Riedel on Head Over Heels being on thin ice- Page 2

[broadwaynerdnewbie]

Posted: 7/27/18 at 3:24pm

Fordham2015 said: "broadwaynerdnewbie said:Does anyone know what press agency is in charge of marketing for this show? I’m just curious"

Boneau/Bryan-Brown

"

Thank you!

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 7/27/18 at 4:05pm

It would seem Gwyneth Paltrow has consciously uncoupled with commercial theatre.

Also, Broadwaynerdnewbie, Serino/Coyne manages the show's advertising account. Related to your question.

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Posted: 7/27/18 at 5:41pm

If the grosses stay the same, how much are they losing a week?

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 7/27/18 at 6:16pm

The show really does need an "ambassador" to talk about it in the press, which would be an ideal role for Paltrow. An unflappable champion of the show like Oprah with Color Purple, Rosie with Taboo, or Sting with The Last Ship. Her commitment to something she believes in would look stronger than her hiding from it. (She literally talked about Goop in the NYTimes 3 days ago)

But if the lead producers can't figure out how to market it, and if they don't have a deep-pocketed investor to throw money into a burning hole, the future looks grim.

[Robbie2]

Posted: 7/27/18 at 6:20pm

SomethingPeculiar said: "The show really does need an "ambassador" to talk about it in the press, which would be an ideal role for Paltrow. An unflappable champion of the show like Oprah with Color Purple, Rosie with Taboo, or Sting with The Last Ship. Her commitment to something she believes in would look stronger than her hiding from it. (She literally talked about Goop in the NYTimes 3 days ago)

But if the lead producers can't figure out how to market it, and if they don't have a deep-pocketed investor to throw money into a burning hole, the future looks grim."

 

If Producer Jordan Roth can't find a way to market this then nobody can! I don't see it lasting past Labor Day.

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 7/27/18 at 6:24pm

Still not clear why the producers believed VERY lukewarm reviews from it's big Bay Area tryout meant "Get this to Broadway as soon as possible".

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 7/27/18 at 6:26pm

this show was DOA stick a fork in it 

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 7/27/18 at 6:37pm

Robbie2 said: "If Producer Jordan Roth can't find a way to market this then nobody can! I don't see it lasting past Labor Day."

I don't think Roth is the real decision-maker on the show, is he? I would guess that the first 2-4 producers listed are the driving forces.

Produced by  Christine Russell,  Louise Gund,  Donovan Leitch,  Rick Ferrari,  Gwyneth Paltrow,  Scott Sigman,  Hunter Arnold,  Tom Kirdahy,  Jordan Roth,  Julie Boardman,  Broadway Strategic Return Fund,  Vikram Chatwal,  The John Gore Organization,  NETworks Presentations, LLC,  Insurgent Media,  Robert Kravis,  Art Lab, LLC,  Marc Bell,  Mara Burros-Sandler,  Carrie Clifford,  Adam Gorgoni, Carole Shorenstein Hays,  Marguerite Hoffman,  Dr. Michael Mintz,  Sandi Moran,  Paramount Pictures,  Van Horn Doran Group,  Eric Cornell,  Jonathan & Nancy Glaser/Lucy Fato & Matthew Detmer,  Heather Reid & Allison Milgard/NS HOH, LLC/Leslie Bourne & Lisa Martin,  Franklin & Tracy Codel/Mike Singer/Taffy Stern,  Oliver Roth/Kate Cannova/Anne & Larry Hambly and  Brad Blume/Eric Gelb/Gary Nelson

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 7/27/18 at 7:10pm

This is going to sound super cheesy, but all this makes me so sad. Mainly for all the actors and people behind the scenes. Like, imagine landing your Broadway debut, devoting so much time to rehearsing, telling everyone you know.. and then reading the reviews or finding out that something you've put your heart into is all wasted. Its so sad to think about..

Same goes for GTBBT

[HogansHero]

Posted: 7/27/18 at 7:13pm

Paltrow lent her name and perhaps a bit of coin to this; she didn't take it to raise. 

@SomethingPeculiar I get you point about an ambassador but I can't resist noting that two of your examples flopped, and the one that didn't had Oprah who is/was sui generis.

