bear88 said: "I agree that it's not a perfect comparison between Hello, Dollyand Dear Evan Hansen. Bette Midler's absences have been well-publicized, far in advance, while Platt's vacation caught people off guard, I am sure. But people still could have bailed in greater numbers. One show is all about the star. The other is more about the show than I expected.
I think Hello Dolly is too much about the star. I am surprised that the advertising campaign isn't starting to reduce focus on Bette and increase it on the show, since most of her contractual period is pretty much sold out. The show received great reviews, and is a love letter to musical theatre audiences, who seem to love it whether Donna or Bette is on, but only seem to want to pay for Bette. It is a bad omen for the future if a five time nominee, 2 time Tony winner can't sell tickets so early in the run...unless Bette is going to play the role until she drops dead after giving about 4,500 performances. Ticket buyers seem to have concluded they are seeing a star vanity production instead of a wonderful production of a great show.
Re Evan Hansen, I think we are going to have the same discussions that occurred when the original Hamilton cast left. Some people were direly predicting -- not me -- that ticket demand was going to be impacted as soon as the next new set of tickets came on the market after the departure of the original cast. We all know what happened when the next block surfaced. Grosses are incredibly higher than the original cast because of all the people who are willing to pay higher premium prices, regardless of the cast. Anywhere it is playing is the same way. Hamilton is the only star...if Lin happens to be in the cast for awhile, as rumored for the London production periodically, then that is just a bonus. And, despite the incredible performance Ben is giving and the fact that the show has made him a star, Dear Evan Hansen is the star, not Ben Platt.
One final note, Evan Hansen and Hamilton are viewed as must-see new productions that have entered the zeitgeist. I think Hello Dolly is incorrectly being viewed by most of the ticket buying public as a (legendary, much loved) star turn of a tired old musical. Without that star or a new advertising campaign, there may be trouble a lot earlier than there should be. Hamilton, Evan Hansen (and CFA, for that matter, if not at the same frenzy level) are the stars. Hello Dolly is not, and it should be...at least a lot more than it is today.
Updated On: 7/17/17 at 10:03 PM
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