LEMPICKA On Broadway - News & Discussion Thread- Page 2

[JSquared2]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 1:22pm

lopside said: "barcelona20 said: "BETTY22 said: "I could not be more excited about this. We are going to have a brilliant new season of new original musicals!

As exciting as this announcement is, the sad truth is that most will not succeed. Many excellent shows and performances will be lost amongst the crowd.

The crowding honestly feels a detrimental to all of them. None of the new ones coming in have enough heat behind them already, except maybe the Notebook with its greater name recognition, but we've seen that that iften can turn out to be nothing."

 

Too much product and not enough of an audience to subsidize it.  May/June/July is going to be a bloodbath on Broadway!

[inception]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 2:32pm

Looking at tickets from May & into the summer, and almost all evening performances - even Fridays & Saturdays -  start at 7pm.   I wonder where this idea came from?

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 2:36pm

I've noticed that is the new trend. I think for a long time theater actors have longed for a better work/life balance. So, if they're in a musical, they're out by 10pm. I get it and a lot of people appreciate the earlier show time, but during the Summer I still prefer a 8pm curtain.

Updated On: 10/30/23 at 02:36 PM

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 2:40pm

7 PM is a good evening start time for this particular musical, which is on the longer side — 2 hours and 50 minutes, per Telecharge.

[OhHiii]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 2:54pm

The vast majority of shows are adjusting their performance schedules to 7pm. Post-pandemic, 8pm shows were seeing a lot softer sales than those offered at 7pm. People just don't want to be out late these days.

Not for nothing, Eric Adams' constant screed against the crime levels in NYC hasn't helped with this phenomenon. Even when this year crime is significantly down. 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 2:59pm

I don't think Eric Adams has ever helped anything. Ever. 

[Robbie2]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 3:01pm

People want to be home before 11 (actors too) and not after midnight. Good call on 7:00 shows as Bway should shift all shows to this time. 

[sppunk]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 3:15pm

We saw 4 shows this weekend and Friday and Saturday both had 7 pm start times (Merrily and Hell's Kitchen). Cabaret opens at 7:30 on Fridays next spring. 

I love it. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 3:28pm

I usually love a 7pm curtain, but I live/work close to midtown.

7pm weeknight curtains are tough on people who don't live in NYC, but the data may show that those people just aren't coming in at a worthy rate.

8pm helps locals who like to do pre-theatre dinner, people who are doing other things during the day on a weekend, or casual buyers/tourists who show up to Times Square/TKTS at 7:15 looking to just see any show. Which, again, all might not be enough of a reason to keep the 8pm curtains, but usually a diversity of curtain times is helpful.

Updated On: 10/30/23 at 03:28 PM

[B212323]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 4:12pm

Sutton Ross said: "With a better second act this could be something really special, so I hear, but who’s the audience for this?

Adults who want to see an incredible show with phenomenal talent. This is a very special show, check it out!

But do we even know who's in the show? I'm not loving these ticket sale announcements without casting info.  Not everyone keeps up on who's in what for OOT's. 

 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 4:17pm

B212323 said: "Sutton Ross said: "With a better second act this could be something really special, so I hear, but who’s the audience for this?

Adults who want to see an incredible show with phenomenal talent. This is a very special show, check it out!

But do we even know who's in the show? I'm not loving these ticket sale announcements without casting info. Not everyone keeps up on who's in what for OOT's.

"

Eden Espinosa has been confirmed, and I *think* all but one of the La Jolla principal cast will make the transfer, so Amber Iman, Andrew Samonsky, George Abud, Victor Chan, Jacquelyn Ritz, and Natalie Joy Johnson will hop on. I don't know who's replacing Jordan Tyson, who's continuing with The Notebook.

Also, the marquee just went up at the Longacre and I don't think it looks that good at all. The average person might think they're passing by (or entering) an art museum. 

 

[RunnyBabbit]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 4:27pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "7pm weeknight curtains are tough on people who don't live in NYC, but the data may show that those people just aren't coming in at a worthy rate."

The 7pm curtain works out so much better for me.  I come up from Philly and both Amtrak and Megabus got rid of their 11pm return trips, so it's 10pm returns; or NJ Transit and then Septa (which rarely works out timing wise) or an hour long drive home.  An 8pm curtain really limits which shows I can see in the evening when I come up.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 4:46pm

One addendum to the curtain time convo - time of year is also a factor.

In February, getting out of a show at 10:30pm is a killer.

In August, I don't mind nearly as much, and it can be nice to have more time to spend in the daylight ahead of an 8pm in nice weather. Similarly, on Saturdays in the summer if people do an activity during the day, 7:30 or 8pm gives a little more wiggle room.

