Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 11/29- Page 2

[trombonist]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 5:22pm

Not all that surprised to see the low numbers for "Ragtime". My parents and I were at the Saturday matinee in the rear mezz. The row in front of us, which was the last row of the mid mezz was completely empty as was a good portion of the mid mezz and the entire sides of the front mezz. About 5 minutes before the show started, the ushers came around and told everyone in the rear mezz that we could move to any empty seat we saw. That's never a good sign.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 5:22pm

WICKED did become the highest-grossing show ever this week. Again.


Updated On: 11/30/09 at 05:22 PM

[legally_popular]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 5:23pm

Wicked did indeed break a record:
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/WICKED_Breaks_Record_to_Become_the_Highest_Grossing_Production_in_Broadway_History_20091130

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 5:29pm

Finian's is a snoozefest. Walked out at intermission. Even Cheyenne couldn't breath any life into it.

I always say an opinion is never wrong, but just to get some context may I ask how old you are and what are some of the shows you do like?

For me (knowing the show very well) and my aisle-sitting companion (who went in knowing next to nothing about the show) it was a total delight. My friend is still marveling at Harburg's wordplay and the relevance of the 60+ year-old script. I found the show had be tightened considerably and breezed along at a great pace. And that score! Almost every song is a standard. What's not to like?

[bway1261]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 5:55pm

I also thought Finian's was fantastic. I can't see how anyone could dislike it. The score was gorgeous and I can not wait for the release of the cast recording.

I was at the Saturday matinee and was disapointed to see that the theater was fairly empty. I was hoping that the holiday weekend would increase the ticket sales more.
Updated On: 11/30/09 at 05:55 PM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 5:56pm

Wicked has the highest gross as the ticket prices are high & the Gershwin is an airport hangar disguised as a theater.

[lmw8880]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 5:56pm

I mean no disrespect but why did Burn the Floor extend it's run?

[AwesomeDanny]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 5:59pm

Well, from what I've heard, it's pretty cheap to run and somebody from So You Think You Can Dance (or Dancing with the Stars--I don't remember) is coming in during January, so he will probably boost ticket sales a bit.

[WestVillage]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 5:59pm

I won't give my age, but I saw my first Bway show in 1969 ... so I've seen tons of shows. Shows I've really loved (to name a few): Mame, Dolly, South Pacific, Les Miz, Hairspray, Hair, 1776, Evita, Sunday in the Park (original), ACL, Company, SideShow, Sweeney Todd, Most Happy Fella, On the Town.

Love the music to Finian's, but this production was just dreadful. It plodded along like glue. As much as I love Cheyenne, he was a total klutz in this one .. his dancing looked the the college quarterback trying to dance. His acting was stiff as a board. Yeah, he sings like a dream, but it takes more than that. The rest of the cast left me totally cold. A huge disappointment.

[NDR]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 6:00pm

So sad for Ragtime. I really hope it picks up.
Haven't seen it yet, but I love the score.
Hoping to see it in the spring.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 6:16pm

RAGTIME is building...look at the grosses over the past 6 weeks:

10/25/2009: $270,161 (5 previews)
11/01/2009: $364,924
11/08/2009: $463,982
11/15/2009: $466,489 (Opened November 15)
11/22/2009: $419,359
11/29/2009: $555,314

Last week was its best week yet and there is very strong word-of-mouth. As long as it continues to grow it should be fine.

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 6:16pm

To anyone saying I was saying his opinion was wrong he said that to me.

"Because it's not the crap you make it out to be?"

He is saying that the show is not crap like I had said. I don't think the show is very good and I'm saying it's sad that the good shows can't succeed when shows that aren't very good can be so successful.


"Just because Wicked is grossing more than Ragtime doesn't mean you should bash the sh*t out of it. I love Wicked and Ragtime for two different reasons, each deserves to be running on Broadway for different reasons. To call something crap because it outsells something else is just ridiculous. "

I certainly am not bashing the show simply because it has high grosses. Did I ever say it was crap because it was selling out? I am basing it on the show itself, and by no means did I "bash the sh*t out of it". If you think that was bad you obviously haven't read my review of Bye Bye Birdie.

[MusicSnob1]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 6:30pm

"Personally I rather sit through Wicked a 100 times than even give Ragtime a chance."

Jesus Christ, did your parents raise a mule or a kid? You're as stubborn as one. Any true Theatre enthusiast will give new productions a "chance"...even if it comes with doubts and/or criticism.

