Chicago national tour closing

[redmustang]

Posted: 8/24/07 at 3:58pm

Just read today that the tour is ending Sept 9 in San Diego. Not coming to Cleveland in Oct. (I had great seats) The article didn't give a reason for the closing. Anybody?

[CJR]

Posted: 8/24/07 at 4:10pm

It's been running for close to 3 years..... (I think). The time has come. They can only recycle the same cast so many times.

[musicalsFan]

Posted: 8/24/07 at 4:22pm

It's more like the audience has dried up. The audience has moved on to Wicked and Jersey Boys.

They recycled cast members cause it was the easy (ie lazy) thing to do.

[CJR]

Posted: 8/24/07 at 4:29pm

It's not so much that the audience has dried up -- the show has been sold out almost every stop on the international tour. A lot of the cast members didn't resign their contracts though. It was easier to close the tour than hold a cattle call to find a (mostly) new cast, nevermind one that will pique a theatre goers interest.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 8/24/07 at 4:32pm

San Diego? Maybe I should go to the final performance... Hmmm

[musicalsFan]

Posted: 8/24/07 at 6:12pm

Easier to close the tour than make more money? That's spin if I ever heard it.

[winston89]

Posted: 8/24/07 at 8:45pm

CJR. What you said didn't make any sense. We are talking about the US national tour and you go on to talk about the international tour. The two have nothing to do with one another.

I do agree that Chicago isn't a hot touring ticket anymore. I amsure that more people would rather see and flcok to wicked or jersey boys instead of seeing something that has been around for ever.

I do think that instead of closing the tour they should close the broadway prodcution. All of the stunt casting that they have done over the years only proves to me tha this show cannot run without a star in the name and it cannot run with a typical broadway actor in one of the lead roles. That being said, if a show cannot do that then they need to close. Same goes for hairspray. Both great shows however they have both played long and helthy runs but instead of quitting while they are ahead they go on and try to milk it by stunt casting.

[ElFantasma14]

Posted: 8/24/07 at 8:48pm

It's going non-equity; Troika's producing it. I have tickets to see it in February.

[FranzRelax]

Posted: 8/24/07 at 8:58pm

CJR. What you said didn't make any sense. We are talking about the US national tour and you go on to talk about the international tour. The two have nothing to do with one another.


- The international tour was still produced by the Weisslers. And I do believe some of the American "Chicago" stars played stints in it.

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 8/24/07 at 9:01pm

"I do think that instead of closing the tour they should close the broadway prodcution. All of the stunt casting that they have done over the years only proves to me tha this show cannot run without a star in the name and it cannot run with a typical broadway actor in one of the lead roles. That being said, if a show cannot do that then they need to close. Same goes for hairspray. Both great shows however they have both played long and helthy runs but instead of quitting while they are ahead they go on and try to milk it by stunt casting."

While you are right, Hairspray tied for the top spot in capacity recently. I think Hairspray has at least a good year in it. But as long as the Weissler's are alive, Chicago will run,

[jv92]

Posted: 8/24/07 at 9:24pm

Chicago is the only musical that will never become dated. Does it seem dated now? No. I doubt that in 20 years it will. The world simply isn't going to change. That's why Fred Ebb's line "In fifty years or so it's gonna change y'know" is so wonderful. It should not close on Broadway now. Yes, the stunt casting often does not work, but sometimes it does, and sometimes a real hardworking Broadway pro is brought in. I don't think it should close anytime soon. Maybe in another 5-8 years. And I don't think having a well constructed piece of musical theatre on Broadway is killing it, even with stunt casting.

[CJR]

Posted: 8/24/07 at 10:41pm

Sorry I didnt elaborate on my point. I tend to do that when Im doing a bunch of things at once, as I was today when I posted that. My apologies. What I said made sense to me; I just didnt articulate it in a way that made sense to you. My bad!

This current tour IS the international touring company. The cast didn't change because it went overseas (unless we're talking about adding people like Kevin Richardson for Japan). The US tour cast is surely the cast that went to Abu dhabi, Dubai, Japan and so forth. (ie: Michelle DeJean, Carol Woods, Roz Ryan, Terra C. MacLeod, et al)

And what I meant with the rest of my post was the Chicago tour is competing with tours like Jersey Boys, Spamalot and Wicked which are all much hotter tickets. While Chicago may be selling out, if given the choice between Chicago and say Jersey Boys, the general public will probably go for Jersey Boys.... mostly because it's so new. At the moment, The Weissler's just can't keep the tour fresh enough to keep the public interested and wanting more. Most of their stunt casting is being put into Broadway and the West End. Not that I condone the stunt casting at all, Im just saying.

And yes, the tour is going to re-open non-equity. Please bear in mind, for anyone who doesn't know, you WILL be seeing a different cast than the one that's been touring for the past few years.

Updated On: 8/24/07 at 10:41 PM

[musicalsFan]

Posted: 8/24/07 at 10:50pm

The tour may have done well when it went overseas, it has NOT been selling out here in the USA which is what many here are saying.

They cut performances most recently in Philadelphia.
It's run its course, and it isn't the hot ticket it used to be.

On to the next big thing.

[FranzRelax]

Posted: 8/24/07 at 10:53pm

It's run its course, and it isn't the hot ticket it used to be.


- Um. CJR said the same exact thing. No one is denying that. The tour got very stale, and that was no secret. The Broadway production is a different animal, and is still very fresh. There are some fresh new faces in the ensemble - and of course the leads are always changing. It's still a hot ticket on Bway.

[jv92]

Posted: 8/24/07 at 11:27pm

Absolutely Franz. It still does really great business on Broadway.

[sondheimboy2]

Posted: 8/25/07 at 1:03am

Well, I just saw in it Pittsburgh and it was fabulous. The interesting thing about "Chicago" is that if you have a good enough chorus, you can have so-so "leads".

Michelle DeJean and Terra C. MacLeod were excellent. Melba Moore as Mama was incredible when she was singing and only o.k. when she spoke. Gregory Harrison was walking through it, basically, though, damn, he still looks fine.

One thing about "Chicago" is that the last three times it came to town it was not part of the "Broadway Series" and not offered as part of the season. I found out about it coming this last time when I was handed a flyer for it a the street
corner between Pittsburgh's three theaters.

[Operagod01]

Posted: 8/25/07 at 1:22am

It's time to just close it period! Let some regionals have chance. It's been restricted now for 6 years. Enough! And yes, when the NYC cast has gotten to this point it's time to close it!

It was a great tour and a great show on Broadway. Let's let it leave with SOME "class"

[FranzRelax]

Posted: 8/25/07 at 1:25am

^ There have been a ton of non professional licensed productions of the show in the past several years. I think it's only been restricted as of recent.

And what point is the cast at? Michelle DeJean, Brenda Braxton, Tom Wopat Rob Bartlett, R. Lowe are all Chicago veterans and are very talented.