[Robbie2]

Posted: 7/27/18 at 7:25pm

YvanEhtNioj said: "This is going to sound super cheesy, but all this makes me so sad. Mainly for all the actors and people behind the scenes. Like, imagine landing your Broadway debut, devoting so much time to rehearsing, telling everyone you know.. and then reading the reviews or finding out that something you've put your heart into is all wasted. Its so sad to think about..

Same goes for GTBBT"

 

That's Show Business...It's a Business~It is what it is and that's life. You move on...yes, sad but nothing wasted!

[Evans2]

Posted: 7/27/18 at 7:34pm

little_sally said: "How long before a B list celebrity mysteriously comes in an replaces a cast member for 3 weeks?"

 

You really think Gwyneth Paltrow would come in for three 3 weeks?

[ACL2006]

Posted: 7/27/18 at 8:28pm

The show might be closed in three weeks.

[Robbie2]

Posted: 7/27/18 at 8:59pm

SomethingPeculiar said: "Robbie2 said: "If Producer Jordan Roth can't find a way to market this then nobody can! I don't see it lasting past Labor Day."

I don't think Roth is the real decision-maker on the show, is he? I would guess that the first 2-4 producers listed are the driving forces.

Produced byChristine Russell,Louise Gund,Donovan Leitch,Rick Ferrari,Gwyneth Paltrow,Scott Sigman,Hunter Arnold,Tom Kirdahy,Jordan Roth,Julie Boardman,Broadway Strategic Return Fund,Vikram Chatwal,The John Gore Organization,NETworks Presentations, LLC,Insurgent Media,Robert Kravis,Art Lab, LLC,Marc Bell,Mara Burros-Sandler,Carrie Clifford,Adam Gorgoni,Carole Shorenstein Hays,Marguerite Hoffman,Dr. Michael Mintz,Sandi Moran,Paramount Pictures,Van Horn Doran Group,Eric Cornell,Jonathan & Nancy Glaser/Lucy Fato & Matthew Detmer,Heather Reid & Allison Milgard/NS HOH, LLC/Leslie Bourne & Lisa Martin,Franklin & Tracy Codel/Mike Singer/Taffy Stern,Oliver Roth/Kate Cannova/Anne & Larry HamblyandBrad Blume/Eric Gelb/Gary Nelson"

 

Most if not around 75% of those names are novice producers and just the $ (Investors)!

 

[msmp]

Posted: 7/27/18 at 9:13pm

haterobics said: "little_sally said: "How long before a B list celebrity mysteriously comes in an replaces a cast member for 3 weeks?"

Would have to be a Go-Go, no?"

Would anyone but Belinda Carlisle be a big enough name to fill the theatre (and even then it's a stretch)? There are a lot of Go Go's fans, but I'm not sure there are enough to keep the show afloat. Carlisle might be able to get a couple sell-out shows though.

[msmp]

Posted: 7/27/18 at 9:19pm

SomethingPeculiar said: "Robbie2 said: "If Producer Jordan Roth can't find a way to market this then nobody can! I don't see it lasting past Labor Day."

I don't think Roth is the real decision-maker on the show, is he? I would guess that the first 2-4 producers listed are the driving forces.

Produced byChristine Russell,Louise Gund,Donovan Leitch,Rick Ferrari,Gwyneth Paltrow,Scott Sigman,Hunter Arnold,Tom Kirdahy,Jordan Roth,Julie Boardman,Broadway Strategic Return Fund,Vikram Chatwal,The John Gore Organization,NETworks Presentations, LLC,Insurgent Media,Robert Kravis,Art Lab, LLC,Marc Bell,Mara Burros-Sandler,Carrie Clifford,Adam Gorgoni,Carole Shorenstein Hays,Marguerite Hoffman,Dr. Michael Mintz,Sandi Moran,Paramount Pictures,Van Horn Doran Group,Eric Cornell,Jonathan & Nancy Glaser/Lucy Fato & Matthew Detmer,Heather Reid & Allison Milgard/NS HOH, LLC/Leslie Bourne & Lisa Martin,Franklin & Tracy Codel/Mike Singer/Taffy Stern,Oliver Roth/Kate Cannova/Anne & Larry HamblyandBrad Blume/Eric Gelb/Gary Nelson"

Wait why in the world is Paramount Pictures producing this? They can't be thinking movie option, can they? I can't fathom this would do well in theatres even if it managed to survive on Broadway for more than a month.

