Understudy Joined: 12/19/15
I have been hearing from various sources that Matilda will come to a close on broadway soon? It has been grossing average but seems to be really popular even after 3 years running. What have you heard, I'm assuming with Charlie and The Chocolate Factory coming this is possible?
I haven't heard anything, but their grosses are down. It is a pretty large cast with kids, so I am sure they are almost breaking even.
Stand-by Joined: 4/9/15
The newest broadway Matildas were announced with this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsaNGhc6r4g and there are only three. So they're definitely at least trying to cut down on costs.
I could see it either when most of the adults contracts are up in September or January to get the holiday money. Even then I bet they are breaking even for most of these dead weeks.
Broadway Star Joined: 1/29/16
I read a post about it on the Charlie thread, but other than that I haven't heard much. I hope that this isn't true.
Matilda, is a way better musical than the awful Charlie.
To be fair, it sounds as if Charlie is going to be completely reworked before it gets to Broadway, and the show we'll get may bear little resemblance to what's being seen in London.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/03
Re: 3 Matilda's instead of 4.
They doesn't mean they are hiring fewer people. They can not eliminate people / shrink the size of the cast without mediation from AEA. What likely happened is that instead of a 4th Matilda, they turned that 'track' into a swing / understudy track because they have found that to be a wiser use of a performer after seeing that the show works well on tour with three Matilda's.
When HAIRSPRAY was running and they went from having Inez played by a child to an adult actor, they were able to elk ate the child wrangler staff position. As Matilda has multiple children, that won't happen here.
(The Broadway production DID add the show curtain early in the run to allow pre-set / warm up to continue on stage after the house opens for seating, helping to cut down on crew overtime costs.)
OP, who are your "various sources"?
They obviously don't hold much weight if you have to come check with us.
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