Despite Turnaround, ‘Beetlejuice’ Being Forced Out of Theater — Page 4

I understand that people seem to think this is unfair. I do. I'm not pushing those feelings to the side or saying they're irrelevant. But please read this carefully:

"The Shubert Organization notified “Beetlejuice” in June — after the Tony Awards — that it had hit the stop clause. By the time the show rebounded, however, the Winter Garden was already committed to its next tenant: The theater owners had reached an agreement with Rudin that would allow him, more than a year later, to run “The Music Man” there. The Shuberts sent “Beetlejuice” a formal letter on Oct. 1 informing them that they needed to vacate next spring...".

No matter how much money BTJ made, even if they recouped, this had already been set in stone. There were most likely contracts involved, agreements made, the cast most likely has known about this. You can be upset all you want, but saying like, "Eff the music man" is just wasting your energy. I wonder if there's a way to reach out to SOMEONE in a place of power to ask about the show just moving theaters instead of completely closing---a lot can happen between now and June...

Well, damn. Beetlejuice was on my "shows to fill in any empty slots" list in November, and we ended up going with The Sound Inside instead (a decision we ultimately regretted). Now I wish I'd overruled my husband and seen Beetlejuice then.

Jordan Catalano said: "Jesus. Then don’t go see it. If “Beetlejuice” has been selling out every show and doing amazing business back months ago this wouldn’t have happened. But it wasn’t. Broadway is a Billion dollar business - this happens. And they’re not kicking the show out tomorrow. Not this winter Or even this spring but next summer. So if you want to clutch your pearls and rail against a show that you probably weren’t going to see anyway because their prices are so ridiculous then you have fun with that. Be sure to wave at everyone down here while you’re up on that make believe pedestal. "


What the hell are you talking about m? What pedestal,where? I am not nor did I ever say (or even feel for that matter) that I am not going to see Music Man due to Beetlejuice closing. What I mentioned was my speculation as to why people were acting the way they were. Personally, the only reason why I’m a little bummed by all this is because this closure does impact me personally due to my job. Sure, once Music man comes in things will be fine again for me. It’s just the period in between Beetlejuice closing and Music Man coming in that is gonna suck.


I’m not clutching any pearls or getting up on a pedestal or anything of that nature.

Islander_fan said: "Personally, the only reason why I’m a little bummed by all this is because this closure does impact me personally due to my job. Sure, once Music man comes in things will be fine again for me. It’s just the period in between Beetlejuice closing and Music Man coming in that is gonna suck."

Really sorry to hear about your job. I'm guessing you at the Winter Garden. I do think it's unfortunate what happened but the Shuberts are entitled to do that and at the very least they are giving Beetlejuice over 7 months to prepare to leave. I know I'd much rather have 8-9 months notice than 2 weeks notice some shows get for closing.

How does it work on Broadway if a show close? Would the ushers and other people who work at the Winter Garden be eligible to work at other Shubert theaters as a temp?

Wick3 said: "How does it work on Broadway if a show close? Would the ushers and other people who work at the Winter Gardenbe eligible to work at other Shubert theaters as a temp?"

Yeah, you're still able to work around the different Shubert theaters as a substitute usher. But that far into the summer, there are notably less positions. Unless there's a huge amount of shows opening for Shubert theaters in June and July, most houses will already have their go-to people. I'm a substitute usher now, so I just move from house to house as people need me, but it's really hard to break into a new house when you've been at one for so long. So much easier to just have your reliable house with reliable hours.

I think people are being a bit too quick to assign greediness and blame to Rudin and/or the Shuberts. At the beginning of Mockingbird's run, there were rumblings that the show would eventually move to another theater for Rudin's Music Man revival. However, I had heard in September that it had been determined that the Shubert didn't have the size they needed. Since Beetlejuice had previously met the conditions to enforce the stop clause, and the Winter Garden was the size they needed, they decided to put it there. While a producer can request a specific theater, it's the Shuberts who decide where to put a show. They most likely believe that they will make more money with The Music Man than with Beetlejuice.

