Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Will Play San Francisco in 2019- Page 2

[Sho-Tunes-R-Us]

Posted: 6/29/18 at 12:04am

charityhopevalentine2 said: "vanbrig said: "MadsonMelo, I imagine it will be viewed similar to the Hamilton Chicago sit-down production."

As a Curranator at the Curran, nothing sticks around for too long. There's usually only 3 week engagements. For example: Dear Evan Hansen is only running for 22daysand it's a smash hit. I highly doubt this will be sit down production but who knows.

"

Is a Curranator a hybrid title combining "Curran curator" and "narrator"?  I'm sincerely curious.

It will be sit down.  Curran staff will most likely have to say goodbye to their jobs.  Professionals will be in charge.  A sad fact, but that's show biz.

 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 6/29/18 at 12:07am

I wonder if they'll change the marquee/etc like they've done with the past productions? They seem to not flinch at spending $$ on this show knowing they'll make it all back. 

[Fosse76]

Posted: 6/29/18 at 12:14am

SomethingPeculiar said: "Fosse76 said: "ACL2006 said: "Open ended run to start, then tour by Fall 2020?"

If they plan on touring that production in the Fall of 2020, that's not an open run."


According to Chicago Tribune and the Daily Mail,they are not planning to do a traditional tour for HARRY POTTER –– they're doing sit-down engagements like this one in SF. (Right after the Tonys,Chris Jones had also wrote thatSan Francisco was looking more likely than Chicago for HP's first sit-down.)

WICKED's San Fran sit-down did a year and a half(with ~800 more seats per night), following 2 prior engagements. I bet HP does somewhere between 2-4 years in SF, then packs up and moves somewhere else for another few years."

If they have a date they plan on closing the show (regardless of whether or not it is announced), it is not an "open run." I'd argue it's not really a sit-down either,  since that conjures one to think "open run." I know Chris Jones wants Chicago to be the default sit-down city, but it doesn't, at this time, have any theater availability for Harry Potter. 

[charityhopevalentine2]

Posted: 6/29/18 at 12:21am

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Updated On: 6/30/18 at 12:21 AM

[Sho-Tunes-R-Us]

Posted: 6/29/18 at 12:37am

charityhopevalentine2 said: "Sho-Tunes-R-Us said: "charityhopevalentine2 said: "vanbrig said: "MadsonMelo, I imagine it will be viewed similar to the Hamilton Chicago sit-down production."

As a Curranator at the Curran, nothing sticks around for too long. There's usually only 3 week engagements. For example: Dear Evan Hansen is only running for 22daysand it's a smash hit. I highly doubt this will be sit down production but who knows.

"Is a Curranator a hybrid title combining "Curran curator" and "narrator"? I'm sincerely curious.

It will be sit down. Curran staff will most likely have to say goodbye to their jobs. Professionals will be in charge. A sad fact, but that's show biz."

Curranator....Coordinator.... It's a play on words :)

As for the jobs, it's really sad. There's 50 Curranators alone. I won't be working at the Curran anymore by the time this show comes around but I feel terrible for all my fellow coworkers and staff. I'm curious to see how this plays out and it doesn't look pretty. The Curran staff is one of the best partsof the Curran alone "

Thanks for clarifying.

 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 6/29/18 at 1:39am

Tour vs. Sit Down - I would imagine they'd have to take out a lease on that theater, specifying, yeah we think it will run 4 years, and then they can decide to close it after that or keep it open. Doesn't mean it's not an open ended run. I'd think HP could run there for 4 years at least. 

[Kitsune]

Posted: 6/29/18 at 1:46am

Sho-Tunes-R-Us said: "Phantom of London said: "From a city that hasn’t had a sit down since Wicked, it is suddenly going to get 2, can San Francisco handle 2 sit downs? Could the Golden Gate Theatre handle all the tours, with the Curran and the Orpheum tied up? Could A.C.T take overspill of a Broadway plays like Humans or small musicals? What happens to the Curran faithful subscribers?

Would there beanother sit down production in Chicago, if San Francisco is very successful, but where? All the theatres are very large."

Any tours of mega-productions [My Fair Lady?] will have only the Orpheum to utilize while HP and Ham are doing sit-downs, but the Orph is certainly equipped to handle them. Smaller plays/musicals will have no choice except the Orph, but that invariably happens on occasion [The Humans]. SF theatregoers should rejoice - with some caution.

"

I think the Orpheum can handle the touring shows fine, but I actually prefer seeing shows at the Curran for its intimate feel. I saw The Color Purple at the Orpheum a few months ago. Good show, but the space felt too big for the production. I'm curious how it'll work with Falsettos.

I'm excited about Harry Potter coming to San Francisco, but admittedly I'd be sad if that meant no original and touring shows at the Curran for the next few years.

[bear88]

Posted: 6/29/18 at 2:36am

The Curran is such a superior theater to see most shows that losing it for years of Harry Potter really doesn't feel like a win. And the theater's struggles have worked to my benefit. Since it reopened, I've gotten outstanding orchestra seats to see Fun Home, Bright Star, Head Over Heels and Soft Power. It's more intimate even from the balcony. 

