How Long For American Idiot?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 6:15pm

From the grosses, it looks like it is on life support.

[musicalman2]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 9:09pm

what a stupid comment. you have no idea of the weekly nut. you have no idea what the advances are. just speculating for speculating sake. sheesh.

[wcoyote]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 9:20pm

Why is it a stupid comment? Do you have any idea what the weekly nut is? It didn't take the top honors. It's in a very large theater with high rental costs. You have no idea what the weekly equipment or crew costs are. It's not doing gang buster business compared to the likes of Wicked, Jersey Boys, etc. It has the same General Management as Spring Awakening which took top honors and only lasted two years. Two years is a good run. What do yo think it will do?

[musicalman2]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 9:54pm

ok, first of all, expensive larger musicals with larger casts and bigger orchestras, often cost 600K per week to operate. AI has a smaller orchestra, no "star" cast, unit set. The problem I had was the silly comment that it looks like it is on "life support" - based only on the grosses. It doesn't matter if it isn't making over a million a week. many shows have recoupled without even approaching those numbers. You would need lots of additional info to be able to make such a statement with any ocnfidence.

To my mind, it should have a long and healthy run, but I don't want to engage in pure speculation.

I stand by my comment. I think the posting was stupid, uninformed, and based on assumptions which are withou basis.

[jagfkb]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 9:57pm

Oh, and just from my high school alone, the Tonys really sparked some interest in this show... and the producers are clearly commited to it... I'd expect it to transfer if anything...

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 10:10pm

^^^Transfer, where?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 10:23pm

TRANSFER?

I have to agree that I've heard suprising comments from unexpected sources that are now interested in AI. Don't know what to make of it.


I think "life support" is a bit extreme, but unless their numbers and advance pick up: it may not make it to the holiday season. Only time will tell.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 11:10pm

The box office didn't go crazy after it's great reviews. We will see what happens the next few weeks after the Tonys. I assume it will make it through the summer and possibly through the holidays. Sept and Oct are usually slow.

[broadwaybound882]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 11:14pm

Hi. Don't usually write on this board, but figured I'd put my two cents in. On it's Grammy performance alone, without the buzz going in and the nice words from critics in Berkeley, the show, as per Riedel, made $1M in advance sales. Seeing as how not a whole lot of holidays have come up between now and the Grammys (January 31, 2010) and summer, I can make a prediction, that that advance may have gone toward the summer, when families can travel to NY, however, I could be wrong. The show also opened long after the spring break season. So, somehwere the advance is going to come into affect, and I'm rpetty sure we're going to see it in the summer. The PR people have also done wonders for the show with it's appearances on various t.v. shows. That said, I'd still say to wait and see, but I'd say that this may not be one of the shows to close around that Labor Day weekend where you see a lot of shows closing.
Riedel on AI Grammy Advance

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 11:16pm

I'm curious to know why the schedule is what it is? Why do they have a Sat. matinee show and then two on Sunday? That doesn't make any sense to me?

[bjh2114]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 11:17pm

AI has a smaller orchestra, no "star" cast, unit set.

Regardless of there not being a star, the cast is HUGE. And that unit set is massive, and they have all of the flight equipment. Not to mention the high lighting costs. Add in the rental fee and the electric bill, and the weekly nut for this show has to be getting up there.

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 11:27pm

You could have a transcript of the show's running costs and even a video from the producers themselves saying "We're losing money!" and the Idiots still wouldn't believe you.

Some people need to stop letting their love for something cloud the reality of the situation.

[silversurfer2]

Posted: 6/16/10 at 8:03am

Here we go again...people speculating on a show closing...really wonderful to think about people being unemployed. Why not just wish ALL the shows the best of luck in the coming months and year end. I wish AI a long run, that may or may not happen. But I will not jump aboard the NEGATIVE train and wish people out of their jobs. All shows on the boards right now, regardless of your personal opinions about them good or bad, deserve an audience, that's the essence of broadway. I may not be interested in MEMPHIS and disagree about it's TONY win or FELA for that matter, may not be my cup of tea...but I will not wish them an early closing or talk about how long a particular show will last. I can't do that. A waste of energy IMO.
Updated On: 6/16/10 at 08:03 AM

[tazber]

Posted: 6/16/10 at 8:19am

I hope they can hang on. They had a lot of exposure Sunday night so hopefully that will assist.

[Marquise]

Posted: 6/16/10 at 8:20am

People, go outside. Get a life. Stop OBSESSING on grosses or on whether a show is going to have a long run or shutter a huge loss.
These "predictions" and all of you who make them are LAME, LAME, LAME, LAME, LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAME!!!!!!

Did I mention you guys were LAME?

[Marquise]

Posted: 6/16/10 at 8:21am

Okay, not so much lame but boring and predictable.

[Marquise]

Posted: 6/16/10 at 8:21am

I take it back, You guys are lame.

[silversurfer2]

Posted: 6/16/10 at 8:30am

LOL--Thanks Marquise ! I agree

[tazber]

Posted: 6/16/10 at 8:42am

I'm trying to figure out why you guys would even open a thread called "How Long for American Idiot" then.

[Marquise]

Posted: 6/16/10 at 8:44am

Don't get smart with me Vanilla Boy.

[tazber]

Posted: 6/16/10 at 8:45am

Maybe I'm angling for some discipline.....

[Marquise]

Posted: 6/16/10 at 8:46am

ON. YOUR. KNEES.

[Piper3500]

Posted: 6/16/10 at 9:01am

^^^hmmmmmmmmmm..... that should spark interest in the thread you two. keep going.

just a question, lame or boring or spank worthy or whatever...what the heck does a $1 million advance have to do with it? is that a week? because some grosses show over that in a week, every week for a long long time. anyway...i agree Marquise.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 6/16/10 at 9:07am

I am not PREDICTING a closing. I was just responding to the poster who said that it's running costs HAD to be low. All I said was that his statement was probably not accurate. I never said "it's going to close soon."

[wcoyote]

Posted: 3/12/11 at 10:27am

You still stand by your comments? Trust those who have been in this business for a good long time as to what can be a financial success on Broadway. Idiot didn't meet the criteria. It became a Green Day concert as soon as they figured they had to plug in BJ Armstrong in order to keep the show running. One year is a respectable run none the less! Maybe the Spiderman people will now hire Armstrong to save that show too!