Ave Q - Vegas to close May 28- Page 2

[regnad kcin]

Posted: 2/15/06 at 12:37pm

I would not assume that Wynn was losing money on Q. One report was that in order to run both Q and Spamalot at the same time, as originally planned, he would have had to cut the size of the golf course in order to build the Grail Theater. However, the golf course has proven to be very popular. Therefore, he decided that he could make best use of his resources by swapping Q for Spamalot, and keeping the golf course intact.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 2/15/06 at 12:41pm

Margo is absolutely right. No matter how much Seller and McCollum pissed off the presenters by lying about the tour, the presenters are not now going to be stupid enough to turn it down.

Business is business, and the business of theater is not an easy one. If they have the opportunity to book a proven moneymaker, they have to take it.

Updated On: 2/15/06 at 12:41 PM

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 2/15/06 at 12:41pm

I think it is a bad idea for Ave. Q to tour , especially to the larger tour venues. For example - The truly horrible Broward Center for the Performing Arts is way too large for most shows (its one of these huge caverns that sits clos to 3000 people), but a show as small as Ave Q would be lost there.

[QMAN03]

Posted: 2/15/06 at 12:49pm

I'm sad now. I absolutely love this show, but I knew this was coming. The night I saw it the theater was a little more than half full (and some people even walked out). Oh well, atleast I'm seeing it this weekend again.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/15/06 at 12:54pm

One of the main reasons they opted for Vegas in the first place (beyond Wynn's deep pockets), was due to some of the feedback that they were getting from the road presenters. They were worried about having to book the show into 3000+ seat venues and wondered if the show would be swallowed up in such huge spaces. Ideally, they'd want to do a tour of 1000 seat venues nationally, but there just aren't enough of those to make a tour worthwhile.

There was also the question of how well an adult-themed satirical puppet show would play in certain areas of the country. The Bible Belt and other areas probably would likely reject it and there was the question of whether people outside the very large urban areas would like or even "get" the humor of show. In the face of so many obstacles, it was a logical and smart business decision to go with Wynn and Vegas, which alleviated all of their concerns. They should do fine in several cities on a national tour, but there are dozens of venues and cities that wouldn't be ideal or welcoming of this show.

Updated On: 2/15/06 at 12:54 PM

[QMAN03]

Posted: 2/15/06 at 12:58pm

Around what time will this tour start?

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 2/15/06 at 12:59pm

Even if they did play the 3,000 seat theaters, I don't think it would be swallowed up. Here in the bible belt, I doubt 3,000 ppl would go out to see the show, therefore only the bottom half of the theater would be filled, giving off the impression of intimacy. At least that's how I felt when I saw 42nd St. with such a small audience, I felt like i was in a tinyer theater.

[justme2]

Posted: 2/15/06 at 1:11pm

Well, San Francisco is one of the ideal venues for this show, and I'm glad to see we won't be blacked out from seeing this production any longer.

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 2/15/06 at 1:57pm

Even though I am obsessed with this show, I don't think it would be wise for a tour.

It needs a small theatre like the Golden and not many theatre's around the country are like that. It's a unique show and it needs a unique place.

I'm quite worried about it going to London but I'm sure the producers will try to make it fit that 'area' as much as possible.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 2/15/06 at 2:03pm

The road presenters have always been concerned about the content, it had nothing to do with venues (that was a concern of the Avenue Q folk). Nothing has changed since then. It is also no longer the "IT" show, so excitement about booking it has probably deteriorated. I think Avenue Q should do what shows seem to no longer do, book long runs in large theatre markets (mainly Chicago, LA and San Francisco) until it makes its money back, and then tour the remaining primary markets.

[justme2]

Posted: 2/15/06 at 2:08pm

yes, please! I'd like to see a touring show stop for longer than 3-4 weeks here in SF! This is why I am happy about the Spelling Bee site down in SF.

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/15/06 at 2:17pm

Well, if I were a tour presenter, I sure wouldn't be offering them a sweet deal now. The show flopped in Vegas, and I would be worried the same thing would happen in my venue. I would even question booking the show at all, unless it was a really sweet deal for me (the presenter).

Posted: 2/15/06 at 2:48pm

Which theatre is Spelling Bee coming to? Damnit.. Looks like I've got to make another trip.

Oh well.

Did it flop in Vegas? Or did people just not like it? There's a difference, you know.

