According to Riedel, the biggest post-Tony bounce went to...

[adamgreer]

Posted: 6/18/10 at 8:01am

...Promises, Promises.

He also says Fences is still the hottest ticket on Broadway, and notes that premium seats are over $400 now.

Memphis and Fela are still heavily discounting.
Riedel

[Katarina2]

Posted: 6/18/10 at 8:44am

$400 for a ticket?! I'm a Broadway nut, but I would never pay that much money for one ticket - that's 16 $25 rush tickets!

With Memphis and Fela, the Tony performances didn't sell me at all. In fact, Memphis looked better to me before the Tonys.

-Katarina :)

[TreyKenyon]

Posted: 6/18/10 at 8:51am

Oh jeez...not Halle Berry. Hunter's gang is gonna have a FIT if she gets cast lol. That said, I think she'd be great given the role description.

Also not really surprised with who's allegedly getting post-Tony bumps. Promises,Promises had two numbers and essentially it's two stars co-hosting. After FELA!'s piss poor showing I'm not shocked nothing has changed. That said, I am a little surprised Memphis supposedly didn't get a bump. I mean, Best Musical normally gives that, plus their performance (while not amazing) was at least good enough to spark some interest.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 6/18/10 at 12:08pm

I just hope that they found a fantastic replacement for Kristin Chenoweth, I love her to pieces but just listening to the recording it's shocking to find how wrong her voice type is for the role and how completely and entirely miscast she is. Love Sean Hayes as Baxter though.

[americanboy99]

Posted: 6/18/10 at 12:15pm

The Tonys were a HUGE promotion for "Promises, Promises"- I'd say more than for any other show. Frequent appearances by both stars, Chenoweth singing an extremely familiar tune (and looking INCREDIBLE) and, to top it all off, a fabulous dance sequence that made that "Fela!" choreography trophy seem laughable.

[uncageg]

Posted: 6/18/10 at 12:27pm

I didn't get to see any of the shows this past season and basaed on what I saw at the Tonys, I would buy a ticket to see Promises, Promises just based on their performances. I posted elsewhere that I like Chenoweth but after listening to the OBCR on BWW radio twice, I agree that her voice isn't quite right for these songs. I don't totally cringe but I am not crazy about her singing them. Especially "A House is Not A Home".

[scscorpio]

Posted: 6/18/10 at 12:44pm

Agreed that Promises had the better performances at the Tonys than the other musicals (the sound for Fela was off and Memphis had one too many nas). Also doesn't hurt that Sean Hayes (with Cheno) did a very good hosting job.

Knowing nothing about the play, I have a different reaction to Cheno's tracks. Absolutely love her version of 'Whoever you are, I love you'.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 6/18/10 at 12:52pm

Also didn't hurt that Sean Hayes did not sing.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 6/18/10 at 12:57pm

Now, sorry if I've been living under a rock, but people keep talking about some Hunter Foster thing in relation to stars always getting roles on Broadway? What's this about?

[AC126748]

Posted: 6/18/10 at 1:00pm

$400 for a ticket?! I'm a Broadway nut, but I would never pay that much money for one ticket - that's 16 $25 rush tickets!

The only people who pay $400 for premium seats (or more from scalpers) are:

a) businesspeople with expense accounts, and
b) starf*ckers who want to be able to say that they saw "____________" (in this case, Denzel) live.

[karen24]

Posted: 6/18/10 at 1:28pm

Well, that explains why the discounts on BroadwayBox and Playbill were not working for me when I tried them a day or so ago. They said they were good until August, but apparently they've deactivated them due to the increase in ticket sales.

I probably won't get to NYC until August so I'll wait and see if something opens up, or maybe I'll try TKTS when I'm there.

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 6/18/10 at 2:17pm

I think Hunter doesn't mind her on Broadway. She just can't present at the Tony Awards. They belong to him.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 6/18/10 at 2:20pm

PROMISES... came of extraordinarily well at the Tonys. Their chemistry together was terrific, they were funny, charming...the musical number was great. The revival kind of sucks, but I'm happy it's doing well.

[BrianS]

Posted: 6/18/10 at 2:41pm

"Now, sorry if I've been living under a rock, but people keep talking about some Hunter Foster thing in relation to stars always getting roles on Broadway? What's this about?"

Hunter started a page on Facebook basically saying that the TONYs should focus on people who consistently work in the theater (for example, having Katie Finneran present an award seems to make a lot more sense than Mark Sanchez). The kids on BWW ran with it to mean he's opposed to having film or tv stars on the show at all.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 6/18/10 at 5:14pm

I have to agree re PROMISES, PROMISES. Sean Hayes and Kristin Chenoweth had insane chemistry during the telecast, Chenoweth looked incredible and was hilarious as usual, Hayes was a fantastic host and their choreography number had the perfect mix of MAD MEN/Broadway style that I imagine they were going for. Not to mention the fact that Katie Finneran won a Tony for it and gave a beautiful speech, now she does a wonderful job on the recording and I can only imagine how funny she is live.
Uncageg, I thought I'd love Chenoweth"s "A House Is Not a Home" but I was deeply disappointed by the way she chooses to sing it on the recording. I just think her voice sounds quite uncomfortable during some of the other numbers like "Whoever You Are" and "Knowing When to Leave." She fares better in the duets.
Still, I'm glad the show's running, I want to see it when I visit the city in October, hopefully with a stronger female lead.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 6/18/10 at 5:16pm

Depending on who her replacement is, I will definitely return to the show. I think the entire production will be far more successful with a stronger female lead.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 6/18/10 at 6:30pm

The kids on BWW ran with it to mean he's opposed to having film or tv stars on the show at all.

Um, no. The kids on BWW read Broadway actors publically suggesting that Catherine Zeta Jones bought the Tony, and other petty and jealous comments from supposed professionals, and thought this was a misguided campaign that was only making the theatre community look bad.

You should read the thread for yourself, Schmerg.
Hunter Foster Facebook group thread

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 6/19/10 at 12:34am

I'm glad that Promises is doing well regardless the lack of nominations and recognition, but in all honesty, the show had a fabulous advance since it opened, and it's been selling very good since day 1.
I highly doubt that alot of people are paying 400 dollars to see Fences. If they do, it's ridiculous.
Also, Memphis is discounting a 40% at TKTS instead of the usual 50%, and it's been selling out this week. So this article is not a 100% accurate.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 6/19/10 at 12:37am

MEMPHIS never has and never will completely sell out....

[algy]

Posted: 6/19/10 at 6:05pm

Which section of the awards was the Promises Promises performance in? I'm working my way through it on late night letterman's youtube channel, but it just has them marked up with numbers, not what's in it...

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 6/19/10 at 10:26pm

I certainly didn't see everyone's box office take, but I can say that according to Memphis company members, the cast was greeted with the news that the day after the Tony's saw a 400% increase in box office business.

algy, Promises performed a small dance sequence just before the choreography award was given out.

[algy]

Posted: 6/20/10 at 12:51pm

Ta muchly - will go andhave a look for it!

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 6/20/10 at 1:03pm

Memphis is now discounting only a 30% at TKTS.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/20/10 at 1:14pm

I was physically picking up my tix for La Cage when a rep from TKTS walked in asking about if they would have tix for the evening performance (this was on Saturday). The box office said: they'll have them soon but there aren't many and only for 20% off....so it sounds like their numbers are doing pretty well.

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 6/20/10 at 1:29pm

Based off of the Tonys, I'd only see American idiot, La Cage, and Promises Promises. Alot of plays as well (Next Fall, Red, Lend Me A Tenor).