Broadway's COME FROM AWAY on Apple TV - News & Discussion Thread- Page 2

[ACL2006]

Posted: 2/2/21 at 6:53pm

It'll apparentely be with the current cast expect that Jenn Collela will be Beverly/Annette.

[iabwayfan]

Posted: 2/2/21 at 7:31pm

So, how does everyone feel about the show having or not having an audience reaction in the filming?  I'm thinking there are many parts of the show that feed off of the audience's emotion and energy, that it could be awkward.

Has there been a precedent of other shows filmed without audiences?

[Tag]

Posted: 2/2/21 at 7:39pm

^The upcoming Diana.

Anyway is this in lieu of the feature film that was supposed to happen?  That hasn't been made 100% clear today, but it looks like that.

[iabwayfan]

Posted: 2/2/21 at 9:33pm

Tag said: "^The upcoming Diana.

Anyway is this in lieu of the feature film that was supposed to happen? That hasn't been made 100% clear today, but it looks like that."

Thank you!  I suspect you may be right.

[VotePeron]

Posted: 2/2/21 at 10:24pm

iabwayfan said: "So, how does everyone feel about the show having or not having an audience reaction in the filming? I'm thinking there are many parts of the show that feed off of the audience's emotion and energy, that it could be awkward.

Has there been a precedent of other shows filmed without audiences?"

Luckily, the show is constructed to not allow for applause between most songs, so Come From Away is a strong candidate for no-audience working. 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 2/2/21 at 10:24pm

iabwayfan said: "So, how does everyone feel about the show having or not having an audience reaction in the filming? I'm thinking there are many parts of the show that feed off of the audience's emotion and energy, that it could be awkward.

Has there been a precedent of other shows filmed without audiences?"

I’m actually fine with this proshot not having an audience (can’t say the same about others). With Come From Away, you have a 100-minute, near-continuous, steady-paced piece of theatre that only has a few built-in “applause” moments: after “Welcome to the Rock,” “Screech In,” and the finale. The capture should be OK without audience members.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 2/2/21 at 10:26pm

or... they can just add the applause. No audience needed.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 2/2/21 at 11:35pm

Tag said: "^The upcoming Diana.

Anyway is this in lieu of the feature film that was supposed to happen? That hasn't been made 100% clear today, but it looks like that."

Great decision.  One of the very successful contributors to the show’s success for me was people playing two roles.  I assumed they would need to drop that in a traditional movie.  Filming it  a theatre piece let’s us use our imagination more.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 2/2/21 at 11:35pm

Tag said: "^The upcoming Diana.

Anyway is this in lieu of the feature film that was supposed to happen? That hasn't been made 100% clear today, but it looks like that."

Great decision.  One of the very successful contributors to the show’s success for me was people playing two roles.  I assumed they would need to drop that in a traditional movie.  Filming it  a theatre piece let’s us use our imagination more.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 2/2/21 at 11:35pm

Duo post

Updated On: 2/2/21 at 11:35 PM

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 2/2/21 at 11:47pm

I've always wondered how this would work as an actual movie, since much of what makes up the magic of this show for me comes from the stagecraft: the minimal sets/props, the actors playing multiple roles, the transitions between scenes, etc.  And this show seems like one that would actually translate super well to the screen, so I'm pretty happy if they choose to not make the movie in lieu of this (though I'd be curious to see how the movie would have turned out anyway).

[KKeller6]

Posted: 2/3/21 at 12:00am

HogansHero said: 

There are two sides to every equation. Low cost (relatively-it is still a huge bucket of bucks) but even lower revenue projections. This is a tourist show and there will be very limitedtourists for a year or two at least. 

Why not bring it back and see? It's already in a theatre, so no load in costs.  Most of the cast is gonna- likely- want to continue.  And, very low overhead for a show that can net around 500K per week.  Will it continue to be a hit, or not? I don't  think anyone knows the answer to that. But they seem to be in a good position to take that shot. 

[itsjustmejonhotmailcom]

Posted: 2/3/21 at 12:33am

KKeller6 said: "HogansHero said:

There are two sides to every equation. Low cost (relatively-it is still a huge bucket of bucks) but even lower revenue projections. This is a tourist show and there will be very limitedtourists for a year or two at least.

Why not bring it back and see? It's already in a theatre, so no load in costs. Most of the cast is gonna- likely- want to continue. And, very low overhead for a show that can net around 500K per week. Will it continue to be a hit, or not? I don'tthink anyone knows the answer to that. But they seem to be in a good position to take that shot."

It costs a lot of money to re-open a show. You have to go back into rehearsal, re-tech, spend a lot on marketing and press to build an advance, have running cost $ in the bank, re-build a contingency, etc. That's seven figures worth of expenses the show wasn't planning for. Some shows won't be able to raise that money and won't reopen. Not saying I think that will be the case with CFA, but it's not a case of "why not reopen?"

