Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 4/16/23- Page 3

[qafgenius122]

Posted: 4/19/23 at 8:02pm

Theater3232 said: "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."

I understand your point, but these names you just listed (and therefore your presumed thought process on this role) seem WAYYYY off. All those women are too old (and not right in multiple other ways) for this part. Sutton Foster is 48, Megan Hilty is 42, Jessie Mueller is 40, and Laura Osnes is problematic. (They're also all white) Linedy is 32, but plays much younger than the names you listed too.

[BJR]

Posted: 4/19/23 at 8:58pm

I admit I don't understand, if that article is to be believed, why they're want to go the "Rogers and Hammerstein" route in advertising. That isn't the show's selling point, since it's not only nothing like it, but it's deliberately a spin on it.

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 4/19/23 at 9:09pm

While I am mystified by the production's decision to cast Genao, a "Broadway name" like Sutton Foster or Laura Osnes in a panned show like Bad Cinderalla would not fill that theater, and certainly not long enough to save this show (and from what I undrerstand, the lead role isnt even big enough for a star like that to take on...)

[Robbie2]

Posted: 4/19/23 at 9:40pm

 

Bad Cinderella

The show bombed on the west end and should have never opened on Broadway. Now it bombed on Broadway go figure... It's just a BAD show! 

New marketing is NOT going to save it just close it!

So, whatever happend to Hailey Kilgore she would have been a great Cinderella. Bad casting decision on LinedyGenao!

Updated On: 4/19/23 at 09:40 PM

[Penna2]

Posted: 4/19/23 at 9:46pm

Theater3232 said: "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."

Speaking of Funny Girl.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/19/23 at 11:44pm

Well none of those women would have touched this property - maybe Osnes since she needs a win. 

But the casting was very bad. This could have become a breakout must see performance, but vocally she just doesn't seem up to the role nor does she seem to have the star power for it. 

Just bad decisions all around. Let this live in community theater forever. 

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 4/20/23 at 3:32am

And she's also so wrong for a role that's described as being not "beautiful" (in a typical or traditional sense). She's gorgeous. 

If she had matched that by being an incredible talent who blew everyone away so much that it made sense why they might compromise on the physical aspects of the character, it would make sense to me. By most accounts, she's not SOOOO good that it makes sense to compromise on the physical aspects of the character for her. 

[nativenewyorker2]

Posted: 4/20/23 at 8:49am

I just remember sitting at the first preview after an hour like "why is this called bad cinderella and 1. we have only seen cinderella like twice on stage in a hour and 2. what bad thing has she done"

[dearalanaaaa]

Posted: 4/20/23 at 10:08am

nativenewyorker2 said: "I just remember sitting at the first preview after an hour like "why is this called bad cinderella and 1. we have only seen cinderella like twice on stage in a hour and 2. what bad thing has she done""

Exactly this! Why does everybody profess that she’s bad other than that she grafitti’s a statue and rejects the social norms in Belleville? I didn’t like Genao’s voice either so I’m really glad she wasn’t on stage if anything. Carmelo & McLean really carry the show on their backs  in my opinion. I enjoy it a lot actually, and the ensemble cast outside of Genao is great, just not her.

I’m not really sure how the politics of this would be, but I would love to see a plus-sized Cinderella with a strong voice. Then the town has a “reason” (albeit… not a good one) to refer to cinderella as ugly/mean/bad for rejecting the norms (all of the ensemble is very thin) in Belleville’s society. Currently we have no reason to believe she’s any different from everybody else other than saying it.

 

[dwwst12]

Posted: 4/20/23 at 10:14am

DrMonicaDeMoneco said: "Tony nods ain’t gonna save Some Like It Hot Or Shucked. And it’s curtains for Kimberley right after the Tonys. Glad Kim is going out on tour! Make that money, honey!"

Man, I wish there were a betting market for this, because I'd take that action on Shucked, LOL. I think it'll be open in 2024. Take a look back at the BWW graph of the first six months of Rock of Ages' grosses, as just one example of how a show can progress.

Obviously the average ticket price still isn't great. But if I'm not mistaken, it has doubled its grosses in one month, from $300K to $600K. The house is full, and while I could be wrong, it's hard to imagine word of mouth not having a positive effect here. Plus we are really just heading into the "Broadway on TV" season, with late night and morning shows appearances.

