THE LION KING to tranfer to Minskoff in the Spring

Up until now, it has been rumored...but we finally have some written proof. In Riedel's article about Disney's new endeavour, TARZAN (which has already generated $8 million in group sales...and could reach $20 million in individual ticket sales once they're released) he talks about Disney's recent sneak-preview of the show at the New Amsterdam.

He writes:
"'The Disney marketing machine is the best there is,' this agent says. 'Who else could produce Phil Collins for a group-sales presentation? They've got us eating out of their hands.'

Footnote: By this time next year, Disney should have four of Broadway's top musical houses all locked up: 'Tarzan' at the Richard Rodgers; 'Beauty and the Beast' at the Lunt-Fontanne; 'The Lion King' at the Minskoff (where it transfers from the New Amsterdam in the spring); and, moving into the New Amsterdam, 'Mary Poppins.'"

So, I guess it's true. Riedel is usually on the ball about these things.

http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/53749.htm

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Updated On: 9/21/05 at 09:44 AM

Good old Reidel. *choke*

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Lets just hope that it isnt a repeat of "Beauty's Been Decreased"... if ya know what I mean, cause BATB sure suffered some budgetary cuts and space limitations after it moved from the Palace...

The Lion King's production will not be downsized in the move.

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i know what you mean. and now tarzan and mary poppins are coming... so that will be, what, 4 disney musicals at the same time...ugh

oh i'm not. really. i love beauty and the beast. (haven't yet seen the others)
but it just seems like a lot.
but i know what you mean. there's always other options.

I think this would be good. The Minksoff hasn't had a hit for as long as I can remember...maybe "Lion King"'s luck will rub off on it...

I'll also add that if it weren't for Disney, a lot of shows might never have made into a broadway house. They did a lot of politicing which aided producers and theater owners once upon a time ago. You may not like them as a "corporate" entity - but they certainly aren't killing broadway in the slightest.

Did it bother people this much when Cam Mack had a bunch of shows running? What about Clear Channel?

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SmartPenguin.

You're definitely entitled to your opinion. But it should be noted how much money they have thrown into the industry and how important that is. The money has to come from somewhere.

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There will be 36 other Broadway theatres available or booked with non-Disney productions.

Yes, but at what point have there ever been 5 Sondheim musicals running at the same time on Broadway? There may be 36 other theaters, but 300 different shows trying to open on Broadway, and they don't have the priviledge of the same kind of financial backing as Disney and Clear Channel productions.

Disney was trying to buy out all this land in Virginia a few years ago to make a Disney America themepark. Residents objected there, but it looks like Disney has found a new location.

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Its time to close BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Tired. Haggard show. Plus it's box office is mediocre/poor. If a great piece of art like MOVIN OUT has to close to make room for TARZAN, Disney should at least free up one theatre for something other then an animated movie on stage.

"Yes, but at what point have there ever been 5 Sondheim musicals running at the same time on Broadway?"

Sondheim is a composer...Disney is merely a producer. It's not as if Michael Eisner has composed the music and lyrics to all of the shows running. Each show has a different composer and book writer...making them COMPLETELY different from one another.

So your example fails to prove a point.

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Yeah, there are 39 right now while Henry Miller's Theatre is being rebuilt, but once it reopens, voila, 40.

Apart from the annual dip in September for tourist-friendly shows, Beauty still performs at the box office, with grosses regularly in the 500,000-700,000 range, and sometimes in excess of that. It's not doing mediocre/poor business at all.

Beauty Grosses - 2005

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Updated On: 9/21/05 at 01:28 PM