Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 7/16/23- Page 3

[jagman1062]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 4:10pm

pethian said: "msmp said: "tThat explains a lot, but lord, I wonder how on earth the Weisslers' managed to get the Shuberts to agree to that."



Chicago moved from the very desirable Richard Rodgers to the less desirable Ambassaor. I wonder if that had something to do with it and the Shuberts sweetened the pot by eliminating the stop clause for the move.

Actually, Chicago moved from the Rodgers to the Shubert in 1997 to make way for Steel Pier. The Nederlanders probably regret that move. Chicago moved from the Shubert to the Ambassador to make way for the Bernadette Peters' Gypsy. Perhaps the no-stop clause was added to indeed sweeten the move.

"

 

[FANtomFollies]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 4:53pm

pethian said: "Chicago moved from the very desirable Richard Rodgers to the less desirable Ambassaor. "

Did it move twice? It opened at the Shubert, right?

[Mr. Wormwood]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 4:55pm

FANtomFollies said: "pethian said: "Chicago moved from the very desirable Richard Rodgers to the less desirable Ambassaor."

Did it move twice? It opened at the Shubert, right?"

Yes it moved twice, it opened at the Richard Rodgers. But moved to the Shubert after a few months for Steel Pier.

Updated On: 7/19/23 at 04:55 PM

[dan94]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 4:55pm

Broadway Journal published that running costs for Chicago were "just under 600k" a week in early 2020 (presumably before shutdown). I don't think it would be hyperbolic to say Jinkx Monsoon's run offset their normal amount of losses for the entire year. Add that overall, Jinkx or no Jinkx, it seems to be selling better in 2023 than it did in 2022, and I'd say they're likely in fine shape.

Anything can happen but as long as they land on a star that sells each year I don't think they'll go anywhere.

[Mr. Wormwood]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 4:57pm

dan94 said: "Broadway Journal published that running costs for Chicago were "just under 600k" a week in early 2020 (presumably before shutdown). I don't think it would be hyperbolic to say Jinkx Monsoon's run offset their normal amount of losses for the entire year. Add that overall, Jinkx or no Jinkx, it seems to be selling better in 2023 than it did in 2022, and I'd say they're likely in fine shape.

Anything can happen but as long as they land on a star that sells each year I don't think they'll go anywhere."

Pamela Anderson boosted sales for them in 2022 too. One good stunt cast a year by them probably goes a long way.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 6:10pm

Re: Chicago's stop clause, or lack thereof. Just because a show has a stop clause it doesn't necessarily mean that it is always invoked by the landlords. Sure, if there is a potential super high grossing show that desperately wants a specific theatre, such as the case was with Beetlejuice, The Music Man and the Winter Garden, then of course it's going to be exercised. But, especially with Chicago, the reality is that nobody is clamoring to get into the Ambassador. Would it get filled (after a renovation) should Chicago close? Of course, because there will always be some projects where scheduling becomes more important than location, but the fact remains that prior to Chicago moving in that theatre had a pretty large string of short-lived productions that only lasted a few months, with the one notable exception being Bring in 'Da Noise in the mid-90s. 

So even if they had a stop clause and fell below it, which I'm sure they would have in some of their leaner weeks in between the big name stunt and star castings, it's proven far more lucrative to the Shuberts to leave them there and let them chug along than a string of short-lived flops would have. 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 6:14pm

pethian said: "msmp said: "tThat explains a lot, but lord, I wonder how on earth the Weisslers' managed to get the Shuberts to agree to that."



Chicago moved from the very desirable Richard Rodgers to the less desirable Ambassaor. I wonder if that had something to do with it and the Shuberts sweetened the pot by eliminating the stop clause for the move.

It actually moved from the Schubert, where it had run for X years.  It moved from the Rodgers (46th St. Theatre) relatively quickly after opening.  I assume, but don’t know, that it was expected to be a limited engagement when it moved to Broadway.

 

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 6:22pm

Yes, it was a smash at Encores, so they arranged the limited run at the Rodgers, knowing they'd need to close in time for Steel Pier. That limited run began selling out before they even opened, and then Big ended up closing at the Shubert about a week and a half before Chicago started previews at the Rodgers, so plans to move it to the Shubert and make the run open-ended were quickly made. 

[BETTY22]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 7:03pm

What is Shucked break even? 

[Robbie2]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 9:07pm

AEA AGMA SM said: "Re:Chicago'sstop clause, or lack thereof. Just because a show has a stop clause it doesn't necessarily mean that it is always invoked by the landlords. Sure, if there is a potential super high grossing show that desperately wants a specific theatre, such as the case was withBeetlejuice, The Music Manand the Winter Garden, then of course it's going to be exercised. But, especially withChicago, the reality is that nobody is clamoring to get into the Ambassador. Would it get filled (after a renovation) shouldChicagoclose? Of course, because there will always be some projects where scheduling becomes more important than location, but the fact remains that prior toChicagomoving in that theatre had a pretty large string of short-lived productions that only lasted a few months, with the one notable exception beingBring in 'Da Noisein the mid-90s.

So even if they had a stop clause and fell below it, which I'm sure they would have in some of their leaner weeks in between the big name stunt and star castings, it's proven far more lucrative to the Shuberts to leave them there and let them chug along than a string of short-lived flops would have."

Chicago will keep playing and all that jazz ...no plans closing as it cost the Weissler's nada at this point to keep it going at the Ambassador. Can't believe Fran is 95!? Pamela Andersonn gave it a big bump. They want her back, I hear but she's not interested in doing it all again. 

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 10:32pm

Seeing these money-losing shows still running reminds me of that scene in The Dark Knight where The Joker sets that mountain of cash on fire.

[AKarp2013]

Posted: 7/19/23 at 10:55pm

I think Chicago will be around for a good long while. It's a classic staple of Broadway, a big hit with tourists, is well-loved by most in the Broadway community and can use star-power to keep it afloat during the slower times of the year. Both Pamela Anderson and Jinkx Monsoon brought an incredible new life to the show. I saw it with Jinkx (who was outstanding) and the audience was eating the show up -- and not just because of Jinkx.

[bdn223]

Posted: 7/20/23 at 10:41am

BETTY22 said: "What is Shucked break even?"

Its between $630K-$650K from what I have been told. Producers were very keen on keeping costs low for an original show with no stars, but I don't know if that includes the shows weekly marketing budget or if all of the marketing we saw from April-June was part of their initial capitalization. Safe to say though Shucked looks to be turning into the first sleeper hit Broadway has seen since School of Rock in 2015.