Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/9/15 — Page 2

Welcome Guest. Please Login or Register.

#26

Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/9/15

Posted: 8/10/15 at 3:52pm

"Book of Mormon is making way more money than Hamilton and it has hundred of seats less than the Rodgers. Goes to show that people would rather see musical comedy than a musical about the founding fathers even if it is wildly entertaining and moving"

Pinto, you are capable of a more rigorous analysis than that betrayed by the above.

Re Hand to God, it does seem they are on a skid from which they may not be able to recover.

Re Hedwig, we are witnessing a very significant miscalculation. I think it is becoming increasingly clear that NPH is going to return, and that will lead to ever more business than the last time, now that he has a free weekly infomercial.

#27

Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/9/15

Posted: 8/10/15 at 3:54pm

Maybe I'm being overly pessimistic, but it seems like we could lose three Tony Best Musical winners in the near future--Jersey Boys, Gentleman's Guide, and Kinky Boots all seem to be slowing down pretty substantially. I think Kinky has the best chance of turning that around, but I'll be curious to see what happens there.

I'm not sure how I would research it, but it does make me wonder the lowest number of Best Musical winner that have been laying concurrently in the past few decades. Even if those three went, we'd still have Fun Home, Phantom (forever?), and Mormon.

And then of course...Amazing Grace. Not since Soul Doctor. Or Scandalous. Hey producers? Broadway doesn't seem big on religious material presently. Well...at least not if it's terrible.

#28

Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/9/15

Posted: 8/10/15 at 3:56pm

Kinky Boots isn't going anywhere yet.

#29

Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/9/15

Posted: 8/10/15 at 4:01pm

"Just imagine how many poor families could be fed with the money that Amazing Grace is throwing away..."

HH did you not get the Jesus humour in this comment?

#30

Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/9/15

Posted: 8/10/15 at 4:02pm

I'd be interested to see how the Chicago revival's numbers have risen and fallen based on the big names brought in to play Roxie and Velma. Anyone know who the top draws have been?

It doesn't seem like there was a big bump accompanying Megan Fairchild leaving On the Town.

#31

Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/9/15

Posted: 8/10/15 at 4:05pm

That is a pretty significant drop for Chicago. Mamma Mia's grosses are very good. Perhaps there will be life for MM after it is done at the Broadhurst?

"Noel [Coward] and I were in Paris once. Adjoining rooms, of course. One night, I felt mischievous, so I knocked on Noel's door, and he asked, 'Who is it?' I lowered my voice and said 'Hotel detective. Have you got a gentleman in your room?' He answered, 'Just a minute, I'll ask him.'" (Beatrice Lillie)

#32

Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/9/15

Posted: 8/10/15 at 4:24pm

For starters, Pinto, Mormon played 9 performances instead of Hamilton's 8. Then take a look at both average price and highest ticket sold. Its about more than number of seats sold.

If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it? These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.

#33

Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/9/15

Posted: 8/10/15 at 5:16pm

@SweetLips, yes I did, why?

#34

Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/9/15

Posted: 8/10/15 at 5:32pm

Hogan, doesn't NPH have a show coming up? I'm pretty sure he won't be able to return anytime soon.

My father (AIDS) My sister (AIDS) My uncle and my cousin and her best friend (AIDS, AIDS, AIDS) The gays and the straights And the white and the spades

#35

Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/9/15

Posted: 8/10/15 at 5:35pm

Does anyone think that neverland drop means anything? Was Morrison out for any shows?

My father (AIDS) My sister (AIDS) My uncle and my cousin and her best friend (AIDS, AIDS, AIDS) The gays and the straights And the white and the spades

#36

Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/9/15

Posted: 8/10/15 at 5:40pm

There are some positives for Hedwig. The gross amount, the gross % potential, and the average ticket price paid increased over the prior week. Increasing the ticket price/reducing the discounts slowly seems like a wise decision, in order to increase the gross amount and gross % potential. And after all, it is still early on in Taye's run, so there is room for improvement on the numbers, and I'm hopeful the numbers will improve.