How can you even view the world objectively? Geeze. You're not drinking the kool aid - you're drinking the pisss. Open up your mind and broaden your horizons.

I hate "Wicked" but I saw it, Opening Night, to form my own opinion. And I even revisted to confirm my thoughts after I had decided that I think it's a bunch of bullsh*t!

Enjoy your 100 viewings of WICKED. I do hope that way of life doesn't rub off on your fellow audience members. If that were the case, we would have about 5 shows running on Broadway.

Updated On: 11/30/09 at 06:30 PM

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 6:36pm

"Personally I rather sit through Wicked a 100 times than even give Ragtime a chance."


So you are judging the show but you won't even bother to see it? I wish you luck in life.

[wdwfreak]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 6:38pm

I probably should have add that I really didn't love Wicked. I also fell asleep during a community theatre production of Ragtime, which is why I don't wanna waste my money even though how many good things I have heard about it.

[MusicSnob1]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 6:40pm

You're going to miss out on a wonderful production because some rotten two-bit community theatre spoiled it for you? I should send you a pacifier.

[wdwfreak]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 6:45pm

Ok, I'm gonna make you all a promise. I don't have time to see it in January or February, but if it is still on in March, when I have time, I will go see it. Updated On: 11/30/09 at 06:45 PM

[MusicSnob1]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 6:53pm

I would sincerely like to know your hobbies, likes/dislikes, and age. Your answers will help me greatly understand these responses that are absolutely ridiculous.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 6:53pm

I didn't think any show had made 2 mil before,
why do people spurt out things from their butts?

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 7:39pm

"why do people spurt out things from their butts?"

Chipotle?

[Sauja]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 8:01pm

That's disgusting CyCoSpAz. And I laughed out loud anyway.

Regardless, this isn't based on anything much other than a hunch, but I really feel like Ragtime is going to continue a slow and steady build on word of mouth. It seems that nearly everyone who sees is likes it--moreso than with any other show this season as far as I can tell. And that has to be a good sign, no? A lot of folks still don't seem to be aware that it's running or aren't sure what it's all about. But with the right publicity...I have faith.

I also feel like Fela is going to be this year's Next to Normal in that everyone will spend a lot of time predicting its closing but it will just keep on running. And though I would feel bad for the large and talented cast, I really can't imagine Finian's lasting that much longer. As charming as it is, I just can't see it connecting beyond the die-hards.

[trombonist]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 9:21pm

RAGTIME is building...look at the grosses over the past 6 weeks:

10/25/2009: $270,161 (5 previews)
11/01/2009: $364,924
11/08/2009: $463,982
11/15/2009: $466,489 (Opened November 15)
11/22/2009: $419,359
11/29/2009: $555,314

Last week was its best week yet and there is very strong word-of-mouth. As long as it continues to grow it should be fine.

The grosses may be increasing a bit, but the percentages are going down. If they hadn't jacked up the ticket prices this past weekend (at least for orchestra), I don't think it would have gone up that much.

When a holiday weekend show has the mezzanine so empty that the entirety of the rear mezzanine is told by the ushers that they can take any open seat BEFORE THE SHOW STARTS - and that included the entire side sections of the front mezzanine - the show is NOT doing as well as the grosses might suggest.

edit to add: I'm not rooting for any show to fail, but the mezzanine was pitifully empty at the Saturday matinee. Updated On: 11/30/09 at 09:21 PM

[ACL2006]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 10:06pm

If only Ragtime could get more butts in the theatre, they'd be doing fine. Their average ticket price is a nice size and as frontrowcentre pointed out, their grosses continue to climb. Let's hope word of mouth keeps spreading and their grosses keep rising.

As a whole, I'm disappointed for Thanksgiving week. Usually we see much better numbers than this. Was NYC really that empty this past weekend??

[lmw8880]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 10:32pm

AwesomeDanny-Thanks for the explanation.

[musikman]

Posted: 12/1/09 at 12:20am

Times Square was probably the most crowded I've seen it in years, yet both shows I saw over the weekend were half empty. Finian's Rainbow was a wonderful way to spend an evening, but the orchestra was not full, and the mezz had only a few people in it. It swas truly sad to see the theater that empty.

My other question is why did the box office people at the Music Box not give me a student ticket to Superior Donuts when their average attendance for the week was 42%? Wouldn't they rather sell a ticket to someone at $25 than not at all?