Fosse76 said: "I think people are being a bit too quick to assign greediness and blame to Rudin and/or the Shuberts. At the beginning of Mockingbird's run, there were rumblings that the show would eventually move to another theater for Rudin's Music Man revival. However, I had heard in September thatit had beendetermined that the Shubert didn't have the size they needed. Since Beetlejuice had previously met the conditions to enforce the stop clause, and the Winter Garden was the size they needed, they decided to put it there. While a producer can request a specific theater, it's the Shuberts who decide where to put a show. Theymost likely believe that they will make more money with The Music Man than with Beetlejuice."

I remember in one of your recent messages that you mentioned Bettlejuice has been evicted from the WG, which has now been substantiated in official reports.

Someone posted on Instagram a photo of the lab work in September that was done by an ensemble related to Music Man, with Rudin, Carlyle and Sutton in the photo with a fairly large group. Could this lab work reported as month-long have been the basis for the decision on choosing WGarden (and not the Shubert) as what would be a more appropriate stage setting for them?

https://www.instagram.com/p/B3iTZDuprPo/

Updated On: 12/10/19 at 11:48 AM

But what I find funny in all of this is that art is imitating life. The movie/story of Beetlejuice is the same thing. People wanting to move in, and the current residents wanting to stay, and scaring them out. It's a perfect marketing scheme!

Jordan Catalano said: "songanddanceman2 said: "Jordan, it has more to do with the fact that Beetlejuice has since turned things around after a lot of hard work. I and many others presumed that the theatre would change for Music Man due to this.

It's a nasty thing to do in my opinion, I don't care how that sounds. This is getting closed for a celebrity cash grab revival, that's what I think sucks. "

Then If the show continues to break those records and theproducers see good reason to find a new home for it, then that’s what they’ll look into doing (if they’re not already). It’s hardly the first time a show has had to change theaters but it might be the first time it’s happened to a show with an under 14 following who don’t understand business and take everything as a personal affront to them because they “luv BTJ”."

Millennial irreverent nihilist humor certainly plays to older than 14. Also, understanding business, is understanding that in 2019, controversy no longer sells, bad news is no longer better than no news, and Bad PR is bad business, and forcing a popular, millennial focused show out that's doing well, for a revival produced by the most controversial name currently on Broadway, is a detriment. One thing Music Man had done well was have Rudin's name barely in focus, today he's what's being talked about with it, after a year of horrible PR.

The Music Man could have gone anywhere, into any big house that's normally problematic to launch in. In one step, Shubert and Rudin have alienated a much more powerful entertainment conglomerate, added controversy to a show that till now only had positive hype, and has highlighted a strong age divide in Broadway marketing. It is a bad business move, that will probably not impact the High Jackman run, but will have long term impact on Shubert contacting with major entertainment groups. This was an ego-driven f*ck up.

I think 80% of this thread can be summed up in: Even though it's allowed, it's still a d*ck move.

They don't have to EXPLICITLY tell you anything. They can do what they want and demanding any kind of answer never works.

I think 80% of this thread can be summed up in: Even though it's allowed, it's still a d*ck move.

I agree, and I hope they find a new theater so they can have two hits on Broadway instead of just one. Seems like a good business plan to me, fans can be happy and they can buy another house in the Hamptons. Works out for everyone!

Mike Barrett said: I don't like Rudin, and I get what he's done in this situation, but considering there were indeed other houses available it just looks more and more slimy. That doesn't sell as well these days. Sorry for any poster who disagrees with that. It may not hurt him with Hugh and The Music Man but he's playing a very risky game for future sales and business."

Again, this was a decision made by the Shubert Organization, not Rudin. Beetlejuice failed to meet its financial obligations under their tenancy agreement and were evicted because there was another show they could put in there. They offered him the Winter Garden, and he took it. It's basic contract law.

Perhaps if West Side Story flops, they can put The Music Man at the Broadway, but that'll only happen if the Shubert Organization believes that Beetlejuice will continue to be profitable for them. At the time they invoked the stop clause, even a short run of The Music Man was likely to be more profitable than Beetlejuice. And the current upswing in ticket sales notwithstanding, the jury is still out if Beetlejuice will continue the trend.