I certainly understand the business reasons for making the Harry Potter deal, especially given the Curran's struggles at drawing crowds for its new and untested shows. It's great for me to get rush tickets for $30 on TodayTix. It's not great for Carole Shorenstein Hays. I'm better than an empty seat, but not much. 

I'm also saddened about the uncertain fate of the Curran's employees. They have always been pleasant and professional.

While I will probably see Harry Potter, if I can talk my wife into it or go with my daughter, I doubt I would see the two-play set more than once. 

I agree with Kitsune that the Orpheum can just swallow up some shows. I didn't like The Color Purple as much as others did, but those rear orchestra seats didn't help a show that needed more intimacy (and better sound) to work. Our seats were better for The Humans, but a play like that could have used the intimacy of the Curran. When Dear Evan Hansen ended up there, it made sense given the small scale of the show.

Some shows are big enough for the size of the SHN theaters not to matter as much. And I will reserve judgment on the refurbished Golden Gate until it reopens (although it's still big). 

We are reminded all the time that this is a business, and Harry Potter is going to play to sellout crowds who will happily pay big bucks. I'm not upset it's coming to San Francisco, but I am bummed about losing the Curran. 

[charityhopevalentine2]

Posted: 6/29/18 at 3:13am

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Updated On: 6/30/18 at 03:13 AM

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 6/29/18 at 3:38am

I just checked. Looks like the big remodel of the GG was probably deferred (although it has been closed a few weeks) After Hamilton moves into the Orpheum (not GG) the Golden Gate takes the tours in 2019.

[Sally Burns]

Posted: 6/29/18 at 7:43am

Phantom of London said: "From a city that hasn’t had a sit down since Wicked, it is suddenly going to get 2, can San Francisco handle 2 sit downs? Could the Golden Gate Theatre handle all the tours, with the Curran and the Orpheum tied up? Could A.C.T take overspill of a Broadway plays like Humans or small musicals? What happens to the Curran faithful subscribers?

Theoretically, yes, the Golden Gate can handle all the tours. They're already giving it a go for the 2018-2019 SHN season. Everything will be at the Golden Gate except for Miss Saigon (which will be at the Orpheum because Waitress will be at the Golden Gate concurrently): A Bronx Tale, Come From Away, Hello, Dolly!, Falsettos, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Anastasia will all be at the GG next season.

As for the faithful Curran subscribers, 2018 was their first subscriber season since the Curran split from SHN in 2015. When the Curran officially reopened in 2017, you had to buy single tickets to the shows there (Fun Home, Bright Star, etc).

Updated On: 6/29/18 at 07:43 AM

[Sally Burns]

Posted: 6/29/18 at 7:52am

Sho-Tunes-R-Us said:
Any tours of mega-productions [My Fair Lady?] will have only the Orpheum to utilize while HP and Ham are doing sit-downs, but the Orph is certainly equipped to handle them. Smaller plays/musicals will have no choice except the Orph, but that invariably happens on occasion [The Humans]. SF theatregoers should rejoice - with some caution.

I think you mean the tours will be at the Golden Gate. Hamilton will be at the Orpheum. I just got my tickets in the mail for Hamilton when it returns to SF in 2019 and it's definitely playing at the Orpheum. On a related note, thank goodness SHN decided to mail out those tickets sooner rather than later this time around! I just saw Hamilton in Las Vegas and despite the fact that I bought the tickets months ago, they didn't mail the tickets until the week before the show which was super annoying.

 

[Sally Burns]

Posted: 6/29/18 at 8:20am

MarkBearSF said: "I just checked. Looks like the big remodel of the GG was probably deferred (although it has been closed a few weeks)"

The Golden Gate hasn't had a show since The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time in June 2017. Everything at the beginning of the 2017-2018 season has been at the Orpheum (Something Rotten!, An American in Paris, Aladdin, Book of Mormon, The Color Purple, School of Rock, and the upcoming Les Mis and Phantom tours). The only two shows they had scheduled at the Golden Gate for this season were the last two (On Your Feet in September/October and Waitress in October/November), so in theory, they had over a year to remodel/renovate the Golden Gate before On Your Feet.

[Sally Burns]

Posted: 6/29/18 at 8:30am

charityhopevalentine2 said: "The Curran staff is one of the best partsof the Curran alone "

I agree. I have season tickets at the Curran, SHN, SF Ballet, and Berkeley Rep and the staff at the Curran has been the absolute best. They always respond promptly (ahem, unlike SHN), they are unfailingly friendly and helpful both one on one as well as on social media, and they have so many more accommodating options available (like being able to choose your own seats for subscribers instead of being assigned a random crappy seat way off on the side, letting tickets be mailed to somewhere besides the billing address, etc). They're like the exact opposite of dealing with SHN.

Please keep us updated once you find out what's going on! And please let your coworkers know that they are awesome!

 

[Fosse76]

Posted: 6/29/18 at 1:16pm

RippedMan said: "Tour vs. Sit Down - I would imagine they'd have to take out a lease on that theater, specifying, yeah we think it will run 4 years, and then they can decide to close it after that or keep it open. Doesn't mean it's not an open ended run. I'd think HP could run there for 4 years at least."

