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

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 11:53am

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

[kate2]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 1:06pm

I'm on the phone with ticketmaster and they're telling me it's not closing and won't help me....uggghhh

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 1:21pm

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.

[Luv2goToShows]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 1:33pm

Sorry to hear, I had planned on going to see the show after the holidays. Luckily I Just got tickets for Saturdays Matinee. Decent seats are still available.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 1:38pm

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

[dramamama611]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 1:47pm

Will the theater be packed this weekend? Sadly, I doubt that it will be sold out. I hope that I am wrong and that their last performances are SRO and filled with love.


I am gladly willing to lead the I adore Bobby Steggert Fan Club. I loved MANY of the performances, but I longed for him to be on stage. (Christiane and Quentin are very high on my list as well.)

[snowskittle]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 1:52pm

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?

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 1:59pm

My theory: It's the end of a godawful decade and folks are in a collectively dour and reflective state of mind. I have never been a big advocate of the "give the people fluff because that's what they want, by golly!" attitude towards Broadway musicals but I just think this is a time when people want escapism and not have to think about big themes like racism, America's self-image and the like. Had RAGTIME opened eight months ago or eight months into 2010, it might have had a better chance.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 2:29pm

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.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 2:33pm

It's always a dilemma: open in time for the (usually) extremely lucrative holiday weekends, or wait so that you'll still be open for the Tony Awards?

Just bought my ticket for the final performance. The woman at the box office said the final week is selling pretty well, and there was a line the whole time I was in the lobby (which was a while - my bank had an issue).

I think she said the rear mezzanine is sold out for the rest of the run, but you might be able to find some here and there.

[jovie27]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 3:17pm

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]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 3:25pm

adamgreer, then the entire cast would have been in a holding pattern for 8 months while they waited for the production to transfer. It would be useless to wait and open for the Tonys if the actors had left for paying projects elsewhere.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 3:31pm

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

[bwaymizfit2]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 3:39pm

That the "Ragtime Is Closing" thread now has more posts than the "Official Ragtime Love" thread is very telling...

...and very sad. Saw the show two weeks ago and it was one of the best I've ever seen. Not surprised, but still upset.

[binau]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 3:40pm

"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.

[After Eight]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 4:19pm

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

Could it be that those who saw it the first time were not that enthused, and had no desire to see it again?

Its preachiness, its bombastic quality, its "medicine that's good for you history lesson" aspect of it may have turned people off. I certainly found that to be the case.

Maybe people didn't find the score that great either.

For whatever reasons, somewhat like "Brighton Beach Memoirs." people were just not interested in seeing it, and no amount of critical huzzahs or chat group cheerleading was going to get them to see it.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 4:19pm

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.

[jv92]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 5:03pm

Very upset to see the show go, but I will be there the 3rd to support the company and enjoy the show one last time.

[Oldschool]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 5:10pm

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.

[emo_geek]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 5:37pm

Does one just sit back and wait for ticket master take care of refunds? Do they refund the ticket price AND al the service charges? Help would be appreciated.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 5:49pm

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.

[bwaybabe2]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 5:55pm

What a shame! But I am so glad I had the vision to go by my instincts and see it before the new year...

[Fosse76]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 7:13pm

"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.

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 7:16pm

^ So do you take back writing that Ragtime was evicted?

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 7:18pm

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.