Predictions on Shows Closing — Page 3

Yes, both Hairspray and Chitty sell Popcorn for sure.

When I saw Tarzan, potato chips bags were all over the theater.

I went to Tarzan with three other friends. We sat in two seperate areas. The row behind me was Sunyi(Woody Allen's wife)and her kids and friends. Is that her name? Anyway, a couple kids has potato chips the whole shows. I looked back and speechless.

At intermission, I complained with the different group of friends and they said that happened in their area as well.

In fact, I saw you during intermission too. You were sitting at the step outside the theatre and talked with theatre staff. This is just to show that I did not make it up. It happened!

WOA! Do they actually make the popcorn there? I LOVE me some dinner theatre!

Ok, so I must have been waiting for the night show. You should have said hello!

I see posts like this...

I wish [SHOW] would close ASAP. I hate that damn show.

then look at the grosses and see that [SHOW] is consistently above 80% sold and above $600K.

A show that is SRO or selling well isn't going anywhere in a hurry. Shows that are regularly below 70% (for musicals) and 60% (plays) are likely below their weekly break-even and only producers with very deep pockets can afford to keep them open. A long running hit show can survive a few slow weeks due to seasonal dips. A new show that hasn't built up that reserve can be in deep trouble.

The critics in general can only make or break marginal shows.
Brantley is a tough critic and at times I am not sure he understands what makes a musical work. (Frank Rich did.) However, given the 2nd (3rd? 5th?) rate crap that is foisted on Broadway audiences these days I think he is not harsh enough.

We have had some good and enteratining musicals in the past few years but nothing truly outstanding has come along since the start of the millenium. Meanwhile audiences worship shows that are nowhere near as good as they could/should be, and pay top dollar to see these shows multiple times. And as long as they keep doing that, shows like HAIRSPRAY, WICKED and PHANTOM will stay open.

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