Riedel on people fighting for tickets to upcoming Fall musicals

[10086sunset]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 10:11am

http://nypost.com/2017/07/11/people-will-fight-for-tickets-to-these-upcoming-broadway-musicals/

Updated On: 7/12/17 at 10:11 AM

[ACL2006]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 10:16am

Curious what theater MEAN GIRLS is eyeing? Didn't think THE BAND'S VISIT had that strong word-of-mouth. It is likely the front-runner for the 2018 Tony right now.

[Valentina3]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 10:18am

The snarky comment about Sam GOld in the end was so unnecessary and dishonest, ugh. 

[Kad]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 10:24am

The Band's Visit has strong word of mouth in the industry, at least. It's not like tons of people were able to see it in its limited run at the Atlantic, but it received unanimous critical praise and was able to win multiple awards even over Dear Evan Hansen.

I don't understand the bit about Sam Gold at the end, unless they were being facetious. Sam Gold has been behind numerous widely-praised productions in the last few seasons, including Fun Home, Othello, and John- and though his Glass Menagerie was divisive, it had many strong defenders.

Updated On: 7/12/17 at 10:24 AM

[haterobics]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 10:28am

ACL2006 said: "Didn't think THE BAND'S VISIT had that strong word-of-mouth. It is likely the front-runner for the 2018 Tony right now."

How are those two things related?

[ACL2006]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 10:45am

Considering what other new musicals are coming in, THE BAND'S VISIT has a different kind of appeal. Everything else coming in is either a jukebox musical or an adaptation of a movie. 

[Messytheatregirl]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 10:52am

"Considering what other new musicals are coming in, THE BAND'S VISIT has a different kind of appeal. Everything else coming in is either a jukebox musical or an adaptation of a movie."

A Band's Visit is also an adaptation of a movie. 

Updated On: 7/12/17 at 10:52 AM

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 11:12am

Valentina3 said: "The snarky comment about Sam GOld in the end was so unnecessary and dishonest, ugh. 

 

"

Unnecessary, perhaps....but dead on 

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 11:13am

I just got tickets for The Band's Visit the other day and there were PLENTY of seating options available across multiple performances... not sure where "fighting" is happening for those.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 11:29am

ACL2006 said: "Curious what theater MEAN GIRLS is eyeing? Didn't think THE BAND'S VISIT had that strong word-of-mouth. It is likely the front-runner for the 2018 Tony right now.

 

"

the Neil Simon would seem like a good fit.

[IHeartNY2]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 11:53am

Thought Spongebob would at least get a mention...is it not on anyone's radar?

[bear88]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 12:19pm

The article says The Band's Visit has the field to itself this fall. The musical has critical raves and no competition. That said, it may take a while for actual people to start buying tickets, months in advance. It doesn't sound like the sort of show that will provoke a ticket-buying frenzy before it opens.

The spring is more crowded, as always, with a bunch of shows that will sell lots of tickets even if they're terrible because people know the source material. As someone who likes original Broadway shows, this seems like an uninteresting season for musicals, even if some of these shows are well-executed.

As I won't be coming to New York next year, barring a major change of plans, I guess that's a good thing for me. But it sure seems like a year focused on safe bets and sure things. Mean Girls might make for a fine musical, something my daughter would want to see, but I'm not personally intrigued.

[LMcC95]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 12:26pm

Means Girls is not sent in the 90s. They had cellphones!!!!!

[Kad]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 12:39pm

While not set in the 90s, it is very much a carryover of the female-led 90s comedy.

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 1:08pm

bear88 said: "The article says The Band's Visit has the field to itself this fall. The musical has critical raves and no competition. That said, it may take a while for actual people to start buying tickets, months in advance. It doesn't sound like the sort of show that will provoke a ticket-buying frenzy before it opens.

The spring is more crowded, as always, with a bunch of shows that will sell lots of tickets even if they're terrible because people know the source material. As someone who likes original Broadway shows, this seems like an uninteresting season for musicals, even if some of these shows are well-executed.

As I won't be coming to New York next year, barring a major change of plans, I guess that's a good thing for me. But it sure seems like a year focused on safe bets and sure things. Mean Girls might make for a fine musical, something my daughter would want to see, but I'm not personally intrigued.

