Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 12/25/22- Page 2

[Jarethan]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 7:47pm

The thing that amazes me is that all the war horses did really well; hell, even Chicago went up this week (do they have any stunt casting that I am not aware of?).  Unless something changes, I can (a little exaggeratedly) envision a Broadway someday in which the average age of the shows is 26 years, the only new musicals are Juke Box musicals, and all new shows open for a limited engagement only, with star names helping to entice people to attend.  'See Brad Pitt as Don Q'...'see Sandra Bullock as Hedda Gabler' and etc.  You wanna see something new without a star?? That's strictly off-Broadway (which is fine for people living in NYC, but is going to see further decreases in attendance by even Jerseyites, let alone tourists).  Hell, we have already been heading in that direction for some time...it'll just be moreso.

I can already predict that the old war-horses will do even better next week, FG will break the house record again, that the slightly older newish (newer oldish?) musicals (Hadestown, Moulin Rouge) will do great (because the older musicals are already sold out) and maybe even break house records, that one new musical (&J) will do great, and everything else will do worse (factoring out the 9 vs. 7 performance variable).  And it's still Christmas week. 

If SLIH is heading to the disaster people think is possible (hell, it only grossed $32K more than KA, and $110K less than Almost Famous!!!!), why would anyone want to invest in a new musical?  The difference in business that Piano Lesson is doing relative to Topdog, Death of a Salesman, Riverside, Cost of Living, and etc., is certainly proof of the need for stars.  Does anyone think Piano Lesson would be doing much better than any of the others if it did not have Samuel L Jackson, supported by JD Washington's Broadway debut?

I remember X years ago when a bunch of shows advertised greatly reduced prices for January - March, with a couple of exclusions (Sat pm, President's week-end).  I do not, however, remember if it made a difference.  Does anyone else remember?  Not sure whether any actions will reap positive results, but it would be nice to see some of the theatres housing well reviewed shows at least better attended.

Updated On: 12/27/22 at 07:47 PM

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 7:54pm

However you look at it, these numbers aren't great.

Happy to see that Kimberly Akimbo was able to have a small bump despite the week and also happy to see Aint No Mo go out on a high note.

One potential factor I'd add in is that, with Christmas being over the weekend, I think a lot of schools started their breaks later. My Sister's high school in California usually starts its break around the 17th, but this year they didn't start until the 22nd!

[BroadwayRox3588]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 8:03pm

BroadwayBen said: "Broadway should just take 3 months off and come back in March. Yikes...This is so disheartening..."

You have got to be kidding. I mean...you're kidding, right?

Either you're kidding, or you know literally nothing about Broadway, if you think a three-month shutdown (less than two years removed from the 18-month covid shutdown) would do Broadway any good.

I usually like to give people the benefit of the doubt on here, but this is one of the most ridiculous comments I've seen.

[JasonC3]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 8:20pm

If you don't take the comment literally, I get the spirit behind it.

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 8:21pm

BroadwayRox3588 said: "BroadwayBen said: "Broadway should just take 3 months off and come back in March. Yikes...This is so disheartening..."

You have got to be kidding. I mean...you're kidding, right?

Either you're kidding, or you know literally nothing about Broadway, if you think a three-month shutdown (less than two years removed from the 18-month covid shutdown) would do Broadwayanygood.

I usually like to give people the benefit of the doubt on here, but this is one of the most ridiculous comments I've seen."

^^^^THIS!^^^^

I don't know what is going on in that person's mind, but they oughta know that ANOTHER complete shutdown of Broadway would COMPLETELY kill the industry! We are still making up after an 18-month shutdown. God forbid adding another 3 months to that! I would suggest they take a class about the business side of theatre. My University has a class that does just that! May I suggest signing up?

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 8:23pm

Guys, chill. It was clearly a joke

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 8:39pm

Jordan Catalano said: "These shows are also taking way too long to release discount codes. You build word of mouth during previews and it seems like most producers forgot that? Looking at the seats for some upcoming musicals starting in March - it’s bad. And no discount codes. I just don’t get it."

I agree to an extent, but for some of these shows you could plaster discount codes on every piece of advertising and it wouldn't make a dent. A lot of people are buying 0-2 weeks out now, unless something happens to be proclaimed as a must-see or a hot commodity. Which is nerveracking for the producers and GMs. Unless I'm traveling into the city or making specific plans around seeing a show, there's zero incentive to buy a ticket to SHUCKED or PICTURES FROM HOME or FAT HAM in December for a performance in March/April.

A lot of shows could benefit from the SOMETHING ROTTEN stunt: except for some select premiums in the center section, put every seat on Telecharge for $25 for the first 3 previews (or 5 previews, or 8 previews). Get people interested in seeing it and buy tickets early. None of these box office-only stunts, or must-use-a-code stunts. Put some digital ad spend behind the promotion. And if the tickets don't move quickly, that's even more of an indication that you have a real problem on your hands (such as TROUBLE IN MIND doing this last year, which was a flop even by Roundabout standards).

Updated On: 12/27/22 at 08:39 PM

[BroadwayRox3588]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 8:47pm

Call_me_jorge said: "Guys, chill. It was clearly a joke"

I didn't read it as one. There are plenty of drama queens in the theatre world, who have actually lost their minds to that extent during the pandemic.

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 9:21pm

Ouch. SLIH must be bleeding money.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 9:22pm

People need to go support Casey Garvin!!!!

