Are There More New Musicals Coming? - Page 3

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 11/19/25 at 5:21pm

witchoftheeast2 said: "Theatrefan2 said: "As it seems to be selling well, could Mamma Mia transfer to another theatre for open ended run if they're struggling to fill other houses?

I know its got the tour, but there must be a spare set somewhere to limit costs."

There's no shortage of shows that want to come in this season or next, and also houses that they could go into, including the Winter Garden.What would be the point of keeping it in NY?"

Considering that Mamma Mia! is selling remarkably well, I think the big point of keeping it in NY would be $$$$...

 

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 11/28/25 at 10:40am

I was wondering, which houses are available for this next spring for musicals?

Majestic, St. James and Winter Garden?

Maybe the Marquis if Stranger Things closes right after the holidays?

Some shows have to close indeed

 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 11/28/25 at 10:50am

Just five new musicals in one season has to be a record. If it stands as so. I still think one or two surprise shows pop up and swoop in because of this.

[Ensemble1711444445]

Posted: 11/28/25 at 10:56am

Winter Garden is a Scott Rudin play. 

Other shows closing depends on which billionaires want to stop running at a loss...Gatsby, Moulin, Juliet, Stranger, or HK. But there is very little time for a new musical to do the work it needs to do to open in spring. They booked backwards this year. Play need very little time to come in while musicals take a much longer lead time. 

No once saw the collapse of the big shows that landed early commitments coming - Queen, Prince, Dolly Parton, and even Lost Boys is struggling to raise its money after over a year of having a theater locked. Leaving big houses open but also being held for Prince and Dolly to get their creative fixed. 

MadsonMelo said: "I was wondering, which houses are available for this next spring for musicals?

Majestic, St. James and Winter Garden?

Maybe the Marquis if Stranger Things closes right after the holidays?

Some shows have to close indeed

"

 

Updated On: 11/28/25 at 10:56 AM

[kdogg36]

Posted: 11/28/25 at 11:04am

ACL2006 said: "Just five new musicals in one season has to be a record. If it stands as so. I still think one or two surprise shows pop up and swoop in because of this."

It's not a record - only two new musicals (and three revivals) opened in the 1994-95 season - but it's certainly a let-down after the past two very busy seasons.

[Kad]

Posted: 11/28/25 at 11:15am

The lack of new musicals on Broadway is one thing, but the lack of obviously Broadway-bound new musicals off-Broadway or regionally is worse. None of the shows kicking around is even an on-paper decent bet, the out of town tryouts are either uninspiring or have faceplanted, there isn’t even a prestige piece waiting in the wings. 

[Ensemble1711444445]

Posted: 11/28/25 at 11:21am

Based on that logic we wouldn't have Happy Endings, Outsiders or Buena Vista -- and probably not Just in Time.  The smaller shows that have solid creative seem to be what the audience is responding to not the big budget spectacles whose creative isn't ready but is deemed too big to fail. 

Kad said: "The lack of new musicals on Broadway is one thing, but the lack of obviously Broadway-bound new musicals off-Broadway or regionally is worse. None of the shows kicking around is even an on-paper decent bet, the out of town tryouts are either uninspiring or have faceplanted, there isn’t even a prestige piece waiting in the wings."

 

[InTheBathroom1]

Posted: 11/28/25 at 11:28am

Agree with Kad.  Also, for the last decade or so, all of the best musicals were coming from Off-Broadway (Hamilton, Fun Home, DEH, The Band’s Visit, A Strange Loop, Kimberly Akimbo), but with the non-profits struggling since the pandemic, they’re really looking for musicals that already have investors attached who are willing to pour money into these projects/nonprofits.  It’s too expensive otherwise.  These organic Off-Broadway hits feel like a thing of the past.  These types of shows also typically had lower budgets and operating costs than the big spectacles currently making their way through the pipeline.

[Kad]

Posted: 11/28/25 at 11:31am

By what logic? there simply aren’t many shows right now like MHE, BVSC, or Outsiders- all of which demonstrated success and appeal elsewhere- on deck for a transfer in the near future. 

[Ensemble1711444445]

Posted: 11/28/25 at 11:38am

Who says they aren't out there? Tons of shows with a ton of potential that are being overlooked for the bloated 30 million dollar shows. I see most everything and get pitched to invest in almost everything and am mystified at how the shows get picked. Smash and Boop are perfect examples as are Dolly and Prince. The shows are out there unsupported by the big three. Juliet was passed on by all of them- only the roundabout was willing to give it a shot. It is the only Musical to recoup since the pandemic. Curious do you see all these developmental productions that you are throwing shade at?

 

Kad said: "By what logic? there simply aren’t many shows right now like MHE, BVSC, or Outsiders- all of which demonstrated success and appeal elsewhere- on deck for a transfer in the near future."

