ROA still running....and running..and running...- Page 2

[Jane2]

Posted: 10/31/11 at 11:47am

I'm not crazy about that kind of audience either, but ROA is just a show to have fun with, and "groove to the tunes" lol. It's a party atmosphere. So- if you're not in that frame of mind, I totally understand your having a miserable time.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 10/31/11 at 1:15pm

Have you seen its grosses? It can't be making much

It's all about gross potential. Unless the producers are trying to pull a Bialystock and Bloom, they determine the price points based on number of seats, expected dicsounts, seasonal attendance, et al. I'm sure this was factored into moving to a 600-seat theatre rather than merely crossing their fingers.

So, out of mere curiosity (I actually enjoy a bit of research and analysis), I decided to do a comparison of Rock of Ages with the other Broadway musicals that have run through the entirety of 2011 thus far and removing the weeks of 1/16/11-3/20/11 during ROA's closure for relocation for a fair week-to-week comparison. I have no idea what the weekly nut is for Rock of Ages (though I admit I thought it had recouped), but here is what I discovered when comparing YTD average Gross Potential for Broadway musicals:

Rock of Ages: 63.06%
Addams Family: 49.52%
Billy Elliot: 64.12%
Chicago: 57.82%
Jersey Boys: 87.12%
Lion King: 102.45%
Mamma Mia: 59.67%
Mary Poppins: 66.71%
Memphis: 63.08%
Phantom of the Opera: 63.92%
Wicked: 108.65%

What does this mean, exactly? Well, it's impossible to know unless we have an idea of the budgeted gross potential required for the production to run (and the adjusted required gross potential if the show has not recouped). If the show has not recouped, it's probably in a relatively safe place. If the show has recouped or is close to recouping, then it's probably doing just fine. If the producers and investors agreed to move it to such a small house, then I would assume they were not concerned with creating a gross potential of more than $600k in say, a 5-year outlook. As it stands, the ROA gross potential is $563,992, so if you're looking for big numbers for weekly grosses, it's not going to happen. It wasn't budgeted that way.

Long-running has always been indicative of popularity. Quality is purely subjective and usually left to the academics to squabble over. For me, Rock of Ages is about entertainment and I was throughly entertained both times I saw it and will probably be thoroughly entertained when I see it again this week. If it's not your thing, it's not your thing, but this dreg who loved Caroline, or Change, Next to Normal, Falsettos, Light in the Piazza, most Sondheim musicals, and other "approved" artistic ventures, chooses not to belittle or judge ANYONE for enjoying a BROADWAY MUSICAL created purely for pop entertainment. I am no less of a person for enjoying a show others don't like and I do find that attitude offensive. And as for the crazy audience behavior, perhaps I was just lucky, but I saw none of what's been described here when I attended the show. But if I had, I would blame the audience, not the show. Rude audiences can be found everywhere. I've seen just as bad, if not worse, audiences at Grease and Starlight Express in London.

Updated On: 10/31/11 at 01:15 PM

[Jane2]

Posted: 10/31/11 at 1:35pm

exactly, Matt.

It's amusing to see just how much it bothers the haters of ROA that people, oh, I mean dregs of society, enjoy the show.

Really now, why does anyone care who likes what?

[massofmen]

Posted: 10/31/11 at 3:24pm

Bettyboy72,
So does Priscilla go in the same realm of ROA? its a bunch of half naked guys running around, exposing themselves just as much as ROA girls do, with audience members drunk and singing a long to the songs while men do provocative dances?

I am sure then you feel the same about Priscilla as you do about ROA..right?

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 10/31/11 at 3:54pm

massofmen-I am referring to the ROA audience, not the cast! I saw ROA with Kerry Butler and was interested in seeing her perform. It was the audience that blew. It was an audience member who took her tits out-LITERALLY! It was audience members who were catcalling Kerry Butler and the other female performers (all of whom I respect greatly.) It was vile. The entire row behind me was drunk and talked through the whole show and even during the quieter number, like when Maisey performed. Kerry even noted how offensive it was at the stage door.

So I like and respect the the casts of both ROA and Priscilla. I just hated the ROA audiences. The Priscilla audience was nothing like the ROA audience.

Re-read my post. I thought I made that clear.

[massofmen]

Posted: 10/31/11 at 4:01pm

oh i apologize. I should have read more closely.
I have seen ROA a few times and that happened once early on but i saw it a bit ago and nothing like that happened. Maybe they have found a way to cut down on the tomfoolery. I think they used to have alcohol sales all throughout the show and now just at certain times to limit the "damage" .

Again i apologize for not reading your post better.

[PopAria]

Posted: 11/1/11 at 3:41pm

I saw it drunk my first time. I bought alcohol from the "hawkers" and I sang along to all of the songs.

The second time I saw it I was sober and didn't do any of that because I didn't want to bother the people around me.

I thought it was more fun the first time around.

It's just that kind of show... I would never do that anywhere else... unless they're selling beer cans throughout the entire show. lol

[darquegk]

Posted: 11/1/11 at 3:52pm

I can't say it's always a positive thing, or even that it's CONSTANTLY like that at Rock of Ages, but I think in a way, it's good that we do have ONE show like that in the mainstream. Rocky Horror has been the only show with a party-time, anything-goes atmosphere for a long time, and I DO feel like there's a place for that in the world of theatre. It just can't be the only type of theatre, that's all.

And I'm still not sure if I consider Rock of Ages more of a jukebox musical or a deconstructive parody of a jukebox musical... it seems sort of in between.

[DPACSTH]

Posted: 11/1/11 at 6:14pm

Just saw it for the first time this past Friday and it was a non-Equity cast and they were fantastic. Loved the show and the music. As children of the 80's my wife and I were singing along with every song.

We saw "Billy Elliot" last season and it was good, but we left way more energized after ROA...even though we really liked Billy. We'd like to see this next year on Broadway when we go. Along with "Wicked" at the Gershwin and a couple others.