Riedel's next victim: THE PRODUCERS- Page 2

[Fosse76]

Posted: 9/27/06 at 2:14pm

"THE PRODUCERS could gross $400,000 every week for a year and the show would still have money, as it has a huge surplus from when it was grossing $1 mil every week for those 2+ years."

Ummm, no. The profit isn't put in some reserve, it's distributed to the investors. PLUS, the creative teams gets a percentage of weekly income, so the higher the income the bigger the disbursements. Do shows budget a reserve account for running costs for periods when it isn't profitable? If so, I doubt it would survive long on it.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 9/27/06 at 2:30pm

Plus some of the profit from Broadway has been used to off set losses in Los Angeles and on the road. THE PRODUCERS has been hugely succesful, but its not such a cash cow that it can stay open for a year running at a loss.

I don't really think the owners of the St. James care about loyalty; not enough to house THE PRODUCERS at 50% till 2008. They would be much better off having a show like THE WIZ for a year before YF is ready to open.

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 9/27/06 at 3:20pm

Sorry, correction, firstly, I meant to say $500,000, not $400,000.

The show runs now at approx $550,000, and the show does have a reserve of about $3.5 million, which would still offset the loss of $50,000 a week for one year...

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 9/27/06 at 4:05pm

Except there IS NO RESERVE, as Fosse76 states. Now, if the producers want to put their profit back into the show or if the creative team wants to volunteer a percentage of their weekly percentage, they could probably stay open at a loss for a year.

That is basically the scenario that happened with the original run of A CHORUS LINE - but that was a landmark musical holding the "longest running musical in Broadway history" status. There isn't really a need to go to such extremes to keep THE PRODUCERS open past the five year mark.

[Julian2]

Posted: 9/27/06 at 4:16pm

It looks like it may be Curtains for The Producers.

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 9/27/06 at 4:23pm

And it still blows my mind that more shows like this don't post tickets on TDF.

It's getting to the point where I don't know why I pay the annual fee when hardly anything I want to see has offers.

But when I hear about shows in this financial condition and then I see if their listed on TDF, and they're not...I wonder who's not doing their job.

It is all an ego trip?

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 9/27/06 at 4:31pm

Honestly, if they are in trouble I would imagine that they would attempt to stunt cast the lead roles again in hopes of a box office hike before giving up.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 9/27/06 at 4:57pm

I agree with the sentiment that the show was never the same without Lane (I won't say Broderick, because he did nothing for me). I saw the show without him, and it was not even close to the same experience. So, yes, I do think the show is well past its prime, and unless Lane steps in again to re-ignite it, it's time to go.

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 9/27/06 at 5:38pm

i say, yes, it is time for the show to close
never saw the show, saw the movie once, and enjoyed it, saw it a second time, and hated it
its a one time thing, in my opinion, and just...the St. James is ready for a new show to be its tenant
id say either CURTAINS or THE WIZ

[Horton]

Posted: 9/27/06 at 5:44pm

The film was fine, the only thing I hated was Susan Stroman's commentary! she is such a boaring woman!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 9/27/06 at 5:51pm

When the producers of the show start denying it you know there is truth to it

Sort of like a baseball team giving its failing teams manager a vote of confidence before they fire him

Updated On: 9/27/06 at 05:51 PM

[TabooPhan1]

Posted: 9/27/06 at 6:11pm

I dunno, I would be very unhappy to see it close. It is, to this day, my favorite broadway show, with or without Nathan. I listen to the OBCR all the time, I loved the music, and I thought it was hysterical. I've watched the movie probably 10 times since I've had it, and it didn't get old. I'm not saying that anyone else should change their opinion, just saying I'd be upset to hear it was closing

Bwayondabrain- Not to be a bitch, but how do you know it's time for it to go if you haven't seen it?

And I personally enjoyed it FAR more than Rent. I thought Rent was ok, I wasn't deeply affected by it (I still think it's not Jonathan Larson's best work...). The Producers is just fun, entertaining, light-hearted, and, in a way, a nice twist on old fashioned musicals. Just my opinion...