 

Updated On: 11/28/25 at 11:38 AM

[musicthatmakesmedance]

Posted: 11/28/25 at 11:47am

Costs are out of control. Dolly capitalized at $32M (!!!), Purple Rain at $29.5M. Insane numbers. Even Wanted is at $20.5M!

Updated On: 11/28/25 at 11:47 AM

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 11/28/25 at 12:00pm

ACL2006 said: "Just five new musicals in one season has to be a record. If it stands as so. I still think one or two surprise shows pop up and swoop in because of this."

 

It would be a record for this century, during the 2000s the least amout of new musicals that we had was 7 in 5 different seasons, 4 of them consecutively:

 

2017-18:

The Band's Visit

Escape to Margaritaville

Frozen

Mean Girls

Prince of Broadway

SpongeBob SquarePants

Summer: The Donna Summer Musical

 

2003-04:

Avenue Q

Bombay Dreams

The Boy from Oz

Caroline, or Change

Never Gonna Dance

Taboo

Wicked

 

2002-03:

Amour

Dance of the Vampires

Hairspray

The Look of Love

Movin' Out

Urban Cowboy

A Year with Frog and Toad

 

2001-02:

By Jeeves

Mamma Mia!

One Mo' Time

Sweet Smell of Success

Thoroughly Modern Millie

Thou Shalt Not

Urinetown

 

2000-01:

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Blast!

A Class Act

The Full Monty

Jane Eyre

The Producers

Seussical

[DaveyG]

Posted: 11/28/25 at 12:04pm

musicthatmakesmedance said: "Costs are out of control.Dolly capitalized at $32M (!!!),Purple Rain at $29.5M. Insane numbers. Even Wanted is at $20.5M!"

Smash cost over $20 million dollars and the physical production was not elaborate and the cast wasn't enormous. They didn't even do an out of town. WHERE is this money going???

[Ensemble1711444445]

Posted: 11/28/25 at 12:10pm

Smash was 25- they spent on massive workshops and then because they had no out of town their costs during tech and previews went through the roof as they tried to make last minute changes on the fly. Now imagine what Lost Boys is going to experience with stunts and massive sets they have never done in the theater! 

DaveyG said: "musicthatmakesmedance said: "Costs are out of control.Dollycapitalized at $32M (!!!),Purple Rainat $29.5M. Insane numbers. EvenWantedis at $20.5M!"

Smash cost over $20 million dollars and the physical production was not elaborate and the cast wasn't enormous. They didn't even do an out of town.WHERE is this money going???"

 

[Ensemble1698878795]

Posted: 11/28/25 at 1:45pm

Kad said: "The lack of new musicals on Broadway is one thing, but the lack of obviously Broadway-bound new musicals off-Broadway or regionally is worse. None of the shows kicking around is even an on-paper decent bet, the out of town tryouts are either uninspiring or have faceplanted, there isn’t even a prestige piece waiting in the wings."

There's not a lack of new musicals waiting in the wings. There's a lack of new musicals getting support. And as audiences flock to the 2nd revival of Ragtime to see their favorite theater stars sing the same score from 20 plus years ago, the theater landscape isn't making space for new works to thrive. 

Every non profit is looking for millions of enhancement to mount new musicals in and out of New York. Without a starry name it's impossible to even get a show off the ground when it IS good. 

I know many writers who are trying, but the climate doesn't have the infrastructure to support them.  

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 11/28/25 at 2:54pm

Dispiritingly, there aren’t many new plays in the pipeline either. 

Many open-ended Broadway shows with underwhelming grosses at the moment are being given a long runway, because landlords would rather not see their theaters empty for an indefinite period of time. 

Updated On: 11/28/25 at 02:54 PM

[SteveSanders]

Posted: 11/28/25 at 3:25pm

Ragtime is not the problem and seems strange to single it out.

[uncageg]

Posted: 11/28/25 at 3:52pm

I don't think Kad is "Throwing shade". He is just commenting on the lack of shows that are "on deck"/ready to transfer to Broadway this season. Not the overall amount of musicals out there that aren't. (Correct me if I am wrong Kad.)

[Ensemble1711444445]

Posted: 11/28/25 at 4:12pm

if you scroll up you will see Kad decided no new shows have merit to become outsiders or happy endings- hence my comment.. there are a ton of shows that fit that model and need support and a path —not to be summarily dismissed.  no need to dismiss the ones trying! 

uncageg

said: "I don't think Kad is "Throwing shade". He is just commenting on the lack of shows that are "on deck"/ready to transfer to Broadway this season. Not the overall amount of musicals out there that aren't. (Correct me if I am wrong Kad.)"

 

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 11/28/25 at 4:21pm

“if you scroll up you will see Kad decided no new shows have merit to become outsiders or happy endings- hence my comment..”


And if you actually scrolled up, you’ll see that’s not what’s happening whatsoever. 

