Allegiance Previews- Page 13
Allegiance Previews
#300Allegiance Previews
Posted: 11/5/15 at 12:11pm
Pootie2 said: "Allegiance's audience approach is sort of more "inside out"--taking an internal story largely unknown to the population and trying to popularize it, from a racial minority to the non-Japanese/Asian masses. You should be able to guess which target audience approach is going to be more challenging."
Whatever their approach is, it seems to be working, though. They have been selling a LOT of tickets for a new musical. Even this week, where every other show took a major box office hit, they made Halloween a success by making the matinee Star Trek Day, encouraging people to come in costume, and the evening performance was Pinoy Day, trying to get all the Filipinos in the house.
So, there is definitely a lot they have to work with, from Takei to Salonga, just to it being a new musical about American history... Takei can even go on Howard Stern whenever he wants and sit in for the whole show. I think most people want to go to a good show, and if it is good work that pleases an audience, the subject matter is less important. No one was wondering why we didn't have a founding father rap on Broadway 2 years ago, or said they wanted a closeted gay dad with a lesbian cartoonist daughter to kill himself... I don't think we are waiting for specific things, unlike Hollywood.
If they make something of quality, that people talk about to their friends, people will go. If there was never a musical about a Japanese-American internment camp, we wouldn't care. But if there is a good one, we'll probably go...
DAME
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/15/04
#301Allegiance Previews
Posted: 11/5/15 at 12:24pm
Will this last longer than The Visit?
HUSSY POWER!
------ HUSSY POWER!
#302Allegiance Previews
Posted: 11/5/15 at 12:29pm
Considering the Visit could never even sell the Mezzanine, and this show typically sells out most of the balcony, yes.
MVintheheartland
Featured Actor Joined: 11/19/13
#303Allegiance Previews
Posted: 11/5/15 at 1:21pm
Just having Lea Salonga in the show should guarantee a huge Filipino/Filipino-American crowd. The stage door was mobbed when I saw it, and George and Lea got a huge applause.
Pootie2
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/1/14
#304Allegiance Previews
Posted: 11/5/15 at 1:56pm
haterobics said: "If they make something of quality, that people talk about to their friends, people will go. If there was never a musical about a Japanese-American internment camp, we wouldn't care. But if there is a good one, we'll probably go..."
Well, that was basically my point. The difference in opinion on whether this show is "good" is going to vary, but if opinions can change drastically about artistic merit during previews, to me that means this has a better commercial shot than I might have thought before. This hasn't been the height of tourist season so far, so I got the impression (which may be wrong, naturally) that the preview audiences have been a bit more on the "hardcore" side and already had significant interest in the musical for varying reasons from star power to personal connection.
But would these audiences dry up months later as what happened to IF/THEN? I mean, the creatives could have seen this early interest and thought "Okay, we're good!" and believed they could ride out the rest of the season based on this initial enthusiasm. But they didn't, and appeared to make significant artistic changes to make the show more accessible and appealing in general, and that's great for hopefully catching more of the faceless tourist masses after it opens who could very well not be interested in the historical aspect. It's not like Hamilton is selling itself out because people love the historical figure, so yes, that's really what Allegiance could be compared to; the artistry is valuable for broader appeal which will hopefully translate to a long run.
Also, I really want to hear "Still a Chance" now.
#BoycottTrumplikePattiMurin
Updated On: 11/5/15 at 01:56 PM
#305Allegiance Previews
Posted: 11/5/15 at 2:10pm
Don't count out the social media factor as far as influencing audiences. This show has done more advance platform work than any current or upcoming show on Broadway.
Pootie2
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/1/14
#306Allegiance Previews
Posted: 11/5/15 at 2:22pm
Oh, I wouldn't. I wish that specific influence could be measured, though.
#BoycottTrumplikePattiMurin
#307Allegiance Previews
Posted: 11/5/15 at 2:33pm
Do we know what this show's nut is? I imagine it's bleeding quite a bit right now, but it is managing to fill seats.
Pootie2
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/1/14
#308Allegiance Previews
Posted: 11/5/15 at 2:38pm
I don't think we ever "know" a show's nut until after it recoups (and knowing the capitalization)...
#BoycottTrumplikePattiMurin
#309Allegiance Previews
Posted: 11/5/15 at 3:36pm
For what it's worth, I was in the mezz last night and the sides were very empty; the center wasn't sold out either, though mostly full.
The gross was healthy during the first week of previews, but the gross has continued to drop every week since then. Yes, it's doing better than clunkers like Scandalous and Amazing Grace, but if that's you're bar for success, aim higher!
Not every new musical needs to come out of the gate with Hamilton style grosses, but a show like Allegiance should be pulling in $600,000 during previews with a bump up to the $800,000-900,000 range after opening if it wants to recoup. The sales are far from dismal, but they're also nowhere close to where they should be if they want to make a buck in the long run.
