AVE Q Tour Canceled - Vegas Instead (Boooo!) — Page 3

Did the 15 percent of voting demo (as per reidel) NOT think WICKED would "sell" in their markets? Whatever transpired during voting (as I said earlier in this thread) looks more like an issue for the voters, not the nominees...

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Expanding on my earlier thought..

Despite all the speculation being thrown around, one has to ask if Ave Q's "promise" swayed that much of a vote. It seems to me that WICKED is just as viable (and sellable) and I would think that if the voters "in question" who voted their hearts would know that. So "promise" or not, I would like to think the "better" show won.

This isn't meant to bash WICKED at all - Given the houses most of these tours play, I personally think WICKED would translate better on tour.

So the concern (at least for me) would be the true motivation of the 15 percent that makes up the road voters in how they vote. These post-TONY accusations, to me, point more of a finger in their direction, not the producers of Q.

It seems to me that Ave Q won, and now they are ticked that the winner of the Best Musical (along with best book, etc) is not touring - NOT about any promises. I think if WICKED had one, none of the tour operators would be crying out as much - whether or not they voted Ave Q...

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Hmmm......is Mr.Riedel really one to comment?
(refering to 5th & 6th photos)
https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=936https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=936>https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=936

I agree with the producers decision. I lived most of my life in NYC but recently moved to South Florida. The three nearest theatres that Broadway tours go into - Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami - are horrible barns, and I wouldn't waste my money going. Unless you have seats in the front rows (which never are available to the public since they are subscribers who had them for years and years) the enjoyment of these shows, especially smaller ones is lessened. Even the last rows in most Broadway houses are better than halfway back in the orchestra section in these theatres.
Good for Ave Q to realize that these houses would have been wrong for their show. Too bad most touring venues don't design better theatres for touring productions.

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I think that is unfortunate. They should most definitely tour after pulling that Tony out of their a**es.

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You're not the only one.

They're calling them "Shizkids" now? That's really cute!

Look, I love Wicked very much. I love Avenue Q very much. It's not about who won the Tony for me. There is no need for bashing just because the underdog won. Wicked doesn't need the Best Musical Tony to know it's doing well. They can look at their ticket sales and how many threads block up this message board. Why do you care? Because the voting of Best Musical was unjust? Maybe so, but do your favorite musical of the two a favor and and stop moaning about which one is better. Support them by seeing the show and letting them know you love them... don't bring the useless negativity here.

Furthermore, I still have a bad feeling about this. It just won't be the same as the original.

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you know, not ever reading The Post is a blessing. Having watched Theatre Talk regularly for a few years now I thought that Micheal Riedel was an intelligent reporter who understood the economics of theatre. Having said that, I've never seen a word he's written. Honestly, when I read the article I was expecting another page, I actually said aloud to myself, "where's the rest of the article?" I guess that's what I get for reading the New York Times, despite my lack of enthusiasm for the editor's infatuation with divas.

I think it's unfortunate that Ave Q now has to deal with this backlash. It really deserved it's tony(s). It's a smart show that shouldn't have to suffer the adverse effects a 4,000 seat auditorium would have on it.

And no one has mentioned the required agreements the commercial producers have with not-for-profit theatre comapnies which developed the show (Vineyard and Eugene O'Neill)who are no doubt getting a boost from the Vegas sit-down. The great thing about non-profits is that the money they are recieving from this project is funneled into future projects that can bring about more heartfelt shows like Ave Q. Seriously, everyone wins. The road producers need to think long term. There's something to be said for every Tony winning show this year coming from a non-profit theatre company. That's where most of the exciting work of the modern American theatre is taking place. Funding them is crutial to the longevity and immediacy of theatre, musical or not, in the 21st Century.

2 cents.

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Updated On: 6/12/04 at 01:37 AM

it'll be interesting to see how it does in vegas. though it's almost a gurantee that it won't be as good as the broadway show. though the theatre isn't that much bigger, i just think the show works a lot better with a smaller, more intimate audience.
and i agree that all of this avenue Q backlash is terrible. i love both shows and would've been happy either way. I think they were prepared to lose, not to win

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I believe people think that wicked sells itself, tony or not. Avenue Q is a harder sell and therefor would be helped marketing wise to have tony award winning in front of it when it played "peoria"