Avenue Q Vegas: Not doing well?- Page 4

[YessicaB]

Posted: 9/14/05 at 4:02pm

Justme2, I'm not familiar with SF, but weren't Annie and Wicked just playing in 2 of the big theatres there?

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 9/14/05 at 4:05pm

"It's a word of mouth show -- it was on Broadway, and it is in Vegas."
Totally true. I remember when I first saw it, I got my tickets from TKTS and didn't even know how to pronounce John Tartaglia, let alone see a show because he was in it.
Honestly, it took till about the week the Tony nominations came out for Avenue Q to officially become a hit AND recoup it's investment.
The only real concern I have about Q in Vegas is that I might not raise enough money to see it.

[justme2]

Posted: 9/14/05 at 4:15pm

yes..Annie is here right now for 4 weeks, I think, and Wicked was here for the same amount of time.

4 weeks?

And then the theater is dark for another 8-16 weeks. No show comes in to replace the show that left, so what is the damn hurry?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about how much theater we get here..if fact, SF has been quite lucky in the last two -three years with some pre-Broadway shows.

But tours?

4 weeks...tops. Unless it's Phantom, which had it claws on the Curran for over five years.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 9/14/05 at 5:24pm

Les Miz has been here for much longer than that. The previous stop was seven weeks, and the one before that was five. The one before that was at least eight.

[justme2]

Posted: 9/14/05 at 5:32pm

OMG, how could I have forgotten about Les Miz!!! Thanks Lizzie! I beleive they were camped at the Curran, weren't they?

On another note though, Lizzie...did you notice on the Best of Broadway site that in order for SF audiences to purchase tickets to LeStat, we have to purchase the subscriber package and see Ring of Fire also??? I don't have money enough to see all 6 shows in that package, nor did I want to. I merely wanted to see LeStat and possibly "The Swan". Does this seem fair to SF audiences?

[Fosse76]

Posted: 9/14/05 at 7:56pm

I think these "exclusives" are starting to become discriminatory. Who could get a good seat to The Odd Couple or The Woman in White when American Express Gold card members could eat them all up a month in advance of the public sale.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 9/14/05 at 9:25pm

JustMe, I noticed that, too.

Apparently Les Miz was considering going to the Orpheum this time around, but because of Wicked, they stuck to the Curran.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/14/05 at 11:31pm

I really think they need to take my advice and have a big giant free pizza party, buffet style. It is a known fact that people in Las Vegas LOVE buffets. So you get out on the street and you say things like, "Hey, come on inside for free pizza, it's totally free, there is no catch!" Maybe have some with pineapple and ham on it since apparently, if what the other people in this thread are saying is true, there are a lot of foreigners who go there. Something exotic like pineapple and ham would certinaly draw the foreigners. But don't over-order that style, it could backfire. Once all the plain cheese ones and pepperoni ones are gone and people are still coming in and they're starving because you put the idea of pizza in their heads and all that's left is pineapple and ham they could get really upset and maybe throw things.

So order carefully, invite them in, then you get them in there and they're all milling about and chewing and you kind of mingle with them and you say things to them like, "Hey, how are you enjoying your free pizza there?" and "Been keeping out of trouble? Did you get enough to eat? Have you tried it with grated parmesan that we have in those oblong shakers, you have to hit those from the bottom?" and that kind of thing.

When people are sort of full, you have the lights go out and you have one of the puppets from the show, the one that is essentially Cookie Monster, whatever that one is, and you have him go, "Pizza! PIZZA!" just like Animal from the Muppets, but make his voice not exactly like Animal's so as to avoid copyright issues. And then you have some official human person get up and say, "Ladies and Gentleman, boys and girls, we hope you've enjoyed the delicious free pizza that we went to a lot of trouble to buy for you, how about that pineapple and ham, exotic huh?" At that point get somebody else on the payroll to start a spontaneous round of applause.

