Some Like it Hot to Close on December 30- Page 2

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 9/29/23 at 2:17pm

Some Like it Hot was an IP though. I definitely think some people thought “how do you improve upon the classic movie?” and stayed home too.

 I heard it was wonderful but maybe this is not what audiences want to see. 

It feels like when Hollywood made the Hello Dolly movie. You have to take the temperature of your audience. The elderly rich New Yorker generation is dying, is it worth it to keep mounting the “Welcome to New York Big Band musical” still? 

[evic]

Posted: 9/29/23 at 2:20pm

advertising last 13 weeks! Who do they think they are…..PHANTOM?

[Charley Kringas Inc]

Posted: 9/29/23 at 4:23pm

rattleNwoolypenguin said: "
Some Like it Hot was an IP though. I definitely think some people thought “how do you improve upon the classic movie?” and stayed home too.

I heard it was wonderful but maybe this is not what audiences want to see.

It feels like when Hollywood made the Hello Dolly movie. You have to take the temperature of your audience. The elderly rich New Yorker generation is dying, is it worth it to keep mounting the “Welcome to New York Big Band musical” still?"

I honestly feel like the cast and production bring an energy that the book and score lack, but I think there's just something missing from it that keeps it from being a hot ticket. Somehow it just doesn't feel like a complete package to me. The marketing has also done it absolutely no favors.

[MayAudraBlessYou2]

Posted: 9/29/23 at 4:57pm

rattleNwoolypenguin said: "
Some Like it Hot was an IP though. I definitely think some people thought “how do you improve upon the classic movie?” and stayed home too.

I heard it was wonderful but maybe this is not what audiences want to see.

It feels like when Hollywood made the Hello Dolly movie. You have to take the temperature of your audience. The elderly rich New Yorker generation is dying, is it worth it to keep mounting the “Welcome to New York Big Band musical” still?"

It is an IP yes. But I specifically said "meaningful IP". Some Like it Hot has basically zero current cultural cache as a brand right now. So it is not a meaningful IP to mass audiences. Some people might have thought that the movie couldn't be improved upon, but I guarantee the largest percentage of potential ticket buyers either have never seen the film or saw it long ago and do not carry a strong attachment/memory for it.

SLIH is styled after classic musicals, but those have only been hits recently when they featured mega stars. (Bette in Hello Dolly = Hit. Hugh Jackman in Music Man = Hit. A bunch of talented Bway folks in Carousel = Flop).

Musicals of this style also demand a large ensemble, and this one also features a pretty sizable orchestra. Along with several other rising costs for key elements, that means an astronomical budget. I could go on about how scary the current economics of Broadway are but that would be a whole new thread...but suffice to say that the fact that a musical like this needs a $900K per week breakeven point should concern everyone who enjoys originals musicals. Broadway is becoming untenable for new musicals that are not mega hits out of the gate. Given their costs, SLIH would have needed to become that rare kind of lightning-in-a-bottle success in order to truly succeed in the long run, it's what everyone is forced to chase now. In reality, those costs mean they either needed a musical based on an IP with true cultural resonance, or cast a major box office draw in one of the lead roles.

[Ensemble1686998462]

Posted: 9/29/23 at 7:14pm

MemorableUserName said: "http://broadwayjournal.com/shubert-produced-some-like-it-hot-to-close/

"Hot is burdened with formidable running costs — it needs to sell at least $900,000 of tickets a week to pay its bills, according to a 2021 recoupment chart reviewed by Broadway Journal. It met that threshold in just 14 of its 47 weeks at the Shubert Theatre.""

Looking at the show's grossing history on the Playbill website the show only made money 5 times before the Tony nominations came out. And the majority of times they weren't even close to the $900,000. They were bleeding money really bad. The last time the show made money was the week of July 23rd, two months ago. It's amazing the show lasted as long as it did. 

[blaxx]

Posted: 9/29/23 at 7:17pm

Too bad!

Another closing, another flop.

