Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/4/19- Page 2

[DoTheDood]

Posted: 8/5/19 at 7:55pm

KKeller6 said: "There is no way on God's green earth Come From Away's nut is significantly higher than $450 000."

I also don't see how it could be anything over $450k. No super big name actors (Jenn Colella I think is the biggest name), no large changing set pieces (the turn-table seems to be the biggest expense), no property it's based on, and it's only 100 mins total. Besides the cost to rent out the theater, I can't really see what would be more expensive. 

[dmwnc1959]

Posted: 8/5/19 at 9:13pm

I’ll echo the sentiments regarding Beetlejuice - which was the most fun I’ve ever had at any show - as it seems a lot of the naysayers on this forum Pre-Tony Awards were so sure it would be gone by Labor Day weekend, and going so far as proclaiming Tootsie the biggest hit of this season.

But, as it’s been mentioned, maybe Tootsie is holding out for some of the post-Summer attendance to come their way once the other shows close this month.

I can still see it now...Honey, you want to see Beetlejuice or Tootsie, Tootsie or Beetlejuice??? BEETLEJUICE! Tootsie loses again. 

Updated On: 8/5/19 at 09:13 PM

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 8/5/19 at 9:30pm

Tootsie just isn’t a great show. The design and direction were just all so lackluster. Think there’s maybe a good show in there but we’ll never see it.

[blaxx]

Posted: 8/5/19 at 9:40pm

musikman said: "bdn223 said: "zainmax said: "This article is on point...https://www.forbes.com/sites/marchershberg/2019/08/01/why-beetlejuice-is-beating-tootsie-at-the-broadway-box-office/#7392dc1018df

Also, re Come From Away, $450K is ridiculously low."

Wouldn't surprise me if it is as its the same running cost asBeautiful."



Unless things have changed drastically in the last 6 months or so, CFA's weekly operating costs are much higher than $450k per week."

No way. They run on a lower nut than Chicago, and theirs is under 400K.

[Mr. Wormwood]

Posted: 8/5/19 at 10:24pm

I know this has been talked about to death but I continue to be fascinated by the opposite trajectory of Tootsie and Beetlejuice. Tootsie went from a hot selling ticket with the best reviews this side of Hadestown to a poorly sold show with a general consensus that it's nothing special. Beetlejuice went from tepid reviews and box office receipts to ever increasing sales and more and more people talking about how fun it is. Things have changed so dramatically since the Tonys for those two shows.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 8/6/19 at 1:09am

I suspect that Tootsie's word of mouth must be awful.  I know that no-one I know who has seen it has been more than lukewarm.  With that rotten score, it doesn't have a chance.

 

[msmp]

Posted: 8/6/19 at 3:52am

ChildofEarth said: "Jujamcyn isnt going to have to worry about tenants for some time by the looks of these numbers for all of their shows.

Come From Away seems to be slipping ever so slightly, but wow I still can’t believe they’ve made it this far."

CFA seems to have taken off as a good bridge-and-tunnel show. Relatable story for anyone in the NY metro area (longstanding residents all have a 9/11 connection of one sort or another, even if it's just "I was in my living room when I heard what happened", and its got a short run-time for a musical (~100 minutes, maybe a little less) which makes doing the show and dinner beforehand doable for someone in the outer Boros/Westchester/maybe north Jersey.

Just a gut feeling, and based on anecdotal evidence from my own NY-based family. Obviously still a tourist draw too on the numbers it pulls.

[TooTiredForThis]

Posted: 8/6/19 at 8:54am

As bad as Tootsie looks now, it's going to stay open at least for a month after the rest of the closures this month, hoping to increase its capacity based on there being less options.

Honestly it's lucky it's lasted this long and has probably benefited more from an April opening than any show in recent memory, affording itself to Tony leadup hype. It really didn't know who it was marketing to, it had the same hype around its actor that any actor who dances in heels gets, and the hype around Santino's performance has gone from "best Male performance in years" to "kinda vanilla" and the unmemorable score and lack of development, as well as accidentally landing in hot water in terms of gender politics (look, the show by no means is malicious or intentionally transphobic, but a cis man putting on a dress to encroach on female spaces is the basis of the bathroom bill so it does hit a wound in the LGBT community, even if by no means it should) has resulted in... just a lack of interest. It's lost more momentum than any show in recent memory and if it debuted January or earlier it would not have made it to the Tony's, the Prom would've won best book,
and Daunno or Brightman best actor. Right now it can mainly hope to coast on tourists getting less options, or start to drastically change how it's marketed.

Beetlejuice didn't have anywhere near Tootsie's momentum when it started but its hard to argue its going well now, and part of that has been its advertising on television. The comedy in The Whole Being Dead Thing, the song used in most media appearances really taps into the fatalistic comedy movements happening among millennials, as do the Maitlands story of finding meaning in a world where they didn't have kids, success, or a future, a pervading theme among millennial media. The crowd is young for Beetlejuice not because of the source, but because it understands what that generation finds funny, and death as comedy is a big part of that. It's found an audience meanwhile Tootsie's appearances have focused on the quick change and nothing else.