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 9/27/06 at 6:15pm

yeah, i know my comment sounded kind of out of place, having not seen the show before
but i think it is time for it to go just from what everyone else has said about the show, and judging by the movie which someone told me is like a filmed version of the stage show, i just feel it might be time for it to go off broadway

but yeah, i guess i shouldnt judge having not seen the show live...

[sidneybruhl]

Posted: 9/27/06 at 7:30pm

Oh how I hate this show! I hope it closes soon.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 9/27/06 at 8:10pm

Great imput Sidney.

After seeing the Wiz pictures, I'd say kick the Producers out.

[worrell4077]

Posted: 9/28/06 at 3:16pm

It had a good run and if it's struggling then it should close. I mean it's like if there was a dying animal in the road and even though you know it could make it, you still don't want to see it in pain.

I'll be sad when it closes cause it's been one of my favorite shows(it used to be my favorite, but Jersey Boys came and bumped it down), but it's not like it's gone forever. There's still both movies, the OBCR and the film soundtrack, etc. So, if it has to close, then it should.

I think out of The Wiz, Grease, Curtains, and Young Frankenstein, Young Frankenstein should get the St.James theatre, if they can drag The Producers on until YF is ready to go, if not then The Wiz or Curtains should go in.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 9/28/06 at 4:24pm

"When the producers of the show start denying it you know there is truth to it."

Huh? If I asked Dodger if JERSEY BOYS was struggling and they said no, that would mean that they are?

[americanboy99]

Posted: 9/28/06 at 5:28pm

I still cannot believe this show can call itself the winner of the most Tony's of any show. Obviously, it is not the best show Braodway has ever seen. It just doesn't seem right.

Obviously, I know the cicumstances of that season and its "not so good" competition but, COME ON, THE PRODUCERS??

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 9/28/06 at 5:43pm

Um, The Fully Monty was a much better show than this and it opened the same season.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 9/28/06 at 5:44pm

Yes, but THE PRODUCERS was the "it" show. Even if THE FULL MONTY had better performances and material, it wouldn't win. Nothing could have stopped THE PRODUCERS that year.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 9/28/06 at 5:58pm

To Munk

Your analogy is wrong. When Jersey Boys grosses are in the same range as The Producers than come back to me. 2 totally different situations & 2 totally different shows

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 9/28/06 at 6:01pm

The show has made a lot of money, it has been seen by a lot of people, its winding down its run - what is so wrong about closing it? Older shows close - new shows hopefully will open - why does every show have to run for decades?

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 9/28/06 at 6:14pm

That's a great point, Marc. And I think it puts things into perspective a bit: From the 40s-70s it was rare for a hit show to run more than 4-5 seasons. Now-a-days, if you are a "hit" musical, you have to hang on for a decade: and I think that is partly because it takes so much longer to recoup, but mostly I think its the stigma, in the wake of PHANTOM, LES MIZ, etc. that a "hit" musical must run for years or its considered a disappointment.

THE PRODUCERS has run for five years and made a hefty profit. I agree that there shouldn't be any shame in closing it now.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 9/28/06 at 6:33pm

Roxy, my analogy is not wrong based on what you said.

Just because the producers are denying trouble with their show doesn't mean they are lying.

THE PRODUCERS has only had abyssmal numbers for a couple weeks now - it's not as if they have been playing at half capacity for 6 months. With all the money they have made on the show, they have enough of a cushion to get through the hard times. I don't think that the producers were lying in saying that they are not yet in a financial crisis.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 9/28/06 at 6:39pm

The numbers have only hit rock bottom in the last few months, but I think you can see a pretty steady and consistant decline since early last spring.

I mentioned back when the movie opened and tanked, that it would be interesting to see how that affected the Broadway numbers, and in my opinion, they directly correlate. In fact you can almost pinpoint the numbers really sinking with the dvd release of the movie, which may add credibility to the belief that Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick were really the only cast people wanted to see in that musical.

With them on dvd, who is going to pay 100 bucks to see unknowns on Broadway?