[HogansHero]

Posted: 2/3/21 at 1:06am

KKeller6 said: "Why not bring it back and see? It's already in a theatre, so no load in costs. Most of the cast is gonna- likely- want to continue. And, very low overhead for a show that can net around 500K per week. Will it continue to be a hit, or not? I don'tthink anyone knows the answer to that. But they seem to be in a good position to take that shot."

I won't repeat what Itsjustme said, but the notion that the show can come back and net $500k is not one anyone I know would buy into. Reopening does not mean that Broadway will just get back in the saddle and carry on. It's gonna be rough and it will take a year or more to get back to where we were in March. No show can afford to "bring it back and see." 

[KKeller6]

Posted: 2/3/21 at 11:25am

Every single show will be coming back to see how it goes. And every issue you raise for "Come From Away" will be an issue for every new show as well, rehearsal costs, etc. And the costs for a show currently on Broadway will be far, far less than any new show wanting to open any time soon. It's a no brainer really.
I'm not understanding the argument that it's prohibitive for this show to re-open, but not for a new show that may, or may not, be successful.

[itsjustmejonhotmailcom]

Posted: 2/3/21 at 1:47pm

KKeller6 said: "Every single show will be coming back to see how it goes. And every issue you raise for "Come From Away" will be an issue for every new show as well, rehearsal costs, etc. And the costs for a show currently on Broadway will be far, far less than any new show wanting to open any time soon. It's a no brainer really.
I'm not understanding the argument that it's prohibitive for this show to re-open, but not for a new show that may, or may not, be successful.
"

I can guarantee you that 'every single show' will not be coming back. Some have already announced that they won't be (Sing Street, Hangmen, Mean Girls, Virginia Woolf, Frozen). Others have signaled to the industry that they won't be coming back but haven't made a public statement yet. If a show can't raise the money to reopen, or the producer decides it is not worth the risk, they won't reopen.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 2/3/21 at 1:54pm

itsjustmejonhotmailcom said: "KKeller6 said: "Every single show will be coming back to see how it goes. And every issue you raise for "Come From Away" will be an issue for every new show as well, rehearsal costs, etc. And the costs for a show currently on Broadway will be far, far less than any new show wanting to open any time soon. It's a no brainer really.
I'm not understanding the argument that it's prohibitive for this show to re-open, but not for a new show that may, or may not, be successful.
"

I can guarantee you that 'every single show' will not be coming back. Some have already announced that they won't be (Sing Street, Hangmen, Mean Girls, Virginia Woolf, Frozen). Others have signaled to the industry that they won't be coming back but haven't made a public statement yet. If a show can't raise the money to reopen, or the producer decides it is not worth the risk, they won't reopen."

Sing Street is coming back, but at a different theatre. It will begin previews/open sometime next winter, as has been announced.

[itsjustmejonhotmailcom]

Posted: 2/3/21 at 4:30pm

Jordan Levinson said: "itsjustmejonhotmailcom said: "KKeller6 said: "Every single show will be coming back to see how it goes. And every issue you raise for "Come From Away" will be an issue for every new show as well, rehearsal costs, etc. And the costs for a show currently on Broadway will be far, far less than any new show wanting to open any time soon. It's a no brainer really.
I'm not understanding the argument that it's prohibitive for this show to re-open, but not for a new show that may, or may not, be successful.
"

I can guarantee you that 'every single show' will not be coming back. Some have already announced that they won't be (Sing Street, Hangmen, Mean Girls, Virginia Woolf, Frozen). Others have signaled to the industry that they won't be coming back but haven't made a public statement yet. If a show can't raise the money to reopen, or the producer decides it is not worth the risk, they won't reopen."

Sing Streetis coming back, but at a different theatre. It will begin previews/open sometime next winter, as has been announced."

A show announcing something and that thing happening are two very different things. They are hoping to reopen in a Shubert theater. But they don't yet have a theater.

[KKeller6]

Posted: 2/3/21 at 5:46pm

Every single show that decides to come back. Sorry if that wasn't clear. Obviously there will be a few shows that have a lesser worry. I'm sure if Hamilton can open to full houses, and The Music Man they will have a better time of it. Will Hamilton and Lion King hit their previous grosses right away? Who knows when they will. But, for the majority of the shows that decide to come back, there will be question marks around how they do. But, wouldn't that pertain to most new shows as well? Which would  cost millions more than the return of a show already on Broadway at this time.

[stoptheworld38]

Posted: 2/3/21 at 9:31pm

I could obviously be wrong, but I could well imagine that the proshot could aid in Come From Away being one of the early shows to return. For one thing all the cast already being there in the theatre for the filming (and presumably a rehearsal period beforehand) would give them an advantage over other shows whose cast members may have left the area, gotten other jobs, etc. Not to mention many shows will likely have to recast. But since CFA will already be there preparing for and filming the proshot kinda gives them a jump ahead so to speak. I could potentially even see Jenn Colella returning at least for a limited run, which could boost ticket sales in the first few months or so back. (Who knows if she will, but since I'm pretty sure Rachel Tucker has gone back to London, I wouldn't say it's out of the question). If any shows are reopened by early fall, I could imagine CFA making a return around the same time the proshot is and coinciding with the 20th anniversary of 9/11.

