Hello, Dolly! Crashes at Box Office without Midler. Falls Below $1 Mi- Page 2

[DAME]

Posted: 7/9/17 at 3:34pm

Forbes is also reporting this.  But they are more truthful in their reporting.

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/leeseymour/2017/07/06/bette-midlers-absence-wallops-broadway-box-office/#2b69ef85a36b

[DAME]

Posted: 7/9/17 at 3:37pm

They also comment on what may be coming this week for Comet.

 

"Looking ahead, Midler's record fall may be broken next week by Josh Groban. This marked his final frame in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812, pushing coffers to their brink at $1.4 million for 106% of its listed potential. Expect a sizable drop when Groban departs - the exact size of which will likely determine whether the show remains open through the end of the year."

[Rhoda4]

Posted: 7/9/17 at 4:09pm

I saw Bette back in May and just saw Donna yesterday - two very different performances - yet BOTH are terrific.  It saddens me that there is so much hype regarding who is playing Dolly.  Obviously, Dolly needs to be a "talent" to play the role.....  but....  The show itself is a treasure, and this production is spectacular.  I have been an avid theatregoer for over 35 years and I am amazed with the caliber of this show - the sets and backdrops, the ensemble, the costumes, orchestrations, dancing, etc.   It seems this "event" has become about only Bette and not the show itself. I absolutely loved seeing Bette but in some ways yesterday, I think I enjoyed the show more.  It's hard to explain but I felt I saw "Dolly" and her story and not Bette Midler playing Dolly.  Sadly, the show was not a sell out yesterday  I hope people take advantage of the discounted pricing for Donna and go enjoy this production.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 7/9/17 at 4:23pm

I can tell you this:  I'm putting together a parish theater party for one of Donna's matinees in early September and haven't had a single response to the announcement on our Facebook page. If this was one of Bette's performances, my phone would be ringing off the hook!

[Bette's Turban]

Posted: 7/9/17 at 7:59pm

I will be back to see both again.  Glad I get to revisit one of my all time favorite divas.  And I am glad Donna is wonderful in the show and has a job.  A win win for everyone. 

[TBone]

Posted: 7/9/17 at 8:01pm

I tried to help them. I saw the show three times this week.

[non-stop26]

Posted: 7/10/17 at 8:51pm

I was looking at show score recently and it said that dolly was closing January 14. I haven't really been following the show, but was wondering if it was a limited run in the first place. Can anyone confirm this because I was putting off seeing this and don't know if I should rush and get tickets.

Updated On: 7/11/17 at 08:51 PM

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 7/10/17 at 10:18pm

Was Bette still getting paid the last two weeks? Or what?

[SweetLips]

Posted: 7/11/17 at 4:09am

TBone said: "I tried to help them. I saw the show three times this week.

TBone--you are a sweetie. Love where your heart is....x

"

 

[SweetLips]

Posted: 7/11/17 at 4:09am

TBone said: "I tried to help them. I saw the show three times this week.

TBone--you are a sweetie. Love where your heart is....x

"

 

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 7/11/17 at 9:39am

Some critics have attended Donna Murphy's performances and written about them:

http://www.playbill.com/article/read-reviews-for-donna-murphy-in-hello-dolly

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 7/11/17 at 12:12pm

I hope that Donna Murphy's life is in a good place right now.

Even if somewhat expected, many veteran actresses, especially if they possessed a couple of Tonys, would

find this this a difficult experience.

I see that her husband of 26 years died last year.

[DAME]

Posted: 7/11/17 at 4:32pm

I hope she is as well.  Love her.  And I don't think the job she has now is a difficult situation.  I think it's a wonderful gift the producers and Bette have given her.  Bless them all.  How cool .

[haterobics]

Posted: 7/11/17 at 4:38pm

DAME said: "They also comment on what may be coming this week for Comet."

That seems like a bad comparison, since Comet pulled in more money toward the end because he was leaving the show, so their box office was even higher as a result. Whereas Bette is just on vacation, so her grosses will go right back where they were.

I'm sure Comet's BO will go down, but Groban's last two weeks were two of their highest weeks ever.

[Owen22]

Posted: 7/11/17 at 7:56pm

RippedMan said: "The fact that it still grossed nearly a million is pretty darn great."

I know. I honestly, originally thought the OP's title was ironic.

[JustAnotherNewYorker]

Posted: 7/11/17 at 8:11pm

non-stop26 said: "I was looking at show score recently and it said that dolly was closing January 14. I haven't really been following the show, but was wondering if it was a limited run in the first place. Can anyone confirm this because I was putting off seeing this and don't know if I should rush and get tickets."

Bette's contract runs through January 14th and few think she'll extend (which may be why the 14th has been almost sold out for a while). Whether the show will continue is an open question

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/11/17 at 10:30pm

Yeah I don't see what's so bad about it for Donna? I mean she gets to go on a few times a week. She's got job security. I'm sure her paycheck is pretty great. 

I wonder if she uses Midler's dressing room?

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 12:54am

A veteran Broadway star, with the Tony nominations and wins, finding another actress and recording star, much more the latter than the former, commanding $800 seats, while she herself cannot fill the theater at discount prices. Now how could that possibly upset anyone?

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 1:41am

I would say this is a rare case. I mean, her "Wonderful Town" did okay. But this is Midler's show. And I think Murphy knows that. But still, as has been said, the show is still making money.

[Bette's Turban]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 11:26am

This is Midler's show.  As was mentioned in another thread I do hope she gives it life beyond broadway.  If you listen to the chatter of the audiences you will hear that their are people there from all over the world.  A bucket list item for many.  Oh the power of a superstar.  Nothing like it.  

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 11:32am

Call_me_jorge said: "Was Bette still getting paid the last two weeks? Or what?

 

"

Does anybody know the answer to this? I'm wondering if Donna was able to pull in enough money above the shows nut. But if Bette was still getting paid I'd think she didn't pull in enough money.

[Bette's Turban]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 11:35am

I bet she is getting something in some way.  I don't have the playbill in front of me.  But isn't her production company listed as one of the producers?  I can't recall.  

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 7/13/17 at 8:12am

Here's a NYTimes review of sorts of Donna:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/12/theater/when-you-switch-up-on-a-broadway-star.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Farts&action=click&contentCollection=arts&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront

[Cora Hoover Hooper]

Posted: 7/13/17 at 1:28pm

I bet Rudin is really trying to sweet talk Bette into extending after the last 2 weeks' box office. Either shutting down till spring or someone filling in for a couple months.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/13/17 at 1:36pm

Why wouldn't she get paid?   All actors get vacation time (which is paid).   Of course, she MIGHT have agreed to go without, but I doubt we'll ever know for sure.  

 

And for those worrying about Murphy: you cannot for an instance think she didn't know that this exact thing would happen.   We've discussed this: for MANY they'd rather wait a week or two to see the "star".  These people have little interest in the show itself.  I'm sure Rudin is looking for (and perhaps already found) a big name replacement.  We likely won't hear about it for a good number of months.)