Hmmm... a theater for WEDDING SINGER, anyone?

[aces25]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 7:08pm

Updated On: 5/23/05 at 07:08 PM

[aces25]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 7:10pm

Any idea? How about The Woman in White?

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 7:48pm

THE WEDDING SINGER is slated for a Jujamcyn Theatre.

They are:
The Virginia Theatre
The Eugene O'Neill Theatre
The Al Hirschfeld Theatre
The St.James Theatre
The Walter Kerr Theatre

The St.James, and the Walter Kerr should be booked for quite a while. The Virginia has recently become vacant. The O'Neill, depending on how SWEENEY TODD does, might be booked at that time. The Hirschfeld should be booked as well, SWEET CHARITY may still be playing and, if not, THE COLOR PURPLE has dibs on that theatre.

So, THE WEDDING SINGER might possibly play the Virginia.

Updated On: 5/23/05 at 07:48 PM

[magruder]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 8:06pm

Jersey Boys is going to the Virginia. I'm not sure what the time frame is for Wedding Singer. However, Sweeney Todd has never been a long-runner on Broadway. The original played for a year and four months, while the revival had trouble filling the 600-seat Circle in the Square for four months.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 8:07pm

Are you thinking that Jersey Boys is going to make a quick exit?

[magruder]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 8:14pm

I hear very good things about Jersey Boys, so I wouldn't necessarily expect a quick departure on that one. Reviews were really excellent out in San Diego.

Meanwhile, where oh where will the Broadway transfer of this summer's Public Theatre production of Two Gentlemen of Verona end up?

[aces25]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 8:31pm

Wedding Singer is suppose to start previews March 2006 and open in April 2006

[orchajaws]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 8:35pm

I am guessing the Walter Kerr Theater. "Doubt" will be have a moderately successful run for a drama, but, unfortuantely, straight plays do not tend to run more than a year on Broadway, no matter how good they may be. I think that by next January, the Walter Kerr will be vacant, and an excellent space for such an intimate story as "The Wedding Singer."
Updated On: 5/23/05 at 08:35 PM

[aces25]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 8:56pm

Hmm interesting.. a space used mainly for plays for a largely commercial piece as Wedding Singer.. yes.. i can see it work

[magruder]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 8:58pm

The Walter Kerr Theatre has housed a handful of musicals, but never a successful one in its entire 85 year history. And the musicals that played in that house in the '70s and '80s were a veritable parade of unspeakable horrors ... Soon, Hurry Harry, Jerome Kern Goes to Hollywood, Late Night Comic and Chu Chem. Unless Wedding Singer has a cast of less than 10 people and an orchestration for wax paper and comb, I can't imagine the producers wanting that theatre, which at 900 seats is just too small for even a moderate sized musical to make a profit. Plus, given the economics of a successful four-person play and the recasting possibilities, I'd expect that Doubt could end-up with a Proof-like run of more than two years.

Updated On: 5/23/05 at 08:58 PM

[Mattio98]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 9:07pm

Well the Marquis would seem a logical choice just because it fits the show best and will probably be free by Spring '06. But alas, it's not a Jujamcyn.

[Plum]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 9:19pm

an orchestration for wax paper and comb

Thanks for the giggle, magruder. :)

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 9:24pm

For the last time, The Marquis is booked by the Woman In White...

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 9:28pm

Isn't the Kerr considered THE premier "straight play" house on Broadway, anyway? It's hosted several Pulitzer and Tony winners in the past two decades. I frankly can't imagine a real musical in there.

It's a moot point anyway. DOUBT's not going anywhere for AT LEAST a year, clearly.

[magruder]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 9:35pm

Would that the Shubert Organization follow Jujamcyn's lead and give the similarly-sized Longacre Theatre the full-on Walter Kerr treatment... With a good spit and polish, I'd bet that the Longacre wouldn't sit empty for such long periods of time.

[Mattio98]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 9:39pm

I wasn't aware of that. If things were up to me:

Minskoff-Woman in White
Marquis-Opposite of Sex
Belasco-Sweeney Todd
O'Neill-Threepenny Opera
Broadway-Wedding Singer
Virginia-Jersey Boys

Chorus Line is one that's tough to find a theatre for. It has to be intimate enough for the audience to connect, yet have a large enough stage for the dancing. If Spamalot moves to a larger theatre as some have predicted it might, the Shubert could welcome A Chorus Line back once more.

I know it's all a lot more complicated than this but I'm just giving my ideal situation.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 9:44pm

You're right. It's a beautiful theatre with a good location. With a nice renovation, perhaps the Longacre might be able to compete with the Kerr.

It'll be interesting to see where A CHORUS LINE ends up. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to see it back at home at the Shubert again (how many times did I see it there over the years?).

Are there serious rumblings about moving SPAMALOT to a larger theatre?

[Princeton78]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 9:46pm

What larger theatre would it move to? All the big ones seem booked, Mary Poppins is waiting for the first one to free up.

[Mattio98]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 9:56pm

Right now it's just a lot of rumors and people predicting things they know nothing about but it wouldn't surprise me. The show has an incredible advance and shows no signs of slowing up. Although, based on the laws of supply and demand, I'm not sure it would be the best move for them.

[Mattio98]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 10:01pm

I doubt it will actually happen but it's not out of the realm of possibility. My guess is that if Chitty keeps floundering at the box office, Mary Poppins will try and take that theatre. My question is: where is Disney planning to put Tarzan?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 10:09pm

I guess the main problem (if it's a problem) is that they have a $27+ million advance, so they'd have to wait until the next block of seats go on sale before they consider moving anywhere (obviously they wouldn't be attempting to re-assign $27 million worth of seats!!!).

It probably won't happen, I'm guessing. It's the same kind of rumors that floated around The PRODUCERS a few years ago when I remember reading that the show was SO popular that they were considering creating a second production of it on Broadway (to run simultaneously) in order to meet demand. Obviously that never happened.

I can't remember (perhaps someone else does) a case where a huge hit show moved to a larger theatre in the first or second year of its run to accomodate demand. Not saying it never happened but, I'm not remembering it at the moment.

[Mattio98]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 10:19pm

I agree. It's not really logical for them to try to move the show now. Anyway, it's probably better for ticket sales for there to be a little less space which would cause the show to be an even hotter ticket.

Fiddler and La Cage can't last much longer at half capacity. If Fiddler closes within the next few months, Mary Poppins will probably try to get the Minskoff. All Shook Up is probably not yet living up to the expectations of the producers although that might pick up over the summer. If All Shook Up can't survive, the Palace might once again be inhabited by Disney in the form of Tarzan or maybe even Mary Poppins. However, I'm hoping that All Shook Up pulls through; it's really a great example of how to do a "jukebox musical" well.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 10:28pm

I think Fiddler is definitely closing in the fall -- isn't there something already slated to go in the Minskoff? Woman in White? Or was that when it was supposed to come in in the fall?

The Marquis will likely be open by the end of the year (if not before). Maybe "Mary Poppins" there?

And the Hirshfeld for Tarzan?

[heaja123]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 10:28pm

what about the gerald schoenfeld theatre housing brooklyn, that will probably be empty,

[Mattio98]

Posted: 5/23/05 at 10:33pm

I'd say that The Opposite of Sex would be more likely to go into the Hirshfeld since the Weisslers are behind it. I don't think that Disney would take a theatre like the Hirshfeld. It's not really right for their spectacle-type shows. Woman In now someone's saying it's booked for the Marquis which I haven't heard before this.