Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 6/26/22- Page 2

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 6/28/22 at 5:00pm

Except they don't need to extend in order to outrun DEH. According to IBDB, as of June 19, 2022Come From Awayhas played 25 previews and 1,550 performances toDear Evan Hansen's 21 previews and 1,466 performances. And with Come From Awaycurrently scheduled to close two weeks afterDear Evan Hansen, a longer run is pretty much an inevitability (barring any COVID cancellations and/or any other unforeseen circumstances)."

Correct. Shockingly, real adults don't open or close shows based on "pettiness". 

 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 6/28/22 at 5:01pm

BroadwayGuy12 said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "EDSOSLO858 said: "I’ve heard producers have been considering pushing back closing based on 1) popular demand, and 2) the fact that they want to end up with a longer run thanDear Evan Hansen."

LIVING for the pettiness. Would love to see it outrun DEH simply for the chuckle factor."

Except they don't need to extend in order to outrun DEH. According to IBDB, as of June 19, 2022Come From Awayhas played 25 previews and 1,550 performances toDear Evan Hansen's 21 previews and 1,466 performances. And with Come From Awaycurrently scheduled to close two weeks afterDear Evan Hansen, a longer run is pretty much an inevitability (barring any COVID cancellations and/or any other unforeseen circumstances)."

Apparently, Dear Evan Hansen will close after 1,678 regular performances, while Come From Away is currently set to shutter after 1,670. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 6/28/22 at 5:06pm

As of the currently-scheduled closings, when all is said and done DEH will have run 8 performances more than CFA. Those numbers were widely reported so I'm not sure why some grown adults weren't checking their facts.

It's also been rumored (on here and elsewhere) that the CFA producers are salty that their current plans mean they'll have run one week less than DEH, because their entire run has been in comparison to DEH (same season, DEH wins the major awards, DEH gets a feature film but CFA doesn't, DEH generally had higher grosses, etc). There IS a great deal of pettiness in the Broadway League. If CFA can run a little longer without losing money, they will.

CFA: "at the time of its closing it will have had 25 preview performances and 1,670 regular performances"

DEH: "At the time that it closes, it will have played 21 preview performances and 1,678 regular performances."

Updated On: 6/28/22 at 05:06 PM

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 6/28/22 at 5:19pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "The POTUS problems:

3) It's just not a very good play. It's funny and well-performed, but it's complete fluff, and that's not enough to sell tickets these days."

Correct. It's not a very good play at all. I seem to be in the distinct minority at least on this board, but I didn't even find it that funny. Ridiculous overreactions, screaming profanities at the top of your lungs, anal wart and puke jokes. It's just 3rd rate sitcom humor. Rachel Dratch was really the only worthwhile part of the show and it made me appreciate what a gifted physical comedienne she is. No question people like Vanessa Williams and Julie White are very talented but they are largely wasted here. Others may disagree.

[VotePeron]

Posted: 6/28/22 at 5:36pm

I originally theorized in the closing announcement thread, but I have no doubt at this point CFA will run through the holidays.

 

Also agreed re, POTUS - the play is not good and didn’t get great reviews. The market can’t handle a surplus of inventory atm, and folks are electing for Plaza Suite, Harry Potter, or Macbeth. 

[BroadwayGuy12]

Posted: 6/28/22 at 5:45pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "As of the currently-scheduled closings, when all is said and done DEH will have run 8 performances more than CFA. Those numbers were widely reported so I'm not sure why some grown adults weren't checking their facts."

I'm not sure if this is directed at me, but I did try to check my facts by referencing IBDB, although it appears as though the information listed there may be incorrect. I did some more digging after looking at the information you provided, and while the numbers for CFA check out, it looks like IBDB is undercounting the number of performances for DEH. According to this list they had played 1,363 at the time of the shutdown, and I estimate they've played about 200 performances since reopening (I don't remember how many performances they've had to cancel). Given that they have about 100 more to go until closing, this puts them at the number quoted in their closing notice press release, so I'd imagine their current total higher than the 1,466 currently listed on IBDB.

Apologies for spreading any misinformation and for getting my facts wrong.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 6/28/22 at 6:19pm

Interesting the Ibdb page is off listing 1474 as the number of performances. Broadwayworld did list 1503 earlier, but now it’s accurate at 1575 performances.