 

Updated On: 8/6/19 at 08:54 AM

[BritCrit]

Posted: 8/6/19 at 9:37am

TooTiredForThis said: "As bad as Tootsie looks now, it's going to stay open at least for a month after the rest of the closures this month, hoping to increase its capacity based on there being less options.

Honestly it's luckydar it's lasted this long and has probably benefited more from an April opening than any show in recent memory, according itself to Tony leadup hype. It really didn't know who it was  marketing to, it had the same hype around its actor that any actor who dances in heels gets, and the hype around Santino's performance has gone from "best Male performance in years" to "kinda vanilla" and the unmemorable score and lack of development, as well as accidentally landing in hot water in terms of gender politics (look, the show by no means is malicious or intentionally transphobic, but a cis man putting on a dress to encroach on female spaces is the basis of the bathroom bill so it does hit a wound in the LGBT community, even if by no means it should) has resulted in... just a lack of interest. It's lost more momentum than any show in recent memory and if it debuted January or earlier it would not have made it to the Tony's, the Prom would've won best book,
and Daunno or Brightman best actor. Right now it can mainly hope to coast on tourists getting less options, or start to drastically change how it's marketed.

Beetlejuice didn't have anywhere near Tootsie's momentum when it started but its hard to argue its going well now, and part of that has been its advertising on television. The comedy in The Whole Being Dead Thing, the song used in most media appearances really taps into the fatalistic comedy movements happening among millennials, as do the Maitlands story of finding meaning in a world where they didn't have kids, success, or a future, a pervading theme among millennial media. The crowd is young for Beetlejuice not because of the source, but because it understands what that generation finds funny, and death as comedy is a big part of that. It's found an audience meanwhile Tootsie's appearances have focused on the quick change and nothing else.



"

I am not keen about the interpretation that the reviews of critics represent “hype”. They may be more positive towards Tootsie’s comedic sensibilities than the theatregoing community, but the implication that they presented a false picture of the musical is pretty iffy. The tryout got fairly good reviews as well, but it is justified to think it would have done less well at the Tonys if it had swapped opening nights with The Prom. However, I’m a keen Santino Fontana fan and want him to succeed  and gain better roles. It’s really frustrating that his Tony win seems to be a false dawn for him... 

 

However, I agree with the other claims made here. It’s baffling that the Forbes article on Tootsie’s fall and Beetlejuice’s rise did not mention Tootsie’s “transphobia: the musical” hatedom and the issues with the “disguised in drag” premise in 2019. Beetlejuice has it’s off colour elements as well, but these are not hardwired into the premise and fit the coarser dark comedy tone. The Tootsie promotional appearances are pretty lazy. The actors should have been allowed to ad-lib and alter their performances each time, as Beetlejuice did, and the comedic quips and set peices from the show should have been emphasised over the music. Around opening night, Tootsie did ads showing “Dorothy” appearing on various chat shows - why didn’t they try to do this for real?

Updated On: 8/6/19 at 09:37 AM

[haterobics]

Posted: 8/6/19 at 9:40am

dmwnc1959 said: "I can still see it now...Honey, you want to see Beetlejuice or Tootsie, Tootsie or Beetlejuice??? BEETLEJUICE! Tootsie loses again."

Why are these their only choices?!

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 8/6/19 at 10:02am

haterobics said: "Why are these their only choices?!"

Because out of this past season's musicals Hadestown is relatively hard to get tickets for and everything else is closing. Also they've had such opposite trajectories that it's really fascinating to watch. 

To be honest, I had actually forgotten about the whole transphobia issues surrounding the show, but I think that has more to do with the show itself keeping a low profile rather than public opinion changing on that matter. It does surprise me that none of the creatives ever addressed it in any interview I've heard, which I guess can also be tricky to do. But I remember earlier interviews with Santino where he'd talk about how he liked playing Michael because Michael was such a desperate guy willing to do anything. I don't feel like it would take much to just slip in a comment about that shouldn't really have any implications for the trans community simply because Michael does not see himself that way and is only pretending to be a woman   . The humor comes not from the fact that it's a guy in a dress but that there's a guy so desperate that he thinks putting on a dress will fix all his problems. 

[dmwnc1959]

Posted: 8/6/19 at 10:45am

haterobics said: "Why are these their only choices?!"

 

It’s part of a fictional conversation between two people. And the fact that the biggest topic of this thread appears to boil down to the surprise rise of Beetlejuice and the fall of Tootsie, I used it. I guess listing every show on Broadway could have been easier. But it was my fictional conversation. And the same choice I had. And Tootsie lost. 

