Riedel: PIRATE QUEEN Could be $16 Million Flop — Page 3

mamaleh, thanks for straightening me out about "Bridge and Tunnel" audiences and full price tickets. I stand corrected,and I never said I was a city dweller. Many tourists frequent the TKTs booth, so I suppose the most important thing a fledgling show can hope for is lots of lawyers and other corporate types buying premium seats for clients.

As far as Pirate Queen recouping its 16 million dollar investment, I get the distinct impression that McColgan and Doherty are hoping to start a worldwide franchise with this show, as Phantom and Lion King have done. If PQ can generate enough interest on Broadway to bring about companies in London, Germany, Japan and elsewhere the producers might not be so concerned about making the initial investment back in New York. This is the one reason that the show might be kept running for a while even if it's not making back its weekly nut.

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Updated On: 3/23/07 at 08:51 PM

"The Hilton is a huge house. The theatre's "Karma" has a lot to do with that. 100% at the Jacobs is way different than 100% at the Hilton. And the rent has to be paid. Putting unproven shows in places like The Hilton, Gershwin, New Amsterdam or St. James, even the Imperial is a HUGE risk, no matter how good the shows are. The Helen Hayes is so small, Xanadu might run for ten years. "



JDBC,

Your right in sayng that putting unproven shows in large theatres is a risk. But, it depends on the show. And keep in minx that there are so many shows that are in need of theatre spasce so they are taking whatevery they can get their hands on. Even if the theatre might be a bit too big for their show. But, the one theatre thast this would never be a problem is is the new awsmterdam. keep in mind that diesney owns that theatre and disney shows are playing at that theatre so they don't loose any money at all.

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>> Haven't seen PQ yet but have tix for a later date--at a substantial discount, of course.

That's definitely going to ensure its financial future.

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I loved all aspects of it. It's a really cool show. I think the tourists will go wild. How can you not like pirates?

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Ok, in chicagom PQ may have gotten bad reviews, but it was "good luck" finding tickets... when I saw it (its last weekend in the city, because I kept waiting for it to show up at HOTTIX)I literally bought the last two seats in the house (and they were not even close to one another, but the second was the last seat in the last row up agianst the wall)... so, hopefully it won't bomb...

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Just a note here to son-of-a-gunn - with most Broadway shows, one set of investors finances the Broadway run, and separate financing is then raised for touring companies. So unless it just so happens that the same investors finance everything, which is not typical, a Broadway show that doesn't recoup can't make up for it by tour profits.

ETA - the Broadway investors may get a license fee from the touring company, but it's peanuts comparatively speaking.

Updated On: 3/30/07 at 11:36 PM