ATG taking over road houses in SF and Detroit...

[tourboi]

Posted: 3/22/21 at 3:41pm

Nederlander has opted to sell its houses in Detroit and SF to ATG, who are also taking over programming and booking in those houses. 

Having worked with the local Nederlander staffs in all of the houses in question, my only hope is that most of them are able to (or want to) stick around. 

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Ambassador-Theatre-Group-Parent-Company-Announces-Pending-Acquisition-of-Theatres-in-San-Francisco-and-Detroit-20210322

[JBroadway]

Posted: 3/22/21 at 4:11pm

Wow, big news! (at least for me, as a native San Franciscan). tourboi, I had the same thought as you: there are a lot of employees at SHN (now Broadway SF) whom I've known over the years, from ushers to security guards, to the more administrative jobs. I hope all of them will be given the opportunity to transfer over.

Aside from the potential loss of jobs, I can't see any major downsides to this off the top of my head. I have no problem with ATG, though I don't know how they are behind the scenes. After all the stuff about the Nederlanders donating to Trump, I can't feel too bad for them. 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 3/22/21 at 4:46pm

Would love to see ATG pickup a house in Chicago

[tourboi]

Posted: 3/22/21 at 6:26pm

JBroadway said: "Wow, big news! (at least for me,as a native San Franciscan).tourboi, I had the same thought as you: there are a lot of employees at SHN (now Broadway SF) whom I've known over the years, from ushers to security guards, to the more administrative jobs. I hope all of them will be given the opportunity to transfer over.

Aside from the potential loss of jobs, I can't see any major downsides to this off the top of my head. I have no problem with ATG, though I don't know how they are behind the scenes. After all the stuff about the Nederlanders donating to Trump, I can't feel too bad for them."

Having worked in venues before ATG control and after in other cities, this move upsets me tbh. Playing the Orpheum was always wonderful and they have a fantastic team there. HOPEFULLY they won't make too many changes. 

 

Updated On: 3/22/21 at 06:26 PM

[JBroadway]

Posted: 3/22/21 at 6:50pm

tourboi said: "Having worked in venues before ATG control and after in other cities, this move upsets me tbh."

 

Can you expand on that? I'd be curious to know what kind of changes they made in those other venues that made it worse. 

[tourboi]

Posted: 3/22/21 at 7:17pm

From an audience experience standpoint, they tend to prioritize bar sales above all else (even the show itself). Wait staff up and down the aisles taking orders and then delivering drinks (during the performance in some cases!) like car hops. 

I could go into the feelings and experiences of touring crews and employees (and venue employees who stick around after ATG takes over) but don't feel it appropriate in a public forum. I will say that in many of these venues the people I know missed the 'old days.' Some venues in particular used to be among favorites to play, but now are seen as a headache and one to dread because of the changes in personnel. 

[Islander_fan]

Posted: 3/22/21 at 7:35pm

I do hope, both for personal reasons and otherwise, that this doesn’t happen to the theatres here on Broadway. I don’t think it will however. Nor, do I think that it would happen in Chicago. Keep in mind, Broadway in Chicago is owned by the Nederlander Organization. 

[tourboi]

Posted: 3/22/21 at 7:37pm

ATG already has two venues on Broadway, islander_fan. The Hudson and the Lyric, and while not Broadway I believe they also run the King's in Brooklyn. 

[Islander_fan]

Posted: 3/22/21 at 8:15pm

That they do. I should have been more clear. I don’t want, nor do I think that Nederlander would sell both their Broadway houses and Chicago houses to ATG. Broadway is well...Broadway and Broadway in Chicago is a Nederlander company. 

 

Updated On: 3/22/21 at 08:15 PM

[tourboi]

Posted: 3/22/21 at 9:13pm

So was BroadwaySF.... nothing is safe it seems. Fingers crossed the sales stop here!

[Islander_fan]

Posted: 3/22/21 at 9:53pm

I didn’t know that. But, I think that the difference between Chicago and San Francisco when it comes to theatre, is that Chicago is the second biggest theatre city in the country. With, of course, NYC being the first. I mean, I feel like they are putting a lot more energy in Broadway in Chicago. I mean, they did change the name of the Oriental Theatre (which, let’s not kid ourselves an act that should have been done a long time ago) to The Nederlander. 

[bear88]

Posted: 3/24/21 at 4:46am

So after all that acrimony and litigation with Carole Shorenstein Hays, they just sell the former SHN. Interesting.

And as with all changes, the critical comments leave me a bit concerned. No, I don't want staff bringing drinks to audience members during the show. I don't know what this will mean for the employees or the operations of what is now BroadwaySF unless the new owners change the name that no one is attached to. It would seem foolish to muck around too much, given their domination of most major tours. I do wonder if the new owners will have the same clout as the old ones, or if this gives the Curran an opening to draw more top touring shows going forward. 

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 3/24/21 at 1:58pm

I was also wondering how the sale might affect SF's position of first choice of each season's tours. Certainly Nederlander's huge position on the road besides NY has been a factor as was CSH's role in negotiations (for good or ill, I won't guess). But will SF's reputation as a "theatre town" be enough to maintain our position? We will see.

One thing that I'm pretty certain is that the days of four week runs for the subscription shows are over. I think SF was one of the last cities with 4 week engagements and the expected hesitation of the elderly core of their subscriber base to return spell the end. I noticed that there are no dates on the shows for next season - due as much to uncertainties with the producers and tours themselves as anything.

It will be interesting to see if the purchase affects CSH's agreement with BSF on not booking "Broadway type" shows. I would assume that it would continue along with BSF's other contracts and agreements. Whether her current relationship with ATG at the Curran is a factor, who knows? And what will be the future of HP at the Curran?

Needless to say, there are lots of nervous discussions amongst current (unemployed) FOH staff.

Many questions. Updated On: 3/24/21 at 01:58 PM

[bear88]

Posted: 3/25/21 at 4:56am

I hadn't thought about the four-week run issue. I can imagine a concern at the outset about the subscriber base returning and wanting to be cautious at first. But the postponed season has a lot of shows that would draw quite well in San Francisco for four weeks (Moulin Rouge!. To Kill a Mockingbird, Hadestown) during normal times. I did notice My Fair Lady. another big draw, has vanished from the tentative schedule, though a 7th show "will be announced." I don't know if the MFL tour has been postponed.

In the long run, elimination of those four-week runs would be bad for people like me and eliminate some of San Francisco's prestige as a good city for theater. Would Nederlander start sending shows to San Jose to compete? That's a little hard to imagine, and ATG would have been foolish to leave that out of any agreement.

I do assume the agreement with Hays would still apply but who knows? 

There is a lot of uncertainty about dates. ACT is the first to announce actual dates for its truncated 2022 season (nothing in 2021). The Berkeley Rep has a show list but no dates. I have no idea what the Curran is doing. although I assume. perhaps incorrectly, that Harry Potter is returning.