Next tenant for the Marquis?

[OuttaTowner]

Posted: 1/7/20 at 5:56am

Anyone have any intel?

Now that Tootsie has concluded its run - and theater space is at a premium this season - I thought wed hear of a new taker.

[Theatrefanboy1]

Posted: 1/7/20 at 6:29am

Honestly I would have expected beetle juice to have jumped in it. I wonder though if it’ll remain open for a while with limited runs coming in to it.

[Theatrefanboy1]

Posted: 1/7/20 at 6:34am

I will however go out on a limb and say that &Juliet will make a transfer over here in the fall 2020 and they will use the Marquis

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 1/7/20 at 7:31am

Not a chance &Juliet will hit Broadway next year.

[Famebroadway2]

Posted: 1/7/20 at 9:50am

Almost Famous 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 1/7/20 at 10:48am

Yesterday, someone on here claimed that the next tenant was a Jukebox musical. Michael Riedel had said months ago that the UK revival of JOSEPH was looking at the Marquis for a summer run.

[haterobics]

Posted: 1/7/20 at 10:51am

OuttaTowner said: "theater space is at a premium this season"

Unlike all those other seasons where they couldn't find shows to fill the theaters?

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 1/7/20 at 11:04am

hmmm..would &Juliet AND Once Upon A One More Time both be on Broadway at the same time? They're kinda the same concept

[Hamilfan2]

Posted: 1/7/20 at 11:05am

I think Almost Famous has claim on it for a while, but after the tepid reviews in it’s pre-Broadway tryout that show is in a bit of a limbo at the moment. So now it’s up in the air again.

[bdn223]

Posted: 1/7/20 at 11:37am

Theatrefanboy1 said: "Honestly I would have expected beetle juice to have jumped in it. I wonder though if it’ll remain open for a while with limited runs coming in to it."

The issue Beetlejuice has when it comes to moving theaters is that the Winter Garden is one of the more uniquely shaped theaters on Broadway. The Winter Garden has the third widest stage of any of Broadways proscenium theaters (this excludes the Circle in the Square, as its in the round, and the Beaumont as its a thrust stage), but it also has the 5th shortest proscenium. Add to that the theater is the 10th largest theater in terms of capacity. In terms of a way to think about it as a metaphor think of Broadway theaters as a piece of paper, nearly all theaters are set up in a portrait design, but the Winter Garden, and the Gershwin are set up in landscape. This is also likely why Scott Rudin was not willing to move The Music Man, to  a different theater despite being over a year out from its first preview when tickets went on a sale in September, and the negotiations between Warner Brothers Theater Group and him began in an attempt to allow Beetlejuice to stay at the Winter Garden.

Yes I know Mamma Mia moved to the Broadhurst, but Mamma Mia was not a tech heavy musical production. The production was essentially a unit set on a turn table, that was moved off stage during the finale, allowing for a deck/pier to rise out of the stage. Beetlejuice on the other hand has a full house built on the stage that is thrust forward and backward to make way for other sets including the attic, the facade of the house, the multiple locations netherworld, and the graveyard. Al of these sets were built to specifically frame the stage, unlike other productions such as a Tootsie, Mean Girls, The Book of Mormon, which have smaller set pieces move on and off stage  to more so symbolize locations and its the backdrop thats instead used to frame the stage.

I also find it hard to believe that Marriott would allow Timbers to redesign the theater lobby to transform it into the world of Tim Burton, as it would be an "eye sore" for hotel and conference guests. Part of the magic of Alex Timber's direction is the fact that the audience enters the world of Tim Burton as soon they enter the theater, not simply the auditorium. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 1/7/20 at 11:49am

I also think the Marquis would be a terrible choice for Beetlejuice. Maybe if Mean Girls shutters this Spring it could move to the August Wilson? Or if SIX bombs, maybe the Brooks? The Barrymore is likely too small, even if The Inheritance closes early. The Longacre is also likely too small and has limited wing space, even if DIANA bombs.

[Det95]

Posted: 1/7/20 at 11:52am

I don't think it will be Almost Famous. At the Light in the Piazza stage door in Chicago Solea Pfeiffer said it was aiming for the fall.

[Ledaero]

Posted: 1/7/20 at 12:07pm

Hamilfan2 said: "I think Almost Famous has claim on it for a while, but after the tepid reviews in it’s pre-Broadway tryout that show is in a bit of a limbo at the moment. So now it’s up in the air again."

Tepid reviews? Can you source those? I only remember hearing pretty positive reviews and word-of-mouth, and if I'm not mistaken it made a lot of Best of 2019 lists in Southern California. I was under the impression that the show was waiting until the fall because the Marquis is the only available theatre and it's too large for the show to want to take it.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 1/7/20 at 12:18pm

Theatrefanboy1 said: "Honestly I would have expected beetle juice to have jumped in it. I wonder though if it’ll remain open for a while with limited runs coming in to it. "

Speaking the other day to a friend who works at the show about the possibility of moving theatres, he basically said “who knows what’ll happen but no, it’s gonna happen”.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 1/7/20 at 12:18pm

I cannot see Beetlejuice moving without a full overhaul of its design, and probably also scaling back the cast and orchestra size. I would think the producers are grappling with:  Do the design and the original Broadway cast make the show what it is? I would lean towards yes, but nobody really knows the answer to that (yet).

