"OZ" is CRITIC PROOF!

[Horsey!!!]

Posted: 12/8/03 at 9:15pm

I LOVE the fact that this show is "thumbing it's nose" at the critics who slammed the show, by having SOARING ticket sales and setting Box-Office Records AFTER receiving negative reviews! So much for the power-of-the-printed-word.
"OZ" ticket sales THRU THE ROOF!

[PigletH13]

Posted: 12/8/03 at 9:17pm

From one horse to another...AMEN!

[thirdrowcenter]

Posted: 12/8/03 at 9:23pm

The Hugh Factor baby

[Horsey!!!]

Posted: 12/8/03 at 9:24pm

Yes...and God Bless Him.

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 12/8/03 at 9:31pm

What happens when Hugh goes home?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/8/03 at 9:34pm

Big Problem - Huge

[Phantom2]

Posted: 12/8/03 at 10:22pm

The entire BFO cast works their asses off. No wonder it's doing so well. Rob, is it OK to say ass on this board?

Sorry, I don't mean to offend anyone.

Updated On: 12/8/03 at 10:22 PM

[Horsey!!!]

Posted: 12/8/03 at 11:48pm

Mr. Jackman has signed on to stay with the show for a full year. Will the show close upon his departure? Who knows? The show earned back it's ten million dollar investment BEFORE it even opened. Personally, I think a "one year run" on Broadway is long enough for ANY show. Dinosaurs like CATS, A CHORUS LINE, LES MIS, sat in theatres FAR TOO LONG taking up prime theatre space and preventing new shows from opening due to limited available venues. RENT should have closed five years ago...instead of chugging along and becoming the atrocity it never should have become. Updated On: 12/8/03 at 11:48 PM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/9/03 at 6:08am

Horsey

It is very hard for a show to recoup in a year . The whole idea is the longest most profitable run & 1 year won't cut it when it cost $ 10 to $ 15 million to stage a musical. Guaranteed "Wicked" is looking for many years & should be easier to recast. Freeing up theater space is no problem as a slew of Broadway shows have just closed. They will try & find a replacement . Who will it be ?

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 12/9/03 at 6:49am

If Hugh Jackman weren't in BOY FROM OZ, it would have closed weeks ago.

He is the Tiffany diamond in a dung ball of a show.

And the minute he leaves, it's gone.

As it should be.

Updated On: 12/9/03 at 06:49 AM

[A_Boy_From_Oz]

Posted: 12/9/03 at 8:20am

Yes, I believe that Hugh is what is keeping the show going. I only went to see the show because he was in it, not realizing what a wonderful show it is on it's own.

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 12/9/03 at 8:38am

$10 million in ticket sales does NOT in any way imply that a show has paid off its initial investment ... or ANY of it.

[Horsey!!!]

Posted: 12/9/03 at 11:14am

Roxy & JohnPopa,

If you read my post you'll notice that I said that the show earned back it's ten million dollar INVESTMENT. Which is exactly what it did (before it opened.) I did not say that it earned what it would need to keep the show running for a year. And YES, the show HAS ALREADY EARNED BACK it's INITAL INVESTMENT (and then some.)
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/82016.html
Updated On: 12/9/03 at 11:14 AM

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 12/9/03 at 11:16am

But that's a completely irrelevant statistic, really, other than it shows tickets are selling. It doesn't have a lick to say about the financial stability of the production or its long term potential to repay its backers.

[LA Guy]

Posted: 12/9/03 at 5:03pm

JohnPopa, you are exactly right (sorry Horsey). For instance, even though Sunset Blvd set records with its advance (I think it was around $36million) when it opened, it technicaly never recouped it's investment before it closed.

Advance tickets sales really don't factor into whether or not a show recoups. Its about the profits made each week being paid back to investors.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/9/03 at 5:54pm

To Master LC

You are totally wrong re Oz but you are entitled to your opinion

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 12/9/03 at 6:16pm

And, you believe this why, Roxy?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/9/03 at 6:40pm

Everyone at the performance we attended gave the entire cast a standing ovation & everyone either I or who my wife have spoken to have unanimously raved about it. Whoever pays for their tickets is entitled to their opinion. If people do not like it, that is their perogative. It was one of the most enjoyable shows I have seen & , at last count , I have seen about 400 plus over the years. It is my opinion nothing more & nothing less. I would recomend it but everyone has to make their own decision

Updated On: 12/9/03 at 06:40 PM

[mamamia sammy]

Posted: 12/9/03 at 6:46pm

I am my own wife.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/9/03 at 6:47pm

To MamaMia Sammy

Good For You. Saves money on anniversary presents

[alterego]

Posted: 12/9/03 at 9:45pm

I didn't care much for the show here in Australia. From all that I have seen/read (about the Broadway show) it suffers the same problems that were evident here. Who could replace Jackman? If they were looking for an Australian with a US profile they could try Eric Bana (Blackhawk Down & The Hulk). Not as big a name but still a possibilty. In Australia he is known as a comic/singer. Then again there is Heath Ledger, though he maybe a little young.

[ozboy]

Posted: 12/10/03 at 12:08am

I remember reading a while ago that, should the show reach a year, Todd McKenny (who played Peter in the Australian production) would be first in line to take over from Hugh. Although, I don't know if there's any truth to that.

[alterego]

Posted: 12/10/03 at 8:13am

But who would buy a ticket to see him? I would have thought they may have offered him understudy to Jackman, seeing as the producers did help organise his Green Card for him to originally appear in Oz.