Jarethan said: "IdinaBellFoster said: "I'm sure Rudin COULD find someone to follow Bernadette, but it's not a cheap production to run. I appreciate that he's going to close it with class as opposed to following the Weissler method of throwing in Real Housewives to keep a show open."
I see bigshows like Kinky Boots and School of Rockrunning for years on grosses of less than a million and I think of all the additional audiences who are entertained because they are still open. I referenced the Weisslers because I am under the impression that Chicago is still running because audiences still enjoy it. A lot.
Dolly wouldn't work if marketed exactly the same way; however, there still seem to be 'stunt' opportunities that would be successful. Some of the names mentioned in other posts would be good candidates.
I guess the question none of us knows the answer to is a key factor: exactly what is the weekly nut and (presumably) why is it so high without Midler (I for one assumed that Midler was making $400 - $500K a week, which would inflate the breakeven; of course, they were able to get the prices they did only because of Midler, so she deserved whatever she got). It is not a particularly big cast, Peters is probably getting 10% to 15% of what Midler was making (which if I am right about Midler would translate into anywhere between $40K and $75K). From a purely economic point-of-view, it just doesn't add up to a well-planned investment strategy.
I do agree with the poster who referenced The Producers' dilemma once Lane left. Is it possibly that use of huge stars only works when the production is always planned as a limited engagement. When Hello, Dolly became Hello, Bette, did that work hugely advantageously for the duration of her run, but position fora huge build-up of post-Bette apathy? I know it is a revival, and revivals don't run as long as new productions (with a few rare exceptions); on the other hand, this is a show that got incredibly rapturousreviews, is (TO ME) the first real revival since it opened 50+ years ago, and was once the longest running show in Broadway history. I would have expected those factors to guarantee a longer run. I do assume that, if the producers are closing it, they believe that it is going to lose money once the summer season is over, which I never would have expected a year ago."
I said it once before and I'll say it again: the production recouped only three weeks ago. Just keep that in mind.
As to to the weekly nut, Bette was making less than these numbers you're throwing around but not by much.
Furthermore, you're not taking into account the "fee" Rudin is well known in the industry for taking each week. It's highway robbery. He gets these fools to invest thousands upon thousands of dollars, then diminishes their ROI by taking a fee off the top (of the gross!). He's double-dipping and it's absolute thievery. Truly, the David Merrick of our generation.
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