'Hair' Recoups — Page 2

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#26

re: 'Hair' Recoups

Posted: 8/7/09 at 11:44am

But only minimally.

If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it? These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.

#27

re: 'Hair' Recoups

Posted: 8/7/09 at 2:39pm

A big congratulations to the best show on Broadway!

WOW! I haven't read the article yet....but does this break some kind of record??? I remember when Spring Awakening re-couped in 9 months they made a big deal about it....THIS is what FOUR months?

Well, let's not forget that every single cast member -- from the leads to the understudies -- is being paid Equity minimum, the reason why Jonathan Groff (who is probably kicking himself now) chose not to sign on to the Broadway production, and Eden Espinosa and a few others did not accept offers to be in the Broadway production.

This is probably the main reason why the producers were able to recoup so quickly.

"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad

"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)

#28

re: 'Hair' Recoups

Posted: 8/7/09 at 2:48pm

I certainly hope everyone (or at least the principals) got a raise.
I agree with WannaBe that Groff must be kicking himself for not participating in the transfer, but I'm glad he didn't, as it's great that we got the fantastic Gavin Creel as Claude.
So glad that they recouped. I remember at one point it looked like the show would never see the light of day on Broadway. So nice to see that now the best show on Broadway is officially a hit

"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"

#29

re: 'Hair' Recoups

Posted: 8/7/09 at 3:03pm

Economical producing plus minimal scenic elemts and/or special effects help. Truth is a show that comes in for under $6 million, has a net profit over over $1 million a month should indeed pay off this fast. (In the 30s/40s shows paid off in 6 weeks)

More worrisome is SPIDERMAN with a $45 million budget. That show will have to sell out at least 4 years just to break even. How many shows have sold out an 1800 seat theatre for that long?

It reminds me of the $27 million production of LORD OF THE RINGS that opened in Toronto few years ago, and closed six months later without recovering much if any of that capitalization.

Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!

I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com

#30

re: 'Hair' Recoups

Posted: 8/7/09 at 3:07pm

"I agree with WannaBe that Groff must be kicking himself for not participating in the transfer, but I'm glad he didn't, as it's great that we got the fantastic Gavin Creel as Claude."

Has Groff expressed interest in being involved in this show as Claude at some point in time? It seems like this show will be around a while, and I doubt Creel will be involved forever. I wish I got to see Groff's take on the role.

"We like to snark around here. Sometimes we actually talk about theater...but we try not to let that get in our way." - dramamama611

#31

re: 'Hair' Recoups

Posted: 8/7/09 at 3:10pm

The word was that Groff wanted to "do other projects" so I doubt he'd return.

#32

re: 'Hair' Recoups

Posted: 8/7/09 at 3:30pm

I was unaware of the salary tidbit. Was that publicized anywhere? Are the understudies getting the increments per equity's website?

"If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition and then admit that we just don't want to do it." -Stephen Colbert

Updated On: 8/7/09 at 03:30 PM

#33

re: 'Hair' Recoups

Posted: 8/7/09 at 3:34pm

It was Riedel-spewed. No one knows if it's totally true. I'm sure that's why Gavin's contract was so short....so in case it was successful, he could get a raise without waiting a year.

#34

re: 'Hair' Recoups

Posted: 8/7/09 at 3:52pm

So help me understand the producers bit - how much do they stand to make off of this - and I assume it is all based on the percent they caughed up to begin with? -

#35

re: 'Hair' Recoups

Posted: 8/7/09 at 3:56pm

^

From here on out, any money grossed over the weekly operating costs (which no one knows for sure, though HAIR probably has a relatively low nut) is profit for the producers. The amount of money just depends on how long HAIR can continue to make above its nut. How its divided is anyone's guess, though percentages makes logical sense.

Wicked Tour (2/26/08); Wicked Bway (7/1/08); HAIR (7/1/09); Rock of Ages (7/2/09); Wicked Bway (7/3/09); Mary Poppins Tour (8/2/09); Wicked Tour (11/18/09); Wicked Tour (12/5/09)

#36

re: 'Hair' Recoups

Posted: 8/7/09 at 4:25pm

singtopher:

From the NY Post (Riedel) 12/17/08:

JUST a few weeks ago, Oskar Eustis, who runs The Public Theater, was telling the Times about a "new deal" he's struck with commercial producers to bring "Hair" to Broadway in the spring.

"We have structured a deal where not a dime of The Public's money is at risk," he boasted.

Oh, happy day.

Unfortunately, The Public's not alone in keeping its dimes out of "Hair." Many investors are shunning the revival, even though it received good reviews last summer in Central Park.

Yesterday, producer Elizabeth I. McCann admitted it's been difficult raising money for the show, although she vowed to "capitalize 'Hair' in the end."

The cost of bringing the show to Broadway is $6.5 million, and some reports put the shortfall at $3 million. But several people who've been asked to invest say the gap is closer to $4 million.

