Riedel on Hamilton transfer- Page 6

[Cupid Boy2]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 4:47pm

I was really hoping this would be Jeanine Tesori's year. :/

[JayG 2]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 4:48pm

OMG! OMG!! OMG!!! How will I live until tomorrow's announcement?!?! Not since the birth of Jesus has there been such anticipation. OMG ! OMG !! OMG !!!

[Phillytheatreguy10]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 4:54pm

I tend to agree with Riedel- scarily enough! I think he is spot on with the, all too unfortunate, comment on tourists and Broadway attendance. I think it will be a hard sell, especially in such a large theatre where Idina's name alone was not a seat filler for 99% of the run. The advantage Fun Home has it the theatre size- though a hard sell, it's a smaller venue. I think those who enjoyed Fun Home and those who are loving Hamilton- which I too find to be over-hyped (controversial I know), could end up splitting voters in a Tony race and something less stellar could end up inching them out. Lord knows it's a dire season for new musicals, but better not to rush things! The way I see it, even though The Visit has been done elsewhere, I fail to see it following the classics rule come Tony time. My theory would be, not having seen The Visit, that it could come between, Fun Home, Hamilton and The Visit, with The Visit taking it for sentimentality reasons with older Tony voters. I think anything is a gamble these days and I could certainly understand an investor who already lost millions holding out for a sure thing. They need to remember not to get wrapped up in the hype and do what would benefit the show artistically and developmentally. In any case it would appear that what's done is done.

Updated On: 2/23/15 at 04:54 PM

[Skimbleshanks2]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 4:55pm

For LMM's sake, I hope the show is as strong as they claim. Because otherwise this has the makings of a behind-the-scenes disaster.

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 4:55pm

For me, there's nothing less exciting than a musical coming in expected to sweep everything, like Mormon.
I feel sorry for Tesori. I feel sorry for Kander and Ebb's final show.
But it's show business. Anything can happen.

[Daddy Warbucks]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 5:07pm

Really interesting points PhillyTheatreGuy10.

[CoreyRyan3]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 5:16pm

I saw The Visit this summer at Williamstown, and yes, it's Kander and Ebb's last show, and yes, it may be Chita's final hurrah, but I don't see how it wins Best Musical.

It is going to be the most polarizing show on Broadway because it is so dark through an through. It's nothing like a normal Broadway musical. There were parts I loved and parts I didn't. Overall, I enjoyed it, but didn't love it. Just because of the subject and the overarching tone and darkness and dreariness of the piece, I don't see how it could possibly win Best Musical.

But who knows, I could be totally wrong on that one. Just a feeling I have.

[temms]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 5:29pm

It would certainly make the Best Score Tony interesting. I suspect the nominees are Miranda, Tesori, Sting, and Kander & Ebb, with "Honeymoon" getting shut out of the category. Also shutting out "Zhivago", "Something Rotten", "Finding Neverland" and "It Shoulda Been You".

Nine original scores in a season (out of fifteen musicals) isn't a bad tally.


Updated On: 2/23/15 at 05:29 PM

[Skimbleshanks2]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 5:32pm

It's just so blatantly obvious that they're trying to move the show to make money and win Tonys. Wouldn't that leave a sour taste in people's mouths? Or is the show really good enough to overcome that?

[CoreyRyan3]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 5:33pm

I think they'll still win the ones they deserve. If Fun Home had come in last year (which it probably should have), it would've won Best Musical probably.

[Phillytheatreguy10]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 5:49pm

I think Fun Home, The Visit, and Hamilton are all what one may call out of the box for a typical Broadway show, so I tend not to see that argument. Look at Side Show, odd subject matter, improperly marketed, polarizing to some. How does one market Hamilton, who is the audience other then devoted theatre fans- in my honest opinion it probably should extend in an Off-Broadway house, it just isn't commercial enough in my eyes- The Visit, had Chita Rivera going for it and Kander and Ebb, which will sell tickets alone, perhaps not sell out, but it will sell- Kander and Ebb is far more recognizable then Miranda. A rap show will not be everyone's cup of tea for sure! I won't even mention the far less superior rap musical debacle in the same breath with Hamilton. I think for lovers of theatre and new works it will be a cult hit- look at Heathers, but forcing it into a house that's not right for it is a huge risk- its selling well on word of mouth in a small space. We could also see it go by way of Matilda in the artistic department and Kinky Boots winning in the sentimentality department. Again, what's done is done, it will be a great race, I hope- because I agree, I hate sweeps! The true wild card here is probably Something Rotten- no one knows what's going to happen with that and that is more exciting to me then this transfer.

[MOUSTACHA]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 5:52pm

I still think there is a chance of a late summer or early fall announcement.

Trying to load into the Rodgers in that amount of time is risky, and the Public has no reason to compete against itself. Also, reports have said the creative teams wants more time to work on the show.