 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 8/6/19 at 11:38am

I would imagine that the Forbes article didn’t mention the transphobia component because the target audience for Tootsie probably doesn’t really notice or care about this sort of thing. On the surface the show presents itself as a feminist narrative, and people who aren’t used to analyzing sociopolitical implications more deeply won’t necessarily notice the transphobic implications under the surface, especially when the show beats the audience over the head with an alternate social justice narrative. Not to mention trans issues haven’t gained as much of a widespread spotlight as sexism, racism, and homophobia.

All of that on its own is not a reason to leave it out of the Forbes article. But my point is that, because it doesn’t have as much of a spotlight, it hasn’t been a significant factor in the show’s financial success (or lack thereof). And that was the focus of the article.

[EllieRose2]

Posted: 8/6/19 at 2:16pm

Or because most people (who aren't offended by every little thing) just enjoy the show and live their life. Complaining about art is incredibly funny and has not made one bit of difference regarding this production. People are enjoying themselves, and that's the most important thing. 

[Pose2]

Posted: 8/6/19 at 2:28pm

I've seen this show several times, and I love it more and more every time. It's always very crowded and people don't seem to be upset by the show. Lots of laughter and the audience seems to be very engaged. 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 8/6/19 at 3:26pm

EllieRose2 said: "Or because most people (who aren't offended by every little thing) just enjoy the show and live their life. Complaining about art is incredibly funny and has not made one bit of difference regarding this production. People are enjoying themselves, and that's the most important thing."

 

I won’t get into an argument with you over whether or not the show is offensive, or whether or not complaining about the optics of art is a worthwhile practice - because that probably won’t be enjoyable for either of us.

But I will say: the culture of “complaining about art” had a HUGE effect on this production. There’s no way this collection of white men would have put in such a strained, laborious, heavy-handed, overcompensating,  sweat-dreanched effort into this story’s feminist themes, if not for the current climate and culture around criticizing the gender politics of media. 

[dmwnc1959]

Posted: 8/6/19 at 6:32pm

And in the world of advertising...

I see Beetlejuice has taken over both parts of that double billboard at the corner of W46th & 7th Ave. in Time’s Square (the one that sits below the current Tootsie billboard). Previously, Pretty Woman and King Kong had their billboards there...

https://www.earthcam.com/usa/newyork/timessquare/?cam=tsrobo1

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 8/6/19 at 6:55pm

EllieRose2, "every little thing" isn't every little thing to some people.

[bear88]

Posted: 8/10/19 at 4:34am

I finally glanced at the grosses and was reminded of something obvious. There are lot of very successful, long-running shows on Broadway. Some of these shows are getting boosts as the summer tourist season winds down, so they ought to be doing well, but the usual suspects just keep roaring along. Of the newer musicals, Hadestown, Ain't Too Proud, and Moulin Rouge! are all major hits. To Kill a Mockingbird is a smash hit play, and What the Constitution Means to Me is wrapping up a money-making run.

It will get a little more interesting once Labor Day passes, but I don't expect too many surprises. Oklahoma! will probably continue its slow fade but will do well enough to remain open until January. I guess the only real question concerns Beetlejuice and whether it can continue doing well once the tourist season ends. My guess is that it will hold up as the main alternative show for people who've seen the long-runners and don't want to spend a fortune on the newer hits.  

[msmp]

Posted: 8/10/19 at 5:13am

bear88 said: "I finally glanced at the grosses and was reminded ofsomething obvious. There are lot of very successful, long-running shows on Broadway. Some of these shows are getting boosts as the summer tourist season winds down, so they ought to be doing well, but the usual suspects just keep roaring along. Of the newer musicals, Hadestown, Ain't Too Proud, and Moulin Rouge! are all major hits. To Kill a Mockingbird is a smash hit play, and What the Constitution Means to Me is wrapping up a money-making run.

It will get a little more interesting once Labor Day passes, but I don't expect too many surprises. Oklahoma! will probably continue its slow fade but will do well enough to remain open until January. I guess the only real question concerns Beetlejuice and whether it can continue doing well once the tourist season ends. My guess is that it will hold up as the main alternative show for people who've seen the long-runners and don't want to spend a fortune on the newer hits."

If they can make it through the traditional post-Labor Day slump (which seems likely with no posted closing), I wonder if they'll have another surge in October. It seems like the kind of show that should be able to put out a bang-up marketing campaign surrounding Halloween (the show's first big number is literally "The Whole Being Dead Thing" which seems very on-brand for that season).

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 8/11/19 at 2:27pm

I got a jolt seeing how low that Waitress number has gotten. If they want to finish strong, maybe they will have to bring Sara back.

The relatively lower attendance at Cher seems to suggest that it's not about ticket price or anything... there just wasn't enough interest in a show about Cher. As a fan of Cher and the show, I'm disappointed but admittedly you would get the most out of it if you at least knew most of the songs, if not the details her life, going in.

I'm probably never going to see Beetlejuice but good for them.

Oklahoma is going fine... right?

WOW at those Moulin Rouge numbers.