Posted: 5/31/16 at 4:53pm
Still rooting for bright star!
Posted: 5/31/16 at 5:04pm
Dip for Bright Star. Apparently because fewer people were seeing it and not because of ticket prices. I'm pulling for it because of the cast and because it is enjoyable (if not great material) but also because it's one of the last holdouts among the new musicals that opened this season that weren't hits right out of the gate (Hamilton, Waitress, Shuffle Along, School of Rock).
It is particularly nice to see Tuck Everlasting end filling most of their seats because I do think it was a show that deserved to be seen.
Posted: 5/31/16 at 5:10pm
I'd say KINKY BOOTS is doing ok right now. Just above it's weekly nut, so it's still making money. It'll be fine during the summer, but I'd start to worry about the show come September. Maybe they're looking for another name for the Fall/Winter or possibly to have Wayne Brady return for a few months?
Posted: 5/31/16 at 5:20pm
Hopefully Bright Star will continue their upwards trend next week.
Surprisingly, many many shows actually dipped this week, but the overall gross was pretty even because few shows had big ups. Holidays weekend I guess, and the family shows drawing in big crowds. Hope that isn't too many of an indication for the summer for Bright Star...
As for weekly running costs, just from things I've been reading on here over the last year or something, I usually consider about 600k the crucial number for a musical. Of course that will vary from show to show, but there aren't many shows that close that consistently make over $600k/week... And I never really pay attention to the gross potential. That's solely determined by the seat capacity and the ticket price, which doesn't effect the weekly running costs (at least not directly - only because larger capacity probably means higher rent). I feel like a show like Kinky Boots that's already recouped making $700k is fine. But I'm eyeing Jersey Boys because that's pretty consistently under $600k these days and I have a feeling it might not last much longer (it's probably still making slightly more or just around the weekly nut right now, or it would have announced a closing date already)
(Please excuse if I said anything wrong, all just my thoughts and feelings, not fact and knowledge)
Posted: 5/31/16 at 5:46pm
Many are forgetting about or don't know that the figures for shows are gross/gross....meaning you have to deduct 8-10% off of the reported numbers. So a gross of $700,000 in real numbers is really $630-$640K. Many musicals are losing quite a chunk of change every week. But it also could be possible that the theater owners are giving them a break on rent to keep the lights lit....and that some of the creatives are foregoing their take every week. King and I has got to be on their last legs...now that it has become production contract. And Fiddler is not longed for the world. Expect many closings by labor day- if not sooner.
Posted: 5/31/16 at 5:52pm
_IrisTInkerbell said: But I'm eyeing Jersey Boys because that's pretty consistently under $600k these days and I have a feeling it might not last much longer (it's probably still making slightly more or just around the weekly nut right now, or it would have announced a closing date already)
(Please excuse if I said anything wrong, all just my thoughts and feelings, not fact and knowledge)
I think I read on another thread that its nut is $500k, so as long as it makes more than that it's fine. And it always does.
Posted: 5/31/16 at 5:53pm
Any thoughts on which shows will not last through labor day?
Posted: 5/31/16 at 5:58pm
Even if Kinky Boots brings in 600k, I'm pretty sure they're OK. There are no star salaries there.
Posted: 5/31/16 at 6:03pm
I don't feel sad for Fun Home at all. They came, won the Tony, made money for their investors, and got their story out to the public. It will live on in regional theaters and reach even more people that maybe wouldn't otherwise have been exposed to this story and way of thinking. I think it's awesome. Not every show needs a 5 year run.
Posted: 5/31/16 at 6:05pm
Fun Home pull through. This amazing show deserves to run 5+ years RippedMan...
Posted: 5/31/16 at 6:18pm
RippedMan said: "I don't feel sad for Fun Home at all. They came, won the Tony, made money for their investors, and got their story out to the public. It will live on in regional theaters and reach even more people that maybe wouldn't otherwise have been exposed to this story and way of thinking. I think it's awesome. Not every show needs a 5 year run. "
I've always said this. Some shows are supposed to burn bright and fast.
