Chicago To Become 2nd Longest Running Show In Broadway History

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 1:10pm

Awesome!
Chicago

[Showface]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 1:11pm

Very cool!

[Jingjo2]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 2:24pm

If I were Cats, i would open at the winter garden this october and let Chicago play catch up.
Just to piss it off. Even tho I hate cats.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 2:29pm

If CATS were to re-open at the Winter Garden it would be a revival so all of its long-running credentials from its original run wouldn't qualify at all. A revival would qualify as a completely new run/production.

[evic]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 4:29pm

No other show will catch up to Phantom, but it's great that an outstanding American show will overtake the awful British POS that is Cats. In another 10 years, Wicked will be number 2. I don't think that Mormon will run that long though. Unbelievable that Mama Mia is still running and may be in the top 5 if the tourists still want to see it.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 4:38pm

So happy for CHICAGO, what an achievement! I can't imagine anyone involved with the production at Encores! thought it'd become such a landmark. How I wish I had been there for that now-legendary Encores! run. Reinking, Bobbie, the Weisslers, and the original cast all deserve major kudos. Wonder if they'll do something special that night.

[RyToast1]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 5:09pm

Why are they announcing this so far out? It's 3 months away.

[JBradshaw]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 5:28pm

It'd be nice if they did another "Fan Day" performance w free tickets like they did a few years ago

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 5:35pm

I agree that another Fan Day would be far out. But, I get the sense that the Weisslers don't part with money that easily.

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 9:45pm

This is one show I hope never closes. It brings me such joy every time I see it. Even if I do want a new Velma

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 8/15/14 at 2:02am

I shouldn't care so much but I'm a little bummed. I do enjoy Chicago though so it's not too bad. They do need to get a new Velma though. I agree with that.

[Islander_fan]

Posted: 8/15/14 at 2:20am

I am glad that an American show has taken the number two spot. However, I wish that the upkeep of the show was better. I saw it a couple of weeks ago with some family visiting out of town. I hadn't seen it since a few years ago, but I walked away feeling that it would be an understatement to say that the ensemble was phoning it in.

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/15/14 at 9:31am

Didn't they JUST hire a few new ensemble members?

[StageManager2]

Posted: 8/15/14 at 10:25am

If I were Cats, i would open at the winter garden this october and let Chicago play catch up.
Just to piss it off. Even tho I hate cats.

It doesn't work that way, as BrodyFosse123 pointed out. Otherwise, with Chicago, they would also include the 936 performances (2 years) from the original run. It's not like movies, where grosses from the re-issues are added to the original theatrical run..

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 8/15/14 at 11:14am

You're right Ljay. There have been a number of new ensemble members, male and female. Most recently, Ryan Worsing has left. Nicole Bridgewater (seems to be) is gone too. Obviously, there are those who feel that a new "Velma" is necessary. I quite agree with that.

[Islander_fan]

Posted: 8/15/14 at 1:34pm

@ljay889

I do believe your right. But, I think that what needs to be done with this show is to have the same thing done to it as Les Miserables in the 90's. Cameron didn't think that the cast was on par as to what it should have been, fired practically all of the cast and made them audition again for their roles. Thus, giving the entire cast a complete over haul. While I think that it's nice that they have added a few ensemble members (and I noticed that when I saw the show) There were still people there who had been there for what seems like the beginning. And, to be honest with you, the ones who are phoning it in stick out like sore thumbs over the ones that are giving it their all. It's sad for what was once a good production of a great show.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 8/15/14 at 3:00pm

"In another 10 years, Wicked will be number 2."

Until Chicago closes Wicked can only reach number 4, since you still have The Lion King trailing behind Chicago, which opened a number of years before Wicked and is showing absolutely no sign of slowing down.

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 8/15/14 at 3:36pm

Proving, once again, that Walter Bobbie is the luckiest man on earth.

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 8/15/14 at 5:35pm

Just curious, but how much directorial control does Walter Bobbie have with the current show running?

[theatregeek6]

Posted: 8/15/14 at 6:38pm

I used to love the show but Amra Fay has killed it. How about a stunning
Velma for the event? No one famous, but someone awesome

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/15/14 at 7:09pm

I know as recent as the mid 00's that Bobbie and Reinking still rehearsed several new cast members, especially the "stars."

[Musical Master]

Posted: 8/15/14 at 7:10pm

Is it my imagination or is CHICAGO running out of steam?

[ACL2006]

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

CHICAGO needs to clean house to bring some much needed fresh energy into the show. It's a great show, but some of these cast members are just collecting a paycheck.