Ken Davenport finally spearheads a successful production

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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



gag.

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.