I find it interesting that the way I have viewed it for years is that England has better plays then we do on Broadway. But Broadway has better musicals.
I know someone mentioned that they didn't know how subscription theatre works on Broadway. It works by people subscribing to it each season and they get the same seats for all the shows that they are producing. It is hard to tell how well a show is doing in a subscription theatre because the subscription audience always gets first dibs and whatever isn't sold goes out to the public. This is why it is not a sure thing that the 39 steps will do well in a commercial setting on Broadway because it was in a subscription theatre. Yes it was selling out but it is hard to figure out if it was selling out based on regular ticket buyers or from subscription buyers.
That being said, plays have a more of a commercial risk on Broadway then plays do. This is because you can count on one hand the number of tourists willing to see a play. But, there are a ton of people who are willing to go see a musical without thinking twice. I think that this hurts the changes of plays being produced. It has lead to the producers of plays only making things limited runs because they don't end up spending as much money.
But, I do stant by my original statement in this thread that I do think that there is chance that producers can find a way to produce new work and make it profitable.
"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear"
Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll
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