Riedel on Great Comet's big price tag — Page 2

That's helpful, thanks!

I think the music box would have been better. Wide stage, narrow mezz. Would have proved a good view for everyone.

buhbuhbilly said: "you can simply look at what seats are available online and see for yourself.. "

that's not a reliable metric. And the wraps suggest the contrary. I suspect this show will arrive at the Tonys, if at all, with a $20mil hole. It's OTT redux.

I did the same the other day. Couldn't find it because I was looking under the Ns, but it's under the G for Great Comet. They need to list its full title on Telecharge or change the title altogether. That's a simple, stupid mistake.

AnnieBlack said: "Also- when i looked last week, there were plenty of tickets for shows in December- When I looked this evening, there are about 2 tickets for each date- is this is weird tele charge glitch- have ticket sales suddenly picked up significantly? Have the producers made less tickets available on line?"

It's common for the box office not to sell ALL of the seats. I highly doubt ticket sales suddenly picked up.

I agree with neonlightsxo .... I'm holding off buying a ticket. Then again, my strategy with Broadway nowadays is to buy a rush/lottery/discounted ticket during previews and then pay full price for the seat that I actually want to sit in after watching the preview.

I did see it at the Kazino tent and somehow someway think the intimacy will be gone once it comes to Broadway --- but I hope I'll be mistaken.

Josh Groban is hugely popular with the middle-aged housewife crowd. He's consistently amongst the favorite guest hosts on Live with Kelly, and just the exposure from him talking about the show there will probably sell a good number of tickets (it's one of the few shows in recent years that my mom has asked me about before I've said anything about it to her).

I had seen Grobin in a concert version of Chess where he sang the songs well if with less passion than I would have liked but his acting was shall we say - amateurish. He shrank up against a cast of pros.

That said the idea of casting him leans more towards box office than art and this show screams art. If he is scheduled to leave after 8 mos the only way Comet will pay back is via those premium on stage seats. So they are counting on Josh's swooning fans wanting to be up close and personal with him.

Like Hedwig and now Shuffle I don't see Comet getting beyond the stunt casting. It's way too off beat to appeal to a vast audience and Grobin isn't as much of a household name as one would think. To contradict myself if Sarah Barrelis can put fannys in the seats at Waitress / Grobin should be able to do the same. But is 8 months enough time to recoup especially if Grobin is getting 100k a week?

Updated On: 6/25/16 at 02:05 AM

RippedMan said: "Is he really getting 100K per week? Al Pacinio was only getting 25K. I can't imagine Groban is making more than him. Remember, Groban gets a percentage of the box office, so if the show sells out, yes. He could make 100K, but on average? Probably not. "

Riddle says he could make about $100'000 because of the cut of the box office he gets. He doesn't say he is making $100K on a weekly basis. It's just such a poorly written article.

If they can sell tickets at the posted prices while he is in the show, then he will make that much. The gamble here is that there are 350,000 people out there willing to do that. I don't think there are.

"GROBAN isn't as much of a household name as one would think.


As someone who used to work at a store that sold CDs, Josh GROBAN is an absolutely HUGE household name for white ladies from 25-95. HUGE. Will they buy tickets to a weird Broadway show? Not sure. However... white ladies from 25-95 is a pretty large contingent of Broadway ticket buyers.

Updated On: 6/25/16 at 11:56 AM

Wick3: "Dust And Ashes," a song written for the ART run. They've already recorded a single version of it with Groban, and it's beautiful.

yknot said: "Wick3: "Dust And Ashes," a song written for the ART run. They've already recorded a single version of it with Groban, and it's beautiful."

Ah ok then. When I saw it at the Kazino in midtown two years ago, none of Pierre's songs resonated with me. I'm glad they wrote that song then for ART and that it will feature Groban singing it this fall.

gypsy101 said: "I just told my boyfriend the other night that i got us tickets onstage and he was so excited...because of Groban lol. I didn't know he liked Josh Groban!"

I bought a ticket because of Groban... and I'm not even a fan of his! LOL. Yes, I'm confused myself.

I was actually on the fence about this but curious due to the all the talk on this forum. I watched all the clips available and listened to some of the original cast album .... and it put me even more firmly on the fence. Even with the limited time ART promo, I was still on the fence and had to sleep on it. But finally decided to go for it simply because Groban was the tipping point.

I'm hoping it's amazing.