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 7/27/18 at 9:22pm

msmp said: "haterobics said: "little_sally said: "How long before a B list celebrity mysteriously comes in an replaces a cast member for 3 weeks?"

Would have to be a Go-Go, no?"

Would anyone but Belinda Carlisle be a big enough name to fill the theatre (and even then it's a stretch)? There are a lot of Go Go's fans, but I'm not sure there are enough to keep the show afloat. Carlisle might be able to get a couple sell-out shows though."

Only if the show has "Heaven is a Place on Earth".

[msmp]

Posted: 7/27/18 at 9:24pm

ScottyDoesn'tKnow2 said: "msmp said: "haterobics said: "little_sally said: "How long before a B list celebrity mysteriously comes in an replaces a cast member for 3 weeks?"

Would have to be a Go-Go, no?"

Would anyone but Belinda Carlisle be a big enough name to fill the theatre (and even then it's a stretch)? There are a lot of Go Go's fans, but I'm not sure there are enough to keep the show afloat. Carlisle might be able to get a couple sell-out shows though."

Only if the show has "Heaven is a Place on Earth"."

I thought HoH did include "Heaven is a Place on Earth" but point very much taken!

[bear88]

Posted: 7/27/18 at 10:00pm

UncleCharlie said: "Still not clear why the producers believed VERYlukewarm reviews from it's big Bay Area tryout meant "Get this to Broadway as soon as possible"."

The producers already had a Broadway opening before the show started at the Curran in San Francisco in March. There wasn't ever going to be time to fix much, much less do the sort of revamp some have suggested. I remember the tone of Head Over Heels thread in San Francisco. The gist among its supporters was: What a charming, fun show with a great cast! I sure hope they can address the problems quickly.

The musical was always going to be a tough sell on Broadway. No stars in a jukebox show with few songs people outside of a certain age range recognize, in an odd plot. Stranger shows have worked, but the producers didn't really know how to market it and didn't seem to try. I enjoyed it, and my wife and daughter loved it, but it couldn't get people into the theater - and the ones who came either liked it or hated it.

[bear88]

Posted: 7/27/18 at 10:00pm

Double post

Updated On: 7/27/18 at 10:00 PM

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 7/27/18 at 10:53pm

HogansHero said: "@SomethingPeculiar I get you point about an ambassador but I can't resist noting that two of your examplesflopped, and the one that didn't had Oprah who is/was sui generis."

Yes, you're 100% right that I used poor examples –– but those shows might have sunk even quicker without their celebrity mascot's press attention. (Though Sting / Rosie in '03 are bigger names than Paltrow is now)

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/27/18 at 11:12pm

Honestly, they need to bump Peppermint. Love her, but she's not great in the show. Get Bob the Drag Queen in there, or Biana Del Rio or Jinx Monsoon. They could have different drag queens in the show. And trust me, people would come. 

[AlfredDrakeII]

Posted: 7/27/18 at 11:18pm

I can't believe that producer OPENLY said that they don't know how to sell the show, and that it's having trouble. Who in their right mind would allow those sentiments to go public?? Wouldn't a savvy producer pivot the conversation away from the negatives and focus on, I dunno, enticing people to come see the play? It actually has an interesting concept, it's a shame that they couldn't find a team creative enough to sell this show.

"Maybe we should've sold the sex."

Sigh.

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 7/27/18 at 11:34pm

msmp said: "haterobics said: "little_sally said: "How long before a B list celebrity mysteriously comes in an replaces a cast member for 3 weeks?"

Would have to be a Go-Go, no?"

Would anyone but Belinda Carlisle be a big enough name to fill the theatre (and even then it's a stretch)? There are a lot of Go Go's fans, but I'm not sure there are enough to keep the show afloat. Carlisle might be able to get a couple sell-out shows though."

If they replaced Rachel York with Belinda Carlisle, I don't think I would know anything but that Rachel York was out. I'm not sure I could pick any of the Go Gos out of a lineup of women around their ages.

I think Paltrow could sell something like the musical adaptation of Shakespeare in Love but she has no attachment to the material. It makes no sense for her to go out.

[ryankon]

Posted: 7/27/18 at 11:38pm

It's not cheesy.  It's kind.  Creative pursuits require courage and determination.  It's a difficult and very public business.  People try and succeed with varying degrees of success.  It's admirable that you don't delight in the failure of others.  People are pursuing their dreams.  It's sad when those dreams are not realized.