Breaking News: AFTER MIDNIGHT to Close on Broadway in Late June — Page 4

The advance for July and August must have been really pathetic. Let's assume that the show costs $450K a week to run and the sales for the week ending 7/6 were down to something like 25% of potential gross. I'd imagine even with no "star" they'd still be able to muster that amount through curious tourists at TKTS who couldn't get tickets to Hedwig, Kinky Boots, Mormon, or whatever. So that's roughly $250K in sales, or a 200K loss. I know these numbers are incredibly round. So to make the next eight weeks worth while they'd have to do $25K over the nut to break even on that loss or $475K/wk, which is still less than 50% of the show's potential gross. Either the show's advance projections showed it would not get anywhere near that figure or the show was too far away from recoupment to make the attempt worthwhile. It also seems like they did not have another star contract lined up for the post Labor Day lull (assuming Natalie Cole was only contracted for a 4-5 week run).

God knows how much the guest star salaries cut into the budget. To me, it seems more likely that the producers relied far too heavily on the guest stars to generate sales rather than the product itself without any big names and a lower budget.

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Saying the 4th of July is a "holiday week" like it's a good thing is naive. It's always been one of the softest weeks of the year -- like the Jewish holiday weeks. I imagine that what happened is that the show was set to lose a real bundle that week, but might have limped along at about break-even for another six or seven weeks after. There was no way it was going to survive into September. So they waited to see if the Tony's gave them a real bump, which didn't happen, then calculated that if they could cut their July 4th losses they might provide employment for seven weeks after, but that if they couldn't find a way to cut the July 4th losses it just didn't make sense. And the unions, which don't like to set these kinds of precedents, said no, even though in the short term it cost their members some weeks of salary. I think it's short-sighted, but that tends to be the way unions are: more interested in protecting the precedent in the long term than protecting a handful of members in the short term. I can see their point, I just don't agree with it in a situation like this.

Seems, as usual, the truth is none and all of the above. The numbers hadn't been good for a while, they had some good guest stars lined up, but needed some concessions in order to make it happen. They didn't get them (which, I agree, is dumb), but they hadn't sure enough footing to survive without.

Bummer all around, since it was such a wonderful show.

True enough. My understanding is that actually, only one said no.

Was at the show last night and actually ran into a lady who Was the wife of someone who worked backstage. When I told her the union story she informed me that the staff was told that the show was closing because the advance ticket sales were too low and that's why they were closing

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Awww! That's a sweet story, Quizking!

Must be an incredibly bittersweet time for the cast. The show's probably getting more attention this month than it's had all year due to the well received Tonys performance and LaBellle joining the cast.

She was incredibly kind to everyone, taking her time to get everyone. She looked fierce too! When I told her I had been I huge fan since I was 5- she asked how old I was and when I told her she said "my god you're young!" LOL she even signed my shirt I was wearing that had her on it- luckily I had another shirt In My Bag to change into to protect the shirt. She posed for pics with everyone who asked and even gave me a hug and kiss saying "call me Mama Patti" when I called her Miss LaBelle. Soo wonderfully down to earth and friendly- lifelong dream come true!

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Does Miss Patti stage door every night? If so, I've GOT to get over there.

When I was 10, I brought Patti flowers at a concert at Westbury. I wound up spending the last half hour of her show ON STAGE with her, where she sang "I Believe I Can Fly" TO me. She sent me home with all of the roses in her dressing room. Flash forward about 15 years ... I go back to Westbury, and she brings me up stage and we wind up jamming on "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" together, me on piano, Patti singing.

She is SO gracious and sweet and wonderful. I wasn't sure I'd be able to get back to After Midnight with her in it because money is so tight. But if she's stage dooring, maybe I will be the obnoxious person to pop over with an old Playbill after the show just to see her.

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sorry, Patti, but I've never heard of a show in it's final week announcing an extension. Especially since another show has the theater booked for the Fall.

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Aw. That's great to hear, darreyl102.

ACL2006 - yeah, clearly the show's on its way out, I just appreciated the sentiment behind LaBelle's comments. She seemed to be genuinely saddened that Gladys and Natalie wouldn't get to do the show, concerned that a wider audience wouldn't get to experience it, and concerned about the "kids" in the ensemble.

It isn't just the week- advanced ticket sales were too low. so even if Patti extended for a week, that would not solve the problem.

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Yeah, I'm with Bob. While I'm sure a union concession for the July 4th week would have helped the producers somewhat, they were clearly dealing with a tiny advance and THAT was the bigger problem. I wonder if this would have been a different story at they been able to get Patti/Gladys/Natalie on the roster right after Fantasia. We'll never know...