Little Women –it’s weekly operating costs

[joniray]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 9:46am

I'm curious, with a ten-person cast and an eleven-person orchestra, I would think that the running costs of this show are pretty modest and that they have been making a decent size weekly profit to go towards recouping. Of course, the reviews this week could change that for better or worse, but unless it gets completely lambasted by the critics (which would surprise me), it looks like there is a decent chance for this show to recoup in the long run.

Regardless of my own opinion of the show (I didn’t care for it too much), I would really like to see this exceed. I’m hoping that all the producers who continue to insist on backing big gaudy theme-park type shows (I’m mostly talking about the jukebox musicals) will see that there still can be a place for a smaller musical drama with an original score and that it can be profitable. So I’ll be keeping a close eye on the numbers for this one.

Anyone have an idea as to how much their weekly running costs actually are?

[Switz78]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 10:27am

did you mean "exceed" as in their original investment or succeed?
I'm not too sure of their operating costs but I do know they have been papering the house like crazy for the past 2 weeks, so a good portion of the audience was not paying for their tickets.
Which hurts when trying to make a profit.

[ElphieDefiesGravity]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 11:02am

When do reviews come out?

[meagan9848]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 11:24am

not until it officially opens...which is either tomorrow or a week from tomorrow maybe?

[joniray]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 11:50am

Switz78, I meant "succeed." Oops! Sorry about that.

Even though the house has been papered, they have still been grossing between 416,332 and 643,649 a week. If I had to guess, I would put their running costs at just under 400,000. If that is in the ballpark, the show may have already made 1/2 a million of it's investment back. And it hasn't opened yet. That's not bad really.

Of course my 400,000 guess could be really off, which is why I was wondering if anyone knew the actual amount needed to make a profit.

ElphieDefiesGravity, I was under the impression that the show was opening tomorrow or Friday, but according to playbill.com it is scheduled to open this Sunday, so, if that is correct, the reviews will be out on Monday.

[baddadnpa]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 11:50am

Truthfully, I saw the show last Saturday night and unless it gets revised before opening, I don't anticipate a long run. There were only two or three memorable songs, and aside from Sutton's performance, there wasn't much happening up on the stage that was exciting.

[#1Elphie]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 12:02pm

It opens January 23d.
I don't see it lasting too long, either. There are some major problems with it.

[Tiny-Toon]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 12:15pm

I liked it.. but I also not seeing it lasting too long, we need the VIRGINA for another LITTLE SHOP revival!!!

[juice23]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 3:57pm

i have to disagree with you guys. I saw the show on the 15th and thought it was excellent! i went in thinking i was gonna hate it (BASED on reviews here and the fact im a guy) and came out loving it. I thought the entire cast was very solid...and Yes Sutton really is amazing up there...but i thought the rest of the cast was top notch. Ms Mcgovern was fantastic too! I think there were some really good songs in there...and although i cant remember them all now, I loved hearing them during the show. (If they make a CD it will help people remember how good the music is). I thought the book was also really good, and one of the most complete books of the new shows out there now. I think i caught maybe one little hole, but it didnt detract from the story. Its got a good score, good book, GREAT cast, and a BIG HEART. The sets are also really cool. I hope this show does well... I can see families with preteen/ teenagers going together and having a great time...i know my family did. I wish the show the best- and I really think it deserves a healthy run. sorry i rambled lol but i just wanted to express my feelings on the show.

[umgeoboy]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 4:45pm

juice i agree. Somewhere on here i wrote a long review of the show (and 3 other shows).

I am male as well and only went to the show to see sutton foster but fell in love with the show. the music is great and the performances are wonderful!

I hope this one lasts for a while...cause all we need is another wonderful jukebox musical...jk

Updated On: 1/19/05 at 04:45 PM

[Benzy92]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 5:51pm

my guess is that the weekly nut is around 400,000 at the most.

[juice23]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 10:40pm

thanks geo... i just dont get why people arent liking it. It definatly is a standout among the crap thats been opening lately (I mean it actually has a book lol unlike Brooklyn (which for me was nothing special except for about 4 songs. I dunno... Its quality and family friendly entertainment... and its great. I hope others are as blown away as i was, not just by the amazing Sutton, but by the whole production.

[borninaditch]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 10:55pm

I've also seen it. Although it was the tour and I do agree that some stuff should be changed. I feel Suttons peformance and the stronger numbers kept the show flowing. I'm not sure how it will do in NYC, but at Duke, it went great. Everynight was sold out and people were really into it. I think this show is going to appeal to children more. I hope it lasts on Broadway!

However- Sutton is AMAZING!

[rubydoo]

Posted: 1/20/05 at 12:14am

I loved this show, certainly more than a lot of the people who have posted here. I'm glad to see that the recent postings are quite favorable. Maybe it's because of the changes that have been made? I know that I'd enjoy taking my young daughter (or son), if I had one, to see it. If you're looking for Wicked, you won't find it at Little Women. It may wind up, like Wicked, being one of those shows that makes it even if the reviews aren't raves. I, myself, liked Wicked a lot, but, puh-lease, it's is not God's gift to the theater-going like many here seem to think. From a business standpoint, Little Women has a lot of built-in equity because so many women have seen a film version (1 in 4) or read the book (1 in 6). Brantley and his crew were at tonight's performance. He usually doesn't like this type of show, but we'll see on Monday morning, or Sunday night online. My guess is that it probably costs $500K/week to operate, including royalties to the author, composer, lyricist, etc.

[ElphieDefiesGravity]

Posted: 1/20/05 at 11:38am

I also really love this show, but borninaditch, I happen to know that it was NOT sold out every night at Duke. I went three times and if I remember correctly there were quite a few empty seats the first two times I saw it. I also know that they gave out TONS and TONS of comps. I do agree that people seemed to really enjoy it, though.

[umgeoboy]

Posted: 1/20/05 at 11:44am

ruby with a cast as small as it is i would be suprised if their running cost were that high i would put it down in the 300-400 range.

[macbeth]

Posted: 1/20/05 at 12:08pm

Probably in the 3-400k range from what I've heard as well.

[rubydoo]

Posted: 1/20/05 at 12:47pm

Hey, juice23, it's not that people in general aren't liking it. From what I've seen, they are. It's that many people HERE aren't liking it, although this seems to be changing a bit. I wonder what the demographic profile of this group is. I suspect it has something to do with it, but, again, I'm only suspecting, not pontificating.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 10:06pm

Like several other gentlemen on this thread, I loved "Little Women", especially when I expected to hate it. My wife dragged me to it last week. We were both crying by the end of the first act. Sutton is fantastic as Jo. From where I'm sitting, she's got a lock on the Tony.

Maureen McGovern was stunning as Marmee. The name is escaping me, but the song she sang about writing a letter to her husband really moved me. I see a long and successful run in its future.

I heard a rumor yesterday that Sutton and Christian Borle are engaged. Can anyone confirm?