Posted: 5/31/16 at 6:19pm
GreenGables said: "neonlightsxo said: "Asking to be educated, not to nitpick - is that true? I feel like a lot of the subscription documents for broadway shows I've seen usually hover around 60% gross for a breakeven. I know, for instance, ON THE TOWN indicated it would recoup at 60% of gross capacity, which would require much higher than 700k (700k in the Lyric is ~40% of gross capacity, at least how that show was priced).
Again, coming from a place of ignorance, not arrogance"
Each show is on its own bottom so nobody has ever made bank on averages. The gross potential on a given show is meaningless except as a measure of demand. In the same theatre, and at the same price point, you can have shows with expenses varying by several hundred thousand dollars a week. Each LLC has its eye on 2 main numbers --the weekly nut and grosses. A show costing $700k to run needs a much higher gross to breakeven than one that costs $500k. So looking at gross potential tells you nothing.
Posted: 5/31/16 at 6:37pm
Sure it's an amazing show, but I don't think it needs to be stunt-cast and run 5 years. I think it's brilliant the way it is, and the people who wanted to see it have done so, and it's racked up all the awards. Now let it go and reach other people on tour and regionally.
Posted: 5/31/16 at 7:50pm
I'm sure that The King and I doesn't cost as much to run since Kelli and Ken left, but the grosses are about half as much. Will it run through Labor Day.
Posted: 5/31/16 at 8:06pm
^ Kelli may have left, but Daniel is a pretty well known tv star who could be asking for a large some of money and Marin is probably on the same level as Kelli. That on top of the size of the cast and orchestra. It's expensive.
Posted: 5/31/16 at 10:00pm
RippedMan said: "I don't feel sad for Fun Home at all. They came, won the Tony, made money for their investors, and got their story out to the public. It will live on in regional theaters and reach even more people that maybe wouldn't otherwise have been exposed to this story and way of thinking. I think it's awesome. Not every show needs a 5 year run."
Retweet, RippedMan. I am so over the moon happy for the success Fun Home has seen (I mean, really, on paper, this isn't a show you'd expect to recoup on Broadway—ever). And now I think we're reaching the final peak of its success, and I do hope Circle in the Square opens up sooner than later. If it were to close in early January 2017, that will still have been an unbelievable run.
Posted: 5/31/16 at 10:03pm
I feel really sorry for Fun Home. Its truly a great production of a great musical. And the best written musical I have ever seen. Its so great to have something great on Broadway, That felt real and not fake as opposed to Wicked.
Posted: 5/31/16 at 10:08pm
BroadwayPeasent said: "I feel really sorry for Fun Home. Its truly a great production of a great musical. And the best written musical I have ever seen. Its so great to have something great on Broadway, That felt real and not fake as opposed to Wicked."
Apples and oranges, Peasent. Apples and oranges.
Posted: 5/31/16 at 10:16pm
These replies are preposterous. Tesori and Kron's hardwork deserves to run forever.
Posted: 5/31/16 at 10:27pm
^run forever in regional theatre where the real money is made? I agree.
Posted: 5/31/16 at 10:31pm
NOTHING deserves to run forever.
Posted: 5/31/16 at 10:37pm
The REAL money is the Broadway production, then the first national tour, then 2nd national tour
Regional/college etc etc productions bring in some addl money--it most definitely is not the "real" money
Posted: 5/31/16 at 11:15pm
I think Fun Home deserves to close. It doesn't deserve to be run into the ground until it is a shell of what it once was. That happens to the best shows and it is sad to see in some of these long running shows.
Posted: 6/1/16 at 9:23am
ZellMorrowsPledge said: "These replies are preposterous. Tesori and Kron's hardwork deserves to run forever."
Nothing about Broadway is about what a show "deserves." It's just about money, and Fun Home no longer is making any. Would I love Fun Home to run forever? Absolutely. But you also need to know when to let it go.
Posted: 6/1/16 at 9:35am
neonlightsxo said: "ZellMorrowsPledge said: "These replies are preposterous. Tesori and Kron's hardwork deserves to run forever."
Nothing about Broadway is about what a show "deserves." It's just about money, and Fun Home no longer is making any. Would I love Fun Home to run forever? Absolutely. But you also need to know when to let it go.
"
^This. Fun Home lived/is living a great life, and when it's time to close, there's no need to be sad over it. If anything, the success it's had will hopefully inspire more Fun Home-esque indie musicals.