[BlakeHBarrettTheatre]

Posted: 11/28/25 at 4:35pm

From what I've heard, Damn Yankees maybe transferring next season once Circle in The Square opens back up from Just in Time, the team doesn't want to lose the in the round staging. Besides, the revival competition is way to steep this year between Chess, Cats, and Ragtime.

[Kad]

Posted: 11/28/25 at 4:36pm

Ensemble1711444445 said: "if you scroll up you will see Kaddecided no new showshave merit to become outsiders or happy endings- hence my comment.. there are a ton of shows that fit that model and need support and a path —not to be summarily dismissed. no need to dismissthe ones trying!

uncageg

said: "I don't think Kad is "Throwing shade". He is just commenting on the lack of shows that are "on deck"/ready to transfer to Broadway this season. Not the overall amount of musicals out there that aren't. (Correct me if I am wrong Kad.)"

"

That is not what I said or implied. 

I am looking at the slate of shows that have been in production regionally and off-Broadway this year- aka the productions that typically are the most likely candidates for a Broadway transfer within the next season or two, productions that have had critical and/or popular success and are primed with buzz. There simply aren't many. 

What's been written and what's in development is not what I was talking about- that covers dozens, if not hundreds, of shows in various stages of development, most of which will likely never be produced in a major way at all.  And the fact that those shows aren't moving forward doesn't negate my argument here, either- it reinforces it: there is an extremely shallow pool of work that is being actively developed , invested in, and produced at the levels that typically feed into Broadway. 

 

Updated On: 11/28/25 at 04:36 PM

[Ensemble1711444445]

Posted: 11/28/25 at 5:16pm

As I said you are throwing shade at all of them by summarily dismissing them as not having buzz. Outsiders had no buzz but it they did great work on it. Happy endings had negative buzz and overcame it. Buena Vista went off broadway because it had no buzz. Have you seen The Heart? Pussycat? Galileo? Mythic? Ben Buttons?- each of them had critical and or popular success.... but you dismiss them. On another chain you were harsher and deemed some of them doomed to fail - have you seen them? Or are you just dismissing them because you don't deem them buzzworthy? At some point it would be great if the quality/potential of a project meant something. Rant over. I usually like your posts so maybe we are just in a loop here. 

But to be clear this is what you said and implied....

'None of the shows kicking around is even an on-paper decent bet, the out of town tryouts are either uninspiring or have faceplanted, there isn’t even a prestige piece waiting in the wings."

That is you dismissing every new show trying to come in. 

Kad said: "Ensemble1711444445 said: "if you scroll up you will see Kaddecided no new showshave merit to become outsiders or happy endings- hence my comment.. there are a ton of shows that fit that model and need support and a path —not to be summarily dismissed. no need to dismissthe ones trying!

uncageg

said: "I don't think Kad is "Throwing shade". He is just commenting on the lack of shows that are "on deck"/ready to transfer to Broadway this season. Not the overall amount of musicals out there that aren't. (Correct me if I am wrong Kad.)"

"

That is not what I said or implied.

I am looking at the slate of shows that have been in production regionally and off-Broadway this year- aka the productions that typically are the most likely candidates for a Broadway transfer within the next season or two, productions that have had critical and/or popular success and are primed with buzz. There simply aren't many.

What's been written and what's in development is not what I was talking about- that covers dozens, if not hundreds, of shows in various stages of development, most of which will likely never be produced in a major way at all. And the fact that thoseshows aren't moving forward doesn't negate my argument here, either- it reinforces it: there is an extremely shallow pool of work that is being actively developed , invested in, and produced at the levels that typically feed into Broadway.

"
 

Updated On: 11/28/25 at 05:16 PM

[Ensemble1711444445]

Posted: 11/28/25 at 5:19pm

KAD from above 

"None of the shows kicking around is even an on-paper decent bet, the out of town tryouts are either uninspiring or have faceplanted, there isn’t even a prestige piece waiting in the wings."

So yes that is what he is saying and that is what is happening...whatsoever.

BroadwayNYC2 said: "“if you scroll up you will see Kaddecided no new showshave merit to become outsiders or happy endings- hence my comment..”


And if you actually scrolled up, you’ll see that’s not what’s happening whatsoever."
 

Updated On: 11/28/25 at 05:19 PM

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 11/28/25 at 6:34pm

This isn’t the sole cause of pipeline problems, but enhancement pricetags have reached a breaking point and there is no incentive to invest early for better terms — the producers will always come knocking again for money after the out of town run.

It’s been dismaying over the last few months to see shows open off-bway and regionally but none of them feel like strong Broadway shows. Seat of Our Pants, Mexodus, Wrinkle in Time, Saturday Church, Millions, Purple Rain, Dolly, etc.

I think even one or two more promising-on-paper musicals announced for Broadway would assuage fears, but I don’t know what those shows could be.

Updated On: 11/28/25 at 06:34 PM