Breaking News: MARY POPPINS to Close on Broadway March 3, 2013; ALADDIN Next at the New Amsterdam Theater?- Page 4

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 11:26am

This whole thing is out of control. It's all based on this one article. If it's Riedel, it's likely right in some respect, but it's all based on this one article and not one single lick of additional evidence. But everyone is running with it and adding their little bit to it. I for one am shocked.

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 11:31am

People, give it up. Hunchback will not becoming to Broadway. It's not a hit for Disney. Let's all move on.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 12:32pm

still nothing official. and ticketmaster still has tickets on sale through August 18. August 18 seems like a more realistic closing date if it's to happen. no need to keep the theater dark for a year.

[bdn223]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 1:16pm

I think the issue most people have with Mary Poppins closing and the way it was leaks including myself, is that it was done with poor taste akin to Bonnie and Clyde's producers telling telecharge to yank ticket sales after December 30, 2011 without notifying the cast, and letting them find out via message boards. We all knew Mary Poppins was going to close in the next year or so to make way for Aladdin since the New Amsterdam is already equipped with all the riggings for flying, but we did not expect it to happen like this. I don't think we have ever hear of a ong running show to closing in March especially when a new tenant is not expected for at least a year. If Disney were to currently annouce a closure for June or August I think we would all be more accepting. Another thing that surprises me is that they are not waiting a year for Newies to establish itself as a long runner if it can, before throwing all of their ad money into Aladdin. We all know that Disney can sit on a show for years and the show can still retain all of its buzz unlike the typical Broadway show, so the fact they are not waiting and working on Aladdin is a surprise especially since it was panned in its out of town tryout.

The only senario I can currently see for Aladdin is Disney pulling a Spiderman on purpose and doing an extra long preview period starting in the fall, closing down post Christmas to rework the show then reopen come March officially opening in April. Just like Spiderman I don't think with the size of special effects they want will be feasible in doing a true out of town tryout because it would be to it being to expensive to install in another theater for a month jus to have to take it down and move it into the New Amsterdam.

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 1:24pm

It's probably not official yet because they won't be able to tell the cast until before tonight's show. Then it'll be announced by Disney.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 1:49pm

That just makes a bad problem worse, with cast members saying on social media that they're not closing. It also makes this thread sad that it's been left open, when normally they're yanked immediately for the same reason (cast not notified yet).

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 2:24pm

Now there is talk of a new "major" creative partner. Julie Taymor? Jk.

I'd like to see Mulan on Broadway personally.

[Wildcard]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 2:46pm

Some new info…
Aladdin not a transfer of Seattle production

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 2:50pm

Good to hear that.

[Jonwo]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 2:53pm

I suspected that the Seattle production of Aladdin wasn't going to transfer to Broadway in its current form, it is similar to Aida which had a tryout in Atlanta then reworked then had another tryout in Chicago before transferring to Broadway.

[Skywalker3]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 3:02pm

I've had a backstage tour at the Prince Edward theatre London during the Mary Poppins run. And believe me, it was very small and they didn't have that much backstage space.

So I think it's possible the move Mary to the Marquis theatre with this set!

[Thparkaly]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 3:19pm

Updated On: 11/8/17 at 03:19 PM

[finebydesign]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 3:25pm

I'm guessing Poppin's will get an "extension".

[Princeton Returns]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 3:25pm

Actually Phantom I wouldn't be so sure on London getting Aladdin, unless they pull something truly special out of the hat. Unlike America, we have versions of Aladdin (ok not the Disney version) performed in panto every Christmas at half the cost of West End prices complete with flying carpets. When Beauty opened in London it suffered some panto comparisons (unfairly in my eyes) and only managed 3 years (i think). The Disney name, while big, is not AS big as in America. The Lion King offers something truly unique in terms of staging and storytelling. Would a family of four spend nearly £400 on tickets to see something not a million miles from what they could see in their local theatre at a fraction of the cost, I'm not so sure.

[Jonwo]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 3:29pm

I imagine Disney want Aladdin to be their next big hit both on Broadway and internationally, The Lion King and to an extend Poppins was their last major hit. Newsies, while a hit on Broadway is an unknown property elsewhere so Disney may be a bit cautious to transfer it overseas whereas Aladdin is a known property.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 3:30pm

Interesting:
"My heart is sick for my friends in Mary Poppins. Playbill & Facebook is not the way to find out you are loosing your job."
https://twitter.com/JoshLamon/status/288734342165958656

[AnythingGoes23]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 4:12pm

Newsies is West Emd bound for 2014 if all goes to plan and a theatre found

[Jonwo]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 4:19pm

'Newsies is West End bound for 2014 if all goes to plan and a theatre found'

That's good to hear, I imagine Disney will want to get the National tour up and running first before concentrating on the West End plus finding a theatre as well.

[TheatreKid3]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 4:20pm

Should ALADDIN come to Broadway, I really hope Tartaglia doesn't reprise his role as Genie. He did a good job, but he played Genie as ALADDIN's sassy gay friend - and that isn't "Genie" at all.


'Newsies is West End bound for 2014 if all goes to plan and a theatre found"

^ I really hope this is true, but do you have a source? Updated On: 1/8/13 at 04:20 PM

[ACL2006]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 4:21pm

I'll second what Josh Lamon has said. If Disney had known about this getting leaked yesterday, I imagine they might have told the cast on Sunday. Still wondering when it's exact closing date will be and if Disney would possibly transfer it to a different(slightly smaller) theater.

[TheatreKid3]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 4:27pm

Even though Disney is so large they don't have to be concerned with losing the revenue from MARY POPPINS, I still think the show has a few good years left in it. I hate to see it go - and I say that with POPPINS being one of my least favorite Disney shows. If Ashley Brown said it was true on twitter, though, I think all the debate can rest.

I like what the poster a few pages back said about Schumacher giving the press an FU and changing the closing date. This was really handled in poor taste. Though, I have to give Playbill some credit - their article was the most tastefully written - never alluding to the idea POPPINS' closing was a certainty.

Updated On: 1/8/13 at 04:27 PM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 4:31pm

Ashley also retweeted Josh Lamon. Ugh, poor cast.

[finebydesign]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 4:41pm

Mary Poppin's can keeps the lights on for sure, but the profits aren't that great for Disney (they're split with CM). That show is going to make a killing in regional productions.

[Kad]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 4:56pm

I'm hearing that Poppins will close, the theatre will undergo renovations, and Aladdin will emerge NEXT spring.

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 5:04pm

Rumor has it cast meeting called tonight.