Insiders say that while "Hair" may have looked good on a starry summer night in Central Park (where the tickets were free), a $6.5 million Broadway revival is going to struggle to turn a profit.

As one person puts it, "Can you charge $125 for touchy-feely?"

If "Hair" does come together, it will arrive minus one of its biggest assets: Jonathan Groff, who was a touching Claude in Central Park.

Sources say Groff, who won a Tony two years ago for "Spring Awakening," turned down the gig because the money wasn't very good.

"They went to him and said, 'In the spirit of "Hair" and the '60s, we want everyone to work for scale,' " one person says.

I wonder, if in the spirit of "Hair" and the '60s, they'll charge 1968 ticket prices.

At $12.50 a seat as opposed to $125, even I might pay for "Tooby ooby walla/Nooby abba nabba."

https://www.nypost.com/seven/12172008/entertainment/theater/unfriendly_words_over_pal_144603.htm

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardid=1&boardname=bway&thread=986691

#37

re: 'Hair' Recoups

Posted: 8/7/09 at 4:34pm

Congrats to the cast and crew! This production deserves a long, healthy life.

#38

re: 'Hair' Recoups

Posted: 8/7/09 at 4:36pm

Thanks. WannaBe. (Although Groff didn't win a Tony, but that's neither here no there)

#39

re: 'Hair' Recoups

Posted: 8/7/09 at 4:39pm

'Groff, who won a tony two years ago'
I would have been slightly less annoyed if Groff had won over Raul (as opposed to DHP winning over Raul).

"There's nothing good on. The media hates Christmas. The media loves vampires, though. Maybe they will show a Twilight Christmas."
-Danmeg's 10 year old son.

#40

re: 'Hair' Recoups

Posted: 8/7/09 at 4:56pm

^Well, I'm not sure I could back that up either.

#41

re: 'Hair' Recoups

Posted: 8/7/09 at 4:58pm

Only 'slightly' less annoyed.

"There's nothing good on. The media hates Christmas. The media loves vampires, though. Maybe they will show a Twilight Christmas."
-Danmeg's 10 year old son.

#42

re: 'Hair' Recoups

Posted: 8/7/09 at 5:02pm

I would have definitely been MORE annoyed had Groff won.

#43

re: 'Hair' Recoups

Posted: 8/7/09 at 5:10pm

"More worrisome is SPIDERMAN with a $45 million budget. That show will have to sell out at least 4 years just to break even. How many shows have sold out an 1800 seat theatre for that long?"

Only two - Wicked and The Lion King. There is seemingly no way that Spider-Man will recoup.

#44

re: 'Hair' Recoups

Posted: 8/7/09 at 5:12pm

^ And Phantom of the Opera.

"There's nothing good on. The media hates Christmas. The media loves vampires, though. Maybe they will show a Twilight Christmas."
-Danmeg's 10 year old son.

#45

re: 'Hair' Recoups

Posted: 8/7/09 at 5:31pm

"That show (Spider-Man) will have to sell out at least 4 years just to break even."

Huh? Say the show has a weekly nut of $1 million or so, and sells 100% of the Hilton, then that gives the producers about $500,000 profit per week. If it sells out , then it would pay off the initial investment after about 90 weeks - just under two years, or a run of 720 performances.

Sorry about the threadjack btw :)

#46

re: 'Hair' Recoups

Posted: 8/7/09 at 5:54pm

Congrats!

Genius lasts longer than beauty.

#47

re: 'Hair' Recoups

Posted: 8/7/09 at 6:07pm

Huh? Say the show has a weekly nut of $1 million or so, and sells 100% of the Hilton, then that gives the producers about $500,000 profit per week. If it sells out , then it would pay off the initial investment after about 90 weeks - just under two years, or a run of 720 performances.

It doesn't quite work that way. There's tons of factors you're leaving out.

#48

re: 'Hair' Recoups

Posted: 8/7/09 at 6:29pm

Good for them! This is the most well-deserved financial success Broadway has seen in a while.

#49

re: 'Hair' Recoups

Posted: 8/7/09 at 6:42pm

This is GREAT! I hope this means that a healthy multi-year tour is being planned. Let me explain, I know a tour is in the works, I just don't want to have to drive to Cleveland or Chicago etc. to see it. With it being a hit I hope every city will want this in their 10'-11' season and beyond. I think producers in more conservative areas might have been uneasy with Hair, now I hope they see money.

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#50

re: 'Hair' Recoups

Posted: 8/7/09 at 7:32pm

I'm sure no one gets raises until their contracts are up.

A tour can only hit so many cities in a year...so don't hold your breath too much. From my understanding, usually a two year tour is planned with the first year being the "A" cities, Philly, Chicago, Boston, Providence (gads others) and then the 2nd year they hit the "B" cities. Of course, I have no idea where you live...so you might be in the first year.

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