Ken Davenport finally spearheads a successful production

[bdn223]

Posted: 4/13/18 at 10:21am

So it looks like the impossible might actually happen, a Ken Davenport spearheaded production might win Best Revival/Musical.....

Going into this season we all expected that it was going to be Carousel battling My Fair Lady for best revival, with Once On This Island likely not even seeing 2018. After Carousel opening to polarizing reviews where reviews either loved or loathed the production with very little in between. Then based on previews it seems like many think My Fair Lady seems to be good, but not spectacular akin to the response for  Sher's Fiddler on the Roof. It seems like Once On this Island is the only revival the have opened to universal praise and enthusiasm.

Many of us on the board roll our eyes when he read a press released announcing an upcoming production from the desk of Ken Davenport. We either question his business practices as none of his productions seem to be financially viable (Deaf West Spring Awakening), or his taste any of his home grown productions seem to be gimmick based critical flops (Godspell or one of the several Off-Broadway productions hes opened). For all of us, myself included who have wondered why Davenport was fooling investors into sinking money into another production destined to bleed money, I think we might all have to eat some crow come June 10th. 

 

*I know other productions that Davenport has produced have been successful, hes one of the 21 below the line producers of Kinky Boots. It should also be noted he was one of the 3 lead producers of the critically panned but must see A-List Company play of its season It's Only A Play, but all press releases for the production came from Tom Kirdahy's office and not Mr. Davenports.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 4/13/18 at 10:22am

OOTI is great. But MFL will still win Best Revival.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 4/13/18 at 11:38am

OOTI is great. But MFL will still win Best Revival.

MY FAIR LADY is winning Best Revival.  I expect Lauren Ambrose to win Best Actress in a Musical and Norbert Leo Butz for Best Featured Actor in a Musical.  

SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical will suffer the same fate as ON YOUR FEET! and be completely ignored by the Tony Award committee and maybe receiving one nomination for Best Choreography (like ON YOUR FEET! did).  

[zainmax]

Posted: 4/13/18 at 11:50am

I guess on how it depends you define success. Artistically? Perhaps, but I would give more of the credit to Arden than Davenport. Financially? No. Even if OOTI does win, which is very much up in the air, I don't think that it will recoup.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 4/13/18 at 12:16pm

ONCE ON THIS ISLAND is the Best revival this year, and in several years.

I will be thrilled when it wins the Award.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 4/13/18 at 2:35pm

bdn223 said: "So it looks like the impossible might actually happen, a Ken Davenport spearheaded productionmight win Best Revival/Musical.....

Going into this season we all expected that it was going to be Carousel battling My Fair Lady for best revival, with Once On This Island likely not even seeing 2018. AfterCarouselopening to polarizing reviews where reviews either loved or loathed the production with very little in between. Then based on previews it seems like many thinkMy Fair Ladyseems to be good, but not spectacular akin to the response for Sher's Fiddler on the Roof. It seems likeOnce On this Islandis the only revival the have opened to universal praise and enthusiasm.

Many of us on the board roll our eyes when he read a press released announcing an upcoming production from the desk of Ken Davenport. We either question his business practices as none of his productions seem to be financially viable (Deaf West Spring Awakening), or his tasteany of his home grown productions seem to be gimmick based critical flops(Godspell or one of the several Off-Broadway productions hes opened). For all of us, myself included who have wondered why Davenport was fooling investors into sinking money into another production destined to bleed money,I think we might all have to eat some crow come June 10th.

*I know other productions that Davenport has produced have been successful, hes one of the 21 below the line producers ofKinky Boots.It should also be noted he was one of the 3 lead producers of the critically panned but must see A-List Company play of its seasonIt's Only A Play,but all press releases for the production came fromTom Kirdahy's office and not Mr. Davenports."

You give Davenport WAY too much credit for OOTI.  It's an artistic success due to Michael Arden and the cast and creative team --- but all of Ken's "producer" initiatives (remember "guaranteed lowest price", anyone?) have proven to be inept as always. 

Even a broken clock is right twice a day.  Ken's a broken clock.

 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 4/13/18 at 2:56pm

best revival does not translate into a box office turnaround. 

this show is so under water that even a turnaround would not make it successful. 

it would take a miracle.

Davenport has produced one "artistically successful" show before. Like this one, it failed. 

