Avenue Q Vegas: Not doing well?

[mint0621]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 10:26am

My aunt works at Wynn Hotel; she is receiving free tickets to Avenue Q, because "it's not doing very well" and they want to encourage people to go see it. It's the first hint that I've heard that Ave Q isn't doing well in Vegas. Has anyone else heard this? John T, we need you back in NYC!

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 10:28am

Hasn't it only just started there?

[Tom1071]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 10:32am

I'm not surprised at all. It really is not a theatre town. People who do go see shows out there want to see flashy spectacles. They probably just think that it's just a puppet show.

Not only that, the theatres out there are twice, sometimes three times the size of a Broadway house. If they can fill half the seats that is considered a success. Updated On: 9/13/05 at 10:32 AM

[YessicaB]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 10:32am

Hey,

I don't know about that. Didn't they get great reviews? And I talked to some people who work at the Wynn and aparently they had gotten a single ticket to see the show and had interpreted it with them being nice. Apart from that it makes sense, since most people in Vegas aren't exactly theatre-goers and this way they'd be able to recommend it and have some information about it if asked.

[Corine2]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 10:37am

I can't believe such a thing!
Well, you are giving me a reason to go to VEGAS.
Anyone who has not seen the incredible Tags, needs to hop a plane. Time to take my vacation.
Tags is the greatest.
Go Vegas Q!

[tthomas76]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 10:42am

Aw, this makes me sad.... I really hope this does better... However, it's just started they need to give it more time...

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 10:46am

Maybe they're judging it on advance sales? A friend told me that very few Vegas shows have much in the way of advance sales (O is one notable exception) but they do stellar business in day of sales. I know when Mamma Mia first went to Vegas, there was concern over its advance sales but it's still going strong.

[Corine2]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 10:52am

If you don't see Q, it will SUCK TO BE YOU!

Q RULES~
Ahem. Ahem!

[mint0621]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 11:01am

It's interesting because my aunt worked at Bellagio before; and she's never received free "O" tickets (for the Cirque du Soleil show at Bellagio), even when "O" opened. Perhaps there's more of a demand for Cirque than Avenue Q in Vegas.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 11:06am

Hence I said O is the notable exception.

[Jon]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 11:15am

I think business will pick up in a while. The success of AVENUE Q in Vegas will be based on word of mouth. People who see it will tell their friends about it. Then when those people go to Vegas, they will see it, and tel their friends.

How do you think BLUE MAN GROUP has lasted all these years?

[paphillyguy]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 11:27am

I saw the show on Friday night @ 10 pm. I would say the orch was 80% full. I do think that 2 shows a day 10 shows a week is a lot. I do think that word of mouth will bring more people to the show. The west coast is not that into theater and have not heard a lot about Ave Q.

Also, a note if you are going to see Q just for John and Rick, make sure you check out his website because the box office really has not clue. The are even using a bad map of the theater (and they know it but have not changed it yet). I did not see where they post who is in the night you are seeing. Also, I can not believe that they do not put in a listing of the cast that night in the playbill. You have to figure it out for yourself.

By the way, Mamma Mia started out like this and it is still doing great.

[paphillyguy]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 11:54am

Also, This is also a very show period in Vegas. Just like NYC September is very slow. Oct will pick up.

[MusicalMan2]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 12:05pm

Also Ave Q isn't required to fill a huge arena. Wynn built a theater just for Ave Q which is smaller and more personal. The show just started, so give it time. I'm from Las Vegas and the show is perfect for it. It will pick up and go strong just like Mamma Mia. Also, they are starting Hairspray at the Luxor next February and then Spamalot sometime in the next year as well. Las Vegas is perfect for theater because people go to be entertained. Also, regardless of what everyone knows, Las Vegas is cleaning up and becoming a bit more respectable. It's actually a beautiful city (fastest growing in America) and although we still have the strip clubs, etc. (they won't ever go away) the city is because a huge venue and location for great shows, celebrity homes and all. Go Vegas!! I can't wait for it to take off. That will be awesome when Mamma Mia, Ave Q, Hairspray and Spamalot are all playing there!

[musicnmath]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 12:22pm

Perhaps there's more of a demand for Cirque than Avenue Q in Vegas.

I wonder how Cirque did in the very beginning. It's so very artsy (and I love it) that that seems even further outside the typical Vegas fare. Yes, it's flashy and bright, but it's still highly artistic and requires some mental work on the part of the audience. Even so, look how well it's doing...how many Cirque shows are there now in Vegas? 5? i'm sure word-of-mouth will do the trick. After all, the show has US going for it -- we'll tell everyone we know who's going, right? My parents are heading out there in the next few months and Q is at the top of the must-dos. (That said, 10 shows seems alot...though I've not seen the size of the theatre)

[JRTO]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 12:27pm

pretty dumb time to open a show if you ask me. Tourism sucks everywhere in Sept to Mid Oct, Jan to mid Feb. Anyone who opens a show during that time in a tourist town that dosen't have a huge local audience that will support the show until the tourists arive is attempting suicide. That said, there is a lot of money tied up in this venture, and I'm sure it will do well in time...

[lildogs]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 12:28pm

I would also imagine that the casino would want its employees to plug its show and what better way to do that by letting them see it? It's the same principle of having waiters taste all the dishes so they can make informed recommendations.

[Pippin]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 1:04pm

I think the other problem may be that vegas is now a family destination, and Q is not a family show, so it may be a tough sale on parents who bring their young children. I hope it succeeds, though.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 1:04pm

"make sure you check out his website"

Whose website? Do you have a link?

[YessicaB]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 1:21pm

Exactly my point lildogs.
By the way I think the theatre that was build for Avenue Q has 1200 seats so more than in NYC. (Like 400 more, is that about right?)
I think word of mouth will do it for Q. When I flew home and was waiting at the airport there were two guys talking about how awesome it was, calling their friends and telling them about it.....and they did not seem like "theatre-folks"...lol.

[DAME]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 1:28pm

mint0621,
All shows in Vegas had poor attendance last week. Things are different there than in NY. When there are conventions in town everything is busy. You cant get a ticket for Celine Dion one week and get nothing for any money in the world the next.

[hushpuppy]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 1:28pm

"The west coast is not that into theater and have not heard a lot about Ave Q."

First of all, Las Vegas is NOT the West Coast. It's in the middle of the desert. Second, the 'real' west coast (San Francisco, Berkeley, Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, etc) has a thriving theatre scene. Third, I hope Q fails miserably in Las Vegas. I adored the show in NY but I hate the fact that they sold their souls to Steve Wynn and his vulgar new casino instead of touring. No, this show is not right for the Wednesday matinee blue-hair crowd, but wouldn't it have been great to see it play smaller venues in theatre-savvy towns instead of playing to clueless drunks in Las Vegas?

[YessicaB]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 1:33pm

Pippin- WHO takes their kids to Vegas? A family vacation spot, Vegas? I've only been there once (for the Q opening last week), but it just didn't strike me as a place I'd ever bring my kids to.
All the smoke filled casinos that are almost impossible to find your way out of, the people on the street that wanna send strippers up to your room, and pass out pictures of half nacked girls.....
I don't know. Maybe there's more to it, but is there really a big percentage of people who vacation there with their family?

[DAME]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 1:39pm

AMEN hushpuppy. AMEN!

[YessicaB]

Posted: 9/13/05 at 1:47pm

Hushpuppy and Dame, I think the explanation they gave for not touring made a lot of sense. I it would have been worse if they were touring and had to change half the context and lyrics to not shock or offend anyone. That would be selling out, don't you think?