[HogansHero]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 9:25pm

There are people who have perhaps lost their minds or, perhaps, they just don't know what they are talking about, or perhaps they are just being excessive. Broadway is not turning into a wasteland and people are not stopping investing. Broadway has never been a rational actor. Broadway has problems, for multiple reason. There are too many shows running right now. People (and I am one of them) has been saying this since 2020. The shows that know their market (i.e., the tourist shows) are doing great. But we happen to have a lot of clueless producers right now. Some of them are tyros and some of them have peter principled their way to the helm of productions. One of the latter seems on the verge of a trifecta this season. Yes there will be new phenoms that will join the war horse ranks, but most of the shows that imagined they had a shot at that have no clue how out of touch they are with the audience they would need to reach such a place. But it's ok. Broadway will get it right again, but we are going to have to 86 some of the people running things, or they are going to have to wise up pronto. (And tbf some of them are, but the learning curve is steep, because tradition has a lot of gravity.

[Robbie2]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 9:31pm

Jordan Catalano said: "People need to go support Casey Garvin!!!! "

Agree with Jordan 100%! 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 9:33pm

Jordan Catalano said: "People need to go support Casey Garvin!!!! "

I'll support him

But honestly what someone needs to do is find a show for him that's not DOA. He has not been very lucky in that department. 

[quizking101]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 10:03pm

Robbie2 said: "Jordan Catalano said: "People need to go support Casey Garvin!!!! "

Agree with Jordan 100%!"

We need to make sure his shows make money so he can continue to afford the luxury of his pre-show Starbucks.

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 10:13pm

I know there are many reasons... but it seems so odd Beetlejuice is closing. Week after week it kills. I know the coming months are hard but it certainly seems better positioned than many other shows that haven't announced their closures. 

 

[Lola Getz2]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 10:16pm

I’m sure the New York, New York team are sweating a bit unless they are ready to announce: GAGA,TIMBERLAKE, NEW YORK, NEW YORK. START SPREADING THE NEWS!

[Robbie2]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 10:35pm

Lola Getz2 said: "I’m sure the New York, New York team are sweating a bit unless they are ready to announce: GAGA,TIMBERLAKE, NEW YORK, NEW YORK. START SPREADING THE NEWS!"

They better secure a name or wait until the fall and cast Lea Michele 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 10:48pm

Robbie2 said: "They better secure a name or wait until the fall and cast Lea Michele"

The role has been reconceived as a Black woman, and principal casting is no doubt complete with contracts signed.

[Lola Getz2]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 11:05pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Robbie2 said: "The role has been reconceived as a Black woman, and principal casting is no doubt complete with contracts signed."

Any rumors who? Or when casting will be announced? 

[David10086]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 11:23pm

I really hope this final week of 2022 is a great one at the box offices, however so many people / travelers / tourists are still stuck in airports since last Friday, and will be stuck through this weekend at the earliest (Southwest said their next flights out  will be Saturday). 

[ElphabaGoodman]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 11:38pm

Lola Getz2 said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Robbie2 said: "The role has been reconceived as a Black woman, and principal casting is no doubt complete with contracts signed."

Any rumors who? Or when casting will be announced?"

Anna Uzele

[Phillyguy]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 11:41pm

Robbie2 said: "Lola Getz2 said: "I’m sure the New York, New York team are sweating a bit unless they are ready to announce: GAGA,TIMBERLAKE, NEW YORK, NEW YORK. START SPREADING THE NEWS!"

They better secure a name or wait until the fall and cast Lea Michele"

Maybe that can be her specialty. Coming in to save failing shows. 

[Lola Getz2]

Posted: 12/28/22 at 12:01am

ElphabaGoodman said: 
“Anna Uzele"

Seriously?

 

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 12/28/22 at 2:19am

KJisgroovy said: "I know there are many reasons... but it seems so odd Beetlejuice is closing. Week after week it kills. I know the coming months are hard but it certainly seems better positioned than many other shows that haven't announced their closures.

"

I mean this as no offense, but this is pretty classic post-closing notice revisionism. When a show announces it's closing, people rush to go see it and it suddenly becomes a hot ticket again. Then, people state how they can't believe it's closing when it's doing so well when it's only doing that well because it's closing. BJ being a touristy show during and it being the Holiday season helps too. The reality is that it hasn't been doing so well since it reopened and only started doing very well after they announced it was closing.

Pre-COVID, Beetlejuice cost around $850,000 to run and, with inflation and COVID costs, I imagine that number has only increased. It's been able to make that most weeks, but many of them without a significant profit margin. Their attendance has also been dog****. They've only cracked 90% 4 times (3 of them being their first week and the last two weeks). They did ok in grosses because of very high prices, but it has been pretty common for them to have weeks in the 60-75% capacity range.

Without a closing notice to drive sales, their Fall probably would have been much worse and their January and February numbers would have been brutal.

I was a bit surprised they hadn't extended into January then I looked at how the Music Man extension was selling and it suddenly made sense. It looks like a ROUGH two weeks for MM (compared to how they've been doing).

There is also the Cruise Ship production launching and there have long been rumors of a West End production. I wouldn't be surprised if closing this production allows them to save money by recycling costumes, props, and even some set pieces for those ones.

[Ensemble1671017357]

Posted: 12/28/22 at 8:27am

And Ain't No Mo was artificial buy-outs, not organic ticket purchases.