Chitty touring???

[Chitty Flies]

Posted: 5/28/06 at 7:46pm

Last year, there was some talk on this board that Chitty would tour, possibly in 2007. Is that still a possibility or dead? Peace and Love,

Chitty Flies

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 5/28/06 at 7:47pm

I think it's gone.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/28/06 at 7:49pm

I heard a lot of different things; the NYC set and whatnot are overseas... I think they were headed to Japan, or something. But when the show closed, I think a tour was still a possibility. I suppose it could still be, though I'd imagine it's a difficult show to tour.

[Practically Perfect]

Posted: 5/28/06 at 7:54pm

It is possible to tour the show - it's touring England at the moment, and then I think it might be doing a European tour. I would think there will be a tour of America sometime soon.

Mary P x

[icantbelive]

Posted: 5/28/06 at 9:37pm

I'd be suprised if it is just because $1 million car. It also didnt do to well, so it wouldnt make sense. I do think that it will make sense if it did an England tour becuase it did do pretty well and was a hot show for a few years. I did see it in NY and didnt get to enjoy it because kids in back of me were singing everyword. I didnt get to enjoy Raul Esparza as much as i wanted to but i got to see him afterward :).

[wonderwaiter]

Posted: 5/28/06 at 9:50pm

"It also didnt do to well, so it wouldnt make sense."


Actually, it would make a lot of sense. Chitty's target audience is families with young children. Most would not be able to travel to New York to see the show, and even fewer would be able to afford $100 a pop for tickets. However, they would be happy to go see it locally with the reduced prices of touring shows. Also, your average audience member for a tour is unlikely to know how well a show performed financially during it's Broadway run, so there would be no "flop" stigma.

National tours are often a good way to recoup money lost in an initial Broadway run.

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 5/28/06 at 9:53pm

They wanted to tour because the set cost so much money so they wanted to recoup more money. It'd be sucessful.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/28/06 at 9:55pm

Well, the car exists; so how much it costs isn't an issue. I mean, using it versus just letting it sit around, since it *did* cost a million bucks? I don't see the point.

I think it had a lot of problems running on Broadway because Disney has a monopoly on family-friendly, flashy shows, especially as far as the tourists are concerned. That's not nearly as much as issue on tour.

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 5/28/06 at 10:15pm

Good points, Emcee.

[Just_John]

Posted: 5/28/06 at 11:18pm

no my parents had friends on the crew they said for sure it would not tour in America because the producers felt they would lose to much money.

[west end artist1]

Posted: 5/30/06 at 11:39pm

hey there according to the uk touring cast it will be touring america from june of 2007

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 5/30/06 at 11:46pm

I can imagine the show doing as *great* as Dr. Dolittle tour...

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 5/30/06 at 11:49pm

I think it would sell fine. If it just toured to a couple bigger cities for a 4 week run or something.

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 5/30/06 at 11:56pm

I can't help thinking who would want to see that show without Raul Esparza.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 5/30/06 at 11:58pm

The set (and car) are in storage. I have no knowledge of a tour, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least if one were to occur.

[Mark_E]

Posted: 5/31/06 at 3:22am

I saw the Uk tour in Sunderland and everything was the same as the london show apart from the car didn't fly over the audience and just around the stage. It was there for about 3-4 month and was selling out almost every night, but then im not sure how much an american audience would like it.

[lifeisacabaret]

Posted: 5/31/06 at 5:49am

To the person who said who'd want to see the show without Raul, sorry to burst your bubble, but outside of NYC, Raul Esparza is not a name that very many people at all recognise.

[showbiz287]

Posted: 5/31/06 at 3:14pm

I saw the show in New York. I'd hate to be the load in/set up/load out crew for this show...The car looked so technically challenging, that touring with it bust be "toot sweet" i'm sure...

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 5/31/06 at 3:18pm

Yes, they have the million dollar car, but think of how much money it will cost to create the "flying" effect - it's something that needs to be built into the stage at each venue.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/31/06 at 3:40pm

I sort of miss Chitty.

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 5/31/06 at 4:32pm

I miss the Raul ad libs on stage.

[Bal]

Posted: 5/31/06 at 4:43pm

Me too, if you'll note my signature...

Anyways, I had heard something about the tour starting in 2008? I might be wrong, but I adjusted my time in theatre school so I could audition for a 2008 tour. *shrug*

[thedeepend]

Posted: 6/14/06 at 10:50am

I know an investor in CHITTY NY, LLC personally and he keeps me informed with what little information the Producers are willing to share, and believe me, it's not much. There is some internal strife among the Producers which is not helping matters and getting things moving forward on a tour.


So, here is the real story on Chitty touring. No decisions have been made. A US tour is being discussed but nothing firm at all. Lots of rumors and buzz, for example Donny Osmond to play Potts in Canada beginning in Toronto, but he has since signed onto another project. Also, word is that set and car, et al, may just be sold to Australian or Canadian investors. Also heard talk of everything being shipped to Singapore. Haven't heard anything about Japan. At one time there was even talk with people in Vegas, believe it or not, to put the show there for a year or two, but now they're moving away from "family friendly" stuff and returning to an "adult playground" if you will.

The show absolutely can tour; the NY car was specifically designed with a tour in mind and that added to the cost of the development of the NY car (which is very different than the original London production where the car needed to be anchored below the stage with the weight of several tons of concrete); not the case with the NY company car which is lighter, more technically advanced, etc... The sets are huge but also can be easily modified. Sure, some things may need rebuilding, but there is a huge amount of stuff to use; costumes and props alone.

With a smaller cast possibly and tighter budget it could be successful on the road and would help its NY investors who are at a total loss at this time.

The comment about NY and the Disney thing I think is very true. Chitty never found its audience and the weekly nut was overwhelming. If you look at its NY numbers it sold a ton of seats, but not enough, obviously.

[sharon1]

Posted: 6/14/06 at 10:58am

I love Chitty. But I feel the weak link was Raul. Just not where he fits in best is all. Apparently he is wowing them in Company. A tour would be great family fare. I would love to see it again. I was under the impression back when casting was going on one of the contenders was Donny Osmond. But now that he is going in as Gaston I guess he would be out as you said.

[thedeepend]

Posted: 6/14/06 at 11:11am

I could not agree with you more. Raul, a mega talent, was just wrong for the show. Again, I heard from an inside source that it was "hands off" Raul when it came to making cast changes when the show numbers were flat and "big star" were being talked to for repleacements. But the unbiased TONY committee saw the weak link; all other leads were nominated: Erin, Jan and Mark with Raul passed over. He didn't look the part, act the part, or even sing the part well. It was like watching Anthony Newly (sic)... Michael Ball was amazing in London and Rick, Raul's understudy, was much better than Raul.