[trpguyy]

Posted: 6/28/22 at 6:49pm

DEH will play its 1,583rd performance tonight. 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 6/28/22 at 6:57pm

Two comments.

1. In League-speak, previews are not performances. Why? I have no clue, nor can I imagine the logic. 

2. "real adults don't open or close shows based on 'pettiness'" is absolutely the most laughably naive statement I have ever read on this board. 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 6/28/22 at 7:17pm

JBroadway said: "Macbeth took a nasty hit. As I mentioned in last week’s thread, I’m really curious to know whether it will recoup; if so, it would be one of the few plays this season that makes it, and it’s an interesting case study of mega-star casting in an otherwise inaccessible and poorly-received production(Funny Girl is in a similar boat, and I’m similarly curious about it, but it’s not on as tight of a time frame as Macbeth).

It seems like it’s probably gonna be a photo finish either way, but this week’s gross really makes me wonder if they’re stumbling at the finish line after a really strong “head start.”

Also, happy to see Company getting a nice bump, even if it was (at least partially) for an unfortunate reason.

And Beetlejuice continues to prove, as least for now, that they didn’t midjudge the demand for a return engagement."

Advanced sales eventually run their course.  This explains both Macbeth's and FG's sagging grosses, although FG is still doing surprisingly well.  I would love to know what is advanced sales were at the start of previews.  I assume you were referring to the Funny Girl property as the 'mega-star'.  While there were undoubtedly some 20 something young women who purchased tickets to see Beanie, I don't even think she is a star, let alone a super-star.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 6/28/22 at 7:21pm

quizking101 said: "dramamama611 said: "Was Hugh back in MM? (I'm assuming that's the reason for the bump back to "normal"."

I believe he returned on Wednesday, and now it will be interesting to see the impact when just Sutton is out"

I bet there will be NO IMPACT.  Those prices and that advanced sale were because of Hugh; that is why the show grossed half as much when he was out, and would have grossed even less if people who bought their tickets via group sales (remember when the tickets were originally sold) knew they could get a refund so close to curtain, etc.  

[Jarethan]

Posted: 6/28/22 at 7:35pm

quizking101 said: "DrMonicaDeMoneco said: "It's curtains for Paradise Square, The Minutes and POTUS."

I mean, people have been saying that for weeks and here we are. I can't imagine The Minutes and POTUS won't finish out their runs with only a few weeks left (especially POTUS, as I'm sure the Shuberts don't want their flagship empty during the hot tourist months).

Paradise Square seems to have defied all prognostication and financial common sense - so it seems like a fruitless effort to actually bet they will close any time soon since we've been doing that since late April/early May when the 10 Tony Award nominations did diddly-squat for the show itself."

I would also imagine that POTUS is exceeding its weekly nut, unlike The Minutes (and Hangmen, and Colored Girls, Girl from the North Country, to name a few highly acclaimed recent productions.  Given that Broadway is recovering, I think there is still a Covid? hole around non-musicals without box office attractions, which POTUS fits into.  Re North Country, maybe it was just too serious to attract a sizable Broadway audience.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 6/28/22 at 7:40pm

BroadwayGuy12 said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "EDSOSLO858 said: "I’ve heard producers have been considering pushing back closing based on 1) popular demand, and 2) the fact that they want to end up with a longer run thanDear Evan Hansen."

LIVING for the pettiness. Would love to see it outrun DEH simply for the chuckle factor."

Except they don't need to extend in order to outrun DEH. According to IBDB, as of June 19, 2022Come From Awayhas played 25 previews and 1,550 performances toDear Evan Hansen's 21 previews and 1,466 performances. And with Come From Awaycurrently scheduled to close two weeks afterDear Evan Hansen, a longer run is pretty much an inevitability (barring any COVID cancellations and/or any other unforeseen circumstances)."

I was going to say your source is in error, as DEH opened about 2 months before CFA and both were closed at the same time for Covid...but CFA re-opened sooner than DEH.  I still find it hard to believe that CFA has that many performances over CFA.  Does anyone remember when CFA reopened.  I know DEH didn't until some time in December.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 6/28/22 at 7:40pm

Due to the cancelled show last Tuesday, CFA would need to extend two more weeks to surpass DEH.

