at 10:21am

raddersons said: "Honestly, Waitress should close instead of struggling to be kept afloat by a new Jenna every few months. Its already recouped, and at this point its popularity is dying down."

Why would investors shut down something giving them a return on their money? As long as it makes more than it costs to keep it running, they are getting money back... now sure what the show costs to run, but it doesn't seem like it is running at a loss for any week of its run yet.

[ethan231h]

Posted: 8/22/17 at 10:27am

i'm thinking it'll do what pippin did and close in january. keep in mind however that during these summer weeks (second summer of the run) the pippin grosses were significantly lower than what waitress has been making (with the exception of this past week) im gonna assume that both shows had similar running costs? 

[BWWMatt]

Posted: 8/22/17 at 10:36am

I think it is probably pretty important to remember who the lead producers are on "Waitress" and what their most successful show on Broadway is. If I had to guess, I think they will keep the show on Broadway however they can, for as long as they can.

edit: I started this before I saw the above "Pippin" comment, which is obviously a show that the Weisslers also produced. 

Updated On: 8/22/17 at 10:36 AM

[raddersons]

Posted: 8/22/17 at 10:40am

haterobics said: "Why would investors shut down something giving them a return on their money?"

Good point, it doesn't seem likely that the nut of the show is more than the $600k it made this week. However, I doubt it's far off. I guess if it can survive August it'll probably go through December. I'd rather it make room for Mean Girls... but hey, money talks.

[trpguyy]

Posted: 8/22/17 at 12:14pm

The Weisslers had a carousel of Berthes lined up to get Pippin through the winter, but Josh Kaufman tanked the show so badly in the fall that they had no choice but to close the show. 

[wish i were here2]

Posted: 8/22/17 at 12:17pm

trpguyy said: "The Weisslers had a carousel of Berthes lined up to get Pippin through the winter, but Josh Kaufman tanked the show so badly in the fall that they had no choice but to close the show."

If you don't mind me asking, who were the the Berthes they had lined up?

 

[trpguyy]

Posted: 8/22/17 at 12:21pm

I forget most of them, but pretty much every female theater star over the age of 60, including Liza. A new star every week or two. If I recall, the marketing campaign was going to be called "The Winter of Stars" or something like that. The trapeze routine was to be cut, and the song would just be park and bark a la the original production. 

Updated On: 8/22/17 at 12:21 PM

[raddersons]

Posted: 8/22/17 at 12:22pm

trpguyy said: "The Weisslers had a carousel of Berthes lined up to get Pippin through the winter, but Josh Kaufman tanked the show so badly in the fall that they had no choice but to close the show. "

I was looking forward to seeing Pippin after putting it off for months... Josh Kaufman was so bland and boring it hurt. But honestly, it was more than Josh. By the end of its run, the show was just tired. It's hard to convince audiences that they've got "magic to do" when there's no magic left. 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 8/22/17 at 2:50pm

haterobics said: "Jarethan said: "What percentage of its audience do you think are repeat viewers?  I don't see why it can't run for a long time with audiences only seeing it once."

The real question is how much do repeat viewers count in the grand scheme of things? I have to imagine (on a site full of repeat viewers) that we overestimate our importance?

 

Thanks.  That was exactly my point.  While repeat visits will always be good for business, I do not think the people on this board are representative of the vast majority of ticket buyers or make up a sizable percentage of box office grosses (particularly given how creative so many are in finding cheap seats, which I have had very little luck in doing myself).  

Most of our friends, who attend the theatre regularly, cannot believe how many times my wife and I have seen certain shows that we liked, when the reality is that we have probably never seen 90% of the shows that we have liked (enough to indulge in repeat viewings) more than once in a 12 month period.  That goes back to the sixties...from too many shows and too little dollars to too many shows and too little time. 

 

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 8/22/17 at 3:26pm

Jarethan said: "haterobics said: "Jarethan said: "What percentage of its audience do you think are repeat viewers?  I don't see why it can't run for a long time with audiences only seeing it once."

The real question is how much do repeat viewers count in the grand scheme of things? I have to imagine (on a site full of repeat viewers) that we overestimate our importance?