Guys, it's not a competition (between Darren Criss and Taye Diggs). As Hedwig fans, we want the show to continue as long as possible. I think that for every 3-month run that passes, the show will be struggling more to compete with the new shows of 2015. It makes sense that for every following Hedwig actor, the numbers will go down somewhat. Most of the new shows of 2015 made their appearance on Broadway in March 2015, during John's run, when the gross dollar amount, the gross % potential and the average ticket price went down significantly around the week ending March 22 (and never returned during his run to the pre-March 22 levels, except for his closing week). Unless they bring in an actor with a big name, with significant marketability value, I imagine there is a good possibility this trend will continue. (NPH has that big name/popularity. But I do think he has a new TV show. I'm not sure when filming will occur and whether he could squeeze in another Hedwig run after Taye finishes up his run in October.) I'm hopeful the numbers will go over the $400,000 mark with time. I mean, it's already pretty close to that mark right now. And as long as the gross amounts outnumber the running production costs, wouldn't the show continue?

Hopefully a new Hedwig actor will be announced soon, this week or next? That would alleviate people's worries about the show's future.

Updated On: 8/10/15 at 05:40 PM

#37

Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/9/15

Posted: 8/10/15 at 5:59pm

"Hogan, doesn't NPH have a show coming up? I'm pretty sure he won't be able to return anytime soon."

Yes, but the nature of the show suggests he could do Hedwig without a problem. It is a once a week live TV show with guests (basically, the Tonight Show but only once a week). That is not a fulltime commitment, and it is in the hood. They would need to make Tuesdays the dark night (or even Mondays and Tuesdays).

#38

Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/9/15

Posted: 8/10/15 at 6:02pm

Hogan, where are you getting the idea that NPH would return? I don't see any reason to why he would. He gave an acclaimed, sold out performance, won a Tony, dropped the mic and moved on. Why would he go backwards in his career when he has a new venture?

#39

Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/9/15

Posted: 8/10/15 at 6:03pm

Thanks for the info about Neil's schedule, HogansHero.

#40

Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/9/15

Posted: 8/10/15 at 6:09pm

"Does anyone think that neverland drop means anything? Was Morrison out for any shows?"

I think that he has taken staggered vacation days over the past couple of weeks. Recently he tweeted about being in Miami but was back a couple of days later for the 150th show , ( including press).

#41

Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/9/15

Posted: 8/10/15 at 6:15pm

Now that Alan Cumming has "confirmed that he is NOT doing Hedwig after Taye," does anyone have a hunch in who might be stepping into the heels next?

#42

Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/9/15

Posted: 8/10/15 at 6:36pm

"@SweetLips, yes I did, why?"

To me,your response conveyed that ANY show that pours money into a bottomless pit could feed the hungry.

The 'joke' [clever]here to me was because of the shows' religious backing[presumedly] a 'loaves and fishes-feed the hungry' thing was meant and not related to OTT or any other show unless God driven, but I suppose if you were a Believer-then ALL shows are God driven.

#43

Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/9/15

Posted: 8/10/15 at 7:06pm

SDV,

First of all, as I pretty much said, it's a hunch. But it makes sense to me. Going back is in the great tradition of the theatre. JCM went back to Hedwig (twice), Alan Cumming went back to Cabaret, Channing's Dolly, Brynner's King, Guilgud's Hamlet, etc etc etc. It is not viewed as "going backward." Hedwig is one of the great roles in musical theatre; once it gets in your blood it never leaves. Some silly TV show is just a sidebar that he was hired to do, and you can be sure they are not paying him what Hedwig could and would. Could my hunch be wrong? You bet. But that's where I got "the idea."

SweetLips,

I did understand all that. I was being sarcastic or maybe cynical but (as happens sometime) maybe my "joke" didn't land on the page.

Updated On: 8/10/15 at 07:06 PM

#44

Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/9/15

Posted: 8/10/15 at 7:43pm

"It makes sense that for every following Hedwig actor, the numbers will go down somewhat."

Why does that make sense? Isn't every new Hedwig a chance to bring in a new audience AND get people who saw it before to compare a different actor's take?

I do find it interesting that JCM was originally viewed as keeping the show running during the slow winter months without a big name in the role, since there were enough Hed-Heads to keep it afloat. And, since him, that narrative sort of ended, since the two following Hedwii didn't lift it back up as expected.

#45

Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/9/15

Posted: 8/10/15 at 7:59pm

""It makes sense that for every following Hedwig actor, the numbers will go down somewhat."
Why does that make sense? Isn't every new Hedwig a chance to bring in a new audience AND get people who saw it before to compare a different actor's take? "

It's a chance for sure. Fans of the actors will maybe only see the show to see that specific actor live. On the other hand tourists who maybe don't care too much about who plays the part only go see it once with actor x and then don't care if actor y is in it weeks/months later. So with tourists it might be harder to get them into the theatre year after year since it's such a niche show. Family friendly shows have it easier to get families into theatres.

