WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? Announces Broadway Closing

[quizking101]

Posted: 3/21/20 at 5:31am

Understandable but damn if Im not really sad about this since I had tickets and rebooked them too.

Hopefully they have chance to remount this at a later date.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/WHOS-AFRAID-OF-VIRGINIA-WOOLF-Announces-Broadway-Closing-20200321

[Flowerlovestage5]

Posted: 3/21/20 at 5:35am

An exquisite production from the performances to the set.  All around superb, in my opinion. I do hope they can re-mount at a later date but perhaps that is wishful thinking. 

[AlanB3]

Posted: 3/21/20 at 7:05am

Even though I knew it was inevitable, this one guts me the most. I had tickets for last week and hate not seeing Metcalf in one of the greatest stage roles for women.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 3/21/20 at 7:07am

Well, I am glad I saw this when it was around. This really sucks, though, as it was a great production. I am sad for those who now won't get to see it.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 3/21/20 at 7:20am

Absolutely crushed. This was the one show I wanted to see this season, if nothing else.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/21/20 at 8:29am

THE CONNERS was beginning production about a week or so after the show’s limited engagement so Metcalf couldn’t extend even if this revival never closed. Hopefully it returns next year during her next hiatus which would be around the same time this revival started.

[BenElliott]

Posted: 3/21/20 at 8:31am

I can't imagine that this won't get remounted with Laurie at a later date. Truly hoping they end up pushing this over to around this time next year.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 3/21/20 at 8:56am

I'm absolutely gutted.

I didn't get to see this, and it was one of the ones I was most looking forward to. 

[steven22]

Posted: 3/21/20 at 8:59am

Damn. I was really looking forward to this.

[persephone88]

Posted: 3/21/20 at 9:02am

Also super super sad about this. We got tickets for this for my birthday in April as soon as they went on sale, and I was so looking forward to seeing Laurie Metcalf and Rupert Everett. When COVID hit, we rebooked for much later in the extended run. Hope they have a chance to possibly re-stage this next year once tv filming season is over. Sounds like it was a terrific production.

[CopleyScott17]

Posted: 3/21/20 at 10:02am

If they are able to remount (hopefully!) is there any chance they would bring back Eddie Izzard?  I'm unclear about why he left the production to begin with, but I think he'd be amazing in the role.

[Falsettolands]

Posted: 3/21/20 at 10:11am

CopleyScott17 said: "If they are able to remount (hopefully!) is there any chance they would bring back Eddie Izzard? I'm unclear about why he left the production to begin with, but I think he'd be amazing in the role."

Everett was perfectly lovely in the role. They can do as they wish (obviously, it's a business) but I find it difficult to believe they wouldn't consider remounting it with this cast intact.

Updated On: 3/21/20 at 10:11 AM

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 3/21/20 at 10:35am

ColorTheHours048 said: "Absolutely crushed. This was the one show I wanted to see this season, if nothing else."

I am devastated.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 3/21/20 at 10:36am

I can't imagine this with Laurie again anytime soon, isn't she scheduled to do Death of a Salesman next season with Nathan Lane?

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/21/20 at 10:41am

Yup. Forgot about SALESMAN. It’s scheduled for the exact time this VIRGINIA WOOLF? revival was taking place. Seems Metcalf chooses her Broadway returns in Spring during her hiatus from THE CONNORS.  There goes our hopes for a VIRGINIA WOOLF? revival return with her unless she’s up for a Spring 2022 return.  

[BenElliott]

Posted: 3/21/20 at 10:58am

everythingtaboo said: "I can't imagine this with Laurie again anytime soon, isn't shescheduled to do Death of a Salesman next season with Nathan Lane?"

They're in discussions to do Salesman next year, but they could always bump that over to 2022 and move Virginia Woolf over to Spring 2021.  Could they put the sets in storage?  Has that ever happened before?  Metcalf pretty much had a Tony in the bag for this one and the production itself was likely to win Best Revival.  I just can't fathom this one just disappearing into thin air.  All that work from all those artists.

