Speed the Plow moves to the Barrymore

[Yankeefan007]

Speed the Plow moves to the Barrymore#1

Posted: 8/19/08 at 3:38pm

The 20th Anniversary revival of David Mamet's Speed-The-Plow is proud to announce it will now begin previews at the ETHEL BARRYMORE THEATRE (located at 243 West 47th St.) on Friday, October 3, 2008 with a new official opening set for Thursday, October 23rd, 2008 at 7pm.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=31304

[WithoutATrace]

re: Speed the Plow moves to the Barrymore#2

Posted: 8/19/08 at 3:39pm

Now, what's going into the Belasco?? The "lack of theater" reason can't be used for Brigadoon anymore!

[musicalmaster703]

re: Speed the Plow moves to the Barrymore#2

Posted: 8/19/08 at 3:41pm

HAIR (Hopefully)

[Smaxie]

re: Speed the Plow moves to the Barrymore#3

Posted: 8/19/08 at 3:44pm

>The "lack of theater" reason can't be used for Brigadoon anymore!<

The Barrymore or the Belasco would both have been too small for Brigadoon, which needs a traditional musical house.

Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop.

[luvtheEmcee]

re: Speed the Plow moves to the Barrymore#4

Posted: 8/19/08 at 3:45pm

Holla.

A work of art is an invitation to love.

Updated On: 8/19/08 at 03:45 PM

[nasty_khakis]

re: Speed the Plow moves to the Barrymore#5

Posted: 8/19/08 at 3:45pm

all signs point to hair.
or maybe they'll spend the fall renovating and have hair open in the spring.

[Borstalboy]

re: Speed the Plow moves to the Barrymore#6

Posted: 8/19/08 at 3:47pm

THE VISIT!!! Oh please oh please! We are SO low on new musicals this season.

"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.” ~ Muhammad Ali

Updated On: 8/19/08 at 03:47 PM

[CapnHook]

re: Speed the Plow moves to the Barrymore#7

Posted: 8/19/08 at 3:55pm

I second THE VISIT!!!!

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

[WithoutATrace]

re: Speed the Plow moves to the Barrymore#8

Posted: 8/19/08 at 3:57pm

The Belasco housed Follies and Dracula...why wouldn't it have been big enough for Brigadoon? Not enough orchestra pit? Wing space? The stage is surely big enough, no? And there are certainly enough seats with that second balcony...

[CurtainPullDowner]

re: Speed the Plow moves to the Barrymore#9

Posted: 8/19/08 at 4:02pm

It's scarey and perfect for THE VISIT!

[scaryclowns223]

re: Speed the Plow moves to the Barrymore#10

Posted: 8/19/08 at 4:11pm

Good move on their part- more intimate house for a fairly intimate play.

The Belasco is traditionally a play house- it wouldn't be a particularly prime house for Brigadoon. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner could be moving in. So could American Buffalo. So could HAIR. Although it's location is terrible- I would never want to move a show into the Belasco- it almost seems hidden out there.

[Smaxie]

re: Speed the Plow moves to the Barrymore#11

Posted: 8/19/08 at 4:18pm

At 1,000 seats, the Belasco would have been economically unfeasible for Brigadoon. It would need one of the houses that are 1,400 seats and up.

Follies was produced on a LORT contract and closed as soon as it would have had to convert to a full production contract. Though it had a lot of set, Dracula only had about 18 cast members and an orchestra of six, so had it been a better show, it could have made the economics work.

The Belasco actually has an incredibly deep trap area, so a lot can be accomplished scenically, but at only 1,000 seats, it's a difficult house for a big musical.

Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop.

[adamgreer]

re: Speed the Plow moves to the Barrymore#12

Posted: 8/19/08 at 5:21pm

Could The Visit go into the Circle in the Square? That hasn't been claimed yet. Or would that not be economically viable?

[Smaxie]

re: Speed the Plow moves to the Barrymore#13

Posted: 8/19/08 at 5:52pm

Much as it pains me to write this, I don't think you'll see a commercial mounting of The Visit. Maybe one of the non-profits will pick it up, but I think Isherwood effectively chilled its commercial prospects to death.

Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop.

[keen on kean]

re: Speed the Plow moves to the Barrymore#14

Posted: 8/19/08 at 6:01pm

They might as well just rename the Barrymore the Esparza Theater and get it over with!

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

re: Speed the Plow moves to the Barrymore#15

Posted: 8/19/08 at 6:23pm

Isherwood, Schmerwood. That's very disappointing to hear, Smaxie.
Does REASONS TO BE PRETTY have a theatre yet?
What are some of the theatre-less productions?
FENCES
AMERICAN BUFFALO
HAIR (if it transfers)
BRIGADOON
GUYS & DOLLS
VANITIES

What are some of the others?

"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"

[Sauja]

re: Speed the Plow moves to the Barrymore#16

Posted: 8/19/08 at 9:42pm

It seems like a perfect size for VANITIES, which I really hope nabs a theater soon. It's probably the show I'm most excited about for this season. Though Speed-the-Plow and 9 TO 5 are close runners up.

[luvtheEmcee]

re: Speed the Plow moves to the Barrymore#17

Posted: 8/19/08 at 10:21pm

American Buffalo is taking the Belasco.

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/120558.html

A work of art is an invitation to love.

[keen on kean]

re: Speed the Plow moves to the Barrymore#18

Posted: 8/19/08 at 11:04pm

So they should name the Barrymore the Esparza, and the Belasco the Mamet?