#46

Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/9/15

Posted: 8/10/15 at 8:03pm

"""It makes sense that for every following Hedwig actor, the numbers will go down somewhat."
Why does that make sense? Isn't every new Hedwig a chance to bring in a new audience AND get people who saw it before to compare a different actor's take? "
It's a chance for sure. Fans of the actors will maybe only see the show to see that specific actor live. On the other hand tourists who maybe don't care too much about who plays the part only go see it once with actor x and then don't care if actor y is in it weeks/months later. So with tourists it might be harder to get them into the theatre year after year since it's such a niche show. Family friendly shows have it easier to get families into theatres."

I don't think repeat tourist business or families have had much to do with Hedwig's bottom line so far... aside from the daughters who made their families take them to go see Darren.

#47

Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/9/15

Posted: 8/10/15 at 8:14pm

""""It makes sense that for every following Hedwig actor, the numbers will go down somewhat."
Why does that make sense? Isn't every new Hedwig a chance to bring in a new audience AND get people who saw it before to compare a different actor's take? "
It's a chance for sure. Fans of the actors will maybe only see the show to see that specific actor live. On the other hand tourists who maybe don't care too much about who plays the part only go see it once with actor x and then don't care if actor y is in it weeks/months later. So with tourists it might be harder to get them into the theatre year after year since it's such a niche show. Family friendly shows have it easier to get families into theatres."
I don't think repeat tourist business or families have had much to do with Hedwig's bottom line so far... aside from the daughters who made their families take them to go see Darren."

I think you are over estimating how many Darren fans made their families go with them since a huge chunk of his fans are 18+.

Anyway, tourists always have something to do with ticket sales. Yes, also with Hedwig so *shrugs*

Updated On: 8/10/15 at 08:14 PM

#48

Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/9/15

Posted: 8/10/15 at 8:16pm

I thought NPH's show was a variety type show. More like Carol Burnette. Am I making that up?

#49

Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/9/15

Posted: 8/10/15 at 8:17pm

Looking at the numbers for 2015, it makes sense to me, speaking for myself. Of course, others may disagree. But since 7 new Broadway shows of 2015 came out during March 2015, there has been a trend downward in numbers. Of course, each actor brings in a new audience. But each actor who performs his 12-14 week run in 2015 is competing with the new 2015 shows, especially when their runs begin after March 2015, given that some of the new shows received Tony noms for this year, and received more press coverage. I do consider the competition created by the new 2015 shows to be a significant factor. That was my focus of my comment. The last two Hedwig actors (Darren Criss and Taye Diggs), unlike any of the prior Broadway Hedwig actors, have had their entire runs during a time after March 2015, after the new shows have created stiff competition.

I personally wouldn't consider Darren Criss to have a big name in the Broadway community, but that's my own opinion. Again, I understand that others will disagree. I don't know if he is significantly more famous than John in the Broadway community, especially since John is a legend in connection to this musical in particular, and especially since it seems Glee's numbers have dropped dramatically. I didn't think that Darren was going to be able to bring in higher numbers for Hedwig, than John. John, as a co-creator of the musical, has a passionate following and critics also seemed particularly interested in his performances. Just my opinion. And I don't mean any disrespect to Darren. I just personally don't think he is a big name in the Broadway community at the moment. I do think he is very talented.

I did not mean any disrespect to John Cameron Mitchell, who is a legend and a master in the role of Hedwig. It just so happened that many of the new 2015 shows appeared during the later part of his run, and that was when there was a siginficant drop in the numbers (for the week ending March 22 and later).

As for tourists, I think they do play a significant role during certain times of the year. I would guess that a large proportion of tourists would want to see the new 2015 shows that have received Tony noms, press coverage and chatter among Broadway fans.

Updated On: 8/11/15 at 08:17 PM

#50

Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/9/15

Posted: 8/10/15 at 8:26pm

I thought NPH disappeared into the role of Hedwig. I consider his performance a true transformation.

Darren Criss doesn't have a huge name in the Broadway Community, be he raked in the dough better than Taye because Darren's performance was much more liked than Taye's is.

I thought Darren was great in Hedwig but my favorite is Taye and NPH in 2nd.

← Back to Message Board

View all Videos

Tickets From $59

Tickets From $71

Tickets From $95