Knowing When a Show Should Close?
Knowing When a Show Should Close?
#1Knowing When a Show Should Close?
Posted: 2/19/07 at 3:53pmHow exactly do producers know exactly when a show should just throw in the towel and close (in terms of money, audience, etc.)?
-Nellie McKay on the 2006 Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera, in which she played Polly Peachum
#2re: Knowing When a Show Should Close?
Posted: 2/19/07 at 3:54pmUsually when it starts losing money with no hope of picking up.
#2re: Knowing When a Show Should Close?
Posted: 2/19/07 at 4:04pm
An example: What were the reasons for closing the recent revival of SWEENEY TODD? Or HIGH FIDELITY? Was it just money, or something else (for example, how did they know that HF would never go out of the 200,000 slump it was in?
-Nellie McKay on the 2006 Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera, in which she played Polly Peachum
#3re: Knowing When a Show Should Close?
Posted: 2/19/07 at 4:08pmNew shows (Such as HF) go by advanced ticket sales. HF closed because, most likely, it did not have a strong advance AND had bad reviews so ticket sales were most likely not going to pick up.
"Watching a frat boy realize just what he put his d!ck in...ex's getting std's...schadenfruede" ~ Ave Q
"when dangers near, exploit their fear" ~ Reefer Madness the Musical
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#4re: Knowing When a Show Should Close?
Posted: 2/19/07 at 4:08pmMoney. Sweeney Todd had several consecutive weeks where it failed to make enough to cover its weekly cost, so the producers wisely decided to pull the plug rather than face further losses. It had run nearly a year and had already recouped so there was little chance the box office would improve enough in the future for it to become profitable again, so -- seeing that the show had run its course -- they closed it.
#5re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?
Posted: 2/19/07 at 4:21pmThanks, guys. Here's my other question: where can I find running costs weekly for any different show?
-Nellie McKay on the 2006 Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera, in which she played Polly Peachum
C is for Company
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/16/05
#6re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?
Posted: 2/19/07 at 4:33pmThat information typically isn't released, but I guess you can estimate which the big spenders like Wicked are in comparison to the ones like Rent where all you have are just the actors, musicians, and hands to pay.
husk_charmer
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/06
#7re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?
Posted: 2/19/07 at 5:03pmThe first thing I thought when I saw this thread was "Knowing When to Leave" and now it is stuck in my head.
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#8re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?
Posted: 2/19/07 at 5:21pm
The Stop Gap close can be invoked by the theatre owner when a show's gross receipts falls below a specified level for two consecutive weeks whether or not the producers want to pull the plug 
FutureAladdinOnB'Way
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/21/07
#9re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?
Posted: 2/19/07 at 5:30pm
Oh I thought this thread was going to be about things that show when it's time for a show to close, if that was the case I was going to say: it would be time to close a show after it's run 19 years *cough* POTO *cough*
Updated On: 2/19/07 at 05:30 PM
#10re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?
Posted: 2/19/07 at 5:36pm
In the case of Assassins, Studio 54 didn't have any financial wiggle room to get itself through the dead parts of the season on Broadway, so they had to pull the plug before they went into the red.
Updated On: 2/19/07 at 05:36 PM
#11re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?
Posted: 2/19/07 at 5:38pmAssassins was actually a limited run. It extended and then decided to close. Partially because it didnt have a good advance but also because they had a show that was slated to go into the theatre, and they had to redo the seats in between.
"Watching a frat boy realize just what he put his d!ck in...ex's getting std's...schadenfruede" ~ Ave Q
"when dangers near, exploit their fear" ~ Reefer Madness the Musical
#12re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?
Posted: 2/19/07 at 6:06pm
"Partially because it didnt have a good advance but also because they had a show that was slated to go into the theatre, and they had to redo the seats in between."
They re-did the seats at Studio 54? The mezzanine seats are still so uncomfortable. You're packed like sardines up there.
Updated On: 2/19/07 at 06:06 PM
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#13re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?
Posted: 2/19/07 at 6:08pmWhen there are more actors on the stage than people in the audience.
#14re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?
Posted: 2/19/07 at 6:09pmBroadwayboy, i beleive they only re-did the orchestra seats. The seats had tables which were used for Cabaret, and then kept for Assassins.
#15re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?
Posted: 2/19/07 at 6:09pmYeah it used to have tables downstairs after Assassins (I think it was after assassins) they got rid of the tables and put in real seats.
"Watching a frat boy realize just what he put his d!ck in...ex's getting std's...schadenfruede" ~ Ave Q
"when dangers near, exploit their fear" ~ Reefer Madness the Musical
#16re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?
Posted: 2/19/07 at 6:33pm
"Broadwayboy, i beleive they only re-did the orchestra seats. The seats had tables which were used for Cabaret, and then kept for Assassins"
ok that explains things. Thanks!
#17re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?
Posted: 2/19/07 at 6:37pmThey also re-did the first 4 rows of the mezz which were originally leopard print seats with lamps on the sides, and are now just normal seats.
"Watching a frat boy realize just what he put his d!ck in...ex's getting std's...schadenfruede" ~ Ave Q
"when dangers near, exploit their fear" ~ Reefer Madness the Musical
#18re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?
Posted: 2/19/07 at 7:04pm
I love that Studio 54 sill had leopard print carpets.
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#19re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?
Posted: 2/19/07 at 7:10pmStudio 54 is a beautiful theater than needs repair work especially to the procenium & side walls
#20re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?
Posted: 2/19/07 at 7:28pm
The walls are disgusting.
And so is the sound system, actually.
To Kill A Mockingbird
#21re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?
Posted: 2/19/07 at 7:33pmyes the walls are horrible there, as is he ceiling. But I dont find the sound system that bad at all.
"Watching a frat boy realize just what he put his d!ck in...ex's getting std's...schadenfruede" ~ Ave Q
"when dangers near, exploit their fear" ~ Reefer Madness the Musical
#22re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?
Posted: 2/19/07 at 7:40pmI love seeing the little video screens that the orchestras because they are divided into two boxes (which I hate.)
#24re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?
Posted: 2/19/07 at 9:25pmA show should close when bryan starts printing out flyers.
To Kill A Mockingbird
C is for Company
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/16/05
#25re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?
Posted: 2/19/07 at 9:39pmIt was actually after Pacific Overtures had ended that the seats were trashed I thought? Yes, I'm pretty sure they had tables in there for that and then replaced them before Streetcar.
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