2009 Ragtime Revival- Page 2
2009 Ragtime Revival
#252009 Ragtime Revival
Posted: 1/24/17 at 2:35am
broadwayguy91 said: "the fact that the original didn't recoup should have been a warning sign."
The original was a classic case of someone (in this case a common thief) who produced from his ego rather than his brain. Anyone who has looked at the (cooked and uncooked) books for the production quickly identifies absurd expenses. Not to mention the fact that the thief was bleeding it better than a movie studio could ever dream of.(Well, maybe that last is an exaggeration, but still...)
broadwayguy91
Broadway Star Joined: 12/23/15
#262009 Ragtime Revival
Posted: 1/24/17 at 4:46am
I actually found two more threads about the original Ragtime production and the 09 revival:
https://www.broadwayworld.com/brooklyn/board/readmessage.php?thread=1002170&page=1 (Why did Ragtime fail the first time round?)
https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=1057418&page=2 (why wasn't the revival a success?)
#272009 Ragtime Revival
Posted: 1/24/17 at 2:19pm
In one of the fairly recent producer's perspective emails, Ken Davenport compiled data on shows that have had Broadway revivals, and found that in all cases where one production recouped, and one didn't, it was always the first one that did. So so far, he said that no show that has failed to recoup in the original production has ever recouped in a revival. I found that both interesting and surprising.
#282009 Ragtime Revival
Posted: 1/24/17 at 2:27pm
HogansHero said: "broadwayguy91 said: "the fact that the original didn't recoup should have been a warning sign."
The original was a classic case of someone (in this case a common thief) who produced from his ego rather than his brain. Anyone who has looked at the (cooked and uncooked) books for the production quickly identifies absurd expenses. Not to mention the fact that the thief was bleeding it better than a movie studio could ever dream of.(Well, maybe that last is an exaggeration, but still...)
Yeah, Ragtime would have run much longer if it were only paying its own bills. However, Drabinsky had the show funding a number of other unsuccessful projects.
#292009 Ragtime Revival
Posted: 1/24/17 at 2:38pm
adam.peterson44 said: "In one of the fairly recent producer's perspective emails, Ken Davenport compiled data on shows that have had Broadway revivals, and found that in all cases where one production recouped, and one didn't, it was always the first one that did. So so far, he said that no show that has failed to recoup in the original production has ever recouped in a revival. I found that both interesting and surprising."
Hm, what about Sweeney Todd, the original production vs. the last revival?
#302009 Ragtime Revival
Posted: 1/24/17 at 3:25pm
RippedMan said: "I just don't like the idea of something coming from a regional house to Broadway. Ticket prices are higher for the same damn product - and most of the time they don't feel "Broadway" enough. "
Wow, I couldn't disagree more. There are regional theatre productions all the time that are far better than their B'way counterparts. Signature Theatres recent productions of "West Side Story" and "Titanic" have been far better than the recent NYC productions - especially WSS whose latest revival in NYC was awful.
Also, don't forget, "Dear Evan Hansen" was a regional production - it started at Washingtons Arena Stage.
#312009 Ragtime Revival
Posted: 1/24/17 at 4:11pm
Thanks, Marc. I was about to ask those who have never been west of the Hudson just who they think is appearing in "regional" productions?
And are they aware how many productions--from CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD to BURN THIS to INTO THE WOODS to WICKED to ANGELS IN AMERICA--began their lives in regional theaters?
#322009 Ragtime Revival
Posted: 1/24/17 at 6:02pm
"Hm, what about Sweeney Todd, the original production vs. the last revival? "
I don't have any data on it one way or the other - that is why i was careful to note that the information in the post was information presented by Davenport. I neither stand behind it independently nor have any particular reason to doubt it independently - just passing it along. You can see his post here:
https://www.theproducersperspective.com/my_weblog/2016/12/does-a-revivals-success-depend-on-the-success-of-the-original.html
#332009 Ragtime Revival
Posted: 1/24/17 at 8:01pm
I know - I wasn't holding you responsible. :) I just posted the question as a comment on the blog post. I may be wrong in my assumption that the original lost money - it had a rather short run, though.
#342009 Ragtime Revival
Posted: 1/24/17 at 9:00pm
kdogg, no worries. Your question didn't bother me at all, I just didn't have the answer. I guess I did always have the impression that revivals could do better than originals due to such things as the original being 'ahead of its time' or the revival having a more inspired vision/creative presentation. The Chicago revival has certainly outlasted the original, and presumably has out-earned it as well. But one production can be more successful than another even if both or neither recoups. I just hadn't thought about the issue before.
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