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

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.