[hache2]

Posted: 4/20/23 at 10:29am

dwwst12 said: "DrMonicaDeMoneco said: "Tony nods ain’t gonna save Some Like It Hot Or Shucked. And it’s curtains for Kimberley right after the Tonys. Glad Kim is going out on tour! Make that money, honey!"

Man, I wish there were a betting market for this, because I'd take that action on Shucked, LOL. I think it'll be open in 2024. Take a look back at the BWW graph of the first six months of Rock of Ages' grosses, as just one example of how a show can progress.

Obviously the average ticket price still isn't great. But if I'm not mistaken, it has doubled its grosses in one month, from $300K to $600K. The house is full, and while I could be wrong, it's hard to imagine word of mouth not having a positive effect here. Plus we are really just heading into the "Broadway on TV" season, with late night and morning shows appearances."

I wouldn't bet against Shucked lasting (at least through the summer) but neither would I bet on it long-term. They have not really made much progress despite very aggressive marketing but the producers appears truly devoted to giving it a go. The next few weeks will determine if it can pull a "Beetlejuice" or will just putter on losing money filling the house with cheap tickets.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/20/23 at 10:37am

The issue with Linedy is not her name value, it’s her talent. Any actress primarily known for Broadway is not going to sell any significant number of tickets. But a better leading performance would have helped carry the show……but she’s also being failed by the direction & writing. The performance is not a must-see, and neither is the show. 

[dwwst12]

Posted: 4/20/23 at 11:02am

hache2 said: I wouldn't bet against Shucked lasting (at least through the summer) but neither would I bet on it long-term. They have not really made much progress despite very aggressive marketing but the producers appears truly devoted to giving it a go. The next few weeks will determine if it can pull a "Beetlejuice" or will just putter on losing money filling the house with cheap tickets."

 

Agreed. It could certainly go either way. But I believe that Shucked's ceiling is far higher than Beetlejuice's. If I were a producer, I'd want to really give it a shot. Though I admittedly don't know anything about the running costs.

 

[kdogg36]

Posted: 4/20/23 at 11:15am

BossBroadway said: "He wouldn't jeopardize losing his constantly running Broadway streak."

Is there any actual evidence that Lloyd Webber is so obsessed with this?

[Voter]

Posted: 4/20/23 at 11:20am

dearalanaaaa said: "nativenewyorker2 said: "I just remember sitting at the first preview after an hour like "why is this called bad cinderella and 1. we have only seen cinderella like twice on stage in a hour and 2. what bad thing has she done""

Exactly this! Why does everybody profess that she’s bad other than that she grafitti’s a statue and rejects the social norms in Belleville? I didn’t like Genao’s voice either so I’m really glad she wasn’t on stage if anything. Carmelo & McLean really carry the show on their backs in my opinion. I enjoy it a lot actually, and the ensemble cast outside of Genao is great, just not her.

I’m not really sure how the politics of this would be, but I would love to see a plus-sized Cinderella with a strong voice. Then the town has a “reason” (albeit… not a good one) to refer to cinderella as ugly/mean/bad for rejecting the norms (all of the ensemble is very thin) in Belleville’s society. Currently we have no reason to believe she’s any different from everybody else other than saying it.

"

A good number of problems with the book would fix itself with a plus sized actress. No hate to Linedy--- she's just too pretty for the role she's playing.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/20/23 at 11:28am

kdogg36 said: "BossBroadway said: "He wouldn't jeopardize losing his constantly running Broadway streak."

Is there any actual evidence that Lloyd Webber is so obsessed with this?"

No, there's not. It's press speak. As I've said before, he is enough of a businessman that his finances far outweigh any wish for an unbroken Broadway streak.

The easy workaround for the language is also "a show running on Broadway every year since 1979. Which gives him the cushion of not needing another show til the end of 2024 IF he so desperately wants to cling to that.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 4/20/23 at 12:27pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "No, there's not. It's press speak. As I've said before, he is enough of a businessman that his finances far outweigh any wish for an unbroken Broadway streak."

If he were enough of a businessman, he would have let this die on the vine in the UK. Instead it has now tainted his reputation, such as it is, both in the UK (including as a human being) and in the US. 

If you choose to believe the Post piece, he wants to shut it down but Ms. Schwartzman is what is keeping it open, with her inane tyro marketing plans. She can afford to lose plenty more money of course, and never notice it, but the irony of the Post piece is that it misses the forest for the trees. There was a solid piece of reporting that could and should have been done here, focused on Schwartzman and what the hell is wrong with her, plus what their "deal" is. This reminds of the long history of rich people and their bad judgment. In this case we have two of them, both of whom would be well served by leaving the producing to the people who know how. I also don't want to hear a score composed by David Stone or  Jeffrey Seller.

