Riedel on How Dracula got Produced

[Plum]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 10:33am

This is about as good as Riedel gets- still unecessarily catty, but at least he has interesting information to share. Broadway as testing ground for Europe? Interesting, to say the least. I know I wasn't aware of this...
RICH MAN, POOR SHOW

[Zola Q. LaPlaya]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 10:34am

That show sucks. I don't care what the reason it got produced -- it was a dumb move. When Tom Hewitt flies over the stage sideways, it lost its last shred of dignity.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 10:42am

At least we know it won't be closing anytime soon. The producers seem to have deeper pockets than the Weisslers.

[CurtainUp2]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 10:48am

What a HACK!

[Plum]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 11:51am

Riedel, Wildhorn, or the producer? :P

[gwapnisky]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 12:04pm

Yes, the show is closing rather soon. A good source close to the production has mentioned that it will close before the end of October.

The show is of poor quality and calibur. It took them 3 years to bring it to the Broadway stage and this is all they could come up with.

Producers should be ashamed of themselves for believing in such work. Anyone with a shred of common sense would have looked at this show prior to being moved to a space and made mention that it is in no way near ready for public viewing.

[magruder]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 12:13pm

Your good source is wrong.

[gwapnisky]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 12:17pm

and why would you question that?

this is someone who works within the production.

do you have anything real to add?

[leeinlondon]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 12:28pm

What a cheap shot at European theatrical tastes, he didn't point out that both Dance of the Vampires and Jeckyl and Hyde are signifanctly different to the versions on Broadway.

I think there is good and bad theatre on both continents and dismissve bitchy comments like that don't deserve to be printed anywhere.

[magruder]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 12:33pm

It has no basis in reality. There have been no such discussions about the show closing "at the end of October," despite what your friend is saying. No closing date has been discussed or proposed whatsoever.

[Corine2]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 12:49pm

To bad he did not invest in Gypsy. A Quality show or Urinetown.
Bring those back to Broadway where they belong.

[umgeoboy]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 12:52pm

Ok, let's start with his "facts" that are wrong. Let's first start with J&H which is a flop yet it ran for 4 years. Next let's go to 42nd street which he says cost 16 mill which I will belive. And goes on to criticize the show for not recouping its money yet. It is 95% recouped and will be on in about a month or so. So let's take that out of the equation. Now he goes on to talk about broadway being the bouncing ground to try shows out before they go to europe. Dance of the Vampires was a hit in europe LONG before it came to US AND FLOPPED!

Now are there problems with Dracula OF COURSE!

Is his information correct in this right up NO!!!!

Is Dracula going to close by the end of Oct? As of now there is absoultely no information "inside" or not that is saying it will.

[CurtainUp2]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 1:05pm

I doubt very much that Dracula will close by the end of October. Theatre critics simply do not have the clout they once did. (Not that I consider Riedel to be a Theatre critic by any stretch of the imagination.) Which I'm sure only serves to frustrate and infuriate them all the more. They have to keep turning out more and more venonmous reviews just to get anyone to pay them the slightest bit of attention. Regardless of the negative reviews, I predict that Dracula will run for at least 1-2 years. Everyone that I know personally who's seen it has enjoyed it. And I've had more than a few people on this board PM me with their positive comments. They're just tired of subjecting themselves to the "bashing" that's been going on here for weeks. But I'm not. I couldn't care less what the critics (both amatuer and professional) have to say. I LOVED it! And I'm going back to see it again in a few weeks. Stop believing everything the critics, and so-called critics, have to say and start thinking for yourself!

Updated On: 8/25/04 at 01:05 PM

[umgeoboy]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 1:06pm

Thanks Curtainup I definitely agree with you, and have myself posted a very positive review of the show on the boards.

[Corine2]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 1:07pm

1-2 years. I doubt it. It would be a waste of Tom's talent.
If it lasts 6 months I would be shocked.
I am glad someone loved this work.
I for one did not even like it.
But the cast are exceptional and so are the sets.
I just wish Tom exuded more passion.
He really is the hottest man on Broadway.
He sizzles! Updated On: 8/25/04 at 01:07 PM

[umgeoboy]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 1:08pm

I give it a year or two...every other Frank wildhorn show made it that long (except Civil War) Tourists are still going to go see the show.

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 1:20pm

I told you! DRACULA will run for 20 years!

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 1:23pm

Just because a show runs four years doesn't make it a success. JEKYLL did not make its money back. That's the definition of a flop.

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 1:26pm

Why didn't CIVIL WAR run for 4 years?

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 1:30pm

Because people weren't going to see it.

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 2:40pm

But will DRACULA keep going because of this rich guy even if the audience is empty?

[umgeoboy]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 2:55pm

54% is far from empty. It was running 70-80% the first weeks of previews. If it can build back up to that it will stay open. Also, end of august/sept is known as dry spell in broadway and therefore dracula may remain open even running at 50% since all shows will be running much lower then full capacity.

Posted: 8/25/04 at 2:57pm

The show has only been out for about two weeks and so many people are saying it will only last one month, discounts are still out and there is the toughest month September to go through and then there is Halloween which will help sales, then we can see how Dracula is faring I say by mid-November many people should know how well Dracula will last on broadway. I personally loved it and think that Wilhorn fans, Dracula fans, and Tourists looking for a familliar name will keep this show alive! I hope it lasts for at least four years, but I am guessing it will last for at least 2.

[Zola Q. LaPlaya]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 3:16pm

Let's not forget, peeps, that the word of mouth on this show is HORRIBLE. It is going drain money like there's no tomorrow. The advertising blitz is going to cost a mint and there is not one review -- all of which were merciless -- you can shred to find even a decent quotation.

[gwapnisky]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 3:29pm

The show is terrible.

Anyone who has seen enough theatre should know that this is complete garbage.

Read the interviews with Tom. Read the interviews with Melissa. Through their words they even admit the show is terrible.

All these high-schoolers on this board have not seen enough legitimate theatre to know what is good.

If you are going to say you liked the show, how about you give some back-up as to what you liked? Just saying you liked it as a whole is poor.

I'm sure many on here, who have seen it, and dislike it, can pinpoint every possible problem they saw with the production.

Let's also look at the history of the Belasco. It is not a theatre where productions go on for years.

James Joyce's The Dead
Musical, Original, Broadway
Written by Richard Nelson; Music by Shaun Davey.
Jan 11, 2000

Follies
Musical, Revival, Broadway
Book by James Goldman; Music by Stephen Sondheim; Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.
Apr 5, 2001

The Mystery of Charles Dickens
Play, Original, Broadway
Written by Peter Ackroyd.
Apr 25, 2002

Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune
Play, Original, Broadway
Written by Terrence McNally.
Aug 8, 2002

Enchanted April
Play, Original, Broadway
Written by Matthew Barber.
Apr 29, 2003

Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks
Play, Original, Broadway
Written by Richard Alfieri.
Oct 29, 2003James Joyce's The Dead
Musical, Original, Broadway
Written by Richard Nelson; Music by Shaun Davey.
Jan 11, 2000

Follies
Musical, Revival, Broadway
Book by James Goldman; Music by Stephen Sondheim; Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.
Apr 5, 2001

The Mystery of Charles Dickens
Play, Original, Broadway
Written by Peter Ackroyd.
Apr 25, 2002

Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune
Play, Original, Broadway
Written by Terrence McNally.
Aug 8, 2002

Enchanted April
Play, Original, Broadway
Written by Matthew Barber.
Apr 29, 2003

Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks
Play, Original, Broadway
Written by Richard Alfieri.
Oct 29, 2003