Avenue Q Vegas: Not doing well? — Page 2

"Whose website? Do you have a link?"

John Tartaglia's www.johntartaglia.com If you read his guestbook, he posts his schedule as he finds it out

All the hookers out at the Bunny Ranch are steeling all the business.

Unlike Hushpuppy, I would never root for 'Avenue Q' to 'fail miserably' in Vegas. It's a great show, and I'm happy for its creators and producers. They want to protect the show and made what they believed was the best decision. Sure, I would've loved to see it tour in S.F., where I have friends, but it'll get there someday. I don't think Wynn's deal is forever. And it's unfair to write off Vegas audiences as a bunch of 'clueless drunks.' I didn't see any of them when I was there; both of my audiences gave the show a standing O. Here's an interview with Jeff Marx and Robert Lopez and they spell out their reasoning:
The Gothamist: Jeff Marx and Robert Lopez

Of course they're going to give it a standing ovation. Most of them don't know a deserving show from a crackpot.

Maybe if they throw a pizza party in Vegas they can trick people into coming to see the show.

---

Wayman do you mean Vegas is only for now?

---

Okay lildogs. I believe you. It just seemed like a very odd choice for a family vacation...lol.

I agree with you Corine, I think Hushpuppy is just a little bitter.

I'm sorry, but I don't believe Avenue Q will be a big success in Las Vegas. I go to Vegas a couple of times a year and have for the past 15 years. Avenue Q will not have the long runs that Blue Man , Mamma Mia , or the Cirque shows have for a simple reason, and it has nothing to do with the quality of the show.

The show is too verbal, you need to have a very strong command of English and a knowledge of American culture to "get" Avenue Q . There are many international tourists that support the other shows which are more spectacle and almost no words. Look around the more upmarket casions (Bellagio, Wynn, Venetian, etc.), you will note that a large percentage of the people are international.

I saw the show last week and there were many people that were waking up when the house lights went on at intermission. Some of these folks didn't come back for the second act. That's not the way to create good word of mouth.

This plus they are doing 2 performances a day in a theatre that seats 1200. That's 2400 people capacity a day, almost three times the amount on Broadway.

Please don't bash me for making these comments because I love this show, but I don't think it's going to go for several years. I believe it's a bad match for the Las Vegas market.

Just my opinion and observations, and , truly, I hope I'm wrong.

Updated On: 9/13/05 at 04:12 PM

Um first of all - Vegas is becoming a huge FAMILY destination. More and more things are being geared towards families. But I don't think Avenue Q is really a family show. Also if Vegas wants to bring theatre to a new crowd, why hope they fail? This is spreading theatre around to more people who might not have otherwise experienced it. I think Steve Wynn is evil, but Vegas should not have to suffer because they are trying to bring the arts and culture to a town that desperately needs it.
Why be mad/upset that things aren't going the way everyone wants and focus on the bright side of developing thattre in a town that seriously lacks it?

Also Vegas audiences are not just a bunch of drunks and anyone who assumes that is ignorant.

---

Updated On: 9/13/05 at 04:13 PM

Hushpuupy, now that you've explained yourself: I do understand your point. BUT I still do not think that the "creators opted for big bucks" and nothing else. I think Vegas makes sense (even though I had to chuckle at ShowPeople when they wrote that Q will do great in Vegas since of course the frist thing someone who just gambled away their life savings wants is to see a gay puppet sing).
I agree with you HairsprayDoll and i allready admitted not knowing much about the pull factors for families

There's always the chance that Avenue Q might do well in Vegas, but here's the question: Has there EVER been a cerebral show to succeed there? To my knowledge, there has never been a successful Vegas show that didn't involve spectacle and glitz.

---

It could still tour while in Vegas, Mammia Mia did it. Hairspray did it. Spamalot is going to do it. You all need to just calm down! Anyways, is there a lot of advertising for Q in Vegas? I've never been but does it have a big marquee? Are there posters around town? Just wondering. Q in NYC isn't doing so well either. If you check this weeks sales, it was down in the 70s I think.

Hushpuppy suggests: 'They could've toured in places with smaller houses and theatre-savvy audiences.'

Co-producer Kevin McCollum's response (at TheaterMania): The problem with a traveling 'Avenue Q' is that 'most of America has heard that ours is a little puppet show.' Most of the musical's road engagements city to city would have been brief, and he says, 'We didn't think that served us. We didn't constantly want to be leaving when people were just discovering the show.'

It took awhile for Broadway to discover 'Avenue Q' and it didn't sell out when it first hit the Golden. Maybe it'll take time for it to catch on in Vegas, too. I, do, however, think mlsheehan raises legitimate concerns: Many of the Vegas audiences are tourists, and 'Avenue Q' is a very verbal show. Can they win over audiences - and especially foreign-speaking ones - that are much more used to spectacle and stunts (like the Cirque du Soleil shows)? Also, 'Avenue Q' needs to many more times people each night, as opposed to Broadway. It's a reality. And will rave reviews bring in the locals? Only time will tell.