It's probably more lucrative to close on a high note and then going out on tour. And possibly return for a Labor Day-to-New Years engagement in New York in a few years, if there is demand.

[Impossible2]

Posted: 1/7/20 at 12:22pm

ACL2006 said: "I also think the Marquis would be a terrible choice for Beetlejuice. Maybe if Mean Girls shutters this Spring it could move to the August Wilson? Or if SIX bombs, Not gonna happen maybe the Brooks? The Barrymore is likely too small, even if The Inheritance closes early. The Longacre is also likely too small and has limited wing space, even if DIANA bombs will definitely happen.."

 

[bdn223]

Posted: 1/7/20 at 12:43pm

ACL2006 said: "I also think the Marquis would be a terrible choice for Beetlejuice. Maybe if Mean Girls shutters this Spring it could move to the August Wilson? Or if SIX bombs, maybe the Brooks? The Barrymore is likely too small, even if The Inheritance closes early. The Longacre is also likely too small and has limited wing space, even if DIANA bombs."

If SIX bombs its producers need to stop working in theater. The show will have some of the smallest running costs in recent Broadway memory, and unless there is something I am not thinking about its a cast of 9 relatively unknowns, with a 4 member band, on a small unit set that mostly uses lights, and no costume changes.... The running costs will likely be at most $450K a week, and I would assume even less and running costs closer to $350-$400. 

[Impossible2]

Posted: 1/7/20 at 1:08pm

bdn223 said: "ACL2006 said: "I also think the Marquis would be a terrible choice for Beetlejuice. Maybe if Mean Girls shutters this Spring it could move to the August Wilson? Or if SIX bombs, maybe the Brooks? The Barrymore is likely too small, even if The Inheritance closes early. The Longacre is also likely too small and has limited wing space, even if DIANA bombs."

IfSIXbombs its producers need to stop working in theater. The show will have some of the smallest running costs in recent Broadway memory, and unless there is something I am not thinking about its a cast of 9 relatively unknowns, with a 4 member band,on a small unit set that mostly uses lights, and no costume changes.... The running costs will likely be at most $450K a week, and I would assume even less and running costs closer to $350-$400."

The Broadway set is going to be much 'bigger' than the usual set, but still you are correct.

If they stuff this up they shouldn't really be allowed to work in theatre again.

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 1/7/20 at 3:20pm

Not to go too much off-topic, but I feel bad for the cast of Diana (is it strange that they haven't announced any further casting?) I am baffled that show is transferring after the reports I heard from La Jolla. And while I liked Amelie quite a bit, I can't help but feel this will go the same route on Broadway.

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 1/7/20 at 3:25pm

Why feel bad? Sure they’re all excited for a Broadway gig for however long the show lasts.

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 1/7/20 at 3:41pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Theatrefanboy1 said: "Honestly I would have expected beetle juice to have jumped in it. I wonder though if it’ll remain open for a while with limited runs coming in to it. "

Speaking the other day to a friend who works at the show about the possibility of moving theatres, he basically said “who knows what’ll happen but no, it’s gonna happen”."

That's a... very confusing statement. Sounds like three possible outcomes in one sentence to me: 

"Who knows what'll happen but no, it's gonna happen." ???

[Jarethan]

Posted: 1/7/20 at 4:01pm

It won’t, but The Music Man should go to the Marquis. Guaranteed smash hit while Jackman is in it, bigger theatre than the WH, bigger grosses, etc. Rudin may love the Shubert’s, but if he is going to lose interest in MM as soon as Jackman leaves, why not have even bigger grosses at the Marquis until then.

 

Updated On: 1/7/20 at 04:01 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 1/7/20 at 4:41pm

Sorry for the confusion. It was very much like “I might win the lottery tomorrow and move to Italy and marry a supermodel...but it’s not gonna happen” if that makes sense.

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 1/7/20 at 5:01pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Sorry for the confusion. It was very much like “I might win the lottery tomorrow and move to Italy and marry a supermodel...but it’s not gonna happen” if that makes sense. "

Got it! Thanks for the clarification. For a second there I thought he was giving us some sort of riddle 

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 1/7/20 at 9:32pm

bdn223 said: "ACL2006 said: "I also think the Marquis would be a terrible choice for Beetlejuice. Maybe if Mean Girls shutters this Spring it could move to the August Wilson? Or if SIX bombs, maybe the Brooks? The Barrymore is likely too small, even if The Inheritance closes early. The Longacre is also likely too small and has limited wing space, even if DIANA bombs."

IfSIXbombs its producers need to stop working in theater. The show will have some of the smallest running costs in recent Broadway memory, and unless there is something I am not thinking about its a cast of 9 relatively unknowns, with a 4 member band,on a small unit set that mostly uses lights, and no costume changes.... The running costs will likely be at most $450K a week, and I would assume even less and running costs closer to $350-$400."

I do worry about the ticket cost. The Arts Theatre in London sells out weeks in advance, but it's only like 350 seats and the top ticket price is roughly $85 per ticket. Meanwhile the Brooks is a lot bigger and regular orchestra/front mezzanine are $149 each, and a lot of those are still available. I wish it well,  but reviews and buzz need to be big to maintain that ticket cost for a show that's 80 minutes after the first few months.