Hedwig strong, Bridges falters - Variety

[tazber]

Posted: 4/1/14 at 2:03pm

Variety does a quick breakdown of the new Spring season and how some of the shows are fairing at the box office.
Link

[SomeOtherMe]

Posted: 4/1/14 at 2:44pm

I don't understand why Bridges hasn't announced a closing date yet. I get that they're trying to hold on until the Tony's but really, how much more money are they willing to lose? :/

[bobs3]

Posted: 4/1/14 at 4:11pm

I am going to assume that BRIDGES is on royalty waivers and perhaps the Shubert's are giving them reduced rent in order to keep the show running but even then those grosses are low for a Broadway musical. Lead producer Jeffrey Richards is not known for keeping a show running with such huge losses.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/1/14 at 4:21pm

I can't imagine the show is too costly to run? Maybe the leads took a pay cut in order to keep it running, etc.

[jdrye222]

Posted: 4/1/14 at 4:34pm

I don't quite understand it either. Richards really doesn't bother to run at a loss - it doesn't seem to be his thing.
It is unfortunate - musically, it is the best show of the season. The score and orchestration are stunning.

[Kad]

Posted: 4/1/14 at 4:39pm

They're holding out at least until Tony nominations, I would imagine. And judging by the cool reaction to what had been assumed to be some of its biggest competitors, it'll probably be gathering quite a few nods.

Updated On: 4/1/14 at 04:39 PM

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 4/1/14 at 4:45pm

There is a sizeable ensemble, so it's not as inexpensive as you'd think.

But nominations won't necessarily increase ticket sales. They're going to have to hold out until the awards if they want to see a boost.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 4/1/14 at 4:51pm

It's inexpensive compared to other shows, I think that's your answer.

SomeOtherMe, I don't understand why you're waiting for that to happen.

Updated On: 4/1/14 at 04:51 PM

[getlucky2]

Posted: 4/1/14 at 5:15pm

The Tony nominations are not going to help its box office
These numbers are abysmal.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 4/1/14 at 5:22pm

^^^^Agreed. I just picked up tickets for tomorrow, I wanted to see it one last time. It will probably be gone by....May?

[brdway411]

Posted: 4/1/14 at 5:31pm

Bridges really surprised me. The score is beautiful, the story is a little bit of a sleeper, but all in all I really enjoyed it. Seeing it one more time before Tony nods.

[mikem]

Posted: 4/1/14 at 6:13pm

Bridges is in the unfortunate position that, because its apparent competition is weak, it is not entirely impossible that it could win Best Musical. Unless Bullets gets raves, Best Musical is wide open.

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 4/1/14 at 7:32pm

1. The show is NOT as "inexpensive" as some wannabe-insiders on here like to claim.

2. Tony nominations (and wins) alone will not save the sinking ship known as BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY

3. I very highly doubt Pasquale and O'Hara would take pay cuts. Has it happened before? Sure. Is it the norm? Absolutely not.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 4/1/14 at 8:02pm

Bridges is in the unfortunate position that, because its apparent competition is weak, it is not entirely impossible that it could win Best Musical. Unless Bullets gets raves, Best Musical is wide open.

But two of the musicals that opened in the fall, After Midnight and Gentleman's Guide, got excellent reviews and are still doing relatively good business. I think Best Musical will be between those two.

[mjohnson2]

Posted: 4/1/14 at 9:17pm

Man, I remember when this season was gonna be the best season that Broadway had ever seen, what with some of the most talented people on Broadway doing a musical this year, but I have to say that you are probably right. Those are really the only two that might win, and they both opened in the fall.

[rjm516]

Posted: 4/1/14 at 10:35pm

It's really so sad. It's such a gorgeous musical. Do you think the title is actually a turn-off to would-be patrons, like seeing it at TKTS and thinking it was a lame movie or something, rather than the draw that would be somewhat expected?

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 4/1/14 at 10:36pm

BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY was a wildly popular book and movie. Not sure how one could think it might be a "lame movie or something."

[tazber]

Posted: 4/2/14 at 6:19am

I'm sure the investors are aware that their ROI will not come from Broadway at this point, but rather the regional productions.

So anything to increase it's playability, like say being able to tout that it's a "Tony Winning Broadway Hit" is pretty important.

Keeping it open to increase the chances of a couple of Tony wins (O'Hara, JRB for score maybe) is really a marketing tool.


I also agree that as of now the race seems to be between After Midnight and Gentleman's Guide. But don't forget Bullets which, if it lives up to the hype, will probably win the prize.

Updated On: 4/2/14 at 06:19 AM

[best12bars]

Posted: 4/2/14 at 6:39am

If only it was "Disney Presents The Bridges of Madison County" with animal puppets as sidekicks for the kiddies to enjoy. And muscular, tweener chorus boys doing split-leaps in the air.

Then you'd have a big, fat hit.

[Patash]

Posted: 4/2/14 at 9:09am

Big fat hit? Oh, you mean like Book of Mormon, Once, and Kinky Boots, for example? Yea, they all rely on stick puppets, kiddie themes, and Disney's name.

Huh? Just because Bridges is a weak show, don't blame it on audience hunger for Disney, please!

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 4/2/14 at 9:42am

Ladies, ladies. You're BOTH pretty!

[DeNada]

Posted: 4/2/14 at 4:02pm

Shows sell for all sorts of different reasons. Bridges has no stars, is sad, and is based on a book that possibly every housewife in America read in the 90s but has little meaning to the global audience that now makes up most of Broadway.

I saw the show last night - it isn't brilliant as an overall experience, the story is too slight and some of the secondary character moments feel rather superfluous. It's also essentially a play with music, not something that's going to pull in vast audiences IMO. Personally speaking I felt the score was rapturous and the lead performances phenomenal - but that does not a good commercial prospect make!

[BroadwayBen]

Posted: 4/2/14 at 4:22pm

I think one of the problems is that to musical theatre fans, the score is attractive. To the general public, its sort of flat. I liked it, but the people I took were not satisfied by the music.

[felipenor]

Posted: 4/2/14 at 5:21pm

Is Cabaret underperforming? I thought it'd be doing bigger numbers considering all the names involved.

[haterobics]

Posted: 4/2/14 at 5:48pm

Alan out sick for a few performances plus one canceled performance = lots of refunds/lost revenue

I'm also unsure how their subscriber base is factored into weekly grosses, like if 40% of the house is subscribers, are they included in the weeklies? I'm sure someone knows here, though. Updated On: 4/2/14 at 05:48 PM