I think that the Band's Visit might possibly take the same trajectory as CFA. It comes in as a small show  with little fanfare, but with rave reviews almost guaranteed. It's also a feel good show that will, I predict,garner several Tony nominations, including one for Best Musical, Best Actress (Katrina Lenk) and Best Score. So I think it will build, as has CFA, a very good audience going in to Tony season, and if should happen to win the Best Musical Tony, watch out. CFA is now a hard ticket to get, and TBV might end up in the same category. 

 

"

 

[Kad]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 1:13pm

The Band's Visit will probably garner nominations for David Cromer and David Yazbek, two well-respected theatre artists who are thus far without a nominations or a win (respectively).

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 1:51pm

Kad said: "The Band's Visit will probably garner nominations for David Cromer and David Yazbek, two well-respected theatre artists who are thus far without a nominations or a win (respectively)."

Agreed. I think it will garner several to many nominations. CFA got seven, and I suspect that TBV will get about the same number if not one or two more.

 

 

 

[Kad]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 2:00pm

The Band's Visit has an advantage over CFA for nominations: it has clear leading and supporting roles. Tony Shaloub, Katrina Lenk, and Ari'el Stachel could all conceivably be nominated.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 2:01pm

The Band's Visit and CFA have very little in common.  I don't understand how they relate at all.

 TBV is very much so the strong frontrunner for Best Musical.  Mean Girls (which may make for a hilarious musical) and SpongeBob probably won't be much of a threat.  What the TBV needs to worry about is some of the lurking musicals like Hadestown, Sondheim's new musical, Little Dancer, and even The Secret Life of Bees which is getting a workshop this month.  If any of those shows transfer, the producers of TBV may not sleep so well.

[Kad]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 2:09pm

Well, Secret Life of Bees is being done at New York Stage and Film, which is an annual festival of sorts that produces readings, workshop, and developmental productions of dozens of works with top-drawer talent involved. It's not a commercial workshop. Things debuting at NYSAF are generally at least another year or two away from being produced- if they are ever produced at all.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 2:12pm

Kad said: "Well, Secret Life of Bees is being done at New York Stage and Film, which is an annual festival of sorts that produces readings, workshop, and developmental productions of dozens of works with top-drawer talent involved. It's not a commercial workshop. Things debuting at NYSAF are generally at least another year or two away from being produced- if they are ever produced at all.

 

Interesting.  I didn't know that.  With it's currents cast and creative team, though, it makes it hard to imagine that it won't eventually make it to Broadway.

 

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 2:26pm

GeorgeandDot said: "The Band's Visit and CFA have very little in common.  I don't understand how they relate at all.

 TBV is very much so the strong frontrunner for Best Musical.  Mean Girls (which may make for a hilarious musical) and SpongeBob probably won't be much of a threat.  What the TBV needs to worry about is some of the lurking musicals like Hadestown, Sondheim's new musical, Little Dancer, and even The Secret Life of Bees which is getting a workshop this month.  If any of those shows transfer, the producers of TBV may not sleep so well.

Little Dancer got good but not great reviews in DC, though I do imagine that it has undergone significant improvements since then. Nonetheless, I don't think it will be a serious contender for the Best Musical Tony.  Hadestown may or may not open in the spring. It's playing in Canada in late 2017 with a Canadian cast. I doubt it will be a major threat either. And I have no idea what the status of the new Sondheim musical is. Is it likely to open cold on Broadway? I don't think that's Sondheim's preferred route. I doubt the producers of TBV are losing much sleep about any of the shows you mention  

 

"

 

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 2:31pm

^Yeah.  I'm just saying that if any of these shows decide to transfer (especially Sondheim's new show) awards that would have otherwise gone to TBV may go somewhere else.

Also, I've heard rumors that Little Dancer may transfer in the spring and Sondheim's new show may open at the Public sometime this fall and transfer to Broadway in the Spring, but I'm not completely sure if these plans are still in place.

[Kad]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 2:36pm

The Public did not announce Sondheim's show with the rest of their season. That doesn't necessarily meant it won't happen, but it's not exactly a terrific sign for an imminent debut, either.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/12/17 at 2:39pm

I loved A Bands Visit. It's a big musical done on a smaller scale. I loved the design, and I think it's going to be even more interesting and creative with an expanded space and budget.