[barcelona20]

Posted: 4/13/18 at 2:59pm

I think he can be criticized for a lot of things, and I am far from his biggest fan, but I don't think anyone should be upset at him for bringing artistic, quality productions to Broadway.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 4/13/18 at 2:59pm

If Once on This Island does well in nominations (which I'm currently expecting it to), it should be interesting to see how much of a bump the production gets at the box office.

[tourboi]

Posted: 4/13/18 at 4:30pm

To his credit, he did spearhead Altar Boyz off-Broadway which recouped, and went on a full national tour when everyone said he was crazy to do so... which also recouped. 

That said, AB was kind of a lightning strike and most of his 'innovative' ideas haven't proven to be worthwhile since then. 

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 4/13/18 at 4:45pm

Can't speak to the producing skills at work, but MFL was lovely and lush and safe (except for that horrid drag-queen sequence in Act II), and never moved me further than with admiration for all their fine work.

OOTI was an absolute tidal wave of emotion from beginning to end. The tears flowed happily for most of the 100 minutes. This production singlehandedly restored interest in a forgotten (for Broadway) masterpiece with stroke after stroke of inspired direction.

For all that, my fear is that a show that opens at the end of April and is selling out will beat out a show that opened last fall and is struggling to fill the seats, so the Tony will go to MFL.

[raddersons]

Posted: 4/13/18 at 4:50pm

HogansHero said: "best revival does not translate into a box office turnaround.

this show is so under water that even a turnaround would not make it successful.

it would take a miracle.

Davenport has produced one "artistically successful" showbefore.Like this one, it failed."

You've been talking for weeks as if the show is hemorrhaging money. I don't think it's been in the red once. 

That being said... I am in the "Ken Davenport must be stopped" camp. How long as Afterglow been running? Yuck.

[Larry6417]

Posted: 4/13/18 at 6:29pm

Anyone can be a "below the line" producer on Broadway if they have enough money.

If a show that you put money into wins a Tony, then you can buy one for your trophy shelf from the American Theatre Wing.

"Hey Ma! I'm a producer!"

[HogansHero]

Posted: 4/13/18 at 6:49pm

raddersons said: "You've been talking for weeks as if the show is hemorrhaging money. I don't think it's been in the red once."
 

You'd be wrong. Except for the last two holiday weeks, the show was in the red in at least the preceding 8 frames, and has aggregate weekly losses of at least a million dollars. If that's not hemorrhaging I don't know what is. 

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 4/13/18 at 8:29pm

Updated On: 4/13/18 at 08:29 PM

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 4/13/18 at 8:48pm

My Fair Lady was a standard, low energy, poorly cast production. It was a disappointment. Sher's revivals are always exceptional, but this one fell completely flat for me.

Once on this Island on the other hand is a really special production. I've never seen mediocre material so heightened by some really great theatrical magic. Once on this Island really is the best revival of this season. I honestly think that it will win.

[bk]

Posted: 4/13/18 at 9:19pm

Larry6417 said: "Anyone can be a "below the line" producer on Broadway if they have enough money.

If a show that you put money into wins a Tony, then you can buy one for your trophy shelf from the American Theatre Wing.

"Hey Ma! I'm a producer!""

Anyone can be an above the line producer, and it doesn't take all that much money, frankly.

[lightguy06222]

Posted: 4/13/18 at 11:10pm

whose looking forward to his next broadway venture, GETTING THE BAND BACK TOGETHER?

 

gag.

[TheQueenOfTheMist]

Posted: 4/14/18 at 12:12am

it seems like the children these days think you must win the Tony to be considered a success. Frankly the begging for awards game is dull to me. 

I'd personally love it if the Tony Awards took a few years off. Let people focus on art again instead on getting down on their knees and begging for trophies. 

Updated On: 4/14/18 at 12:12 AM

[HogansHero]

Posted: 4/14/18 at 12:26am

TheQueenOfTheMist said: "it seems like the children these days thing you must win the Tony to be considered a success. Frankly the begging for awards game is dull to me."

Frankly, I don't sense that anyone thinks (note spelling) that. Winning may help a production become successful, which is why it is anything but dull to the stakeholders, but it does not make a production a success. Indeed, many award winners (especially aside from the best musical category) are not successful, and many successful shows are not award winners. I have no idea what any of this has to do with children, who should be in bed by now.