Knowing When a Show Should Close?

#1

Knowing When a Show Should Close?

Posted: 2/19/07 at 3:53pm

How exactly do producers know exactly when a show should just throw in the towel and close (in terms of money, audience, etc.)?

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"Y'know, I think Bertolt Brecht was rolling in his grave."
-Nellie McKay on the 2006 Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera, in which she played Polly Peachum

#2

re: Knowing When a Show Should Close?

Posted: 2/19/07 at 3:54pm

Usually when it starts losing money with no hope of picking up.

#3

re: 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?

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"Y'know, I think Bertolt Brecht was rolling in his grave."
-Nellie McKay on the 2006 Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera, in which she played Polly Peachum

Updated On: 2/19/07 at 04:04 PM

#4

re: Knowing When a Show Should Close?

Posted: 2/19/07 at 4:08pm

New 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.

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"Judy Garland, Jimmy Dean, You tragedy Queen" ~ Taboo

"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

#5

re: Knowing When a Show Should Close?

Posted: 2/19/07 at 4:08pm

Money. 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.

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"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie [http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/] "The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney

#6

re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?

Posted: 2/19/07 at 4:21pm

Thanks, guys. Here's my other question: where can I find running costs weekly for any different show?

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"Y'know, I think Bertolt Brecht was rolling in his grave."
-Nellie McKay on the 2006 Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera, in which she played Polly Peachum

#7

re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?

Posted: 2/19/07 at 4:33pm

That 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.

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#8

re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?

Posted: 2/19/07 at 5:03pm

The first thing I thought when I saw this thread was "Knowing When to Leave" and now it is stuck in my head.

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http://www.youtube.com/huskcharmer

#9

re: 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

#10

re: 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

#11

re: 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

#12

re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?

Posted: 2/19/07 at 5:38pm

Assassins 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.

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"Judy Garland, Jimmy Dean, You tragedy Queen" ~ Taboo

"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

#13

re: 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

#14

re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?

Posted: 2/19/07 at 6:08pm

When there are more actors on the stage than people in the audience.

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Poster Emeritus

#15

re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?

Posted: 2/19/07 at 6:09pm

Broadwayboy, i beleive they only re-did the orchestra seats. The seats had tables which were used for Cabaret, and then kept for Assassins.

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I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along.

#16

re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?

Posted: 2/19/07 at 6:09pm

Yeah 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.

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"Judy Garland, Jimmy Dean, You tragedy Queen" ~ Taboo

"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

#17

re: 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!

#18

re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?

Posted: 2/19/07 at 6:37pm

They 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.

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"Judy Garland, Jimmy Dean, You tragedy Queen" ~ Taboo

"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

#19

re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?

Posted: 2/19/07 at 7:04pm

I love that Studio 54 sill had leopard print carpets.

#20

re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?

Posted: 2/19/07 at 7:10pm

Studio 54 is a beautiful theater than needs repair work especially to the procenium & side walls

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Poster Emeritus

#21

re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?

Posted: 2/19/07 at 7:28pm

The walls are disgusting.

And so is the sound system, actually.

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"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
To Kill A Mockingbird

#22

re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?

Posted: 2/19/07 at 7:33pm

yes the walls are horrible there, as is he ceiling. But I dont find the sound system that bad at all.

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"Judy Garland, Jimmy Dean, You tragedy Queen" ~ Taboo

"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

#23

re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?

Posted: 2/19/07 at 7:40pm

I love seeing the little video screens that the orchestras because they are divided into two boxes (which I hate.)

#24

re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?

Posted: 2/19/07 at 9:25pm

A show should close when bryan starts printing out flyers.

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"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
To Kill A Mockingbird

#25

re: Where to Find Running Costs Weekly?

Posted: 2/19/07 at 9:39pm

It 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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