Grease: The Revival: Will It Make Money?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 9:03pm

The drawing factor of the new Grease is:

"See Bobby Jo Turner and Johnny Sullivan from TV's YOU'RE THE ONE THAT I WANT."

The crowds will go to see that.

Assuming that they're paid equity scale, how could the show make money once they leave? If they're the drawing factors (and someone like Megan Hilty is Rizzo, Steve Kazee is Kenickie), who would go see it?

As crowd-pleasing a show as Grease is, even the greatest shows can't sustain nowadays without a proven actor (Broadway or otherwise) in the leads. The recent revival only lasted for so long because of the Weissler's stunt casting.

If the show opens as planned in June 2007, they're obviously not going for awards recognition, as the Tony's are a long year off.

Can this show make money?
Updated On: 8/9/06 at 09:03 PM

[brdwybound2]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 9:05pm

Ick, maybe it will bring in the crowds at the beginning just because of the TV show bit, but like you said, without a proven actor I don't think it will go too far.

[Mandi Moo]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 9:08pm

It wont be making any of my money.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 9:12pm

Only Danny and Sandy will be from the TV show. Remember, the stunt casting in the long-running Weissler revival was primarily Rizzo, Vince Fontaine, and Teen Angel.

[emo_geek]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 9:13pm

and when it closes due to no money...how will that make the tv network look?

[broadwayxminixidina]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 9:16pm

I think not. There are shows such as "Phantom" and "Les Mis" that are totally immortal. However, Grease is not one of those shows. I believe the show will attract fans of the certain actors that are performing in it. I thin kpeople are tired of it. It's overplayed.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 9:17pm

Namo, I know Danny and Sandy are the only TV-cast people. I'm just saying that if they have them and typical Broadway people in the supporting roles....

[jimnysf]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 9:19pm

I hope it's the biggest flop ever and that everyone loses the money they invest in it. What a dumb ass idea. There are plenty of talented actors looking for work. We don't need any more game show winners on Broadway,

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 9:42pm

Some might argue that those actors will have a few more opportunies to work if the show gets off the ground because it has a sizeable cast.

Of course, others might remember Macy's Be Annie on Broadway contest!

[BroadwayBaby6]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 9:53pm

Let's think long term about this...

This show could plausibly expose millions of TV viewers to Broadway and musical theatre. As much as I hate reality TV, this is what the HEARTLAND watches. This show could really breathe life into Broadway and musical theatre in general.

[VonTussleGirl]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 9:58pm

I think it'll draw in tourist crowds regardless of the TV factor, at least in the beginning.

Everyone has pretty much heard of Grease. Grease is the Wicked for people who haven't been paying attention to Broadway in the last 10 years - it's a guaranteed moneymaker.

How it fares after the first few months is a different story...

[Producer2]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 10:06pm

What are the Weisslers saying about this?

[HereNowhere]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 10:18pm

Grease is a cash cow. It won't flop miserably, that's for sure.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 10:22pm

And as "Frenchie"...

[GodIHopeIGetIt]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 10:22pm

I completely agree with jimnysf... and yes, it will bring in money, but that will only encourage more stunt casting. Must use the brilliant line from [title of show] here.

"Audiences wanna see Paris Hilton in The Apple Tree!"

The only good that reality TV-watchers bring to broadway is a few laughs over at the "Hilarious comments heard by toursits..." board.

[TheMecca]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 10:26pm

Will it make money? As I said in the newsthread, it probably will bring some sort of money for a couple of months, until they start stunt casting anyway.
But hey, there'll probably be stunt casting from the day it opens. There ARE supporting roles in Grease.

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 10:29pm

I am not opposed to the reality TV aspect of the situation as much as I am to the fact that Grease is being revived AGAIN.

Grease needs to stay gone.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 10:35pm

F*ck yes. It's going to make a ton of money. Are you kidding? This is the most national exposure a Broadway show has gotten in years (if ever). You think the kids are flocking to WICKED? WICKED will have nothing on GREASE come December.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 11:05pm

It would be more exciting to have a show that tracks the auditions --> opening of a new musical.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 11:25pm

We finally have proof of why BSo isn't a tv exec.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 12:46am

It will definitely make money IMO. Grease is a HUGELY popular musical that parents LOVE taking their kids to (usually 10 or over). I talked to a few people about it and they're pumped. I think it will make a lot of money. And they will probably be casting big names as Rizzo and Kenickie just as a safety net to ensure that the show is a hit. But I really think it will do very well. And with Kathleen Marshall at the helm, I smell great reviews as well.

[maybethistime]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 12:49am

"This show could plausibly expose millions of TV viewers to Broadway and musical theatre. As much as I hate reality TV, this is what the HEARTLAND watches. This show could really breathe life into Broadway and musical theatre in general."

"F*ck yes. It's going to make a ton of money. Are you kidding? This is the most national exposure a Broadway show has gotten in years (if ever). You think the kids are flocking to WICKED? WICKED will have nothing on GREASE come December."

"It will definitely make money IMO. Grease is a HUGELY popular musical that parents LOVE taking their kids to (usually 10 or over). I talked to a few people about it and they're pumped. I think it will make a lot of money. And they will probably be casting big names as Rizzo and Kenickie just as a safety net to ensure that the show is a hit. But I really think it will do very well. And with Kathleen Marshall at the helm, I smell great reviews as well."

It is possible that the show will initially sell out due to its' television exposure, HOWEVER the "american masses" are only going to and are only going to be able to once they GET TO NEW YORK. I assure you that TV viewers from the "heartland" are not going to travel to New York to see the show. Perhaps with tourists that are ALREADY IN NEW YORK, their show choice will be infulenced by the TV show, but what's the point of exploiting it all across America for the small percentage who will actually have the choice to see it at all when in New York? It makes no sense. There are a thousand "IFs, ANDs and BUTs" that can argue this, but it all comes back to the simply geographic barrier between ALL OF AMERICA and NEW YORK. It's just an unneeded, expensive overexposure. Perhaps it will make money and sell out (for the small time the winners will be able to handle their roles), but I absolutely assure you it is not ALL OF AMERICA filling the seats--Just a small percentage with the means to travel and purchase $100.00+ tickets for a mediocre show they'd rather see the movie of.

*And I don't mean to pick on one person in particular, but this is just too big and too stupid for the results that are going to be produced. I had to vent. Conclusion: Uneducated, unbalanced choice on the part of the producers backing this project.*


Updated On: 8/10/06 at 12:49 AM

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 1:13am

Well Ms. Marshall has found her niche'!

[lildogs]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 9:03am

maybethistime has a very good point...yes, i can personally attest to Grease's hold on America--it's there for sure--we had people of all ages, races, classes, etc come to the show IN COSTUME (like Hedwig or Rocky Horror)and even though our production was hardly the best, we sold out about 85% of the time in alot of major cities: San Fran, Boston, Philly, LA...

BUT this is broadway and the ticket prices are SO much higher, at least $20/per ticket more. I can't imagine any NYCers who would pay that for Grease, but tourists will--people like the familiar and they figure if they know the show, they're not wasting money on something they might not enjoy. NObody, however, will make a trip to NYC JUST to see Grease...of course, then there's also all the foreign tourists who also have seen Grease and love it--so there you go.

I'd think they'd probably make their money back, but not much more than that.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 11:31am

It had a revival already...why do we need a second revival? It's such an overplayed show...definitely not worth $100 for the best seats in the house.