ROA still running....and running..and running... — Page 2

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.

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

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?

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.

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.