Posted: 4/9/15 at 11:32pm
This was my first Broadway show, so it will always hold a place in my heart. I do like it, but not as much as other shows. And, 14 years is an excellent run.
Posted: 4/9/15 at 11:42pm
"wait a minute, the show made over $800,000 last week. Why is it closing?"
Most likely because they've reached the point where the strong weeks during the heavy tourist seasons are not enough to float them through the leaner weeks.
announcing a closing now for the end of the summer gives them the benefit of being able to put out the "see it now before it's gone" ad campaigns during the summer, and even the possibility of adding additional weeks due to "popular demand."
Posted: 4/9/15 at 11:59pm
""wait a minute, the show made over $800,000 last week. Why is it closing?"
Most likely because they've reached the point where the strong weeks during the heavy tourist seasons are not enough to float them through the leaner weeks.
announcing a closing now for the end of the summer gives them the benefit of being able to put out the "see it now before it's gone" ad campaigns during the summer, and even the possibility of adding additional weeks due to "popular demand.""
The lean weeks have been very poor so i imagine Craymer has realised that its time to pull the plug before they lose more money in the months after summer.
Posted: 4/10/15 at 2:11am
Congrats to the broadway mamma mia long run, for making so many people happy and for employing so many people.
This show is fun, and has introduced new generations to the simple joy of a well written ABBA pop song....
I really believed like many others this show would continue for years.
Its a stunning achievement to make the DECADE CLUB on broadway, the only other members are:
Phantom
Chicago
Cats
Lion King
Les Miserables
A Chorus Line
Beauty and the Beast
Rent
Miss Saigon
Wicked
Jersey Boys (will join in nov 2015)
The original Mamma Mia is still running in London where i first saw it 6500 shows and fifth longest running musical in West end history(after les miz, phantom, blood brothers and cats)
Posted: 4/10/15 at 2:12am
When we're all dead, probably. ^
Posted: 4/10/15 at 2:15am
It angers me so much that JERSEY BOYS is among the small decade list.
Posted: 4/10/15 at 2:19am
Why? Many people like Jersey Boys, so naturally it deserves to be open as long as people keep going to see it.
Posted: 4/10/15 at 6:26am
I'm surprised that it's actually closing, shows like this really do seem like they'll go on forever.
Saying that, I sort of thought that moving out of the Winter Garden might kill it. It just seemed a lot more prominent right in the middle of Broadway and 7th.
Posted: 4/10/15 at 6:33am
"It angers me so much that JERSEY BOYS is among the small decade list."
While Jersey Boys wasn't the absolute best show I've ever seen, I think most people would agree it was pretty entertaining and a better-made show in terms of reaching different audiences than say Mamma Mia.
Posted: 4/10/15 at 7:02am
Sad news.
And bad news.
For if Broadway now sees the closing of a bright, joyful show with tuneful music that entertains audiences royally, what is going to now come in to replace it? A show of the same kind, or some dirgical by one the present-day critics' darlings, some pretentious bore from Great Britain, or some asinine, infantile drivel dredged from a sewer that the critics will swoon over?
You know the answer.
We all do.
Bad, bad news.
Posted: 4/10/15 at 7:12am
After Eight, are you somehow timewarp-broadcasting your messages from the mid-1970s?
Because what you call "dirgicals" haven't dominated Broadway's box office for at least a couple of decades. Unless you are including PHANTOM and, frankly, the music there just isn't good enough.
MAMMA MIA's replacement has been running for years already: it's called JERSEY BOYS.
Posted: 4/10/15 at 9:12am
I do feel bad for the people that will be put out of work and hope they all find fast employment but I'm also part of the group that has been wishing this show to close for some time.
I saw it aound the time it opened because I do admittedly love ABBA but the whole show was just weak fluff to me...fun perhaps at the time but less so now.
Im sure there will be a lot of hype as its closing nears since it has that stamp of being a show than ran over a decade.
Posted: 4/10/15 at 9:35am
I think Misery is a possibility, but I know there has been some talk of Rebecca trying again, so I'm wondering if they'll want their old theater back now that it's available.
Posted: 4/10/15 at 10:21am
Rebecca needs to open this year or the current producers will lose the rights. VWB has been very gratuitous towards Sprecher, however, given that they have extended the rights from 2013, then 2014, and now 2015. Hard to believe it could be the THIRD time the marquee was up at the Broadhurst!
Posted: 4/10/15 at 10:26am
"A show of the same kind, or some dirgical by one the present-day critics' darlings, some pretentious bore from Great Britain, or some asinine, infantile drivel dredged from a sewer that the critics will swoon over?"
Ironically, MAMMA MIA! is in fact asinine, infantile drivel dredged from a Great Britain sewer that the critics swooned over and gave darling reviews.
Posted: 4/10/15 at 10:31am
Finally. It's garbage no matter if it had you dancing in the aisles or not. Pure junk. Painful.
Next, Phantom. Enough is enough with these epic runs. These theaters need new tenants.
Posted: 4/10/15 at 10:45am
"These theaters need new tenants."
Not if the shows keep raking in cash and pleasing audiences every week.
Updated On: 4/10/15 at 10:45 AM
Posted: 4/10/15 at 11:08am
I wonder if this will resurface in a few years a la Les Miz. Maybe they'll send out a revamped tour, and then play a limited engagement on Broadway? I wonder if they'll try and do a "revisal" type thing and restage it or something.
Posted: 4/10/15 at 11:10am
I look forward to MAMMA MIA! being featured at Encores! in 2067.
Posted: 4/10/15 at 11:21am
Sad to see it go, but happy it had such a long run. I remember seeing the original London cast shortly after it opened and have fond memories of seeing the pre-Broadway engagement in Chicago with my dad. Loved the show and had a wonderful time. If that's considered garbage, please let Broadway be blessed with more garbage in its future. There will always be other options available to those who wish to see something else.
Posted: 4/10/15 at 11:35am
Always sad when a show closes, regardless if it's a long, long run or a premature closing.
Having actors, musicians, crew, box office personnel out of work is not a good thing.
I saw the show right after it opened and really, really enjoyed it. Saw it many times during the C Carmello years. She was fantastic!
Posted: 4/10/15 at 11:57am
I've been a fan of Mamma Mia since 2001, but actually have never seen it on Broadway (saw Toronto and then a nat tour). I will definitely be going on Broadway sometime during the summer now. It had an excellent run and has created a lot of jobs and made a lot of money worldwide. All involved should be proud.
Posted: 4/10/15 at 12:09pm
This is terrible news for any theatre fan that visits New York and I tell you why.
Just like Rock of Ages both shows were light hearted fluff shows and enjoyable both in there own way, but both shows performed on a Sunday Night/Monday Night when seeing a Broadway show is challenging.
So going to make those Sunday/Monday evenings very difficult now.
Posted: 4/10/15 at 12:36pm
A harmless, fun, joyous night out at the theater that did a lot for our city post 9/11. Is it a masterpiece? No. Did I have a smile on my face the whole night? Yes. Besides, that overture is downright infectious.
