RAGTIME to Close on Sunday January 3, 2010 — Page 6

It's a remarkable cast and it's hard for me to choose a standout, but I think he is fantastic.

---

It's depressing that a show and production this good cannot find an audience. The critics for the most part endorsed it and from all reports audiences were responding well to the material. LJay may be on to something with his theory that shows - especially new shows - need stars to drive the box office, at least until the title becomes a tourist destination (WICKED, MAMMA MIA, PHANTOM etc.)

In the NY Times story the producers indicated their target for last week was $675K - and they did not meet it. This is something I have been saying all along. I know many here look at the weekly grosses and try and guess closings and it is not that simple. Each week the producers set targets based on season averages, historic data and expectations of tickets sales at all price levels. The decision to close a show is not based on just the total gross or the average ticket price but rather whether the show is meeting its weekly targets. I don't blame the producers for making the decision to close RAGTIME, but even though Reidel's prediction proved correct, the final decision was made yesterday.

I see the same thing happening to Broadway that happened after the STAR WARS films became big box office: Audiences begin demanding more of the same...more spectacle, more star names and the producers respond at the expense of intelligent writing and insightful direction.

Like any of you I am very glad I saw this production, and I expect the closing will be an emotional experience for cast and audience.

I guess this means Cooolkid (or whatever name he goes by) will finally get to see RAGTIME.

---

Very sad news. This great musical deserves to be seen. I won't even get to see this revival.

---

I'm so sorry to hear this. I didn't get a chance to see it, and it looks like I won't if it is closing next week, but I WISH I could. I loved it the first time around and would love to see it again.

I too wish it could find its audience, and can't help wondering why it hasn't. Any ideas?

Opening in the fall was always a bad idea. They should have opened in the spring, closer to awards season, when that buzz might have carried them through and helped build momentum.

It's a little weird, because everyone I know for California who flew out to see it said it was the worst production of RAGTIME they have ever seen. But a lot of people on here, said it's an amazing show... I know CA is use to more flash and spectacle, but I still think it was probably done very well and I would have loved it no matter what. Sad to see a good show close so soon.

orangeskittles, they could have replaced a number of the cast and still been just fine. Obviously, opening now was a bad idea...the proof is in the pudding. They opened with little fanfare, no momentum, 3 weeks before a star-studded revival that got a lot of media attention.

But this again speaks to the arrogance of the producers.

I love the production and the show, but mistakes were made.

Updated On: 12/29/09 at 03:31 PM

"qolbinau, she was referring to the Tony voters, not Ragtime's producers. The out of town producer Tony voters are heartless."

Oh, of course :). My mistake.

---

It might have done better had it opened after the dead 3 months next year. It would have been able to hold on until Tony time & the nominations would have helped.By the time the Tony's come along at least 3 of the musical revivals will be closed as Finian's is on life support & may not make it past Jan/Feb/March.

---

Wish I could have made it up for the show, but having seen the show several times at the Kennedy Center, that will have to do. I too think Bobby Steggert should be recognized for his performance, but I really think that Christiane Noll should as well. She really blew me away. I hope she too gets recognized come the Tonys.

I don't believe they refund the service charges, because they did provide the service. I've never had to get a refund from Ticketmaster, though, so I could be wrong.

---

"It might have done better had it opened after the dead 3 months next year. It would have been able to hold on until Tony time & the nominations would have helped.By the time the Tony's come along at least 3 of the musical revivals will be closed as Finian's is on life support & may not make it past Jan/Feb/March."

Not sure opening later would have helped. I made a few calls, and apparently the producers of the show knew before the show even opened that the show would close on Jan. 3 if ticket sales didn't get stronger.

I'm sure a lot of producers have a tentative closing date in mind if sales don't pick up, and I bet a lot of them settle on the Sunday after New Year's, right after the tourist-heavy holidays but before the slow winter.

---