Then say, "Hey puppet," I can't remember what that one's name is, but the one that's basically Cookie Monster still, "What do YOU do for a living?" and have him go, "I am an actor singer dancer!" Then the human goes "Topless," and then he goes, "No, I have a head." Then have the staff member start laughing which will make others laugh.

THEN you have him say, "No, but seriously, I'm in this one show and it's really funny and you should definitely all buy tickets to see it because we went to all the trouble to buy you pizza." Then you have a puff of smoke and a little mini explosion and the lights go out and come right back on and the smoke clears and there's no sign of that puppet but there is a box office right there. And you kind of make people walk right up to the box office to get out. You could even add a two dollar surcharge to pay for the pizza, just call it a theater restoration charge.

And THAT is how you build the Avegas Q audience: FREE PIZZA.

Best wishes,
FindingNamo

[sharonkurland]

Posted: 9/14/05 at 11:46pm

Shrug...I live in Central Florida and I saw Avenue Q in NYC in January 2004 and October 2004. My husband and I are going to Las Vegas SPECIFICALLY to see it again, in about 3-1/2 weeks. And FWIW, I detest Vegas...if it wasn't for Q (and, as I later found out, Toxic Audio at the Luxor), there is no way I'd be going to Vegas again.

I ordered our tickets about a week ago and we've got 16th row, dead center, for the 10pm show because that's the best we could get...not bad for a show that's allegedly "failing miserably" (yeahright). I don't know if John and/or Rick will be at that show and to be honest, it won't matter to us...we've seen them in NY (John twice) and I have no doubts that whoever they've casted will be terrific. Seeing one or both of them would be icing on the cake, but even if we find out what time who is working ahead of time, I'm not 100% sure we'll try to switch if it turns out they're playing the earlier show.

As for "why see it in Vegas when I could see it in NY"...it's going to be interesting to see how different performers put subtle changes into the roles...and how they changed a little of the script to reflect Vegas instead of NY. It's going to be a nice change of pace for what has turned out to be my #1 all-time favorite Broadway show.

Speaking of which....will we EVER get to see a CD or DVD of "Avenue Q Swings!"???

-Sharon-
Orlando FL

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/15/05 at 12:19am

One of the things about Vegas, not that I am an expert about anything other than pizza, but one of the things about Vegas is the scarcity model of tickets that is used to hype most all of the main room shows there. Tickets are held for people staying at that specific hotel, generally "the best" seats in the house. It's all the "illusion" of the hard to get ticket. It's part of the "thing" they do to make sales in Vegas, make it a little hard to get in to the show and that becomes a win for people visiting a city in which they otherwise lose.

Personally, I think they should give them pizza.

[Corine2]

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

Oh Namo. Namo.
Trekkie is the name you were searching for.
Trekkie should hand out condoms and say the "Internet is for Porn"
Forget the pizza.
Ha ha.

PS: It is sin city after all!
FYI- Please don't piss off Jeff Whitty.
Besides, Vegas wont have NY Style pizza. Besides, Little Caesar might sue.
Trekkie could hand out condoms while Lucy the Slut gives lap dances.
Kate Monster would be disgusted with this idea.
Ciao.

Updated On: 9/15/05 at 09:05 AM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/15/05 at 9:20am

First of all, Corine, looking at porn on the Internet is THE #1 sexual activity that does not require a condom. Though it's a fun idea, it's a very confusing prevention message. And if Ned Weeks, the character from The Normal Heart were alive today, he'd yell at you. And yell at you. For getting that wrong.

Second of all, I really do think pizza is the way to go. I've come up with this awesome idea to help build the audience of Avegas Q, and it's relatively cheap and it's pretty much guaranteed to draw people in. Maybe some of those Crazy Bread dipping sticks and sauce would be good too. And just bowls of sauce for people like you, Corine, who are avoiding carbs. That Cookie Monster guy could go, "Crustless Pizza, YAH!!!!"

It would be awesome.

