PARADE On Broadway - Reviews & News Thread- Page 13

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 2/20/23 at 8:30pm

dan94 said: "What's fascinating is there isn't an orchestrator listed anywhere. I wonder if it's JRB himself doing an extensive adaptation of the Sauter orchestrations.
"

Nice, thanks for that sleuthing. 17! My friend was wrong.

JRB is credited as co-orchestrator on the show's website. Don Sebesky and JRB were credited as orchestrators for the Encores production, which may be the credit here too if this is a reduction, not a re-orchestration. Updated On: 2/20/23 at 08:30 PM

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 2/20/23 at 8:36pm

nativenewyorker2 said: "People went from “maybe it will sell out in three hours” to “this show needs discounts to survive” hella fast"

Methinks those were always different people. Telecharge crashing never had anything to do with this show (it was related to Broadway Week starting up), that was simply some Miramontez press spin and some gullibility from folks here.

I hadn't looked at Tcharge recently, and it's *really* poorly sold after its 1st week. I'm not counting it out yet because it was announced so late, but I'd be shocked if there aren't solid discounts flooding the marketplace in previews and/or beyond.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/20/23 at 8:42pm

People posted multiple discount codes in this very thread. They exist already.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 2/20/23 at 11:38pm

RippedMan said: "People posted multiple discount codes in this very thread. They exist already."

Yes, I meant heavier discounts - TDF, big rush/lotto allocations, ShowScore & papering services, etc.

[Fanboy99]

Posted: 2/21/23 at 12:27am

Has there been a digital lottery yet? I know they announced once but I haven't seen it on the telecharge site yet.

[Ricey2]

Posted: 2/21/23 at 12:33am

They announced the digital lottery starts February 28th. 

[pethian]

Posted: 2/21/23 at 1:55am

nativenewyorker2 said: "People went from “maybe it will sell out in three hours” to “this show needs discounts to survive” hella fast"

I was about to say the same thing. While I never thought it would sell out in an instant, I thought it was enough of an 'event' that it would do better than it is currently doing.

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 2/21/23 at 2:46am

Can we finally admit Ben Platt isn't a draw

[Dollypop]

Posted: 2/21/23 at 7:10am

BoringBoredBoard40 said: "Can we finally admit Ben Platt isn't a draw "

People who only know him from the EVAN HANSEN movie are probably staying away in droves.

[binau]

Posted: 2/21/23 at 7:24am

I know it’s so different in style and subject matter, as well as theatre size, but Kimberly Akimbo has proven a show with a bad advance (worse than Parade when performances started IMO - shocking) can turn it around with good word of mouth. So I guess it’s really now just up to the creatives and performers to really wow the audience. I don’t know if true dear evan hansen Ben platt fans are the kind of people that actually would respond well to the show though. It’s almost like they’ve got a name that appeals to a different demographic than who I’d think would be interested in the show both to buy tickets and recommend to their friends. 

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 2/21/23 at 7:36am

I think if more people were to hear how beautiful this score is, that would help. God I hope they do a cast album! I can’t wait to see this in April! 

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 2/21/23 at 8:49am

I can't remember where I saw it, but I read that an album has been recorded already, and was done before they started tech rehearsals, I believe.

[yyys]

Posted: 2/21/23 at 9:04am

Yeah but they're selling thru August. 

Josh Groban is a draw for Sweeney Todd but only the first month is sold out.

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 2/21/23 at 10:50am

binau said: "I know it’s so different in style and subject matter, as well as theatre size, but Kimberly Akimbo has proven a show with a bad advance (worse than Parade when performances started IMO - shocking) can turn it around with good word of mouth. So I guess it’s really now just up to the creatives and performers to really wow the audience. I don’t know if true dear evan hansen Ben platt fans are the kind of people that actually would respond well to the show though. It’s almost like they’ve got a name that appeals to a different demographic than who I’d think would be interested in the show both to buy tickets and recommend to their friends."

I think the difference here is Kimberly Akimbo has a cast of 12 including standbys, where Parade is over 30. That isn’t even counting the much larger orchestra for Parade.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 2/21/23 at 11:04am

IdinaBellFoster said: "I think the difference here is Kimberly Akimbo has a cast of 12 including standbys, where Parade is over 30. That isn’t even counting the much larger orchestra for Parade."

Kimberly is ultimately a "feel-good" musical, whereas Parade is a "feel-bad" musical.

I have to wonder how much of the Platt "backlash" exists exclusively in an internet bubble. Other factors may be contributing to the anemic sales. Parade WOM being "it's a tough watch but well done & good performances" isn't exactly a ringing endorsement to the masses.

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 2/21/23 at 11:12am

I always felt it was kind of obvious that Parade would be a tough sell.  The show itself is very "inside baseball" musical theater, in that it's well-loved within the theater community but I doubt people outside of it have any idea what it's about.  And I think there's still been a general trend towards audiences picking feel good shows to go to.  Though I wonder if they could tap into more of Leopoldstadt's audience (have they been advertising the antisemitism aspect as much as they have Ben Platt?).  Even at City Center, people said it was impossible to get a ticket, but it was very very possible up to about the week of performances (not sure if this was an advertising issue or just the trend of people buying tickets closer to the performance date).  

