Nathan and Matthew and THE PRODUCERS- Page 2

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/5/04 at 4:17pm

The only discount I have seen have been $75 tickets for ones normally priced $100, which is still a bit high in my opinion. I don't think that show will go anywhere for a while, though.

[saddle shoe side kick]

Posted: 8/5/04 at 4:22pm

It definately won't be closing or going anywhere anytime soon. -Penny

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 8/5/04 at 4:27pm

Margo, there was a period of several weeks at least last year before their return where it was in the 70% range weekly. I do know its been higher lately.

[orchajaws]

Posted: 8/5/04 at 6:13pm

Thank you Bronxbound.
As per....."I can not believe you just said that. Anyone is worthy of replacing Nathan and Mathew if they have talent. Roger Bart has talent. Hunter Foster has talent. Brad Oscar has talent. Believe it or not, you don't have to have a big name to have talent. If they are having trouble filling the theatre it will not close. There are smaller theatres on Broadway."
I never said that they were not talented. But, in terms of their performances in "The Producers," they simply do not compare to Nathan and Matthew - if they did, there would be much more press, Brantley would give them appropriate reviews, they would not try to IMITATE those whom they are succeeding, and the show would not be running at 70%-85%. There are various 'big names' who would be suitable to replace Nathan and Matthew, and not try to imitate them on stage. They would make it their own, and make people want to come see the show because THEY are in it. Let me tell you, if Robert Klein signed on (who, by the way KMF, has an extraordinary singing voice, great stage presence, and impeccable delivery), I would love to go to see the show just to see him - he would be nothing like Nathan Lane, very different, but still funny and with a different take on the character. David Schwimmer's nerd would be VERY different from that of Broderick.

[saddle shoe side kick]

Posted: 8/5/04 at 6:21pm

I saw Brad Oscar and Roger Bart in the roles and they were just as good if not better in some parts than Matthew and Nathan. They just don't have the big names and they do not try to imitate the originals. -Penny

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 8/5/04 at 6:45pm

Please check the link. It is not running 70-85%. The show has not dipped below the mid-80s since last fall, over 9 months ago (and even then, it only happened for four weeks). It's been in the 90s or upper 80s every week for several months. Please check your facts before you post.

Why would a show grossing nearly $900K (several hundred thousand above break even) -- the 6th highest grossing show on Broadway --need to hire Robert Klein or some other name when it's doing amazingly well without any stars? Remember stars cost money and that cuts into the bottom line. They're very likely more profitable right now, than they were when they were selling out with Nathan and Matthew (at capacity they were only grossing about $150K more per week than they are now, but they were paying $200K per week for Nathan and Matthew's salaries).

The show's producers have to change the public's perception that the show can only be successful when stars are in it or they will run into problems down the line. The SHOW has to be the star, no matter who's playing Max and Leo -- that's how it needs to be marketed and sold to the public. And you know what? Grossing $887,000, with no discounts and 90% capacity with Hunter Foster and Brad Oscar (who are complete unknowns to the general public) is pretty damn amazing -- a sign that the show is going to have a very long and healthy run.
http://www.playbill.com/features/article/87686.html

[SamIAm]

Posted: 8/5/04 at 10:00pm

I have to add that every few months the doom and gloom story gets dragged out to say that the show is washed up but the box office has really been very respectable and shows no sign of slowing down.

The biggest issue they had was when they were throwing all of their effort into getting big names and didn't seem to believe in the show or promote it. You'll note that their new ads have finally replaced the 'out in front' pictures of the stars with the chorus etc and started to promote the show instead of the stars.

There is no doubt that Lane and Broderick made these roles their own but the show is strong enough to stand on its own, a claim that Boy From Oz does not seem able to make. The fault, if there is any, seems to lie with the current trend of promoting the star name in the vehicle, thereby lending credence to the idea that when the star leaves, the show is not worth seeing.

There is a lot to see in the Producers with good solid talent at the helm as there is with Oscar et al. I don't see it closing soon and BTW all this talk about Box Office is very funny, given the fact that most shows would KILL to have anything close to the numbers The Producers continues to pull.

[orchajaws]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 12:58am

I bet that it (unfortunately), with this type of marketing and lack of star power, will be gone within the next two years - the St. James will be available whent the next Brooks/Meehan musical comes along..."Young Frankenstein."

[sabrelady]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 3:57am

BUT having seen both N.Y. sets of performers as well as a Canadian set I must again state my opinion that the show is simply not as strong as everything seems to make it appear. (Tonys etc) Without 2 strong comic leads w a good chemistry between them the show is truly hollow and its weak ponts more obvious. Seriously, I can't recall in toto any of the lyrics in full to any of the songs. Compare that Urinetown (as a recent show) and I can doo most of the "COP SONG" by heart. not to mention most of the "classic" shows & their lyrics. A friend of mine said not long ago watching "The King & I" "They don't write 'em like that now" Too True!

[SamIAm]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 10:19am

sabrelady, I'm sure everyone agrees that you need strong leads...no show or book is going to carry itself without good performances.

The point that was made earlier by several people is that there are other actors who can carry the show and the show is good enough to run without NL and MB. I was fortunate enough to see the original actors in these roles several times and there is a magic about it, but Brad and Roger (and Hunter) all seemed to be able to handle it without the audience being disappointed. The Canadian version (from what I've heard) was not good but that's not necessarily the show's weakness. As for hummable songs...when I listen to the CD, I can't stop singing 'Keep It Gay', 'I wanna be a producer' and 'Springtime for Hitler' so I guess I can't agree there.

[orchajaws]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 2:16pm

Oh, and Margo re: "It is not running 70-85%. The show has not dipped below the mid-80s since last fall, over 9 months ago (and even then, it only happened for four weeks)."
You know why it hasn't dipped below the mid-80s since last fall? It's because the strong Christmas period came about immediately after that, and, immediately after that, when the sales were bound to be gloomy, guess who pops up to stay with the show through mid-April? NATHAN and MATTHEW! And then rumors circulated about Kelsey Grammer coming and Martin Short coming - so people bought tickets for April and May (a relatively strong sales period to begin with - Spring in NYC, can't be nicer). And then, the summer comes, great sales, up to the mid-80s...then the fall and dreary winter months will kick in, and then you'll see what I mean......unless, of course, Nathan and Matthew decide to make a third return, or the producers decide to hire some stars. Updated On: 8/7/04 at 02:16 PM

[SamIAm]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 2:29pm

nathan and matthew did not stay with the show into April - they left in January

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 2:45pm

No, I'm pretty sure they left somewhere between April 4th and 6th, 2004. Again, this is their second run with the show I am referring to.

[SamIAm]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 5:31pm

Sorry - yes, started in 12/30 thru 4/4 -- sorry confused -- today is not a good day for thinking clearly

In any case, the show is still selling well, so I'm not particularly concerned