Riedel: FOLLIES definitely leaving the Marquis. Looking for a new theater...

[ljay889]

Posted: 10/18/11 at 11:18pm

http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/theater/ricky_evita_too_loca_for_follies_hdJ8ycwjlhBUZU5tli6NhO

Plese, please, please let them find a new theater!

[quizking101]

Posted: 10/18/11 at 11:28pm

The only open Nederlander houses are the Neil Simon and...well, the Nederlander (although "Relatively Speaking" may be gone in a flash and open the Brooks Atkinson).

[ACL2006]

Posted: 10/18/11 at 11:34pm

I can see Follies simply waiting until "Relatively Speaking" closes, which should be sometime in January, to take the Brooks Atkinson. JCS has the Neil Simon in March and Newsies appearently has the Nederlander.

Updated On: 10/18/11 at 11:34 PM

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/18/11 at 11:36pm

Jesus Christ Superstar has the Neil Simon. Theatres are hard to come by this season. There's not much open now unless shows close early.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 10/18/11 at 11:38pm

NEWSIES ain't got nuttin' yet.

FOLLIES should get thee to the Nederlander.

[bmwpjager]

Posted: 10/18/11 at 11:43pm

^It could be going into another theatre, like Reidel said. My view on their options:

Just Right:
The Belasco (He he, He he... Hmm..)
The Shubert (since Memphis is apparently on the chopping block)
The Lyceum
The Broadhurst (this fit Into the Woods, should be able to fit this)
(and though I hate to say it): The Nederlander
The Gerald Schoenfeld
The Bernard B. Jacobs

Just a LITTLE too small or big, but could work:
The Longacre
The Palace
The Ethyl Barrymore
The Brooks Atkinson
Studio 54
The Cort

No, just don't, PLEASE:
The Broadway

I mean, the set was made so it could fit within a variety of theatre sizes (really all it is is the scaffolding, that one staircase that lives on the stage, and the Loveland drops.... of and those costumes/ cast/ orchestra) However, if the producers are as committed as I think they are, they'll make it work.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/18/11 at 11:45pm

I still cannot believe that the beautiful newly renovated Belasco has been open since Women on the Verge closed in January. Get something in that theatre! Pleasee!

[binau]

Posted: 10/18/11 at 11:48pm

I hope they take a smaller theatre, which will help prolong the run past the Tony Awards etc...the show could sell out every night if it was at The Belasco or Nederlander.
(Are they big enough for FOLLIES? I suppose the Belasco was in 2001, but it looked like a smaller production).

Updated On: 10/18/11 at 11:48 PM

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/18/11 at 11:52pm

I think the Belasco would definitely be big enough. It housed the Dracula and Women on the Verge which were both pretty big shows. On a side note, I wonder if they will keep the drapes for the walls and ceiling of the house if they transfer to a new theatre.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 12:05am

I can't help but laugh at people continuously saying baseless things like MEMPHIS is "on the chopping block." Look at the grosses. They're about to recoup, and they're still consistently playing to around 80% capacity with close to $800,000 a week on average.

The show's not going anywhere.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 12:33am

I think one reason FOLLIES is a candidate for moving is THERE IS NO SET!
I'm sure the designer would prove me wrong, but it's a wall with scaffolds, a staircase and a faux arch.
LOVELAND is two rows of paper flowers and two painted ones and a small arch that flies.

Move it!

[binau]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 12:35am

lol. true.

Updated On: 10/19/11 at 12:35 AM

[theatreguy]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 12:40am

There may not be much of a set, but they do need a stage that is wide and deep enough to accommodate it. Otherwise they'd need to re-size it which would just add to the already high costs of moving a show. They also need enough space backstage for a large cast, crew and orchestra. And there need to be enough seats to make it financially feasible. They could possibly fit into something like the Belasco (I don't really know), but with 583 fewer seats at each performance wouldn't they need to sell all tickets at top price to be able to break even?

