Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 4/5/15 — Page 3

Trying to get back on the subject of grosses and leave this Philly thread (although I understand why people need to answer such comments that Philly makes!) ... I'm rather surprised that the limp HONEYMOON didn't rise a BIT in the final week. It actually went DOWN. One would think, like most closing shows, some people would rush in to catch it. Although I guess they only announced it the week it closed.

Still, most shows rise when closing ... is this an indication that really NO ONE was interested in this show anymore? (I mean I know how low the grosses were and the stories of the extra money going in) When SIDE SHOW, a show I am quite familiar with as you may know, announced closing when BO could not rise sufficiently, it had just a 2 week warning. The BO the second last week rose to $588K and the final week to $810K.

I really thought the final week of HONEYMOON would break $450K easily. Guess not.

Roundabout IS non-profit. So are Lincoln Center and MTC. Off-Broadway we have Playwrights Horizon, the Public, MCC, the Mint, Encores, and more. Their non-profit status allows them to produce work that won't get produced otherwise because they're *not it it to make money.*

Non-profit theatre makes the American theatre possible right now. If not through non-profit theatre, then through non-profit development programs like the O'Neill, New York Stage and Film, or Sundance- all of which workshop shows that go on to success in New York.

Updated On: 4/6/15 at 04:35 PM

Of COURSE making money is better than not; but MTC has a huge subscriber base that fills up most of their houses before the season is even set. They're scheduled into every performance. The shows get seen.

Most non-profit theatre companies are operating with a deficit.

Non-profits also enjoy tax-exempt status and are the recipients of grants, subsidies, and donations. They don't have to repay investors.

Oh wow for The Visit. So hoping it picks up for Chita.

It's Only A Play is 50% of gross? I got the (obviously wrong) impression it was doing better than that. Isn't it considered a hit? Is 50% considered a "hit" for a play?

Pinto-

MTC has a large subscriber base that comes to see their shows. They build subscribers; additional audience is gravy. Making money is an issue after the intial run, if there is one. And your list of non-star shows doing well is (typically) half a loaf. Any such list that excludes Curious Incident is obviously incomplete. I don't know why you enjoy being a clown. I guess it is just something I will never understand. Most people do not aspire to being an idiot, just as most shows and actors don't aspire to fail.

I am not being a clown, I am being serious. Curious Incident and Wolf Hall are the only new dramatic shows without stars. People are producing more comedy because I think thats what audiences want to see. My whole point about non-profit before was: whats the point of producing a show if no one is seeing it? I guess we will see how well Airline Highway does. It just doesn't make sense to just throw money down the drain. Even if you are putting money into something creative, you still want people to see the show. If no one is seeing it, why waste the money?

Re: Hand To God, I certainly think there's a reason it bills itself as a new American play- it's definitely trying to draw a contrast between it and the British imports like Curious Incident. I agree that Curious Incident will probably take the Tony- it's critically acclaimed, spectacularly produced, and safe enough for the more conservative voters who probably will be turned off by Hand To God. I could see scenario where Curious Incident wins Best Play but Hand To God is awarded for Steve Boyer's performance, which really helps to make the show.

Still, I really hope it does well too. It's not typically Broadway fare, but that's exactly why it should succeed. Works this good and daring are rarely produced on Broadway, and I hope this one makes it so that happens more often.

Philly--What did I say about digging that hole?

Just step back, take a deep breath and don't share your thoughts on here quite so often.

Go get that audition tape ready for us all-THEN we might take you seriously.

I don't often contribute as I live far away, will never see these shows but devour MOST of what I read from so many learned people who share love of all things theatre.

Thanks Hogan--love that word 'tether'--'tether those thoughts'-great expression and very apt.

Updated On: 4/6/15 at 06:02 PM

I think we just need to accept the fact that pinto is an utter moron and pretend like he doesn't exist.

It's a shame too because he's kinda cute.

ETA: I took the picture off but if anyone does a quick Google search...

Updated On: 4/6/15 at 07:10 PM

"seriously! Calm down oh my goodness!! If roundabout is a not for profit, then why did they do Cabaret again? Because they needed the money!"

You obviously don't understand non-profit theater. I will try one more time to explain.

They can use the money they make from big, successful shows like Cabaret to support their smaller shows that put them into debt. Like the black box Roundabout Underground shows, or a show like Machinal that is amazing and important but doesn't make money. Sure, they need money, everybody needs money, but they don't make profit.