[Corine2]

Posted: 9/15/05 at 10:11am

NAMO Cutie,
Safe sex is always a good message!
Pizza is fattening fattening.
Come on, a lap dance from Lucy will be the way to go.
They could also have Ricky doing lap dances.
Ricky and Lucy and Trekkie could be waving dollars.
Hee hee!

Oh, and they could have a dollar bucket to raise funds for Katrina victims. Updated On: 9/15/05 at 10:11 AM

[YessicaB]

Posted: 9/15/05 at 11:29am

Haha Corine. Sounds nice, but I agree with Namo that there should be Pizza anyway. For people like Kate.

[Corine2]

Posted: 9/15/05 at 11:42am

Kate?
Kate is forever on a diet. You think she would touch pizza?

But if they put out a platter of all you can eat "Shrimp", watch out.
Interview with Kate Monster:
https://www.corinescorner.com/single_puppet_looking_for_love.htm Updated On: 9/15/05 at 11:42 AM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/15/05 at 5:16pm

But this is not a thread to get traffic to your wesbite, Corine, this is a thread to get traffic to Avegas Q. And to help Katrina victims.

And pizza would be good for both.

[robbiej]

Posted: 9/15/05 at 5:34pm

I went to Vegas once.

I saw a woman with cameltoe...actually, I saw MANY women with cameltoe...but this one was special. She was sporting leather pants.

Do you realize how tight those pants have to be (not to mention the actual size of this woman's vagina) in order to produce a cameltoe under such conditions.

Had I been eating pizza, I might have missed it.

[YessicaB]

Posted: 9/15/05 at 5:45pm

Thanks for sharing robbiej, that's most definitely a crucial point.

[robbiej]

Posted: 9/15/05 at 5:51pm

I've never seen anything like it. It was nearly religious in its impact on me.

[Phantom2]

Posted: 9/15/05 at 6:05pm

I would definitely see this show if I went to Vegas.

[Corine2]

Posted: 9/15/05 at 6:08pm

I would only go to VEGAS to see Q!
And Namonettikins,
It was not to get traffic to my site. It was to highlight Stephanie and Kate.
OY VEY!
https://www.avenueq.com
Correction: I also want to see a new upcoming show in Vegas called Peep Show. Updated On: 9/15/05 at 06:08 PM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/15/05 at 7:23pm

I see Peep Shows six days a week, minimum. My favorite is right next to a pizza parlor. When those Italians get off work... oh madone....

And speaking of pizza, does anybody know if the powers that be at Avegas Q have decided to use my idea to get some warm bodies in the audience?

[Corine2]

Posted: 9/15/05 at 11:03pm

Well,
The Peep show I want to see has not been seen.
More on that to follow around Oct 1st.

Namonette sweetie,
Here is a place for you to try.
Ever try Two Boots?
Those boots were made for walking.

How about shrimp pizza?
Updated On: 9/19/05 at 11:03 PM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/15/05 at 11:33pm

Shrimp pizza? That is traif, Corine. TRAIF.

But as the Avegas Q version of Cookie Monster could sing at the Pizza Party to Lure in Customers:

P is for Pizza, that's good enough for me
P is for Pizza, that's good enough for me
P is for Pizza, that's good enough for me
Oh Pizza, Pizza, Pizza starts with P
A round pizza with a breadstick on the side looks like a P
A round pizza with a breadstick on the side looks like a P
But it is not as good as a Pizza
Oh, and the moon sometimes looks like a pizza,
But you can't eat that!
So, P is for Pizza, that's good enough for me
P is for Pizza, that's good enough for me
P is for Pizza, that's good enough for me
Oh, Pizza, Pizza, Pizza starts with P

Updated On: 9/15/05 at 11:33 PM

[Fosse76]

Posted: 9/15/05 at 11:51pm

If I go to Vegas I'll definitely see Q (since I can get free tickets), but I won't go to Vegas specifically to see Q when I can walk to the Golden Theatre and see it (though there it won't be free).