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 2/21/23 at 12:01pm

Six years ago, Ben Platt was a Tony darling and seemed to be adored by anyone who saw his absolutely brilliant performance on stage. I was moved the entire time, what a performance! We all knew who his Father was back then and no one seemed to care, we were all just admiring his work on stage. And since people follow in their parents' footsteps in virtually ALL industries, it was never an issue for me. 

Then, the film happened. He was defensive and extremely arrogant about it the entire time. This film wouldn't have happened if I WASNT INVOLVED. Alright, bro. Well, it was one of the worst things ever so congratulations. Just pure cringe. Since then, I couldn't care less if he's in anything and I would never go see a show just because he's in it. He made a choice to behave like that. Just nah.  

People will see serious, tragic, depressing, and sad plays every day of the week. That will always be true. But since Broadway re-opened, I think people are looking for a little fun at musicals for the most part. This is a hard sell. I hope all shows are successful of course, but it's expensive, limited, and the advance sales don't seem to be there.

 

[Pashacar]

Posted: 2/21/23 at 12:15pm

This is not Moulin Rouge or Plaza Suite. It’s definitely a WOM show, and that takes time to build.

Personally, between the quality of the production and the subject matter, I feel confident it will. But we’ll just have to wait a couple months and see.

[dearalanaaaa]

Posted: 2/21/23 at 1:09pm

Just my 2 cents, the Ben Platt fan base from Dear Evan hansen was anywhere between 13-17 back in 2018, at it’s peak. Now they are 18-23, and as somebody who was part of this grouping, they either grew up and continued to love theatre or moved on by now. Something that’s different, however, is now they do have jobs and money to go out and see Parade, especially if they live further. Summer months (aka, after May) will be great for this show, because they will be out of university, ready to travel, and have the money to do it in a way that a lot of them couldn’t when other “youth power” fanbase shows like Be More Chill and Beetlejuice were around.

It’s also unrealistic to expect Platt on his own to sell the show singlehanded based off of his name, Everybody saw what happened to his solo tour (TLDR: he only sold the floor, it was very empty , they had to comp people, and sold it on Goldstar). We’re even seeing with Josh Global in Sweeney Todd that a name that was reliable among the youth fanbase (He was in Great Comet of 1812, which was the exact same season as hansen) once upon a time will not be immediately reliable in advance right now. We’re savvy, we have money now but are still learning to be responsible.

I hope this doesn’t read too awfully ramble-y, but in summary we cannot rely on big names from 2017 (Ben Platt and Josh Groban) to sell shows anymore. They need to be in a quality show with positive or at least lukewarm word of mouth, and their fanbases that now have money need to be energized and ready to go to the show for full price, which they may not be able to do at this point in their lives with this economy. 

However, I am going to see both (with rush tickets, as I always do). And, anecdotally, I checked on my school’s website for their theatre group tickets, and Parade has 2 dates both with a “selling fast” banner next to it, but I can’t find Sweeney Todd listed, so it’s possible that it sold out already or is not available for school groups yet. I’ll say I’m optimistic about both shows finding success this season! 

[binau]

Posted: 2/21/23 at 1:26pm

I want to agree with most of what you say but I don’t think the Sweeney/Josh Groban comparison works. Sweeney is about to take in megabucks and has a much much stronger advance than Parade. Maybe it’s softer than it might have been during Comet (I don’t actually know as I didn’t follow Comet), but I sense much stronger selling power in Sweeney for Groban vs Platt in Parade. 

[JasonC3]

Posted: 2/21/23 at 1:43pm

Well of course Sweeney and Groban has more selling power (at least initially) than Parade and Platt. Both the show and the star have more current wattage than the latter.

[binau]

Posted: 2/21/23 at 2:15pm

Anyway, so exciting for anyone going to the first preview tonight! Can’t wait to hear early thoughts. You are probably in an audience of both Parade’s and Ben Platt’s greatest fans. Plus a number of new broadway debuts. That’s a pretty special evening!

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 2/21/23 at 3:46pm

I don't think that any of the discount codes are working. Yes, when I punch them into Telecharge Offers, it says "Special offer for Parade on Broadway", but it does not give any indication what the special offer is, except that it is good through April 9. Then, no matter what date I select, it gives no indication anywhere that any of the seats are discounted. In fact, when I remove the discount code and go straight to Telecharge, the ticket prices are exactly the same.

Has anyone had any luck at all with these codes?

[amiyagi]

Posted: 2/21/23 at 5:00pm

Worked for me. Used BIGNEWS the other day and just tried ATLANTA for random dates in April and May. Takes off $20-30 on mezz and orchestra seats in orange. No discount on some of the mezz seats on weekends. Everything I checked on weekdays seemed fine. Just compared them with one window in incognito mode.

[bwayobsessed]

Posted: 2/21/23 at 7:34pm

There’s protesters outside with signs that leo frank was a pedophile…

Update-it’s a white power, Neo-nazi group 

Updated On: 2/21/23 at 07:34 PM