 

[saxpower]

Posted: 4/20/23 at 12:53pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "kdogg36 said: "BossBroadway said: "He wouldn't jeopardize losing his constantly running Broadway streak."

Is there any actual evidence that Lloyd Webber is so obsessed with this?"

No, there's not. It's press speak. As I've said before, he is enough of a businessman that his finances far outweigh any wish for an unbroken Broadway streak.

The easy workaround for the language is also "a show running on Broadway every year since 1979. Which gives him the cushion of not needing another show til the end of 2024 IF he so desperately wants to cling to that."

Or even "every Broadway season since 1979-1980" which would give him until next June to bring some revival in.  

No matter what, 43 years of having a show on Brodway is quite an accomplishment- probably unlikely to be surpassed (unless Lion King or Chicago run that long). 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/20/23 at 1:20pm

Hogan, if I had to make a charitable guess, Schwartzman and Darren (who pulls the strings at her company) want to be seen as legit producers and think their commitment to trying to turn around a flailing show will be admirable and help them get other shows down the line: being seen as people who fight for authors. But memories are short, investor money is ultimately what talks, and burning bridges with ad agencies doen't help one's reputation. If she pulls the same thing on Fat Ham then we'll know it's a trend.

Or, an alternative view of the situation: heads are too far up certain body parts to see clearly.

Updated On: 4/20/23 at 01:20 PM

[Jarethan]

Posted: 4/20/23 at 1:54pm

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

I am guessing that it will be ‘quiet’ for the next month or so, still making huge profits mind you, and will start to go up again as tourism increases and the start publishing ‘absolutely only 22 more weeks to see one of the most praised performances this century’ which, although is hyperbolic is actually pretty true.  I expect it to go out with a major bang the last two months or so.  Only time will tell if my theory is correct.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 4/20/23 at 2:00pm

 

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

Absolutely it will run out of steam on September 3rd! Until then? Stacks on stacks on stacks

[Wick3]

Posted: 4/20/23 at 3:17pm

kdogg36 said: "BossBroadway said: "He wouldn't jeopardize losing his constantly running Broadway streak."

Is there any actual evidence that Lloyd Webber is so obsessed with this?"

I think the rumors came about because the original final performance of Phantom was in February 2023 (I forget the exact date but it was one day before Bad Cinderella’s first preview.)

Back in September 2022 after the Phantom closing announcement people wondered why they picked Feb 2023 to close and not Jan 2023 if the show was really struggling. Only reason people can think of is due to the ALW Broadway streak.

Updated On: 4/20/23 at 03:17 PM

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 4/20/23 at 7:44pm

A huge advertising overhaul of Bad Cinderella (or Cinderella as it was known) happened here in the UK as well. I remember it going from the blue logo poster with the pink balls...I mean dress to a much more fairytale like campaign with her Carrie Hope Fletcher in her make over look.

 

It didn't work here, it won't work there. 

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 4/20/23 at 9:42pm

Wick3 said: "kdogg36 said: "BossBroadway said: "He wouldn't jeopardize losing his constantly running Broadway streak."

Is there any actual evidence that Lloyd Webber is so obsessed with this?"

I think the rumors came about because the original final performance of Phantom was in February 2023 (I forget the exact date but it was one day before Bad Cinderella’s first preview.)

Back in September 2022 after the Phantom closing announcement people wondered why they picked Feb 2023 to close and not Jan 2023 if the show was really struggling. Only reason people can think of is due to the ALW Broadway streak."

I mean, they obviously were going to run through January to get to the 35th anniversary, and going into February made sense so that it wasn’t an immediate damper on that celebration. Plus, based on the way things went previously with the original runs of Cats, Les Mis, and Miss Saigon it was a pretty safe bet that there would be an additional extension by “popular demand” of anywhere from 4 to 12 weeks. 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 4/21/23 at 2:19am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "investor money is ultimately what talks"

In general, yes, but I do not understand the dynamics of her producing. She does not need investors. The Schwartzman wealth is unfathomable. To put it in context, if she decides to run the show at a weekly loss of a half million dollars for ten weeks, the dent in their net worth is the same as if someone with a $10 million net worth lost $166.66 a week.