[suicidalmickeymouse]

Posted: 6/28/22 at 11:06pm

If they do extend CFA, do you think they will allow current closing ticket holders a chance to move to the new closing? 

[Fosse76]

Posted: 6/29/22 at 12:07am

ACL2006 said: "There's rumors going around that Come From Away may extend it's closing by a few weeks. They appear to be doing well now since they announced it. Anyone know if it might be true?"

Grosses keep dropping despite the increase in attendance. So I really wouldn't say it's doing well. 

[CreatureKitchen]

Posted: 7/2/22 at 12:46pm

I'm genuinely curious about the state of Beetlejuice. I've heard some say that it's doing surprisingly well, and some say it won't even make it through the fall/ winter slump.
From what I see, the grosses haven't dropped much below 850k since the show reopened, and they've been over a million the past several weeks. I know Beetlejuice is a big show and hasn't recouped but, even so, I find it hard to believe that it's bleeding out even with 850k grosses. I know the capacity % has been relatively low, but ticket prices and gross seem to be decent enough to keep it afloat? I'm also a little confused why they'd be dumping money into a tour if it's on such thin ice.

Basically, just curious if I'm missing something here. I always root for the underdog, so I'm hoping Beetlejuice at least makes it through the winter holidays.

[MCW1227]

Posted: 7/2/22 at 1:09pm

How is the Shubert stage handing the orchestra pit for POTUS?

[JBroadway]

Posted: 7/2/22 at 7:29pm

@CreatureKitchen

I see that you responded to my post about this same topic in another thread. And the weird thing is, after I wrote that post, nobody responded to clarify why they felt Beetlejuice was doing badly, so I’m still genuinely confused by that interaction.

Speaking more broadly, it seems like there’s a grudge on this board surrounding Beetlejuice’s return, which partly stemmed from how annoying the fandom was about it.. Before it was announced, it felt like there was a new thread every week asking when/if Beetlejuice was coming back, and it got really tiresome.

But then some people on this board created a false association between the desperate fans, and the show’s actual financial situation. “We don’t know, so stop asking” morphed into “It’s never returning, so stop asking.” People forgot that it wasn’t just the vocal fans who prompted the return, it was real-life demand and strong box office numbers.

It seems like the circumstances have led people to assume the show is failing. I'm guessing these people either (a) don’t actually look at the grosses, or (b) assume the demand is unsustainable and front-loaded. The latter might actually turn out to be correct. But we just don’t know, so it's silly for anyone to claim to know. Even sillier to suggest it's doing poorly right NOW. Even if their margins are on the smaller side, they’re in a solid position for the time being.

Updated On: 7/2/22 at 07:29 PM

[CreatureKitchen]

Posted: 7/2/22 at 7:54pm

JBroadway said: "@CreatureKitchen

Speaking more broadly, it seems like there’s a grudge on this board surrounding Beetlejuice’s return, which partly stemmed from how annoying the fandom was about it.

Haha yeah, I did a search for Beetlejuice after I posted my comment in this thread to get a sense of what the discussion around it was, and I absolutely agree with your assessment.

I can relate to people who are grumpy with the fandom, because I felt the exact same way about the Be More Chill fandom. Not gonna lie, I was somewhat smug when the fans who had been screaming about the show didn't turn up in great enough numbers to keep it open. With Beetlejuice, though, the fandom does seem to be putting their money where their mouths are (for now). When I saw the show, the audience was full of teens/ young adults who were dressed up and who were clearly fans. I think the publicity team also deserves some credit for embracing the fans both via social media and with the fanart wall outside the theatre. Like it or not, social media is only going to become more integral to drumming up hype for a show. If your show is already aimed at a young audience, it behooves you to appeal to the TikTok/Twitter/Tumblr crowd. It may be annoying, but it's clear the strategy is becoming increasingly effective (just look at Six, too). 

Whether the hype is sustainable remains to be seen, and I won't be that surprised if Beetlejuice closes once the current cast's contracts are up, or if it can't make it through the fall/ winter. But, as I said, it still managed to rake in nearly $900,000 in a week with 56% capacity, so I don't think it's necessarily doomed.