As I said, if they already know when they plan on closing the show, it's not an "open" run. And open runs are not exactly the same on the road as they are on Broadway, simply because theaters are booked differently (at least as far as Broadway tours are concerned). But I have no doubt Harry Potter could run for several years, in part because the show only has about half the capacity of other shows (i.e. there may be 8 performances per week, but it's only the equivalent of 4 audiences). But all of that would be negotiated in advance, and the contract will have timelines in place so that the theater can resume its booking procedures in a timely fashion.

[Sho-Tunes-R-Us]

Posted: 6/29/18 at 11:07pm

Sally Burns said: "Sho-Tunes-R-Us said:
Any tours of mega-productions [My Fair Lady?] will have only the Orpheum to utilize while HP and Ham are doing sit-downs, but the Orph is certainly equipped to handle them. Smaller plays/musicals will have no choice except the Orph, but that invariably happens on occasion [The Humans]. SF theatregoers should rejoice - with some caution.

I think you mean the tours will be at the Golden Gate. Hamilton will be at the Orpheum. I just got my tickets in the mail for Hamilton when it returns to SF in 2019 and it's definitely playing at the Orpheum. On a related note, thank goodness SHN decided to mail out those tickets sooner rather than later this time around! I just saw Hamilton in Las Vegas and despite the fact that I bought the tickets months ago, they didn't mail the tickets until the week before the show which was super annoying.

"

A major lapses of the synapse for me, Sally Burns.  I have re-edited my original post re the theatres.  Thanks for bring it to my attention.

[TorontoBroadwayFan]

Posted: 6/29/18 at 11:18pm

Exciting news! DH often has to travel there for work. Next trip, I’m so tagging along so I can see this!

Hopefully Toronto is next! 

[charityhopevalentine2]

Posted: 6/30/18 at 1:01am

MarkBearSF said: "I just checked. Looks like the big remodel of the GG was probably deferred (although it has been closed a few weeks) After Hamilton moves into the Orpheum (not GG) the Golden Gate takes the tours in 2019."

Nope, the remodel hasn't been deferred. It's actually been completed! I was talking to a SHN security guard when I saw The Humans a few weeks ago and he said they're almost done completing it. They added more bathrooms and spruced it up a little bit :)

[Sho-Tunes-R-Us]

Posted: 6/30/18 at 3:26am

charityhopevalentine2 said: "MarkBearSF said: "I just checked. Looks like the big remodel of the GG was probably deferred (although it has been closed a few weeks) After Hamilton moves into the Orpheum (not GG) the Golden Gate takes the tours in 2019."

Nope, the remodel hasn't been deferred. It's actually been completed! I was talking to a SHN security guard when I saw The Humans a few weeks ago and he said they're almost done completing it. They added more bathrooms and spruced it up a little bit :)"

But they can do zip about the neighborhood, unfortunately.  The Tenderloin literally reeks.  Always has, always will.

 

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 6/30/18 at 9:02am

I'm glad to hear that they addressed the bathroom problem. That theater needs so much work to live up to its potential. The brown painted walls are so DRAB, and the huge outer lobby, with the stairs to the mezz really needs to be reconfigured to expand the cramped orchestra lobby to encompass the stairs and some of that space.

As for the neighborhood, Yeah. Every time I think it's improving, it drags itself back down. My main problem with the GG is that the complex street corner is difficult for grabbing cabs, with dedicated traffic lanes typically headed in the "wrong" direction. Updated On: 6/30/18 at 09:02 AM

[Sally Burns]

Posted: 7/2/18 at 2:53am

Sho-Tunes-R-Us said: "A major lapses of the synapsefor me, Sally Burns. I have re-edited my original post re the theatres. Thanks for bring it to my attention."

No worries! I've had much worse brain farts!

[Sally Burns]

Posted: 7/2/18 at 3:01am

MarkBearSF said: "I'm glad to hear that they addressed the bathroom problem. That theater needs so much work to live up to its potential. The brown painted walls are so DRAB, and the huge outer lobby, with the stairs to the mezz really needs to be reconfigured to expand the cramped orchestra lobby to encompass the stairs and some of that space."

I agree.The bathroom situation was pretty dismal and the lobby space is so small and not used well. I really hope they found a way to make things better, particularly the lobby. It's the first impression you get (well, the first impression you get after walking through the TL) and it always feels like there are too many people squashed into that space. The Orpheum has its faults but at least when you walk up to the door and into the lobby, it looks like a theater that has national tours. In comparison, the Golden Gate seems like the sad neglected rundown stepkid.

 

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 10/1/18 at 9:39am

NYT:  "Theaters Fight Over ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Evan Hansen’ in San Francisco"

Drama!

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 10/1/18 at 12:56pm

I must say I chuckled when I read of the difficulty questioning Carole Shorenstein Hays.

[NYfanfromCA]

Posted: 10/1/18 at 1:29pm

I prefer the newly renovated Curran to the Orpheum (sound was only good for Hamilton, that I recall) or the cavernous Golden Gate any time.  I am glad that Dear Evan Hansen and Harry Potter will be at the Curran.