Broadway transfers of Off-Bway plays from 2021-2022 season?

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/15/22 at 10:59pm

Have there been rumblings of transfers of any of the well-received Off-Bway plays from this season? The following seem like the most likely contenders:

Tambo & Bones (Playwrights Horizons)

English (Atlantic)

Prayer for the French Republic (MTC)

Sanctuary City (NYTW)

I'm probably forgetting others too!

Of course all would be a huge financial risk on Broadway.

[Mark_E]

Posted: 3/15/22 at 11:17pm

"English" was exceptional, but I'm not sure how it would play in a larger house. Maybe if it could play the Friedman. 

(I loved "Prayer" too but I think that would be very risky for a Broadway audience).

Updated On: 3/15/22 at 11:17 PM

[VotePeron]

Posted: 3/15/22 at 11:46pm

All good thoughts, but with the market about to get incredibly saturated for the summer, I don't see any of these happening. English is the most likely contender, but it doesn't have the word of mouth "must see/how have you not seen English" hype that a true hit transfer needs, like Slave Play or The Humans. If Prayer For The French Republic had gotten a Critic's Pick it likely would have transferred, but I do not see that happening with the lukewarm reviews.

Updated On: 3/15/22 at 11:46 PM

[JBroadway]

Posted: 3/16/22 at 10:06am

I'd say "English" and "Prayer" are the 2 most likely from your list, but neither are especially likely. I do actually think English would play well in the Friedman. I still think it would be a tough sell, but at least it would be non-profit.

I could imagine a world where "Prayer" transfers and is marketed as the next big "epic event play" a la The Ferryman, The Inheritance, etc. The Ferryman ended up winning the Tony and recouping (on a small margin, I assume), but the Inheritance wold very poorly, and never had time to reap the benefits of its Best Play win (even without COVID, it would've closed before the Tonys). Prayer is perhaps cheaper to run than those 2 plays, but as VotePeron said, it doesn't have the same buzz. 

It's so hard to predict these things, because in the past few years we've had some really random Off-Broadway transfers that we never would've been able to predict. So if you look at these 2 plays - they don't seem like they'll transfer, but weirder things have happened this season alone. We often say things like "that wouldn't sell well" but that hasn't stopped a LOT of shows from transferring anyway. 

In that vein, I could also see a world where The Chinese Lady transfers.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/16/22 at 11:09am

It would seem most logical that if PRAYER transfers, MTC would produce it themselves in the Friedman. But like we've all said, none of these seem particularly viable financially, and that would mean that subscribers have already seen the play Off-B.

ENGLISH might actually work better as a film or limited series than as a Broadway play. But the "trick" of the play (Farsi being spoken as unaccented English, English being spoken with an accent) could be lost of it was translated/subtitled for film, since the play feels written for a native-English-speaking NY audience.

With Roundabout originating ENGLISH and being a co-producer of the Atlantic production, there's also a world in which Roundabout produces it themselves on Broadway. But that would be basically unheard of for Roundabout to lead-produce a new play without stars.

SANCTUARY CITY is one of the best plays I've seen since theatres reopened. (Perhaps that opinion is colored by the fact that it was the first great play I saw.) Would be nice to see it get another life. Eva Price of Oklahoma! and Constitution and Jagged was behind it commercially. But again, finances.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 3/16/22 at 12:18pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Eva Price ofOklahoma!andConstitution andJaggedwasbehind it commercially. But again, finances."

 

Interesting, I didn't know that. 

I liked Sanctuary City a lot, but it never occurred to me as something that was attempting to gain commercial traction. Seems odd, then, that NYTW stuck it in the Lortel rather than doing it in their main space. 

 

[Falsettolands]

Posted: 3/16/22 at 12:19pm

No buzz that I'm aware of.

I absolutely loved PRAYER, I just think it would take one helluva marketing effort to get it to sell. I do think in a larger house they could take greater advantage of what could be accomplished with scenic elements.

[Synecdoche2]

Posted: 3/16/22 at 12:23pm

JBroadway said: "I liked Sanctuary City a lot, but it never occurred to me as something that was attempting to gain commercial traction. Seems odd, then, that NYTW stuck it in the Lortel rather than doing it in their main space."

I believe Sanctuary City was at the Lortel because back in 2020 it was running at the same time as Endlings. I guess because the set was already built for the Lortel they decided to stay in the same venue for its return.

As for this season of new plays, the only really good new play in my opinion was On Sugarland, which sadly seems to have zero buzz behind it. I hope future productions with better directors help get the play recognized as the masterpiece it is -- maybe in London?

[JBroadway]

Posted: 3/16/22 at 12:29pm

^ That makes sense! 

Incidentally, I loved Endlings - really wish it had gotten its due.

I thought On Sugarland was quite good, but not quite clean enough to really take off. During the 1st act, I thought to myself "this is going to be the next big addition to the canon. A landmark epic of the American theatre." But I think the 2nd act was significantly weaker, and prevented it from really landing. It occurred to me that the play would've made a great "Part 1" to a 2-part, 6-hour theatrical experience. Maybe it will be, for all we know. 

 

[jenn328]

Posted: 3/16/22 at 1:20pm

So far I'm batting .500 on my wished-for transfers (got Kimberly Akimbo)...hoping for Black No More after a little retooling.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/16/22 at 1:35pm

BLACK NO MORE is a safe bet for a transfer, though hopefully with some serious retooling and maybe recasting. Jesse Green's review was promising but not a rave; Maya Phillips also did a piece about it in the Times. That has Jeffrey Seller of HAMILTON behind it.

(I was mainly referring to nonmusical plays here, since something like SUFFS also has Broadway aspirations)

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 3/16/22 at 3:27pm

Yeah it doesn’t sound like any of those really sparked a tone of interest. Tame and Bones is coming to LA.