[Mr. Wormwood]

Posted: 9/29/23 at 7:50pm

MayAudraBlessYou2 said: "rattleNwoolypenguin said: "
SLIH is styled after classic musicals, but those have only been hits recently when they featured mega stars. (Bette in Hello Dolly = Hit. Hugh Jackman in Music Man = Hit. A bunch of talented Bway folks in Carousel = Flop)"

Not a totally fair comparison here. Obviously Midler and Jackman were huge reasons for the success of their shows but Dolly & Music Man are much easier sells and much more recognized IP to today's audience than Carousel. Put Hugh Jackman in Carousel and a bunch of talented Broadway names in The Music Man and I'm not sure the situation would have been a complete reversal. 

[Huss417]

Posted: 9/29/23 at 7:54pm

evic said: "advertising last 13 weeks! Who do they think they are…..PHANTOM?"

Hello. It is to drum up business. Most shows when closing will advertise as such.

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 8:45am

While this news isn’t a shock, it still makes me sad. I loved this show since its second preview and have seen it five times since opening. It was a feel good, big band, dance-heavy, FUN show that I think would do solid business if it were pre-pandemic. They rarely make new musicals like this anymore. 

[Impeach2017]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 9:10am

What everyone remembers about the movie, besides Marilyn Monroe, is the final hilarious punchline.  They have enfeebled it in this version for reasons that reflect on other dubious choices of the production - and its ultimate demise.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 9:16am

I’m just not sure it’s a show that needed to exist in 2023.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 10:00am

The show was... fine. I saw it, enjoyed it, but I honestly haven't thought about it since and haven't recommended it to people. It's a perfectly respectable and polished production, but it just felt like it was something we have seen done time and time again. And usually done better to boot.

Updated On: 9/30/23 at 10:00 AM

[Markie27]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 3:29pm

Does anybody know if they are still selling the programs recently?  I’ve looked at all online stores including their own site and it has been sold out since last month.  

[Fosse76]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 4:24pm

Charley Kringas Inc said: "I honestly feel like the cast and production bring an energy that the book and score lack, but I think there's just something missing from it that keeps it from being a hot ticket. Somehow it just doesn't feel like a complete package to me. The marketing has also done it absolutely no favors."

It's funny you say that, because when I saw it, a friend of mine and I had that same opinion. We just couldn't pinpoint what we felt was missing.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 4:26pm

Markie27 said: "Does anybody know if they are still selling the programs recently? I’ve looked at all online stores including their own site and it has been sold out since last month."

I was there last week, and I the person sitting next to me had one.

 

[Markie27]

Posted: 9/30/23 at 6:53pm

TaffyDavenport said: "Markie27 said: "Does anybody know if they are still selling the programs recently? I’ve looked at all online stores including their own site and it has been sold out since last month."

I was there last week, and I the person sitting next to me had one.

"

Thank you so much!!!!!!

[Charley Kringas Inc]

Posted: 10/1/23 at 2:04pm

Fosse76 said: "Charley Kringas Inc said: "I honestly feel like the cast and production bring an energy that the book and score lack, but I think there's just something missing from it that keeps it from being a hot ticket. Somehow it just doesn't feel like a complete package to me. The marketing has also done it absolutely no favors."

It's funny you say that, because when I saw it, a friend of mine and I had that same opinion. We just couldn't pinpoint what we felt was missing."

There are just a lot of little things that don't quite connect. It's not as zippy and airtight as a farce should be, the comedy often feels slightly sluggish or off-the-mark, and too many of the lyrics are messy and imprecise. The cast and direction put in the sweat equity, but the actual show itself needs some all-over work done.

[austinyourface]

Posted: 10/1/23 at 2:35pm

I think this show needed star-making, must-see leading performances, and it doesn’t seem like, however wonderful their leads are, those performances ever really emerged, even with Ghee winning a Tony. 

[Jumpin_J]

Posted: 10/1/23 at 3:14pm

ACL2006 said: "HERE WE ARE to the Shubert?"

It's coming in cold at the Shed. Not everything Sondheim does transfers. Road Show sure didn't and got burned badly when it opened. Wait. 

 

[DrMonicaDeMoneco]

Posted: 10/2/23 at 3:00am

austinyourface said: "I think this show needed star-making, must-see leading performances, and it doesn’t seem like, however wonderful their leads are, those performances ever really emerged, even with Ghee winning a Tony."

Agreed 100%