Sweeney Todd Recoups, Extends through Dec. 31

[ACL2006]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 10:37am

This is great news. Looks like it's not going anywhere. Was Sweeney Todd originally planned as a limited run?? I thought it was an open run.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=8375

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 10:39am

YAY FOR SWEENEY!!

And no, ticket sales were extended. Tickets are typically sold in blocks, so that just means they've released a new, further block of tickets.

[Bohemian1232]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 10:40am

YAY!

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 10:41am

Listen to that...
Won't you listen to that...

Dare I say it?

Alright I'll tempt fate and I'll say it out loud...

It's a Hit, it's a hit, it's a hit!- MWRA

It was an open run, they just open up ticket sales in blocks, to reduce the number of people who buy tickets and then need to get refunds because the show closed.

[Garland Grrrl]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 10:46am

YIPPEEE!!! SONDHEIM FOR EVERYONE!!!!!!!
let's have a toast and a little priest.

[LouW95]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 10:49am

Congrats to the producers for keeping Sweeney costs reasonable. 3.5 million is really low for any show today. The record shows that very few, if any, Sondheim shows have recouped (excluding West Side and Gypsy). Sondheim shows usually get rave reviews but dont make money or last long. While the Sweeney cast is superb, much credit should go to the producers who made this show happen.

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 10:50am

Congratulations...

I mean, it isn't much of a surprise, but successful producing is a real sight for sore eyes... Updated On: 3/21/06 at 10:50 AM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 11:07am

FYI -- Forum, Company, A Little Night Music and Into the Woods all recouped.

And more than a decade after the fact, according to Hal Prince, the original Sweeney Todd finally broke even and turned a small profit (I think that was due to CD and DVD sales).

Updated On: 3/21/06 at 11:07 AM

[philcrosby]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 11:14am

Proof that with smart producers you shouldn't run two years and lose your entire investment.

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 11:17am

Well, let's put an addendum to say that, "proof that smart producers can offer up a SMART PRODUCTION and turn a profit in less than two years."

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 11:28am

This is fantastic news! I am so glad this production turned out to be a financial (and critical) hit.
Updated On: 3/21/06 at 11:28 AM

[Magdalene]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 11:29am

For someone who likes Sondheim, but is not totally smitten, I may have to reassess my thinking----I adored this show!
I'm very pleased that it is doing well!

Updated On: 3/21/06 at 11:29 AM

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 11:53am

It's about time.

Good for this fantastic production.

[Calvin]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 12:02pm

Did the recent ITW and Forum (OK, so 10 years ago is not so recent) revivals recoup as well?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 12:13pm

I think Forum did, but I'm pretty sure the ITW revival didn't.

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 12:14pm

ITW Revival most certianly did not recoup.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 12:24pm

Does this mean they have to look for a replacement for Patti?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 12:26pm

I was just reminded that SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM also recouped.

[LouW95]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 12:28pm

I would love to see the figures on A Little Night Music and Company. I believe they are in the loss column with Sunday, Pacific, Assassains and Saturday.... My main point was, as National Public Radio recently stated, Sondheim shows do not generally last long and do not make money. That might explain why they are usually done by Roundabout and non-profits as opposed to other production companies. Not dwelling on Sondheim's wins and losses, I just want to again state that the Sweeney producers did it right. Hope the shows lasts beyond Patti and Mark and makes it to 1 year next Nov.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 12:58pm

Assassins was produced by the not-for-profit Roundabout Theatre Company and thus was not a hit or flop or in anybody's loss column -- that only applies to commercial shows. It fulfilled its limited engagement and even extended, so it likely repaid the company's budget expenditure and that's all that Roundabout could have hoped for it to do. That it didn't transfer to a commercial venue is neither here nor there -- no one, including Roundabout or Sondheim himself expected a show about presidential assassins to have widespread appeal or run more than a few months.

What's Saturday? If you're referring to Saturday Night, that played OFF-Broadway and also was under the auspices of a not-for profit theatre, Second Stage. Just like Assassins, it fulfilled it's scheduled limited engagement, and not being a commercial venture it cannot be called a hit or flop.

It's well-known that A Little Night Music (601 performances -- 17 month run) and Company (705 performances -- 20 month run) recouped and turned a profit. The vast majority of shows that ran well over a year in those days -- with a few exceptions -- recouped.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 1:08pm

It's an old (and inaccurate) saw that all of Sondheim's shows were flops. Only about half of his shows failed financially at the box office. Are you somehow bothered by the fact that 6 of his shows (not counting Gypsy and West Side Story or successful revivals like Forum and Sweeney) managed to turn a profit?

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 1:10pm

Nowadays I would be a little scared to mount a commercial production of a Sondheim show, but again, kudos to Richard Frankel

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 1:10pm

A Margo history lesson. I love it. It has been far too long.

Posted: 3/21/06 at 1:25pm

I hate to be selfish but what does this do to Patti's plans to tackle Madame Rose this summer at Ravinia?

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 1:28pm

Margo, which of his shows did fail financially?