Paradise Square - COVID

[jerseygurl]

Posted: 4/11/22 at 11:33am

Well, this is tough. Weren't they also scheduled to record a cast album? And where the heck is all this money coming from since it's highly unlikely they are making their nut? Grosses for last week were $296,000 - only How I Learned to Drive grossed less.

After previously announcing that performances would resume on Tuesday, April 12, the original new Broadway musical Paradise Square will definitely resume performances on Saturday, April 16, with performances at 2:00 and 8:00 pm at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre (243 West 47th Street). The production, which opened April 3, halted performances on Thursday, April 7 after positive COVID cases were experienced in the company.

After satisfying all COVID protocols, the company will return to the rehearsal hall later this week prior to the resumption of performances on Saturday.
"We have been so heartened by an outpouring of devotion and support for our show, both within the industry and expressed by the show's many fans at the theatre and on social media," the producers of Paradise Squarecommented. "While COVID will have taken us down for a total of nine performances, we will come back stronger. Our resilient cast, crew and musicians cannot wait to get back in the theatre and on stage to tell the story of this vital and powerful Broadway musical."

Updated On: 4/11/22 at 11:33 AM

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/11/22 at 11:57am

They're bleeding money. The show may already be in Priority Loan territory. (Part of the remaining capitalization might have even been raised via Priority Loan since we know they had troubles with the raise.) The cap is $13.5M, which is a TIGHT budget for a new musical that had a commercial out of town tryout and will be trying to combat indifferent reviews.

So I don't know how much longer they have on Broadway, but the show will need an infusion of cash to survive (if it hasn't received one already).

[HogansHero]

Posted: 4/11/22 at 12:18pm

Never underestimate Garth's ability to defraud another investor. 

Oh wait, he has nothing to do with the finances LOL

My guess is that someone is willing to foot the bill for another week so they don't have to close unceremoniously. 

And once again, being bereft of cash creates the situation they are in. Obviously, they do not have coverage, but they've had a week to fix that. But the fix would take money. 

[DrMonicaDeMoneco]

Posted: 4/11/22 at 12:22pm

I would love to see this show make it to the Tony’s because I think it could get several nominations but having chatted with a few people with the show, the sense is the show is going to close well before that. 
I blame Garth. 

[LucasIvy]

Posted: 4/12/22 at 8:50am

Utilizing basic broadway mathematics, coupled with mixed reviews,  a prolonged shut down after opening resulting lost revenue and a cessation of any positive word of mouth, this show will be forced to shut down in the next 21 days. 

[MayAudraBlessYou2]

Posted: 4/12/22 at 10:19am

This is a rough hand to be dealt. I had really hoped they would at least make it to June for the Tonys, as I think Kalukango, DuPont, and Shively would all be quite worthy nominees. Any number of them could still get nominated of course, but I struggle to see this lasting past May 8th unless a financial miracle occurs. So even if they were to nab some key nominations, a huge portion of the industry/voters will not have seen it. 

The show is a mixed bag to be sure, but I found quite a bit to appreciate here and am glad I saw this. Should have been a huge career moment for Kalukango at the very least, her performance definitely deserves to be seen. 

[carolynbrooks]

Posted: 4/13/22 at 9:46am

With a gross of $80,000 last week (aside from the Covid  closures), the lowest gross on the board, I am not sure how this production can recover from a plague, mixed reviews, cast inertia, and lack of sales. If it can, it will be Broadway history, but the strategy of betting the house on Tony nominations will not save the day. History dictates that even Tony nominated best musicals and some best performances noms will not save a show when demand is at crippling pace. 

It is sad to see any show close given the work the cast and creative put in. For the investors, on to the  next tax write off.     

                    

[JBroadway]

Posted: 4/13/22 at 9:53am

Unfortunately there's not much to discuss here: no, it won't survive.

Or rather, it will "survive" only as long as the angel investors are willing to pour money into it - which could be for many months, as far as we know (think Head Over Heels). But we all know that doesn't really count as "survival." 

And I'm not trying to be a doom-and-gloom "vulture" - I'm not saying any of this with glee or malice (in the main thread, I was happy to give credit where it's due by praising the show's good qualities), I'm just realistically responding to the thread prompt. 

