Disney Opening a new show at the New Amsterdam this September?

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 2:55pm

Per this new job posting on the Disney website: “The New Amsterdam Theater is currently seeking friendly, enthusiastic, and reliable individuals with strong communication skills to join the Ushering Team for the opening of one of our shows in September.”

Any rumblings around town of what this could be for? Is Hercules ready to make the jump to Broadway? Would they close Aladdin or move it to another venue?

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 2:57pm

I wonder if this could be Hercules coming to Broadway. 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 3:08pm

Dylan Smith4 said: "I wonder if this could be Hercules coming to Broadway."

That is the rumor right now. Some trustworthy publication will leak Aladdin’s closing date any day now…

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 3:15pm

EDSOSLO858 said: "Dylan Smith4 said: "I wonder if this could be Hercules coming to Broadway."

That is the rumorright now. Some trustworthy publication will leak Aladdin’sclosing date any day now…"

It'll be hard to say goodbye to Aladdin, but 10 years is a pretty good run!

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 3:18pm

If the new show is coming in September, I’d imagine Aladdin will have to pack up by July/august. I’m shocked they didn’t give them a longer closing notice. For a show that’s been running ten years I’d expect something closer to 6 months.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 3:19pm

Mary Poppins posted their closing notice not even two months in advance, and that ran for over 6 years in NYC.

[Age_of_Mendacity]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 3:31pm

So odd they spent the money to put that big lamp on the marquee if it's going to close in the next few months!

[jpbran]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 3:32pm

Has Disney closed a show as reliably successful as Aladdin? Always seems to be in the $1.5-2m club each week. 

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 3:57pm

If they’re closing, why such a big celebration over ten years on broadway?  It seemed to me like they were really trying to promote the show. 

[MerchMan]

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

Aladdin isn't going anywhere!!! And Disney doesn't have anything in the pipeline besides a version of The Greatest Showman, but they don't even have the rights to the music, just the story! And it's more than a year out from a possible opening!

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 4:08pm

The thing is, sometimes planned productions fall through. So until it's officially official, they most likely don't want to arouse suspicion and have their big celebration anyway 

[MayAudraBlessYou2]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 4:20pm

Aaaaand the job posting is deleted! that was quick. 

@MerchMan, Disney actually has plenty in the pipeline. Hercules being the one that is in the best place for Broadway. But they also have revivals of Beauty and the Beast and Aida which they could pivot to if they felt the market was more in line with those offerings. Disney pivots pretty easily and quickly when it comes to their theatrical division...most of their shows never start out as "Broadway bound" anymore. They take a stance of  "we will develop this for licensing and multi-use purposes, and if we smell that there is demand along the way, we will shift priorities to NYC". 

It does strike me as odd timing, since Aladdin has solidified itself as a moneymaker. With Mary Poppins it at least had begun to dip in sales when they announced closing. The 10 year celebration for Aladdin is not wasted though, all the extra buzz allows them to charge more for tickets and increase revenue.

Updated On: 4/10/24 at 04:20 PM

[Mr. Wormwood]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 4:37pm

I would never doubt Disney moving onto the next thing but it feels crazy for Aladdin to close with the numbers it's still regularly getting.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 4:55pm

Any pictures of the lamp on the marquee? 

And to be fair, the job posting didn't mention which venue, so they could very easily be taking over another theater. I doubt they'd shut down a show that is making money. That seems like stupid business.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 4:55pm

Also a September opening of a new show means “Aladdin” would be closing up shop during the summer which I’m sure is a huge money making time for them. 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 5:00pm

RippedMan said: "And to be fair, the job posting didn't mention which venue, so they could very easily be taking over another theater."

Literally directly from the job posting: “The New Amsterdam Theater is currently seeking friendly, enthusiastic, and reliable individuals with strong communication skills to join the Ushering Team for the opening of one of our shows in September.”

Updated On: 4/10/24 at 05:00 PM

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 5:14pm

Let’s not forget, they closed Newsies and that was still making money.  I’m still not over it.  I wish they would remount the production at the Nederlander if I’m being honest.  And I’m not even a Disney person. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 5:27pm

Call_me_jorge said: "RippedMan said: "And to be fair, the job posting didn't mention which venue, so they could very easily be taking over another theater."

Literally directly from the job posting: “The New Amsterdam Theater is currently seeking friendly, enthusiastic, and reliable individuals with strong communication skills to join the Ushering Team for the opening of one of our shows in September.”"

Well, my bad. But yeah that does seem odd timing. 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 5:34pm

From prior readings on this board, I got the impression that Hercules is not the type of show to play the NA theater, and that it would be better suited to a more intimate theater.  Did I misunderstand those posts?

[saxpower]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 5:34pm

 “The New Amsterdam Theater is currently seeking friendly, enthusiastic, and reliable individuals with strong communication skills to join the Ushering Team for the opening of one of our shows in September.”

 

 

The "for the opening of one of our shows" language seems odd.  The New Amsterdam is going to have one show at a time.  However, the language makes more sense if Disney Theatricals is opening another show at another theatre (Hercules, rumored Beauty and the Beast revival, etc).  (Yes, I know, I'm just speculating)

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 5:35pm

Is it at all possible this language could be referring to some sort of one night only event that would be borrowing the New Amsterdam temporarily and not actually require closing Aladdin?

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 5:42pm

chrishuyen said: "Is it at all possible this language could be referring to some sort of one night only event that would be borrowing the New Amsterdam temporarily and not actually require closing Aladdin?"

Kristin Chenoweth is borrowing the Sondheim, and it's not like &Juliet is closing. This could be it. 

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 6:03pm

I heard it has been re-posted to say that it is for an Usher position for Aladdin. Not sure if it is another job posting though.

 

Updated On: 4/10/24 at 06:03 PM

[inception]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 7:30pm

Disney Presents the Tyler Perry edit of A Strange Loop

A group of seven Disney Ushers who lead happy completely fulfilled lives.

 

[Joviedamian]

Posted: 4/10/24 at 10:12pm

If they’re closing, why such a big celebration over ten years on broadway? It seemed to me like they were really trying to promote the show.

Are they supposed to pretend 10 years never happened? A celebration of milestone shouldn't stop from happing just a show may close after the fact, unless it announced a closing prior to making it to 10 years.