Eric McCormack, Laura Bell Bundy, Lilli Cooper will star in THE COTTAGE by Sandy Rustin, directed by Jason Alexander. Opening July 2023, HELEN Hayes Theatre.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 2/16/23 at 10:50am

The two stars of WILL & GRACE will overlap on Broadway this summer!

Of note, this is a commercial production, not a 2nd Stage show.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/16/theater/cottage-broadway-jason-alexander.html?smid=url-share

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 2/16/23 at 10:52am

McCormack, Bundy, Alexander? Take my money. 

[quizking101]

Posted: 2/16/23 at 10:56am

Could this end up being the next POTUS? Between the cast and the premise, it has the makings of a fun summer hit.

I anticipate they will offer some type of rush in place of the 2ST 30 Under 30 like they did for The Kite Runnerz

[Ricey2]

Posted: 2/16/23 at 10:57am

Oh, yeah. This is going to be everything to me. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/16/23 at 10:57am

That’s exciting casting!!! 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 2/16/23 at 11:00am

quizking101 said: "Could this end up being the next POTUS? Between the cast and the premise, it has the makings of a fun summer hit."

Well POTUS was not a commercial or critical hit in any sense, so I expect they have much higher aspirations for this.

McCormack's last Broadway show was THE BEST MAN, which sold very well but had a starry ensemble cast. I think he'll still have weight at the box office –– especially in a miniscule theatre –– but will be interesting to see who else is cast here.

It's funny that the entire cast & lead creative team is American, assuming these characters are British? "Set in England in 1923, the comedy is set off by the revelation of an extramarital affair that brings a group of interconnected people together at a country house."

[broadwayben3]

Posted: 2/16/23 at 11:03am

Are tickets on sale?

[quizking101]

Posted: 2/16/23 at 11:07am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "quizking101 said: "Could this end up being the next POTUS? Between the cast and the premise, it has the makings of a fun summer hit."

Well POTUS was not a commercial or critical hit in any sense, so I expect they have much higher aspirations for this.

McCormack's last Broadway show was THE BEST MAN, which sold very well but had a starry ensemble cast. I think he'll still have weight at the box office –– especially in a miniscule theatre –– but will be interesting to see who else is cast here.

It's funny that the entire cast & lead creative team is American, assuming these characters are British? "Set in England in 1923, the comedy is set off by the revelation of an extramarital affair that brings a group of interconnected people together at a country house.""

I feel like a big problem of POTUS was that it was in absolutely the wrong theatre because the Shubert is HUGE for most plays. I feel like it might’ve been better in the Broadhurst or the Longacre.

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 2/16/23 at 11:08am

Me: I'm not going to buy any more tickets for now because I want to save money.

Broadway: LOL SURE 

[Dollypop]

Posted: 2/16/23 at 11:09am

I love Eric Mc Cormack.

There, I said it!

[HoldYourBatBoy2]

Posted: 2/16/23 at 11:58am

I believe McCormack’s last Broadway show was The Best Man, correct? 

[JasonC3]

Posted: 2/16/23 at 12:06pm

See comment #6.

[quizking101]

Posted: 2/16/23 at 12:22pm

hearthemsing22 said: "Me: I'm not going to buy any more tickets for now because I want to save money.

Broadway: LOL SURE"

As someone who bought tickets for A Doll's House, Bad Cinderella, Thanksgiving Play, Sweeney Todd, and Fat Ham in the last week...this is relatable content

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 2/16/23 at 12:22pm

quizking101 said: "I feel like a big problem of POTUS was that it was in absolutely the wrong theatre because the Shubert is HUGE for most plays. I feel like it might’ve been better in the Broadhurst or the Longacre."

The theatre space is kind of irrelevant. It didn't sell because it didn't have a cast who sold tickets to the masses. Sure, most of those ladies had pockets of fans, but collectively and individually they did not appeal to the MASSES. Even if buyers knew who they were, they did not care enough to pay top dollar –– or even 75% of top dollar. With that cast, it wouldn't have sold any better in the Longacre than the Shubert.

Updated On: 2/16/23 at 12:22 PM

[ACL2006]

Posted: 2/16/23 at 12:27pm

This came out of nowhere.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 2/16/23 at 12:59pm

Why wouldn't people love Eric? He's incredible. As are the two women involved. Love.

Could this end up being the next POTUS?

That wasn't popular, so I hope not. 

