Bankable Broadway/West End Star

[Forester]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 7:53am

In the cinema world, we get bankable actors whose name will more then likely assure that the movie will make decent moneys. Among them are Arnie, Denzel (sp?) Washington, jim Carrey, etc. Now, for the musical theatre world, are there performers who can assure the investors that they will at least make their money back?

[EverythingIsRENT]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 9:21am

(who's Arnie?) The first name that came to my mind was Idina Menzel. Girl is on fire!!

Posted: 3/31/05 at 9:24am

The concept of "Bankable Stars" is, in my opinion, false in any media. Those stars you name have all had their share of flops and even Tom Cruise, who is probably the biggest name in film today, runs into the problem where he charges so much that his very presence in a film means it has to be a mega-blockbuster to break even.

That said, right now Nathan Lane & Matthew Broderick are the big dogs of Broadway. Lane's presence in The Frogs hasn't diminished his marquee value, apparently. On the female side, if Kristen Chenoweth or Idina Menzel wanted to do a show I'm sure most producers would be eager to meet with them. Bernadette Peters deserves mention for her enduring success.

The biggest lines on Broadway seem to come when a big star from another media crosses over to spend some time in a Broadway show (Kathleen Turner, Hugh Jackman), but even that isn't a sure thing...insert Sweet Charity joke here.
Updated On: 3/31/05 at 09:24 AM

[Plum]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 9:33am

To me, a bankable star is one that can guarantee box office in combination with at least a respectable show.

I realize that doesn't really explain The Boy From Oz, but I feel that show was the exception that proves the rule. The performance itself became the show.

Idina Menzel might bring box office in her next show thanks to ner newly- um...energized? teeny bopper fanbase. But for now? She's a completely unproven commodity. The Broadway shows she was in were hits regardless of her presence.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 9:44am

Plum, you beat me to it on the Idina front.

[Drew7810]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 9:46am

I would have to say Bernadette Peters. I am sure we all remember when the producers posted the closing notice for GYPSY but there was such a high demand to get into that show before it closed to see Ms. Peters, that they were forced to push back the closing date.

Yea, she is a diva!

[Eastwickian]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 10:16am

This will mean nothing to most Americans, but the presence of Julie Walters (Billy Elliot, Calendar Girls) in Acorn Antiques in the West End has guaranteed sell out performances; while seats are regularly available at the half price ticket booth in Leicester Square for the two performances a week that the alternate does (the author of the show, Victoria Wood).

Michael Ball has apparently boosted the Woman in White box office takings considerably and it is rumoured that he may return to the show later in the year

Also, business for The Producers in London went through the roof when Nathan Lane was announced to be opening the show, despite the fact I had no idea he was well known over here.

Posted: 3/31/05 at 10:24am

I want to make sure I am not going to get pegged as an Idina-holic: All I meant was that if she were to return to Broadway, she'd find eager partners DUE TO her current "Heat" not because of any enduring fame or talent!

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 10:34am

I would say Michael Ball. Sure, he's had his share of flops, but, who doesn't like Michael Ball! He's wonderful!

[Jimmcf]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 12:16pm

I would add Elaine Paige to the list of West End bankable stars; unforunately, she is not well known on this side of the pond (by the general public).

And if Sarah Brightman went back to the theatre, I am sure she would put buts in seats.

Updated On: 3/31/05 at 12:16 PM

[Lori]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 12:32pm

Michael Ball is definitely the most Bankable male star in the West End, despite the fact that he has spent more time out of the theatre than in it over the past 10 years. He didn't get the best reviews in CCBB, but he put people in the seats. The show went into the black barely a year after it opened and the original predictions were that it would take much longer. And, as Eastwickian correctly points out, he has lifted the production of WIW since he took over for Michael Crawford, and I'm sure that the Producers and ALW knew that he would when they asked him to jump in on such short notice. You'd be scraping the bottom of the barrel to try to get a decent ticket most days from now until the end of his run April 30th.