[justme2]

Posted: 2/15/06 at 2:52pm

I think it's the Post theater in SF (not absolutely sure though, so I'll check).

[Fosse76]

Posted: 2/15/06 at 2:54pm

"Well, if I were a tour presenter, I sure wouldn't be offering them a sweet deal now. The show flopped in Vegas, and I would be worried the same thing would happen in my venue. I would even question booking the show at all, unless it was a really sweet deal for me (the presenter)."

That's another thing people aren't looking at. Good point. But at the same time, presenters are booking Little Women and Brooklyn, which were flops on Broadway. Vegas, in my opinion, is not a good indicator as to how well a show would do on the road, but it is a fact that presenters may cite when they refuse to book the show.

[sabrelady]

Posted: 2/15/06 at 3:00pm

"It really SUCKS to be Q"

(Snickers happily to self as the Q continues to fall further and further..)

Posted: 2/15/06 at 3:06pm

I'm assuming that's on Post ST, right?

Lady, I got to see John and the rest of the Vegas cast and I loved it. I'm going to miss seeing all the ads for it and stuff.

I've seen some taxi's that were painted orange with a white Q on them. Ah, so much fun.

[emo_geek]

Posted: 2/15/06 at 4:12pm

I saw both casts of Avenue q in vegas on the same night and the audiences loved it. Though I could see where it could have passed vegas. I also saw it in New York and could tell people loved it, but just loved it more. I wonder who will tour...

Also yes, I wonder what theatres they will play at. Pantages...unless your in the first 15 rows forget it!

Updated On: 2/15/06 at 04:12 PM

[hushpuppy]

Posted: 2/15/06 at 4:46pm

If you can't bring the frat boy to the mountain, bring the mountain to the frat boy. Spamalot will run forever in Las Vegas. They attract the exact same constituency.

From the Times on 4/11/05:

Spamalot, Broadway's hottest show, drawn from the 1975 cult film 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail,' has managed to tap into a rare, highly prized Broadway demographic: men; specifically, the kinds of teenagers and 20-somethings who find jokes about fish, flatulence and the French absolutely sidesplitting and who normally wouldn't be headed to the theater unless dragged by a girlfriend, school trip or court order.

Tim Curry, who plays a very silly King Arthur in the musical, confirms this, claiming to regularly see packs of young men chortling along to the show.

'They come in pockets of four or five guys from the frat, or who four or five guys who were frat brothers,' he said, sounding a bit like the narrator of a National Geographic wildlife special.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 2/15/06 at 5:27pm

Margo is absolutely right - and true Q will probably be a more limited tour than something like HAIRSPRAY or WICKED, but they should be able to compensate by easily selling out longer gigs in places like Boston, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Definitely a WIN/WIN solution. And whatever the case, Q has been a success on a much bigger level than the writers could ever have possibly imagined.

[Corine2]

Posted: 2/15/06 at 5:55pm

It really SUCKS to be Q"

(Snickers happily to self as the Q continues to fall further and further..)

Sabrelady,
I'm surprised at your comments. Why would you want any show to fail? I am sorry Avenue Q,is closing. It is a brilliant show with heart. Hope the talented Vegas cast can go on tour.
I would hate to see Rick Lyon, John Tags and the rest of the Q team out of work.
Q is such a wonderful show. Hope it never stops running in New York.
I love Avenue Q. Q is forever.
Additionally, if you pray for a show to fail, what does that say about you? It really must suck to be you.

Updated On: 2/15/06 at 05:55 PM

[dotmarie]

Posted: 2/15/06 at 6:22pm

Well, maybe it's better this way. Q simply wasn't doing so well in Vegas. And I absolutely hate that they cut it down.
the show will live on in other ways. it's not going anywhere. a tour would be fantastic.
the saddest thing is that now the Vegas cast members are out of jobs. I saw them last December and they're such a talented group. I hope they make their way to Broadway soon.

[Phantom2]

Posted: 2/15/06 at 6:57pm

It is very hard for a Broadway show to survive in Vegas. I was hoping that Avenue Q would have stayed around a while longer. It was sad that We Will Rock You had to close a few months back. Looking forward to seeing Hairspray there someday.

Updated On: 2/15/06 at 06:57 PM

[Horton]

Posted: 2/15/06 at 8:05pm

Just play it in the Blue states

[emo_geek]

Posted: 2/15/06 at 8:27pm

They don't know...it hasnt even closed in vegas yet.