 

[bholtzinger544]

Posted: 2/16/23 at 1:15pm

Sutton Ross said: "Why wouldn't people love Eric? He's incredible. As are the two women involved. Love.

Could this end up being the next POTUS?

That wasn't popular, so I hope not.

"

It may not have been the hit they wanted it to be but it was by far my favorite show I saw last season. I haven't laughed that much in a theatre before. My fiancé still talks about it quite frequently. I can see this doing alright at the Hayes, it's 900 seats less than the Shubert and a much better theatre for a farce. 

[Voter]

Posted: 2/16/23 at 3:23pm

bholtzinger544 said: "Sutton Ross said: "Why wouldn't people love Eric? He's incredible. As are the two women involved. Love.

Could this end up being the next POTUS?

That wasn't popular, so I hope not.

"

It may not have been the hit they wanted it to be but it was by far my favorite show I saw last season. I haven't laughed that much in a theatre before. My fiancé still talks about it quite frequently. I can see this doing alright at the Hayes, it's 900 seats less than the Shubert and a much better theatre for a farce."

 

Honestly... I'd love to see some regional productions of POTUS. Too small to tour, but I really enjoyed it and think the rest of the US would too.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/16/23 at 3:25pm

POTUS should have done the 2nd Stage route or MCC or something, but they probably figured Vanessa Williams plus that cast would sell bigger. But I'm sure it did decent business being in such a large space.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 2/16/23 at 3:46pm

RippedMan said: "I'm sure it did decent business being in such a large space."

The data is easily accessible.

It might have started breaking even in its final few weeks, though I don't know if that was enough to make up for its losses in earlier weeks. It surely didn't recoup, which would be the only signifier of "decent business."

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 2/16/23 at 4:20pm

quizking101 said: "hearthemsing22 said: "Me: I'm not going to buy any more tickets for now because I want to save money.

Broadway: LOL SURE"

As someone who bought tickets for A Doll's House, Bad Cinderella, Thanksgiving Play, Sweeney Todd, and Fat Ham in the last week...this is relatable content"

I literally always say "no more tickets" and then BAM-casting announcement/show announcement and I'm like...ughhhhhh okay just take the money. But I'm excited for you!! I'm excited for those shows. 

[OhHiii]

Posted: 2/16/23 at 4:52pm

RippedMan said: "POTUS should have done the 2nd Stage route or MCC or something, but they probably figured Vanessa Williams plus that cast would sell bigger. But I'm sure it did decent business being in such a large space."

POTUS was offered smaller houses. Ego and ego alone had that show in the Shubert. They never made money during their run. Not a single week I'd be willing to bet.

[BETTY22]

Posted: 2/16/23 at 6:22pm

Remember when Eric was Harold Hill in The Music Man?

I adore him. 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 2/16/23 at 8:04pm

Voter said: "bholtzinger544 said: "Sutton Ross said: "Why wouldn't people love Eric? He's incredible. As are the two women involved. Love.

Could this end up being the next POTUS?

That wasn't popular, so I hope not.

"

It may not have been the hit they wanted it to be but it was by far my favorite show I saw last season. I haven't laughed that much in a theatre before. My fiancé still talks about it quite frequently. I can see this doing alright at the Hayes, it's 900 seats less than the Shubert and a much better theatre for a farce."



Honestly... I'd love to see some regional productions of POTUS. Too small to tour, but I really enjoyed it and think the rest of the US would too."

I am also among the group that loved POTUS.  It just made me happy, even if it was not a great play.  Susan S and the cast made it more enjoyable for me than it probably should have been.

That said, I can’t help wondering whether the constant use of the c-word will be a significantly limiting factor regionally.  I can’t see it being part of the subscription series of the three regional theatre companies in Sarasota, where I spend my late fall to late spring every year.  Maybe I am wrong, but I will believe it when I see it.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/16/23 at 9:38pm

OhHiii said: "RippedMan said: "POTUS should have done the 2nd Stage route or MCC or something, but they probably figured Vanessa Williams plus that cast would sell bigger. But I'm sure it did decent business being in such a large space."

POTUS was offered smaller houses. Ego and ego alone had that show in the Shubert. They never made money during their run. Not a single week I'd be willing to bet."

Well it  was my money! 

But this is def a stacked cast! I just wonder if the general population cares. Jessie Tyler Ferguson didn't ignite the box office.