Is Movin' Out the most successful show ever to have to close?

With its weekly sales, can anyone tell me if any other profitable shows have been forced to moved out?

When it is still out-selling much more recent openers, what are the producers thinking?

Plus when Twyla's Bob Dylan inspired Dance show hits broadway she wants all of those MOVIN OUT fans to move to that show so it doesn't flop!

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CATS was a pretty successful show that closed. Ditto, LES MIS.

The "long running" musical is kind of an interesting phenom. Up until about the mid 80s, shows that were hits -- rarely ran longer then five or six years years. They made back their money. They had touring companies. Then they went regional.

Frankly, I think thats the way it should be. Things run FOREVER these days, and I suppose I don't begrudge producers for making a profit, but it's just changed the way the industry works. Frankly, I think the real reason for the long runs is that during the 80s and 90s there werent very many new shows coming in. And theatre owners went to extraordinary lengths to keep tenants around.

But now, shows are desperate to find theatres, and they can't open because BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is milking every last penny they can out of that hideous show.

So, as much as I adore MOVIN OUT and hate to see it close (especially for another Disney show) -- I admire it for leaving while its still doing well and is still heavilly respected.

Updated On: 10/8/05 at 09:51 AM

*applauds Michael Bennett*

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No, but it may be the most sucessful ballet to close.

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Long running shows give lots of people steady jobs. It's very easy to take your point of view because you don't like a show. I agree it sucks when a show goes stale but if people still pay to see it... why wouldn't you let them?

kc

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Michael Bennett, I also completely agree with you.

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Mister Matt beat me to it:

URINETOWN had to close as they sold the theatre!

Thanks to everyone for some enlightening comments.

Let's hope the Dylan project offers a show as thrilling as Movin' Out!

The construction of an office building was always planned for the site adjacent to where Urinetown's theatre stood, so the threat of an eviction always hung over the production. The show looked like it would only be able to spend six months at Henry Miller's Theatre before having to move, but six months turned into two and a half years, until the show truly had to shut down for the impending demolition. By that point, the producers had made a profit on the production, and decided to shutter, rather than possibly losing money on an expensive move to another theatre.

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Updated On: 10/9/05 at 02:26 PM

What about Crazy for You closing so that Big could move into the Shubert?

BIG mistake, indeed.

MOVIN' OUT is a fantastic show and I will be sad to see it go, especially to let something as ridiculous as TARZAN (one of Disney's worst films) move in. I also don't really care for the idea of shows running 20 years. They get stale and boring. Anyone here catch LES MIS around 2002? I have never in my life seen a cast look that bored on stage. In my ideal world, shows would have their run and leave gracefully, making room for something fresh and new. However, I do know that as long as WICKED (which has now also become a talentless money making machine) is raking in the dough, it's not going anywhere anytime soon.