[DaveyG]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 4:54pm

I cannot get my head around the 19.5 million dollar price tag. I get that it includes all development, Williamstown, La Jolla, etc. But that is quite a steep hill to climb. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 5:52pm

DaveyG said: "I cannot get my head around the 19.5 million dollar price tag. I get that it includes all development, Williamstown, La Jolla, etc. But that is quite a steep hill to climb."

I think that's just becoming the new norm. Which makes it kind of remarkable that shows like HARMONY and THE NOTEBOOK are capitalized at only $15M (per SEC).

It's eventually going to hit a breaking point and scare away a lot of investors.

Or a show that's higher-profile and more expensive than ROOM is going to get announced and then canceled before previews start because they can't capitalize it.

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 8:25pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "DaveyG said: "I cannot get my head around the 19.5 million dollar price tag. I get that it includes all development, Williamstown, La Jolla, etc. But that is quite a steep hill to climb."

I think that's just becoming the new norm. Which makes it kind of remarkable that shows like HARMONY and THE NOTEBOOK are capitalized at only$15M (per SEC).

It's eventually going to hit a breaking point and scare away a lot of investors.

Or a show that's higher-profile and more expensive than ROOM is going to get announced and then canceled before previews start because they can't capitalize it."

Eventually? I think we're already there. 

[Robbie2]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 9:03pm

This is one we've been waiting for..............

https://lempickamusical.com/

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 9:11pm

I’m surprised more shows aren’t doing more matinees. It worked out well for a beautiful noise. 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 9:52pm

Broadway Flash said: "I’m surprised more shows aren’t doing more matinees. It worked out well for a beautiful noise."

That won’t work for most productions, but shows that appeal to older audiences (not just in NY) should absolutely do more matinees. 

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 9:53pm

PipingHotPiccolo said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "It's eventually going to hit a breaking point and scare away a lot of investors."

Eventually? I think we're already there."

Not at all. Once Upon a One More Time, Here Lies Love, Back to the Future, Lempicka, Suffs, Cabaret, and Water for Elephants are all $19 mil or greater. That's definitely more hyper-expensive musicals than the past few seasons. There is no sign of investor softness yet. 

I agree that it will come though. 

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 10:13pm

Water For Elephants is having trouble raising their full capitalization...

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 11:16pm

BoringBoredBoard40 said: "Water For Elephants is having trouble raising their full capitalization..."

That does not surprise me. PIPPIN had dazzling circus thrills, came to Broadway with big buzz, and cost just $8.5mil a decade ago. This is $25mil, it had a solid but muted response out of town, and there's a lot of competition. I like the songs I've heard from it but it's far from a sure bet. And it has a committee of lead producers with mixed track records.

The investor hesitance could come as soon as this season, maybe with some of the titles jkcohen cites. & usually investor fears is a sign of trouble to come.

A show like SUFFS -- a serious, politically-minded, mixed-reviews musical -- is a massive risk because winning Best Musical might be its only shot at actually succeeding, and I doubt Jill Furman wants to put up half the capitalization herself. LEMPICKA might have slightly broader appeal, but it's still a very grownup musical.

[Voter]

Posted: 10/31/23 at 10:30am

BoringBoredBoard40 said: "Water For Elephants is having trouble raising their full capitalization..."

As are most shows. There are productions that start previews in literal weeks that still don't have theirs fully raised.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/31/23 at 11:18am

Voter said: "BoringBoredBoard40 said: "Water For Elephants is having trouble raising their full capitalization..."

As are most shows. There are productions that start previews in literal weeks that still don't have theirs fully raised."

It's quite common for investors to come onto a show after previews have begun. The amount un-committed + context surrounding the show is what raises red flags and keeps people up at night:

If a big-ish musical like HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO (starting previews in literal weeks) still needed to raise, like, 15%, that's a newsworthy problem whether it's the responsibility of the lead producer or multiple co-producers. If advance sales are soft or buzz is mixed during previews, it's a massive risk not to have funds committed by then. Which is different than having room for a handful of single-unit investors to join after previews start.

[Ke3]

Posted: 10/31/23 at 11:28am

lopside said: "barcelona20 said: "BETTY22 said: "I could not be more excited about this. We are going to have a brilliant new season of new original musicals!

As exciting as this announcement is, the sad truth is that most will not succeed. Many excellent shows and performances will be lost amongst the crowd.

"

The crowding honestly feels a detrimental to all of them. None of the new ones coming in have enough heat behind them already, except maybe the Notebook with its greater name recognition, but we've seen that that iften can turn out to be nothing."

The days in the 70s and the 90s when theatres were sitting empty for seasons at a time was seen as incredibly embarrassing for the industry as a whole. I don't ever forsee a time where it's allowed to happen again. A series of flops is better than no shows at all in many minds.