Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 2/11/24 — Page 2

DAYS OF WINE & ROSES never felt like a commercial Broadway show to me. It's the perfect show for MTC or LCT or Roundabout or 2nd Stage. But Kevin McCollum has hubris and he willed this show to Broadway. At this point I'll be surprised if it reaches its limited run end-date, and I doubt we'll see an extension unless things improve majorly.

BETTY22 said: "This is awful. I worry for the new musicals....none have big advances - including Alicia Keys.

Water for Elephants and Stuff are looking to raise extra money to get them to opening night. I wouldn't be surprised if one or maybe more new musicals scheduled do notopen at all.

It's rough out there.........."

Agree very probable some new musicals will fold right away. Sad. Too many shows at one time.

I heard & Juliet is around 400k a week to run

bwayphreak234 said: "Broadway Flash said: "I heard & Juliet is around 400k a week to run"

I think you heard wrong."

With theater rent percentage and min royalties is most likely somewhere in the 900’s.

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Jarethan said: "The thing that absolutely shocks me is Sweeney's gross...up over $400K. Weren't SF and AT only in one performance last week?? Can anyone understand that one?"

They began performances Friday night, so –– I think –– 4 performances."

Thanks, I thought it was Saturday night, which would have meant two performances, not one...vs. the actual 4 performances.

Regarding Sweeney, maybe Joe Locke is pulling people in.

of course, now we wonder if Sweeney Todd will look to replace Tveit & Foster and extend through the summer?

The current Production contract salary minimum is going to be over $2.6k weekly this year- and a good percentage of performers in a big musical like & Juliet will be making over minimum, whether because of bumps because they’re understudies, swings, fight captains, have featured moments, or more. And if the performer is a name or has won or been nominated for awards, they can negotiate substantially higher. But even without those common salary increases, producers also have to make an 8% contribution to the performers’ pension and make a contribution to the Equity League pooled trust that pays for AEA insurance. I’m not sure what that current rate is- it was close to $700/wk pre pandemic so it’s likely close or even well over $800 now. So a very conservative estimate of the cost per performer per week for a production is around $4000 but likely higher, maybe much higher depending on circumstances. So if a show has 20 performers, you’re looking at almost $100k in costs a week based on this most conservative of estimates and assuming everybody is getting minimum. And that’s just performers! There are dozens and dozens of people offstage and in offices that make the show run, and the production has to pay salary and benefits to them. There are royalties and residuals. There’s PR and marketing and advertising. And of course there’s rent and any associated expenses.

Updated On: 2/13/24 at 06:07 PM

Bobster159 said: "Boroff has been publishing the running costs of all sorts of shows over here:http://broadwayjournal.com/

Saying no musicalcosts less than $600K to run at this point seems pretty much right. &Juliet hasn't been published, but itmust be at a minimum north of $800K based on the size of theater and show. Someone did publish Ohio at one point; I think it was $600K fixed running, which, if so, means its gross breakeven was about $700K (with theater % and ticket fees)."

I like Phil Boroff and what he is doing but it is good to remember that his numbers are coming off the offering papers so by the time a production opens, there can be variances in both directions and on both sides of the ledger. It might make a difference; it might not.

Kad said: "The current Production contract salary minimum is going to be over $2.6k weekly this year- and a good percentage of performers in a big musical like & Juliet will be making over minimum, whether because of bumpsbecause they’re understudies, swings, fight captains, have featured moments, or more. And if the performer is a name or has won or been nominated for awards, they can negotiate substantially higher. But even without those common salary increases, producers also have to make an 8% contribution to the performers’ pension and make a contribution to the Equity League pooled trust that pays for AEA insurance. I’m not sure what that current rate is- it was close to $700/wk pre pandemic so it’s likely close or even well over $800 now. So a very conservative estimate of the cost per performer per week for a production is around $4000 but likely higher, maybe much higher depending on circumstances. So if a show has 20 performers, you’re looking at almost $100k in costs a week based on this most conservative of estimates and assuming everybody is getting minimum. And that’s just performers! There are dozens and dozens of people offstage and in offices that make the show run, and the production has to pay salary and benefits to them. There are royalties and residuals. There’s PR and marketing and advertising. And of course there’s rent and any associated expenses."

So well said Kad. And i wouldn't suggest cutting any of these costs per se, everyone deserves to be paid. But the well-intentioned efforts here make producing a show so wildly expensive that we see less risk, and more "sure thing" celebrity backed stuff. Reminds me of Obama's astute observations about well meaning circular firing squads.

SweetLips22 said: " I loved his comment 'my people contacted Sweeney's people'"

Actually he said the opposite: "the Sweeney team got in touch with my team." It's around 4 minutes into the interview.