Updated On: 2/23/15 at 05:52 PM

[Phillytheatreguy10]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 5:59pm

^^Great point with competing against itself- unless they want to be greedy. I applaud the creative team for admitting they want more time to tweak it- they obviously know there are issues. We will see what motive wins out in the battle. No doubt audiences, but more so critics, will expect it to be a perfect show with all the hype- no one will resist picking it a part, which will be sad for all involved.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 6:03pm

I agree there is a decent chance they are announcing a summer transfer. Either way, the primary reason for the news conference is to blunt the disunity idea Riedel floated.

Anyone who thinks Hamilton fits in the same box as Fun Home and The Visit hasn't seen Hamilton. And that, of course, is most people right now.

As to sour tastes, it is important to remember that most of the Broadway audience for Hamilton has not even heard of the show yet. Caring about stuff like this is not something that has traction beyond the business or places like this where interested souls collect.

[Phillytheatreguy10]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 6:12pm

^^I'm not putting it in the same box with The Visit and Fun Home. My argument is that they are likely the front runners as it stands now in the new musical category. But you bring up a good point, most audiences have not heard or care at this point about Hamilton- HOW DO YOU SELL IT? You can't just call it the best musical of the decade and splash 5 star reviews- how well did that turn out for Matilda? This is a board for those that do care, I'm merely trying to ignite spirited conversation with my own musings on the topic- which- correct me if I'm wrong- that being said, where is a better place to chat about things like this? No need to put us "interested souls" down, just keep it to yourself and laugh- as I often do when I feel I have nothing to contribute to the musings of other "interested souls".

[finebydesign]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 6:13pm

"It's just so blatantly obvious that they're trying to move the show to make money and win Tonys. Wouldn't that leave a sour taste in people's mouths? Or is the show really good enough to overcome that?"

Are you suggesting Broadway is something other than a commercial medium? The whole point is to make money. Tony Awards matter. I think Hamilton has a VERY good chance of nabbing several including Best Musical. Its only competition IMHO is Rotten which hasn't gotten reviewed yet.

This show in many ways reminds me of The Bomb-itty of Errors which was a hip hop retelling of Comedy of Errors. Critics LOVED that show and its homogenized rap (much lime LMM's work). Not sure why it never transferred but I think audiences, especially young ones might have cringed at the rapping. Its was kind of what my parent might tell me was "hip."

Point, I think THIS show has a bubble and that bubble is now. If they pivot now, money can be made, and this show can win some awards. I think this show will prove popular when regional productions begin.

As I mentioned I don't much care for LMM's rap work, but there is genius in the show he has constructed.

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 6:17pm

They could always announce a fall transfer, right?

[Cupid Boy2]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 6:17pm

"It's just so blatantly obvious that they're trying to move the show to make money and win Tonys. Wouldn't that leave a sour taste in people's mouths? Or is the show really good enough to overcome that?"

Winning Tony Awards is also crucial to many shows for gaining exposure; sure, it will be helping financially, but an early move could be ensuring that this work is seen by that many more people if it garners the awards people expect it to. If this momentum that they have going now isn't taken advantage of, they may fail to find an audience later down the road.

I did mention previously I'm disappointed for what this might mean for Jeanine Tesori's chances at best score, but I absolutely understand why the producers of Hamilton would do this. I'd likely make the same decision if I were in their shoes.
Updated On: 2/23/15 at 06:17 PM

[Cat123]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 6:46pm

I'm visiting from the UK and have a ticket for April 5th. I will be FUMING if they cancel it now after getting my hopes up with the extension. Fuming, I tell you.

Updated On: 2/23/15 at 06:46 PM

[de_lovely]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 6:51pm

What is the precedent for this? How have other shows handled it in the past?

Would love to hear people's guesses on the answers to the following:
Will everyone just be assigned a new semi-equivalent seat in the new theater on the night they were originally set for? Or will all tickets be canceled and refunded, with patrons alerted to repurchase if they want? And how much time will the show be "down," meaning not playing at either the Public or the new theater?

[Kad]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 7:33pm

How does anything get sold? Hard to sell concepts manage to succeed and manage to fail- there's a reason why there's a profession dedicated to making people want something.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 7:34pm

"It's just so blatantly obvious that they're trying to move the show to make money and win Tonys. Wouldn't that leave a sour taste in people's mouths?"

Why would your average patron possibly care about that? It makes no sense.

[SomeOtherMe]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 7:52pm

^^^

I think he meant Tony voters.

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 7:59pm

I don't understand why they want the Richard Rodgers so bad? It's too big if they want to transfer NOW. They'll end up regretting that later, I think.

I'm sure a few other theaters are (unofficially) interested in housing this "sure-to-be" hit.

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 7:59pm

Double post. Updated On: 2/23/15 at 07:59 PM