Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 4/16/23 — Page 2

My memory is bad on this one:

How much of a boost do Tony Award nominations really provide? I was always under the impression that only the Best Musical win really helped, although that theory has took a hit last year - albeit a predictable one.

The shows we expect to be nominated for a bunch of awards will get them in a couple of weeks, and that will help, at least with marketing. But none of the new musicals, save & Juliet, really looks like it might be a hit, especially in the summer. Every other new show, except for A Beautiful Noise, which at least has a solid average ticket price, is again hovering below $100.

I'm sure there are examples of shows, especially new ones without stars or familiar material, that have struggled to find an audience and then did. But this season is rather discouraging on that front. All the new musicals, save one that's based on a pre-existing score, are muddling along. Only Bad Cinderella seems like a disaster but none of them are doing much more than filling most of their theaters, and some aren't doing that. (I know it's still early on New York, New York and even Shucked.)

Unrelated question, similar to my Parade query a few weeks ago: Is Sweeney Todd on track to make money. The box office is obviously good, the theater is full, the reviews are fine, and it seems to have maxed out just below $1.8 million a week. That's awfully good, especially for just 7 shows a week, but can it turn a profit at that rate if it closes in January - assuming its box office remains strong into the fall?

I remember looking at the Gentlemen’s Guide grosses and the power of the number of Tony nominations did appear to lift box office slightly but of course it’s really only a ‘Best Musical’ win that appears to make all the difference over a meaningful period of time.

Do we feel like if Bad Cinderella doesn't get any Tony nominations it will close right after? I want to see it before it closes, and I'm just trying to figure out when I should get a ticket for.

How long do you guys think Funny Girl can maintain these numbers? The steam has got to run out eventually right?

Their average ticket price is so high I think Funny Girl has room for the steam to die down quite a bit and still make money/attract audiences who currently won’t pay these prices.

CatLady3 said: "How long do you guys think Funny Girl can maintain these numbers? The steam has got to run out eventually right?"

I expect that it'll make money every week until the end of it's run (September, if you missed that announcement).

As for how long it'll do as well as it's been doing, IDK. We have more big touristy shows opening in the next couple months and the Tonys will certainly raise the profile of some of this season's shows. I think it'll probably still do very well for the rest of it's run.

There's an article in the NY Post that says Andrew Lloyd Webber is ready to close Bad Cinderella, but his producing partner wants to try a new marketing strategy-try to make it seem that it is similar to the Rogers and Hammerstein production.

https://nypost.com/2023/04/18/bad-cinderella-hemorrhaging-cash-as-2023-tony-noms-approach/

There is no feasible way Bad Cinderella makes it past Labor Day. Any new strategy would need to yield an unprecedented turnaround at this point. It likely goes in May or June.

It's only real chances for Tony nominations are Score, Choreography, Costume Design, and maybe Featured Actress. None of those are even close to a lock, its basically on the bubble in each of those races. And none of those categories really move the needle in terms of sales.

chrishuyen said: "The Best Musical Tony does usually see a bump in sales, but I think the performances on the telecast can also move the needle a bit. MJ I think had the performance that people were talking the most about, and coupled with the Best Actor win, they started selling out houses pretty much immediately after the Tonys (to be fair they were doing quite good beforehand too, but I do think you can see a difference in sales pre-Tonys and post-Tonys).

A Strange Loop saw a nice bump but was decreasing pretty steadily until closing was announced. I feel like Kimberly Akimbo could follow the same trajectory, though it might be able to last longer since it has slightly more universal appeal."

MJ walked away with the most Tony Awards, which can be just as valuable as Best Musical. Its tagline is literally, "BROADWAY’S MOST TONY AWARD WINNING NEW MUSICAL OF THE YEAR" A Strange Loop's lack of success was because it's not and will likely never be a commercially viable musical. It has very adult themes and it written for and catering to a very specific audience. It got a boost post Tony's but those attending did not tell their friends to get tickets because its a hard show to recommend to others because of its subject matter.

Kimberly Akimbo has much broader commercial appeal, as personally I would compare it Next to Normal and Dear Evan Hansen. I actually describe it to friends as the musical Dear Evan Hansen was sold as. If it does well at the Tony's it could and should play a solid 18 months-2 years. Also unlike A Strange Loop, Kimberly Akimbo should lend itself well to stunt casting if the original cast departs before it closes. We need to remember Kimberly Akimbo has not really been marketed outside of the traditional theatergoing audience and has been scrapping along on word of mouth alone. It has only had 1 major TV appearance on the Today show during the week after Christmas, when no one was watching. From what I have been told bookers have been hesitant to book it because it doesn't have any angle that could easily be sold on national television, but if it win's best musical I would assume many of those doors will open for the show.

bdn223 said: "Kimberly Akimbohas much broader commercial appeal, as personally I would compare itNext to NormalandDear Evan Hansen.I actually describe it to friends as the musicalDear Evan Hansenwas sold as. If it does well at the Tony's it could and should play a solid 18 months-2 years. Also unlikeA Strange Loop,Kimberly Akimboshould lend itself well to stunt casting if the original cast departs before it closes. We need to rememberKimberly Akimbohas not really been marketed outside of the traditional theatergoing audience and has been scrapping along on word of mouth alone. It has only had 1 major TV appearance on the Today show during the week after Christmas, when no one was watching. From what I have been told bookers have been hesitant to book it because it doesn't have any angle that could easily be sold on national television, but if it win's best musical I would assume many of those doors will open for the show."



Stunt casting in Kimberly Akimbo? In which role(s)?

There's an article in the NY Post that says Andrew Lloyd Webber is ready to close Bad Cinderella, but his producing partner wants to try a new marketing strategy-try to make it seem that it is similar to the Rogers and Hammerstein production.

https://nypost.com/2023/04/18/bad-cinderella-hemorrhaging-cash-as-2023-tony-noms-approach/

I think this Post article is full of sh*t. ALW wouldn't try to close it, the producer would. He wouldn't jeopardize losing his constantly running Broadway streak. I also don't think they're actually going to go for a more 'traditional' Cinderella advertising. Even The Post said that it was from an awful source.

Not sure why Bad Cinderella chose the leading lady it did, whose credits seem to be an understudy for Dear Even Hansen? Perhaps they would have sold a lot more tickets with someone whose name I actually heard of, like Sutton Foster, Jessie Mueller, Laura Osnes, Megan Hilty, etc. Poor choice of casting often has consequences at the box office.