[SweetLips22]

Posted: 2/4/21 at 3:59am

Well I thought the show was as boring as bat-shxt. If they moved those chairs One More Time!!

Music pedestrian, same with the cast [I did see the Australian production and it's a sell-out and now back playing].

I would still be keen to see whatever that is put on the screen.

[Owen22]

Posted: 2/4/21 at 8:53am

KKeller6 said: "Every single show that decides to come back. Sorry if that wasn't clear. Obviously there will be a few shows that have a lesser worry. I'm sure if Hamilton can open to full houses, and The Music Man they will have a better time of it. Will Hamilton and Lion King hit their previous grosses right away? Who knows when they will. But, for the majority of the shows that decide to come back, there will be question marks around how they do. But, wouldn't that pertain to mostnew shows as well? Which wouldcost millions more than the return of a showalready on Broadway at this time."

Okay, one more time.

Most every big show on Broadway had already stopped having local audiences. There may have been some local bridge and tunnel traffic, but mostly these shows were relying on TOURISTS. That's how they made money to continue.

There will be no tourists for awhile At least 2019 level.  Yes, people will still be afraid to travel.  But this pandemic has cost individuals and families so much money. So much money. And even with the tremendous discounts the city will offer, New York is still very expensive. 

Maybe Hamilton, Lion King and Wicked will reopen if the fall is deemed the point in time to lift restrictions. But that will leave no room for many other big old shows. There will not be enough shared tourist audience to fill any more theatres than those. 

But there are millions of locals who will want to see new stuff. That's where producers will put their money, not risking it on stuff everyone here has already seen, possibly a couple of times.  Maybe in say, five years, there will be a "revival" of "Come From Away" so these types of shows can finish out a run...

Updated On: 2/4/21 at 08:53 AM

[HogansHero]

Posted: 2/4/21 at 9:46am

stoptheworld38 said: "I could obviously be wrong, but I could well imagine that the proshot could aid in Come From Away being one of the early shows to return. For one thing all the cast already being there in the theatre for the filming (and presumably a rehearsal period beforehand) would give them an advantage over other shows whose cast members may have left the area, gotten other jobs, etc. Not to mention many shows will likely have to recast. But since CFA will already be there preparing for and filming the proshot kinda gives them a jump ahead so to speak. I could potentially even see Jenn Colella returning at least for a limited run, which could boost ticket sales in the first few months or so back. (Who knows if she will, but since I'm pretty sure Rachel Tucker has gone back to London, I wouldn't say it's out of the question). If any shows are reopened by early fall, I could imagine CFA making a return around the same time the proshot is and coinciding with the 20th anniversary of 9/11."

You address the logistics and perhaps the cost calculi, but once again that's not the impediment which is revenue. There will not be enough tourists this coming Fall to support a show like this. New Yorkers who can afford the theatre in 2021 (and there are a lot) are going to be looking elsewhere. Shows like Hamilton will come back because, even dropping grosses by half, it will make money and a lower price point will open it up to audiences that were unwilling or unable to pay a king's ransom for tickets. Remember also that if you dilute the demand by increasing the supply, everyone will suffer. As I have said, expect 6 or so shows in the Fall. 

 

[Fosse76]

Posted: 2/4/21 at 1:13pm

KKeller6 said: "I'm sure if Hamilton can open to full houses, and The Music Man they will have a better time of it. Will Hamilton and Lion King hit their previous grosses right away? Who knows when they will."

Apples and oranges. Hamilton's outrageous prices turned off a lot of locals, many of whom took the view that they can wait (no one in the cast was a significant draw). With a possible lower price point, and the limited tourists arriving that likely would want to see it, should be enough to sustain them. The Lion King is "adult" enough to entice parents to visit the show with children, the demographic that refreshes itself with enough frequency to still appeal to locals. The Music Man will be a "new" show, so it will certainly be able to draw from the local market.

Wicked, Book of Mormon, and Come from Away largely draw from tourists. I wouldn't be surprised if they start selling tickets, but wait until they see what kind of advance they build before re-starting production, and subsequently announce the closing if sales do not materialize. Chicago and Phantom are almost exclusively attended by tourists. Their producers are arrogant enough to reopen them, but I'd be surprised if they survive more than a month. I'd expect these shows to have "bargain-basement" prices to get locals back in.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 2/4/21 at 1:41pm

Do we have a name (and I don't mean this derisively) for locals who aren't big into theatre but maybe see two or three shows a year? Specifically I'm thinking of some lifelong New Yorkers I used to work with who were big into movies and sports and liked theatre but found the prices a little too outlandish to justify and/or found the ticketing options confusing. Which makes sense if you're not like the vast majority of BWW posters or even lurkers — if you google for tickets, the first result you'd get was possibly a scalper. I would love for there to be a push to bring these folks back.

(I do remember one local telling me something along the lines of: the price of a mezz or balcony ticket was not the problem, but finding a legitimate seller or knowing it would be worth the price was the hill to climb.)