Happy 10th anniversary, Ragtime- Page 3

[Scripps2]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 9:48am

If Miss Saigon could run then surely so could Ragtime.

What was the issue with Garth Draabinsky?

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 9:59am

He was indicted for fraud after Livent went under during Ragtime's Broadway run.

I don't think it's fair to say that Ragtime closed because of him, though that certainly didn't help... Ragtime didn't do well because the running costs were surely astronomical and it wasn't bringing in enough money to cover them. I take the moral of the story as, "If your show is so ambitious that you have to build a theater to put it in, you might want to reevaluate a little." All the same, I think the OBC production was stunning. Updated On: 1/20/08 at 09:59 AM

[Scripps2]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 2:11pm

Thanks for that. I didn't realise that they had to build a theatre to accomodate it. That probably explains why the London production had a modest budget! It must have been a huge disappointment for Flaherty and Ahrens - I think they do such excellent work and that Ragtime was the best musical of the 1990s.

[Boq101]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 2:54pm

Judy Kaye's interview with the american theater wing blames him. She says that while the show was running a lot of the money the show made didnt go to the show itself, but to various tours that Dabrinsky was also trying to keep up at the same time.

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 3:37pm

I actually read something where Judy talks about it while surfing the internet this afternoon. If that's the case, Drabinsky is definitely most at fault for the show's closing. I was kind of curious to see how the grosses were, but BWW's records only go back to 2000.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 3:44pm

I know. I hate that.

[jam_man]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 5:07pm

There's one website, I remember, that lists grosses for every show from every week, dating back to the mid-80s. I forgot what it was, though. I remember checking the grosses for Ragtime, and I think it said they consistantly made about $750,000-$900,000 a week (I don't think they ever went under $550,000), which is quite good, if not Wicked-like. However, that was barely over their weekly break-even point, not to mention Drabinsky's profit sharing with his other productions.

The first time I saw it was the 05 Illinois High School All-State production, which wasn't perfect, but it's still among the best theatrical experiences of my life. Whenever I listen to the full cast album, it never fails to move me - I can only really say that about two other shows (Les Miz and Children of Eden).

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 5:14pm

"Pity it closed before a stupid collective group name could've been thought of. Ragheads? Raggers? Raglyns :p"

How about Ragamuffins?

And to those who are saying that nothing as great as Ragtime has come out in the last ten years (except for Caroline), I have to through in PARADE.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 10:59am

RAGTIME had a break-even far higher than any other show at the time and people wondered where all that extra cash was going.

Livent's SHOW BOAT had done well on Broadway but had two full size tours out that were not doing well.

KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN lost money both on Broaday and on tour.

THe Toronto production of SUNSET BLVD was huge financial (and artistic) failure. and the Toronto Phantom was running out of steam. In addition Livent bought and refurbished several theatres.

In short a lot of money was going out and not nearly enough coming in.

When Livent collapsed, the new management looked at RAGTIME and decided it was better to close it. Variety reports it did not recoup.

But the show lives on in regional and community theatres.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 11:02am

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaamen.

[kyle.]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 11:33am

Thank you so much for putting those videos together sweetestsiren! It is so enjoyable to watch them all lined up together - although watching them together makes me wish they had shown Marin performing Back to Before on stage instead of in the recording studio. Watching that recording studio clip always bring a tear to my eye though. She is magnificent.

Does anyone have the broadway souvenir program? Would anyone with it be willing to scan some of the photos? :) There is a huge shortage of quality Ragtime production photos on the internet.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 1/22/08 at 11:26am

"Livent's SHOW BOAT had done well on Broadway but had two full size tours out that were not doing well."

That's true...but keep in mind two of the tours were actually sit-down productions first: one of the tours was the Broadway production and the other was the Chicago sit-down (which closed after a successful year-long run).

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 1/22/08 at 11:46am

Ragtime is the best show I've seen in the last 35 years; and, the greatest score I ever heard.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 1/22/08 at 11:57am

I saw Ragtime the week after it opened. Everytime I listen to the cast recording I can still hear the cheers from the audience after the opening number. Ragtime is one of my all-time favorite shows. I'm so fortunate to have seen the final performance as well.