Marie: Don't be in such a hurry about that pretty little chippy in Frisco.
Tony: Eh, she's a no chip!
ramsay15
Swing Joined: 5/5/12
#310Allegiance Previews
Posted: 11/5/15 at 7:46pm
responding to WhizzerMarvin and ScaryWarhol:
I have not seen Allegiance as yet. But based upon familiarity with the finances other Broadway shows, I estimate that the weekly nut of Allegiance is around $650K before royalties, taking into account the fact that there is a cast of over 30. (Matilda - @$750K; Cinderella @$600-650K; If/Then @$$600-650K). In the four weeks it has been running, the show's gross has gone down each week from "net" gross of around $540K to around $405K. Last week's tally may have been lowered by Halloween as was the case with most other shows. So, my estimate is that Allegiance is operating at a loss of about $150K to $200K a week, depending in part on how much it is spending on marketing and advertising.
Pootie2
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/1/14
#311Allegiance Previews
Posted: 11/5/15 at 7:56pm
Royalties to whom?
And how do you estimate nut for Cinderella and IF/THEN when neither recouped nor shared final numbers?
#BoycottTrumplikePattiMurin
c0113g3b0y
Leading Actor Joined: 9/16/15
#312Allegiance Previews
Posted: 11/5/15 at 8:57pm
Pootie2 said: "Royalties to whom?
And how do you estimate nut for Cinderella and IF/THEN when neither recouped nor shared final numbers?
"
I'm assuming George Takei
The thing is, besides being an utter toad of a human being, Riedel usually has the least knowledge of the topic in the room. He doesn't usually understand the content or approach of a show, and is always completely and unfailingly socially ignorant, which makes it really infuriating when Susan can't get a word in edgewise. A definitive mansplainer; it's always painful when he has female guests. I watch the show sporadically when I really want to see a guest, because it's the only theatre talkshow we have, but it would be so much better without this hateful clown in a dadcoat. (thanks ScaryWarhol)
Pootie2
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/1/14
#313Allegiance Previews
Posted: 11/5/15 at 9:05pm
I thought royalties were for preexisting work rights, but they're not using any published material of his that I know of because it's not actually autobiographical.
#BoycottTrumplikePattiMurin
#314Allegiance Previews
Posted: 11/5/15 at 9:20pm
Royalties to the creators are not just for revivals.
I was guessing somewhere in the 600ks, too.
Pootie2
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/1/14
#315Allegiance Previews
Posted: 11/5/15 at 9:21pm
Scarywarhol said: "Royalties to the creators are not just for revivals.
I was guessing somewhere in the 600ks, too."
Ah, okay.
#BoycottTrumplikePattiMurin
#316Allegiance Previews
Posted: 11/5/15 at 9:41pm
Why would they have to pay George for rights? It isn't an autobiography, it is just some of his memories from the camps in a fictional setting, no? I mean, I'm sure he has points or whatever they are called on Broadway. But I doubt he gets a writing or inspired by credit, or does he?!
Pootie2
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/1/14
#318Allegiance Previews
Posted: 11/7/15 at 11:10am
http://www.show-score.com/shows/allegiance
Perhaps someone should inform Lea Salonga that none of those preview reviews, including both critics and viewers, should be used in a score tally, or she owes this board an apology, eh?
#BoycottTrumplikePattiMurin
#319Allegiance Previews
Posted: 11/7/15 at 12:27pm
haterobics said: "Why would they have to pay George for rights? It isn't an autobiography, it is just some of his memories from the camps in a fictional setting, no? I mean, I'm sure he has points or whatever they are called on Broadway. But I doubt he gets a writing or inspired by credit, or does he?!"
No, it doesn't seem so. He's only listed here as an actor.
http://www.playbillvault.com/Show/Detail/Cast/14103/Allegiance-at-Longacre-Theatre#credits
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
#320Allegiance Previews
Posted: 11/7/15 at 1:32pm
Wow, not up on TDF or TodayTix for the matinee. Maybe it's picking up steam (or maybe they've booked friendly houses for the performances critics will be present at).
#321Allegiance Previews
Posted: 11/7/15 at 6:03pm
They offered discounts for tonight, guess they are doing well with the seniors who love weekend matinees?
#322Allegiance Previews
Posted: 11/7/15 at 8:34pm
Eeeeek. I need to go see it again with the changes.
Pootie2
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/1/14
#323Allegiance Previews
Posted: 11/7/15 at 8:51pm
haterobics said: "They offered discounts for tonight, guess they are doing well with the seniors who love weekend matinees?"
Could be that. They did tweet something about being sold out tonight, but at what ticket prices we shall see.
#BoycottTrumplikePattiMurin
#324Allegiance Previews
Posted: 11/7/15 at 8:53pm
Good orchestra seats were $109. Not sure about the rest.
