RAGTIME headed to Broadway!!!

[brdwybound04]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 12:50pm

Just announced! Ragtime is Broadway-bound after all. I can hardly wait, sounds like it will open in August and run until January. What theatre is suitable? I'm thinking the Broadway, Neil Simon, or St. James. I'm psyched for this show as I unfortunately missed it 10 years ago. Think they'll issue a new cast recording or launch a new national tour?

Here's the link: http://backstage.blogs.com/blogstage/2009/06/ragtime-revival-headed-for-broadway.html
Ragtime 2 Broadway Updated On: 6/11/09 at 12:50 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 12:51pm

St. James is taken.

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 12:51pm

Source?

ETA: Never mind, you added it after I posted.

Updated On: 6/11/09 at 12:51 PM

[AC126748]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 12:53pm

I'd love to see it in a more intimate theatre.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 12:54pm

Why a limited run?

Or is this the sort of thing that will become an open run if it's popular/ successful?

Either way, this is VERY exciting and I can't wait! Updated On: 6/11/09 at 12:54 PM

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 12:55pm

It's a limited run because their top choice is the Neil Simon which will soon be needed for Robin Williams, Love Never Dies, and possibly Dirty Dancing.

Updated On: 6/11/09 at 12:55 PM

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 12:57pm

YAY.

[BroadwayBaby21]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 12:58pm

YAY! I am so excited for this, it's an amazing show. :)

[winston89]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 12:58pm

I could be wrong. But, I don't think Shrek has announced its closing quite yet. So due to that fact I would have to say that the Broadway is out.

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 12:59pm

Nowhere in the article does it state that it would be a limited engagement, nor does it mention a theater.

Weapons of Self-Destruction has not been rescheduled as of yet and when it is who is to that say that it is definitely going back into the Neil Simon. All of those tickets were refunded, so they don't have to use that theater.

[tazber]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 1:01pm

OOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Best news of the month!!!

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 1:03pm

So, so, so happy!

[Glory]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 1:10pm

Noooo way! This is awesome, I cannot wait to see this finally!

[Lefou]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 1:12pm

I hope they have Jonathan Hammond playing Tateh and not Manoel...Jonathan was AMAZING!

[snowskittle]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 1:13pm

Yea...yea...yea...I'm SO happy to hear this.

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 1:16pm

I gasped. So incredibly excited!

[little_sally]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 1:18pm

Very very exciting! Having it be a limited run would seem like a waste though.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 1:20pm

If it didn't find an audience the first time around at a time when Broadway was healthy, it definitely won't find one this time around with our current economic state.

The show has its fans, I'll give it that... but its not of the mainstream milieu which is what audiences seem to want these days, especially at the current Broadway prices. Shows can't survive by Rush/Lottery/Student Discounts, etc... and NO ONE is going to pay Premium prices for a show that isn't sold-out.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 1:21pm

Is there another link? I see nothing in the OP's article that says anything about opening in August and running until January.

The Broadway, St James and Simon are all booked. But the Nederlander is free.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 1:25pm

Well, the original WAS playing to nearly sold-out crowds for the first year and a half of its run, and that was in the too-big-for-its-own-good barn (aka the Hilton). I think this production could do very well since it'll have a smaller theatre, smaller costs, and no Livent Inc. involved. Besides, no one thought that a revival of South Pacific could be a hot ticket and yet here we are.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 1:28pm

Having seen this production, I can assure everyone that they will not be disappointed.

Here's hoping it all comes together.

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 1:28pm

What wickedfan said. The show did very well with tourists, but Livent's financial problems and the massive scale of the production hurt it in its original run.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 1:38pm

If it didn't find an audience the first time around at a time when Broadway was healthy, it definitely won't find one this time around with our current economic state.

The first time around, it ran for two years. Even for "healthy Broadway", that's nothing to write off. Spring Awakening had an audience and the Best Musical Tony, and they didn't run that long.

I don't think it's going to break box office records, but I think it will be a much better fit for Broadway than many other shows- new and revival- that have opened over the past season.


That said, I really hope this is true. It was a wonderful production that I think improved on the original in many ways, and I hope some of the cast members can stay with the show.

[BroadwayBound115]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 1:40pm

Oh I am sure this will be more popular now. Obama will most likely go see it, and everyone will follow suit.
^That was not a bash to Obama in anyway.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 6/11/09 at 1:50pm

>But the Nederlander is free.<

The Nederlander is booked.

Though smaller than the original production, this Ragtime still had a cast of 36 and a large orchestra at the Kennedy Center. So, I suspect to be economically feasible, it will need a large musical house.