POTUS Moves Up Broadway Opening to April 27; will be part of 2021-22 season. Previews begin April 14.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/24/22 at 11:44am

That's an insanely short preview period for a brand-new, never-produced play by a novice writer, a director not known for nonmusical plays, and producers with a mixed track record.

Sight-unseen, I can't begin to imagine how it might factor into the Tonys, in what's already a strong year. It likely needs the bump of reviews, too, to help its slow sales (similar to PASS OVER moving its opening earlier).

There are now 17 Broadway shows opening between March 28 and April 28, plus other shows Off-Bway (such as SUFFS). POTUS will open the same day as MR. SATURDAY NIGHT, which isn't ideal. Critics could have a good deal of burnout by the time they reach that final week of shows.

Updated On: 3/24/22 at 11:44 AM

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 3/24/22 at 11:45am

Interesting... they're keeping their originally scheduled first preview date yet moving up their opening night. 

[Lumiere2]

Posted: 3/24/22 at 12:06pm

There is only one reason the producers made this decision: they think they have a chance at winning Best Play, and they want to win it.

It's a courageous risk, and if it works it'll sell them a lot of tickets. They risk, of course, cutting previews that have the potential for greatly improving the show.

Of note: even with POTUS, there aren't a lot of new plays competing this year. There will be a total of nine titles, but only four will be running this spring 2022. 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 3/24/22 at 12:08pm

Even if they were to win Best Play, they're only at the Shubert through August 14, and supposedly the house has Some Like It Hot all lined up for the fall. 

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 3/24/22 at 12:17pm

Also the press opening is specifically the matinee show on April 27, which seems strange to me?

[Mark_E]

Posted: 3/24/22 at 12:20pm

I'm not sure there had even been a matinee planned that day previously.... I am in New York on a work trip that day and don't recall it being there before, although I may be mistaken.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 3/24/22 at 12:20pm

This is what happens when tyros produce without a net. They apparently knew how to raise the money but not how best to use it. Regarding the matinee, I assume they did not have much choice in the traffic jam that is defining late April 2022.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 3/24/22 at 12:25pm

chrishuyen said: "Also the press opening is specifically the matinee show on April 27, which seems strange to me?"

Probably because every other slot from 4/24 - 4/28 has an opening already scheduled. Mr. Saturday Night is that evening.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/24/22 at 12:45pm

While there's no clear frontrunner (and it remains to be seen if this is even watchable, let alone good), there are 12 new plays this season, and –– having not seen Birthday Candles –– any of them could be nominatable aside from Chicken & Biscuits. I think we have to view Lehman as the frontrunner unless there are better-reviewed plays this spring.

The 2021-2022 new plays:

LEHMAN TRILOGY

PASS OVER

SKELETON CREW

HANGMEN

DANA H.

IS THIS A ROOM

THOUGHTS OF A COLORED MAN

THE MINUTES

CLYDE'S

BIRTHDAY CANDLES

CHICKEN & BISCUITS

POTUS

Updated On: 3/24/22 at 12:45 PM

[ElephantLoveMedley]

Posted: 3/24/22 at 12:47pm

I don't see a universe in which The Lehman Trilogy doesn't win Best Play this year, but it'll be exciting to have more options in the race nonetheless.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 3/24/22 at 12:51pm

Is Thoughts of a Colored Man also eligible?

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/24/22 at 1:06pm

WithoutATrace said: "Is Thoughts of a Colored Man also eligible?"

It definitely is –– missed that one in my quick count. Thanks!

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 3/24/22 at 1:21pm

This makes a ton of sense, TBH. It definitely gives them a short preview period and I still don't think it'll be much of a Tony contender, even if it turns out to be good, but there's at least a chance of getting some Tony buzz. If they are nominated for Best Play the show will at least be discussed on national television. None of that happens if it becomes the very first show of next season. 

