Posted: 12/8/15 at 8:46am
TerrenceIsTheMann said: "I find it crazy that shows in general are 75% sold. Like, there are a lot of theater and other college students around that would love those seats. I don't see harm in just letting them have them VIA a lottery or something."
They're not hiding them. Rush tickets go unsold. It happens.
Posted: 12/8/15 at 9:48am
Because seeing theater isn't a RIGHT. Then those college students (or whomever) don't ever want to spend their money. Work for the things you want, don't expect them to be handed to you.
Posted: 12/8/15 at 10:35am
I'm honestly a bit shocked that The Color Purple didn't drop more. When I went Wednesday night the rear mezzanine literally had two people in it and they moved EVERYONE down to front mezz/orchestra.
Posted: 12/8/15 at 12:39pm
Maybe Flatley will get the message that people are no longer interested in this type of fare. The novelty has definitely worn off. Dance off into the sunset O Lord Of The Dance.
Posted: 12/9/15 at 8:47am
Noob question:
Is there a general rule to estimate the weekly costs of a show or to know how well it's doing? Is 300K good bad or ok for Fool for Love? I gather Allegiance isn't a runaway hit but is it at least treading water or bleeding (a little or lot)?
Posted: 12/9/15 at 9:01am
gimlet2 said: "Noob question:
Is there a general rule to estimate the weekly costs of a show or to know how well it's doing? Is 300K good bad or ok for Fool for Love? I gather Allegiance isn't a runaway hit but is it at least treading water or bleeding (a little or lot)?"
Fool for Love is at a nonprofit house and it is a straight play with a small cast. It's doing fine. Allegiance is bleeding A LOT.
Updated On: 12/9/15 at 09:01 AM
Posted: 12/9/15 at 9:36am
Is there a general rule to estimate the weekly costs of a show or to know how well it's doing? Is 300K good bad or ok for Fool for Love? I gather Allegiance isn't a runaway hit but is it at least treading water or bleeding (a little or lot)?
General rule of thumb, which someone will always attempt to discount and discredit is...
Small Play: anywhere from $150k - $250k / week
Large Play: $250k - $400k / week
Small Musical: $200k - $400k / week
Large Musical: $400k - $650k / week
Not many musicals with weekly running costs above $650k with the notable exception of the massive musicals, like SPIDER MAN and WICKED and even LION KING (if I recall correctly). Also keep in mind that any productions presented by non-profit houses have additional private support subsidizing a portion of weekly running costs, such as Roundabout and Lincoln Center. Furthermore, the weekly running expenses don't account for a contingency fund, which is usually 2% - 5% of the weekly running expense total, and any money "lost" when box office royalties are paid out from the gross revenue.
Posted: 12/9/15 at 9:42am
dramamama611 said: "Because seeing theater isn't a RIGHT. Then those college students (or whomever) don't ever want to spend their money. Work for the things you want, don't expect them to be handed to you."
Easier said than done when talking to a college student in this day and age, a time when college tuition and textbook prices are through the roof and more costly than ever.
Posted: 12/9/15 at 9:50am
neonlightsxo said: "Fool for Love is at a nonprofit house and it is a straight play with a small cast. It's doing fine. Allegiance is bleeding A LOT."
We really don't know to what extent they're bleeding since an estimated nut was never published anywhere. The remaining questions are simply, what's their holiday advance, and how much are they willing to bleed from January through March?
Elfuhbuh said: "dramamama611 said: "Because seeing theater isn't a RIGHT. Then those college students (or whomever) don't ever want to spend their money. Work for the things you want, don't expect them to be handed to you."
Easier said than done when talking to a college student in this day and age, a time when college tuition and textbook prices are through the roof and more costly than ever."
Which means nothing because theater still isn't a right. The average income of Broadway attendees has been steadily rising over the years, probably particularly since the big cleanup; that's how the business has evolved now.
Posted: 12/9/15 at 9:53am
Oh, please. If you can't save the money (which I get) then you don't go. That's what life SHOULD be about. (read my 'signature' -- I can't afford to see everything I'd like, but I make choices and sacrifices so that I can see as much as I can) Ask Roxy.
I paid for my own college education and still managed to see 3 or 4 shows a year. I'm a single mom....I have bills, mortgages, car payments.
Posted: 12/9/15 at 10:13am
Most college students I know who live in or around NYC have very little issue seeing shows often because they know how to use discounts and can easily take advantage of lotteries.
Posted: 12/9/15 at 10:56am
It is a fool's errand to speak in generalities about the nut for shows by category.Yet it i pretty easy to estimate the nut for any given show by observation. Example: a small play with modest production values likely comes in near the bottom of the spectrum, but a major star in a 2 hander might have a nut exceeding a large cast play. Similarly, a huge musical that does almost no advertising (because it doesn't need to) and no name stars might have a nut lower than a more modest musical that needs to advertise the stars they are paying a fortune to. As I always say there are no rules.
Posted: 12/9/15 at 11:52am
Liza speaks from experience about "nuts," though, no?
Posted: 12/9/15 at 12:59pm
Wayne Brady's first $1 million week in KINKY BOOTS!!
I'm also surprised COLOR PURPLE isn't doing better. Its numbers are good, but I was expecting this to be nearly selling out with Hudson in the show.