Rudin is a powerful man.  If anyone can revive this, it's him.  *fingers crossed*

[VotePeron]

Posted: 3/21/20 at 11:01am

It’s gonna be a long Spring with a lot of these threads. And no, I don’t expect Hangmen or Wolfe to open again anytime in the near future in nyc. We’re gonna lose a LOT of shows over the next couple weeks, and most will not come back.

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 3/21/20 at 11:02am

This is total supposition on my part, so if anyone knows more, please feel free to correct me -- but I would guess - if a producer can successfully file an insurance claim due to closing related to the coronavirus, the entire production would have to close finitely.  

I'm guessing if the producer wanted to bring the production back, he would essentially have to create a new production LLC, and raise all funds again from scratch. In other words, on paper, a return would have to be a 'different' production.  And in such a scenario, while the budget might be less (if they are able to recycle sets, costumes, and previously employed actors who require less rehearsal time) they would still have to raise the funding anew.  

Sure, some of the investors who put in the first time might come back on board (especially if they essentially made their money back from an insurance claim) but -- and this is also the business side of the theatre -- producers like Scott Rudin have also been able to see (pre-coronavirus scare) how a production like VIRGINIA WOOLF was selling. If they gleaned that it likely wasn't going to return on its investment in any situation, they may simply be good to move on.

It sounds like this staging was a total triumph for Metcalf. I wouldn't be surprised to see her revisit the role at some point, but perhaps not again on Broadway.

 

Updated On: 3/21/20 at 11:02 AM

[Dionysus3]

Posted: 3/21/20 at 11:45am

This was expected, but still gutting. I was so excited to see this.

[AllThatJazz2]

Posted: 3/21/20 at 11:57am

I had tickets to this for the day after the closure of Broadway. To say I'm disappointed I'll never have another chance to see it is a huge understatement, though I completely understand why under the circumstances. Bummer.

[jiaxing_26]

Posted: 3/21/20 at 12:02pm

So glad that I got to see it but devastated that I won't be able to see it again Metcalf's performance was mesmerizing and how I wish could go back again 

[Stephen75]

Posted: 3/21/20 at 12:17pm

That was my thinking too, but if Rudin was toying with other options with this production, why would he say something so definitive so early? I feel like he could have said “We are exploring other options” “we are currently faced with schedulint issues, but we hope to remount this production one day when the theatre community is back up and running.” It still is so mind-boggling he would let this production die on the vine so easily.

[BenElliott]

Posted: 3/21/20 at 12:23pm

Stephen75 said: "That was my thinking too, but if Rudin was toying with other options with this production, why would he say something so definitive so early? I feel like he could have said “We are exploring other options” “we are currently faced with schedulint issues, but we hope to remount this production one day when the theatre community is back up and running.” It still is so mind-boggling he would let this production die on the vine so easily."

Probably so he could collect the insurance money.  I still feel like he'll remount this in the near future.

[Stephen75]

Posted: 3/21/20 at 12:34pm

BenElliott said: "Stephen75 said: "That was my thinking too, but if Rudin was toying with other options with this production, why would he say something so definitive so early? I feel like he could have said “We are exploring other options” “we are currently faced with schedulint issues, but we hope to remount this production one day when the theatre community is back up and running.” It still is so mind-boggling he would let this production die on the vine so easily."

Probably so he could collect the insurance money. I still feel like he'll remount this in the near future."

Oh true. Didn't even think of that. He seems to be a pretty smart businessman, so I don't doubt he has his reasons. I agree with you though. It just seems crazy how this production, with the actress who he has gone on record as saying is the best actress in this country, in a sure-fire critically acclaimed, probably award winning performance, would just be gone like that. Maybe something can be worked out with The Conners, who even knows if TV production will be back up in time. Also, Salesman is pretty much confirmed (well, was, who knows what condition Broadway will be in to produce plays now) but Lane did mention his TV schedule could prevent it. So maybe something opens up next Spring. 

I get it's a different show and different circumstances, but look at something like How I Learned To Drive. We don't know it's fate yet, but would MTC really just let something like that go away and never come back? I hope for some of these more commercial prospects, we will see returns. 

[Wick3]

Posted: 3/21/20 at 3:21pm

Hopefully Rudin’s insurance policy for this production included pandemics.