EDIT: Looks like the mods combined the new "WILL PARADISE SQUARE SURVIVE" thread into this thread. 

Updated On: 4/13/22 at 09:53 AM

[Wee Thomas2]

Posted: 4/13/22 at 9:56am

We wanted to see this on 4/2 but TKTS only had the cheapest tix available so we saw something else.  Not sure if that was all paper or something weird going on but we really thought we'd like it based on comments here

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/13/22 at 11:02am

Now resuming next TUESDAY the 19th, instead of Saturday the 16th.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/PARADISE-SQUARE-Will-Now-Resume-Performances-On-Tuesday-April-19-20220413

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 4/13/22 at 11:14am

Sigh. What a bummer this all is. I hope it lasts until May! 

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 4/13/22 at 11:16am

"Paradise Square will definitely resume performances on Saturday, April 16"

J/K!

[quizking101]

Posted: 4/13/22 at 11:17am

Oh dear. This is…very very very very bad.

 

[BritCrit]

Posted: 4/13/22 at 11:18am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Now resuming next TUESDAY the 19th, instead of Saturday the 16th.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/PARADISE-SQUARE-Will-Now-Resume-Performances-On-Tuesday-April-19-20220413"

Considering that Paradise Square has a relatively large cast compared to other 2022 openers, how long before every member tests positive...

[Auggie27]

Posted: 4/13/22 at 11:57am

The '21-'22 seasonal model here is The Music Man, which shuttered almost as long with both stars infected in overlapping reveals. But to state the obvious, that show had a massive advance, and it happened at the very commencement of previews. If this extended hiatus allows the production to pull its resources together and initiate something akin to a relaunch, maybe a miracle can happen. Broadway loves comebacks. At the very least, they'll have a fair number of postponed ticketholders to fill in the next couple of weeks. But the season is now fuller, April especially busy, with more shows performing, more options for consumers.  

[HogansHero]

Posted: 4/13/22 at 12:11pm

to restate the obvious and the well-rehearsed here: the difference between TMM and PS is that the former was and is rolling in cash whereas the latter the bleeding cash. It's unclear what idiot is throwing additional money at this show to keep it open at least until it comes back from covid to close (with Garth, I assume some fraud is involved) but it certainly does not have money to throw at fixing its coverage crisis. Regarding infecting the entire company, they have been separated the entire shutdown period which is longer than the infection period so (assuming they have competent health expert support, not a foregone conclusion), they should be able to stumble through another week of performances.

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 4/13/22 at 12:40pm

Having seen the show the Tuesday night before the hiatus, I've been surprised just how much it has stuck with me. I wasn't expecting much but, despite its flaws, there really was so much I loved about it.

I wish this show could find a longer life on Broadway, but it doesn't look to be the case. I'll definitely be returning (especially to see Joaquina, as she was out when I saw it - although Aisha was fantastic) before it closes, however.

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 4/13/22 at 12:55pm

they will probably try to stay open til atleast TONY nominations at this point 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 4/13/22 at 1:17pm

The Tonys are 2 months away. At a half a mil a week in loss, that's a pretty absurd investment in something that has no payoff.

Updated On: 4/13/22 at 01:17 PM

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 4/13/22 at 2:01pm

Perversely, the shifting reopening dates have made me want to see it more by creating an artificial urgency.

[n2nbaby]

Posted: 4/13/22 at 2:07pm

I very much do not think this will be reopening.

[OceansJenny]

Posted: 4/14/22 at 1:04pm

I have tickets for Wednesday - fingers crossed! 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 4/17/22 at 7:35pm

Prior to its return on Tuesday, Paradise Square will record their cast album tomorrow!

From Jason Howland’s Insta story

[carolynbrooks]

Posted: 4/18/22 at 8:49am

It is so bizarre that they would invest in cast album over marketing dollars to save the show. This is all one producer's ego. shame .     

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 4/18/22 at 9:25am

A cast album preserves the work of the authors and actors and will help keep the show in our collective memory. Shows without cast albums can fade into obscurity. This cast album might eventually lead to a new production, not associated with Garth Drabinksy. 

I understand that you've joined exclusively to drag this show and its producer, but recording a cast album is very much in the best interest of the show, the authors, and the actors.