Chrys...I wouldn't exactly say that he has "had his share of flops." Les Mis, POTO, Aspects of Love (which didn't do well on B-Way but was a success in the West End during his run) and Chitty...not a flop among them. The only production he's been in that could remotely be considered a flop is the West End production of "Passion", and that did garner some critical acclaim (and an Olivier Award for Maria Freidman). At that, most people feel the only reason the show survived as long as it did was because it had MB's name at the top of the Marquee.

[sharon1]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 2:24pm

Plus didn't Maria Friedman in her Olivier acceptance speech give the credit to Michael Ball. I believe so. As for "Passion" I think among theatre goers on both sides of the pond it was a success. Not financially but esthetically. I love the score. It is just not for everyone. Eastwickian, you are the second post I have read that has him returning to the show later on, after the concert tour. Are you in the know or what??????Just curious
Updated On: 3/31/05 at 02:24 PM

[Lori]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 3:05pm

Sharon, I love the LCR of "Passion" as well. One of my favorites. And I believe you are right, Maria did credit Michael in her Olivier speech for the fact that the West End Production even occured.

I'm curious about Eastwickian's comment as well...I've heard that "rumor" a couple of times (although personally I'm still hoping MB shows up in Chicago followed by Broadway in WIW).

Not to hijack this thread though...didn't mean to get "off-topic"

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 3:08pm

Right now, Denzel and the cast of Spamalot seem to be the most bankable stars on Broadway.

Off-B'way, I would say that "This is How It Goes" probably wouldn't have sold out if not for its cast.

[apdarcey]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 3:12pm

i think bernadette's probably the most bankable star in the us. i do hope that michael ball takes woman in white to broadway rather than michael crawford.

[Eastwickian]

Posted: 4/1/05 at 4:42am

I'm not in the know I'm afraid, just passing on rumours that I've picked up both online and at the Palace Theatre when I saw the show a week ago. A woman asked the box office assistant how long Michael Ball was in the show for, and he said that he was apparently in talks to return later in the year.

Returning to the topic slightly - would Michael Ball be a 'name' to open The Woman in White with in the US? Even after the DOTV fiasco, I would have thought Crawford was a more bankable name.

We don't seem to have as many marketable names in theatre any more because we look to the movie and television industry for our celebrities, rather than the stage. Not that that is a bad thing, but if I rave to a friend about Maria Freidman or Ruthie Henshall in a new show, they really don't don't who these people are In the UK, 'Andrew Lloyd Webber', 'Cameron Mackintosh presents' and 'Disney' often sells more tickets than the actors names!

Posted: 4/1/05 at 7:48am

I believe Michael Ball was actually voted mosted bankable musical
theatre performer here in the UK,it was a few years ago now(and I can't for the life of me remember who in the industry did the voting now).I'd still say he was one of our biggest and best known performers.


Updated On: 4/1/05 at 07:48 AM

[sabrelady]

Posted: 4/1/05 at 7:50am

Maybe Patti Lupone?

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 4/1/05 at 8:23am

While they are not musical stars, the holy trinity of Judi Dench, Maggie Smith and Diana Rigg would probably be the most bankable theatre stars in the West End.

[sabrelady]

Posted: 4/1/05 at 1:56pm

OOOOOOO! DIANA RIGG!!!! Be still my heart! I ADORE that woman!!
Check out her collection of nasty reviews " No Turn Left Unstoned"

[pattifan2]

Posted: 4/1/05 at 2:11pm

Pop - I think we should include Julie Walters in that, too.

[Spooky]

Posted: 4/1/05 at 2:16pm

I don't think there's any bankable stars. I think it's up to the production. Otherwise isn't it just stunt casting?

I'd never heard of Idina Menzel prior to Wicked.
There are some people I would pay top $ to see, just to say I saw them on stage: Angela Lansbury, Julie Andrews, Maggie Smith and Judi Dench. Preferably the people who were stage actors before they were stars.

[SWTaffy]

Posted: 4/1/05 at 2:55pm

what about Alan Cumming?