Does anyone think that All Shook Up will close? (I'm going in Sep)

[Chlydomnestra]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 8:36am

I was just wondering, with Good Vibrations closing, and Lennon already receiving less than stellar reviews...what is the fate of All Shook Up? It was heavily debated at first opening and now you hear nothing. What are your opinions? I don't mean should it close or should it stay, because I know how many people feel about the musical, but my question is, do you think it will stay or will it close? I'm interested to know what everyone thinks now that it's been running for a couple of weeks.
Updated On: 4/23/05 at 08:36 AM

[GirlfriendFromCanada]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 9:17am

It has a MUCH better reception that Good Vibes, and seems to have a good chance at a healthy run. I don't think it will close just because it's thrown into that same category. Plus, Lennon still has a whole other out-of-town run to shape up a bit, plus previews in New York.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 9:40am

All Shook Up's box office figures have been much stronger than Good Vibrations' ever were.

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 10:16am

I noticed that the attendance percentages are quite good. Many weeks have been at 90+% capacity. Now, the average ticket price is low ($40-$50 range), so there might be quite a few comps.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 10:22am

It's not really all that logical to figure that just because two or more shows can fit into the same "category" will mean that they'll have the same fate. Saying that ASU will probably close quickly becuase Good Vibes did is like saying that ASU should run for a million years and open in a million countries because Mamma Mia! is also a jukebox musical and was just that successful. Not all shows are the same.

[GirlfriendFromCanada]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 10:24am

You have to keep in mind that the balcony tickets are $19.55 each, which is going to keep the average ticket price lower than most shows.

[Al Dente]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 10:26am

I thought I read that last weeks' attendance was closer to 70% capacity, am I mistaken? I don't think one has anything to do with the other but the Palace is a big house to fill especially with the climate being the way it is about Jukebox musicals.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 10:29am

I still can't figure out who was possessed by what to think that it would fill such an enormous theatre.

[Amneris]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 10:45am

I overheard some talking at a function stating that Elton John wanted their theatre for his new show. Don't think it's true but, they were saying how since he had it for AIDA when the show comes in , he wanted it to go there. But, that is a while off.

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 10:57am

To put things in context, 'All Shook Up' did 76.9% capacity (April 11-17), but the Palace seats 1,706. That's roughly a few hundred more than a number of musical houses on Broadway.

To compare, 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels' is at the Imperial (1,435), 'Hairspray' is at the Neil Simon (1,435) and 'Spamalot' is at the Shubert (1,441). Capacity-wise, respectively, they are doing 87.2%, 96.5% and 101.3%. Needless to say, if 'All Shook Up' were playing a smaller theater, it could be doing capacity in the high 80s or low 90s.

If you're doing a simple head count, 'All Shook Up' brought in 10,496 people that week. 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels' brought in 10,009 and 'Hairspray,' 10,337. 'Spamalot,' 11,681.

I have no idea what the nut for 'All Shook Up' is, but unlike 'Spamalot' or 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,' it probably doesn't need to pay the kind of star salaries that, say, John Lithgow or Tim Curry get. Any suggestion that the Elvis show is folding seems very premature. Ditto that 'the end is in sight for jukebox musicals.' (See 'Mamma Mia' or 'Movin' Out.')

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 11:03am

So it's really not doing all that terribly. I'm seeing it next week, finally. At this point, I'm going to see Cheyenne, but hopefully I'll have a good time!

Amneris, that may in fact be true, but I thought that ultimately, Disney had the theatre, not Elton, even though it was housing HIS show. I think he has two new ones that could potentially head our way, so maybe he'll get it back, but then it won't be through Disney. Who knows? Disney could put one of their new shows in it, depending on how long ASU lasts.

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 11:30am

I am seeing it next week, too.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 11:30am

Yeah you are! It's gonna be fun.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 11:36am

ALL SHOOK UP will probably score a couple of Tony nods and shouldn't have a problem running through the summer. This would also be an easy show to incorporate "stunt casting" if the producers have a mind to keep it running.

[LouW95]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 11:41am

I have to remind some here again that the important figure for a show is not the % of capacity but the break even point each week. Every show must reach a certain dollar figure weekly to determine its longevity. Let's not make the mistake of looking at the capacity % column and think a show is doing well. While on the subject of money, I think it is really bad for Bway for anyone in our community to have an elitist attitute and categorize a show. I would love to be an investor in Mamma Mia or a Disney Show and not in a Sondheim show. Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!

[kudzu]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 11:45am

This may just be me, But say a production Company wanted to declare bankruptcy, wouldn't they have to close a show in order to do that? It's very clear that the Dogers are in big trouble, might that be the main reason for Good Vibes to close?

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 11:59am

Oh god, you're right Michael Bennett, this is the perfect show for stunt casting. Uck, WHY! I'm just glad the Weissler's aern't producing it, so we aren't subjected to John Secada and Little Richard warbling in the Palace.

[Chlydomnestra]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 7:03pm

Sorry, if I made it sound as though I was generalizing the musical, I didn't mean too. I was just curious because throughout the run of GV and the start of Lennon, there was a lot of publicity and articles and talk. I have not heard as much on ASU, since it's opening. I didn't know if I should interpret that as 'no news is good news' or 'nobody wants to state the inevitable.' Anyway, just thought I'd clear that up. I wasn't saying, will it close because other jukebox musicals are, I was saying will it close because publicity (good or bad) has dwindled a tad?

[eslgr8]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 7:40pm

I was really suprised that you posted this. Rob wrote after opening night reviews came in that, "Overall the reviews were on the mixed side with a handful of positives, putting it ahead of the recent marks for Good Vibrations for sure. The ultimate question will be of course how do audiences respond, which online reports say so far - is pretty good." The show seems to be doing well at the box offices, the audience response has been quite positive. There didn't seem to be any need to compare it to a very different show which didn't receive a single good review. As to stunt casting, DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT, at least not for a long time. Cheyenne Jackson deserves a long and star-making run in this show before anyone even considers hiring someone else.

[FrancisGumm]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 8:39pm

ASU will make it because of word of mouth. its such a great show and for 20 bucks it beats anyday at the movies. im sure people will tell friends and continue to go themselves. i hope it stays open for a while

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 9:22pm

ALL SHOOK UP's worst weeks were better than GOOD VIBRATIONS' best weeks. It'll be around for a while.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 9:34pm

There's no comparing GV and ASU. ASU looks like SWEENEY TODD when compared with GV.

[tagiunagi]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 9:55pm

Hey, let's not get too carried away with the analogies! LOL

[One Song Glory]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 10:26pm

I haven't seen the show, but one of my friends has and she is obsessed with it. She's VERY picky with the musicals she likes and I've read the reviews and they're better than GV so it should go on for a long while.

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 10:51pm

Frankly, Chlydomnestra, the topic line of this thread could be harmful to the show and needlessly alarmist. This is how rumors get started. 'Gee, I read that 'All Shook Up' might be closing.' If you read Michael Riedel's piece, he was writing about 'Lennon' and 'Good Vibrations' specifically, and generalizing that it might be damaging to future 'jukebox musicals.' There was NO mention of 'All Shook Up,' and if Riedel thought the show was in trouble, which isn't the case, he would've lumped it in. If you're a cast member of 'All Shook Up,' imagine how you'd feel reading the topic line: 'All Shook Up' closing? ... Whether a show is getting or not getting publicity isn't necessarily a sign of its fortunes at the box office. I haven't seen tons of PR on 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels' of late. And I wouldn't read anything into it.