What's with Everyone Thinking Rent's Closing?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 8:27pm

In The Heights isn't taking the Nederlander.
Beauty and the Beast isn't taking the Nederlander.
A Tale of Two Cities isn't take the Nederlander.

Rent will be around for a while to come, mark my words.

[IAMmyownMUSICAL]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 8:30pm

People hear one rumor, and they fly off with it. It happens all the time on the board

This show is still doing very strongly. No matter what, its has great audience attendance, is a cult hit, and one of the best shows (IMO) to ever be on Broadway.

It has a long life ahead of it

[jaystarr]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 8:32pm

Yup ! They removed it on TDF too ! which means..........
J*

Updated On: 7/24/07 at 08:32 PM

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 8:32pm

I beg to differ. They only sold sixty-one percent of the available tickets last week. They'll see Christmas at best.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 8:35pm

Audience capacity doesn't matter. What matters is how much the show grosses. The overhead is very low, therefore they have a lower break even point.

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 8:52pm

uh it should close. It is out dated and boring.

[gvendo2005]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 9:03pm

^ Which is precisely everyone's point. Not that we don't love the show, but it's grown very outdated, and the way they've gone on to present the material leaves much to be desired.

These rumors start because we respect the show and we want the damn thing to close while it's still - relatively - on top. It's not like it's not making a profit, it made a lot of people rich over the years. Now they have other shows, like "Avenue Q," making a profit, so it's time to shut down the secondary nest egg.

[RevolutionaryCostume]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 9:39pm

Why does everyone want it to close?

It's still selling tickets. . it's in a theatre no one wants. .

Just leave it alone.

~Jacob.

[James885]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 9:53pm

I might get flamed for this, but I think that RENT should close soon and go out with some dignity rather than later when it's grossing almost nothing and playing to a 30 or 40 percent filled theatre.

The producers have already made their money back several times over. Why not just send it on its way already?

[lawyerman]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 9:55pm

its simple economics.

as long as the show consistently makes $275,00+ a week, the producers have no reason to close it. especially when it still rakes it in during the holiday/spring months.

theyll close when theyre good and ready.

Posted: 7/24/07 at 9:55pm

Does anyone know how much $ they have grossed over the years???

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 9:59pm

RENT has grossed $249,469,120.

[GuitarGirl]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 10:01pm

Apparently, Declan Bennett is playing the role of Roger after Adam and will be around until March. From his site.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 10:23pm

I beg to differ. They only sold sixty-one percent of the available tickets last week. They'll see Christmas at best.

And yet they were near sold-out last night. Rent's grosses have dramatically fluctuated between barely breaking even and full capacity for years now.

[viola13]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 10:29pm

According to Declan's blog, Harley Jay's been picked up as Mark and that their contracts are until March 2008.
Declan's blog

[GuitarGirl]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 10:47pm

Well, Rent won't be going anywhere until next year, then.

[winston89]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 10:55pm

Rent has been going back and forth from hardley having anyone in the theatre to having it being clos to sold out. And, you cannot judge how well a show is doing on ticket sales alone. Rent is in a theatre that no one really is looking at for their shows. And also, Rent has pretty low running coasts. When the proudcers got the theatre for the start of it's broadway run. they got it at a very low rent because it was at a theatre that no one wanted and they were looking for a theatreso the neerlanders gave them that one and didn't really carge a lot for rent or ukeep. It is the swame way today. I do think hwever that they re not going to close the show because they are not really loosing as much money as many people tend to think they are. And its not like it is a hard show to promote and sell tickets for. It dows have a cult following as someone said rand they would be stupid to close it.

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 11:15pm

Is there really a reason to have two threads discussing the exact same thing?

Posted: 7/24/07 at 11:17pm

Plus, they'll get major sold-out audiences to have Rapp and Pascal back in the show, and when Declan and Harley step in, they'll be getting great reviews. I saw the latter on the national tour, and loved them.

[misschung]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 11:23pm

lickthelightbulb, you do know it's the "Czech" Republic, right? It's not the republic of bank drafts

Posted: 7/24/07 at 11:31pm

I often find being an idiot is one of my most memorable charms. Honestly, I just didn't know how to spell it. So I thought of one that wasn't totally English and went with it. :)
Updated On: 7/24/07 at 11:31 PM

[misschung]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 11:41pm

lol, it's okay. It was a funny coincidence because I just came back from the Czech Republic, and I also just recently watched that video from the Drama Desks. I just happened to look at your signature, and I was like "hey wait a second..." heh

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 11:50pm

"as long as the show consistently makes $275,00+ a week, the producers have no reason to close it. especially when it still rakes it in during the holiday/spring months."

Hmm...but when it's a show like Beauty and the Beast and Phantom, everyone wants those to close even though those aren't losing money either...

Posted: 7/24/07 at 11:58pm

Misschung- Thanks for pointing it out! Did you really go? That sounds somewhat insanely cool.
Well, BatB is closing, so that wish is granted. And do people really want Phantom to close? I thought it'd be like, really big with tourists or something. Plus, it's still selling like, 85% of its tickets per week, which we've just proved doesn't mean anything, but it sounds like it's popular.

[IAMmyownMUSICAL]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 12:41am

Yes Declan and Harley have signed their contracts. I posted that info on this site months ago.

Tracy McDowell will also be joining the Broadway cast as well, playing Maureen