 

Thanks.  That was exactly my point.  While repeat visits will always be good for business, I do not think the people on this board are representative of the vast majority of ticket buyers or make up a sizable percentage of box office grosses (particularly given how creative so many are in finding cheap seats, which I have had very little luck in doing myself).  

Most of our friends, who attend the theatre regularly, cannot believe how many times my wife and I have seen certain shows that we liked, when the reality is that we have probably never seen 90% of the shows that we have liked (enough to indulge in repeat viewings) more than once in a 12 month period.  That goes back to the sixties...from too many shows and too little dollars to too many shows and too little time."

 

I'm a Broadway (and to lesser extent, Off-Broadway) devotee, but since I live in Oklahoma I only visit NYC once a year (headed back in November). So I don't choose to do repeat shows because a) most of the shows don't play multiple years and b) there's so much choice to pick from. The only B'way show I saw twice was American Idiot. I did see Wicked twice the first time it toured through Tulsa. So I can attest that folks like me don't do repeat visits to the same productions very often. Not sure if I lived in NYC if that would change  Maybe depending on finances...

I do have a couple who are friends of mine. Anytime they go to NYC, they go see Phantom of the Opera and only Phantom regardless of what else is playing. I don't get it (partially because I was not wowed by the touring production of POTO that I saw; my favorite part was the chandelier), but it seems to work for them. So tourists (I'm def not the typical tourist; I see 6-8 productions on my trips) who do see shows repeatedly may gravitate to the easily recognizable "brands": The Lion King, POTO, Wicked, Chicago, BoM... that scream Broadway to them (with the exception of BoM, I have seen all those above shows only on tour). 

I would see Ham again if I once I booked travel I could find a decently priced ticket. I was also considering seeing Kinky Boots (with Porter/Sands who I saw in it in 2013) or BoM again, but decided to see shows that have opened since my Feb. 2016 Visit. 

Anyway, sorry for the rambling post. I just think most shows' box office doesn't consist largely of repeat visits. 

 

Updated On: 8/22/17 at 03:26 PM

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 8/22/17 at 4:12pm

TapDanceGal said: "Jennifer Nettles would be a great Jenna. She's already sang She Used to Be Mine in concerts. 

http://youtu.be/EsISGz8IItk

Did she sell well in Chicago? I'd see her. I don't know if she has the emotional range as an actress for Jenna. But I know she's friends with Sara. Speaking of country singers... what about Kelly Clarkson? Or Jana Kramer? She's an actress and sadly has experience with domestic abuse. I have no idea how popular she is, though.

 

[Littleshopofcarrie]

Posted: 8/22/17 at 4:54pm

Sara will most likely be returning to close out the show once Betsy leaves.

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 8/22/17 at 5:48pm

Littleshopofcarrie said: "Sara will most likely be returning to close out the show once Betsy leaves."

So I might be seeing Sara when I see the show November 12th? That'd be cool. 

[BroadwayRox3588]

Posted: 8/22/17 at 9:13pm

Miles2Go2 said: "Littleshopofcarrie said: "Sara will most likely be returning to close out the show once Betsy leaves."

So I might be seeing Sara when I see the show November 12th? That'd be cool. 

 

"

Unless Betsy gets Oak'd, you'll be seeing Betsy. She started in mid-June, six months later would be mid-December. Unless it's less than a 6-month contract.

Updated On: 8/22/17 at 09:13 PM

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 8/22/17 at 9:23pm

BroadwayRox3588 said: "Miles2Go2 said: "Littleshopofcarrie said: "Sara will most likely be returning to close out the show once Betsy leaves."

So I might be seeing Sara when I see the show November 12th? That'd be cool. 

Unless Betsy gets Oak'd, you'll be seeing Betsy. She started in mid-June, six months later would be mid-December. Unless it's less than a 6-month contract.

 
And I'd be okay with that too. I just hope it doesn't close before I can see it. I do have some alternate shows in mind if it does. 
 

Updated On: 8/22/17 at 09:23 PM

[SweetLips]

Posted: 8/23/17 at 6:50am

How did Broadway Grosses get to be a discussion on Waitress?--start another thread--scrolling fast is bad for the fingers.