Life Through Licensing

[BritCrit]

Posted: 11/1/22 at 8:22pm

With the new Paper Mill production of Hercules announcing licensing plans rather than Broadway ones, I wonder if more musicals are going to take advantage of the licensing route - It makes far more money, far sooner, and is less reliant on waiting for a small group of large New York theatres to open up.

Several musicals based on well-known brands/individuals have held pre-Broadway runs but have failed to announce further plans (The Karate Kid, Once Upon a One More Time, Lempicka, etc). With time running out to snatch the remaining few spots on Broadway for 2022-23 season, will they come up with an alternative strategy (which will likely include licensing) or simply keep waiting?