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 3/24/22 at 2:53pm

I don't it'll get much traction, except in the acting categories? But what it does do is give some free publicity, with the nominations and then I'm sure they'll want to get Vanessa, Rachel, and Julianne to present. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/24/22 at 2:59pm

Agreed. I think it's smart. I don't think they'd win - people loved Lehman for some reason - but it'll get them in the mix, which is good for everyone.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/24/22 at 3:05pm

I called telecharge to swap my tickets and (of course) they’ve now raised the prices. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/24/22 at 5:00pm

I don't think this is a question of whether or not the show should open before the end of the Tony season –– it should, if it's any good! The timeline is simply what's giving everyone pause. This is a late announcement, and 2 weeks is an intensely short preview period for any modern show. Comedies often need to find their grooves, and sometimes things play better or worse in front of an audience.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 3/25/22 at 10:39am

Lumiere2 said: "There is only one reason the producers made this decision: they think they have a chance at winning Best Play, and they want to win it."

 

I agree that this schedule change was clearly motivated by Tony eligibility, but I don't necessarily think this change signals confidence on their part. Even if they thought they had a dud on their hands, it would still make sense to optimize its Tony chances with this comparatively easy change in their schedule.  

As for the short preview period - I agree it's unusual, but realistically speaking, how much do plays REALLY make use that full preview period these days? For many shows nowadays it comes across like a formality, especially charging full-price for tickets. 2 weeks seems like enough to let it find its comedic legs if the play is in decent shape. 

 

[PattiBeanieHeatherFan]

Posted: 4/13/22 at 9:36pm

Did anyone attend the invited dress tonight?

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 4/13/22 at 11:31pm

was there one? they were still loading in boxes this afternoon....

Also there are TONS of tickets for first preview, almost the entire balcony is available

Updated On: 4/13/22 at 11:31 PM

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/14/22 at 12:02am

JBroadway said: "As for the short preview period - I agree it's unusual, but realistically speaking, how much do plays REALLY make use that full preview period these days? For many shows nowadays it comes across like a formality, especially charging full-price for tickets. 2 weeks seems like enough to let it find its comedic legs if the play is in decent shape."

Most directors want 3-5+ weeks of previews because the cast is still very much finding their performance through previews. Producers want as little preview time as possible for the sake of sales (with the major exception of Scott Rudin who regularly had more than a month of previews after 5-6 weeks of rehearsal because Mike Nichols taught him that).

Previews are a matter of contingency too. Sometimes you get a show that plays great in the rehearsal studio and then gets kind of lost onstage, and it takes a few weeks of fine tuning to re-calibrate it. Sometimes you realize in the final dress that a costume just isn't going to work, and that change could take 1-2 weeks to implement between design time, budgeting, building, tailoring, etc.

After previews begin, you can really only rehearse weekdays when there's no matinee, which doesn't give THAT much rehearsal time. Stro will get up to 8 rehearsal days onstage after the 1st preview because of their unique schedule. They have 12 real previews before the press comes in.

I wouldn't be surprised if actors and people working on shows bring up preview lengths when discussing "equitability," arguing that a longer preview period is better for mental/physical health.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/14/22 at 12:09am

BoringBoredBoard40 said: "was there one? they were still loading in boxes this afternoon.... Also there are TONS of tickets for first preview, almost the entire balcony is available"

Are they selling the balcony?? I thought they weren't, but maybe I'm thinking of another show.

It's not uncommon for things to be loaded in and out of a theatre in the days leading up to previews. I wouldn't read into that too much.

[DiscoCrows]

Posted: 4/14/22 at 12:36am

BoringBoredBoard40 said: "was there one? they were still loading in boxes this afternoon....

Also there are TONS of tickets for first preview, almost the entire balcony is available"

There was one! And can't speak to balcony, but yeah I assume so re: load-in. When Paradise Square was going into first preview the other week, after their invited dress, they were also still loading out tons of their tech equipment. Don't think it's uncommon.

[B212323]

Posted: 4/14/22 at 12:52am

Isn't Hangmen considered a revival? Also The Minutes has a really good shot and it will still be running by the Tonys and thru most of July.  

[willep]

Posted: 4/14/22 at 7:59am

Why would Hangmen be a revival? It’s a new play.