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 12:44am

So does the set for Follies use the actual back wall of the Maquis? I know there are some brick wall structures covering the wings, but are those really the only other big set pieces besides the scaffolding, arches, and staircase?

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 12:47am

Unless the the Belasco's orchestra pit was greatly expanded during the recent renovation, I highly doubt that the Follies orchestra would fit.

[SondheimFan5]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 12:48am

I'm pretty sure it's a fake back wall.

This would be incredible if it moved!! I'd even be OK if they slimmed the orchestra down to 21 or so...

[binau]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 12:53am

If they sold 965 (95%) seats at an average of $100 (a ticket price they seem to be able manage now) that would be 770k, which is still breaking even at a nut of 600k, but not a massive profit I guess (will rent be cheaper at a smaller house to bring it down under 600k?). They'd definitely recoup and make a little bit of a profit if they can last to the end of 2012 with this attendance. If they could sell out with no discounts they could gross a million per week and recoup pretty quickly?

It sounds so risky though, going to a smaller theatre. But based on the current and upcoming attendance it would also be risky going to a larger theatre too....maybe around 1200 seats would be ideal.

They could even reduce the size of the orchestra in a smaller theatre to save costs and help them fit. I know people here may frown upon this but I think it will be better than closing.

Changing theatres sounds pretty complicated...not just for the physical aspect of moving the show. For example, will not having the FOLLIES logo in the middle of Times Square reduce ticket sales?

Updated On: 10/19/11 at 12:53 AM

[Tag]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 12:54am

Most of you forget that moving a show doesn't just mean the set. All the lighting and sound equipment goes too. As well as the show deck.

[ljay889]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 1:11am

. For example, will not having the FOLLIES logo in the middle of Times Square reduce ticket sales?

Probably not, considering the amount of shows that absolutely bomb at the Marquis.

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 1:14am

New World Stages!!!

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 1:25am

"I can't help but laugh at people continuously saying baseless things like MEMPHIS is "on the chopping block." Look at the grosses. They're about to recoup, and they're still consistently playing to around 80% capacity with close to $800,000 a week on average."

That may be true, but Riedel made the point a few articles ago that Joe DiPietro being the writer of Memphis and of Nice Work...could possibly mean something in terms of that trade-off, though it certainly wouldn't affect Follies.

Priscilla seems determined to stay put, and, besides, Follies trying to sell out the Palace every night seems a bit silly. And between the Belasco (another Follies revival in that theatre?) and the Brooks Atkinson or Nederlander (not enough pit space for that 28 piece orchestra) it seems like there aren't a lot of great choices for them. Though I certainly wish a miracle would happen and they could get another perfect theatre. I wasn't too thrilled with the Marquis when it was announced, for some reason, but now I feel like it's the perfect theatre for it and wish it could stay there while Evita would take the Palace. Too bad that's not happening.

[SondheimFan5]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 1:41am

Hows about a non-eq tour of Follies! Imagine that? *shudder*

[Smaxie]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 6:13am

Putting a show with 40+ cast members and a 28 piece orchestra in any of the 1000-1100 seat playhouses (Belasco, Lyceum, Schoenfeld, Broadhurst, Jacobs, Brooks Atkinson, Cort, Barrymore, Longacre) is both physically and economically not viable. Plus, most of those theatres are already booked or have back-up tenants waiting for the spring. While the Belasco housed a production of Follies, it couldn't house this particular production of Follies. And with the Lyceum, Cort and Belasco, one third of your available seats are in a second balcony, where no one ever wants to sit, so you are dealing with only around 600-750 top tier seats where you can command a full price ticket. Without downsizing the production, Follies would need one of the traditional musical theatres with 1400+ seats. And there are other musicals waiting as well for one of those theatres to become available.

Updated On: 10/19/11 at 06:13 AM

[BroadwayFan12]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 7:55am

Damn Evita producers.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 8:01am

Evita had the theatre before Follies ever was coming in. Not their fault.