Tarzan: Really Doing Badly?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 12:29am

From several posters, it seems that TARZAN has not been doing that well. Is it really doing bad? Like near closing bad? I'm just wondering cause I might see it in August when I go to NY.
Updated On: 6/22/06 at 12:29 AM

[timote316]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 12:34am

The advance was huge, as to be expected for a Disney show. It'll surely be open in August.

[JustChillin8908]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 12:38am

https://www.broadwayworld.com/grossesshow.cfm?show=TARZAN

It won't be closing anytime soon...

[musicman89]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 12:48am

Many posters here dislike Disney and Tarzan and would gleefully see it do poorly, but do not be fooled by the posts you read, the majority are just critiquing the production, not the business its doing. While it is a heavily flawed show, there is something to be enjoyed from it.

While not the sell-out hit that THE LION KING is and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST was, TARZAN is selling extremely well and will run for the next couple of years at least.

Updated On: 6/22/06 at 12:48 AM

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 12:55am

Well, Beauty has hardly been doing well for years.

It only makes Disney any money 12 weeks out of the whole year

[clarkstallings]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 1:05am

Uh, Beauty and the Beast makes money for the greater part of the year. I believe it has very few weeks that it isn't making money.

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 1:08am

Wrong wrong wrong.

Beuaty for the majority of the year either breaks even or looses some money (this year so far it is doing better than it has in the last 5 years).

[musicman89]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 1:14am

Thesbijean, read more carefully what I posted.

"While not the sell-out hit that THE LION KING is and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST was [...]"

Nonetheless, while BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is not doing the stellar business it once was, it is still a moneymaker for Disney.

Although it is believed that the show will close within the next year or so after MARY POPPINS opens. Having four Disney shows running on Broadway at the same time means they will be competing with one another.

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 1:16am

I just wanted to contrast how it has not been doing well for years.

While it does make money for Disney (and by year's end more than equals out), in the past 5 years, it usually looses some money most weeks and makes up for it during the 12-15 really busy broadway weeks.

[clarkstallings]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 1:18am

You can say "wrong wrong wrong" all you want. It doesn't make me so. You clearly have no idea what you're talking about. Beauty and the Beast had 42 profitable weeks last year alone and that is a conservative estimate.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/grossesshow.cfm?show=BEAUTY%20AND%20THE%20BEAST&year=2006

There you have the grosses for the past 12 years. It's a steadily profitable show hence the mouse keeps it open.

In response to Tarzan, it has several years in it. I'd say at least 3.
Updated On: 6/22/06 at 01:18 AM

[musicman89]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 1:24am

With the exception of any unforseen dramatic slumps in its box office intake, TARZAN will most definitely run as long as AIDA.

[clarkstallings]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 1:38am

I used to think that Tarzan would run as long as Aida until I heard about how much the bad reviews got relayed to other parts of the country. Aida had a fair amount of true theatre folks that enjoyed the show and gave it business the keep it open for its respectable time. Here's the rub, theatre folks don't like Tarzan. This coupled with the fact that tourists are getting wind that it isn't a good show could spell slightly early doom for this show. It didn't get mixed Wicked reviews; it got bad reviews. This might actually be enough to disuade tourists who are attempting to be savvy by reading up on shows from actually seeing the show. While the advance is rather large, ticket sales haven't been nearly as brisk since opening. That's why I'm more conservative with my estimate. My estimate was higher, but that was because I thought it would be nearly impossible for Disney to do something truly bad on Broadway. I was a fool for thinking that they were above humanity. In all fairness, I've yet to see the show so all opinions I write are based on hearsay. Hopefully I'll see it in October.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 1:58am

Beuaty for the majority of the year either breaks even or looses some money (this year so far it is doing better than it has in the last 5 years).

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardname=bway&thread=901427

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardname=off&thread=392872

Updated On: 6/22/06 at 01:58 AM

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 2:02am

From my experience, the typical tourist either doesn't care about reviews or aren't very knowledgable on them. They think everything gets good reviews.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 2:12am

So this makes me wonder....i was in times square late this afternoon and not once but twice, there were people trying to sell Tarzan tix at a discount, one as low as 35 dollars a ticket and they were no where near the TKTS... those with me thought it was odd as did i and wondered how the show was selling and why they were resorting to hawking discounted tix on the street.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 2:24am

Because brokers/scalpers thought it would be more of a total sellout than it's been, and when they can't sell tickets more expensive, they wanna get rid of them. All that means is Tarzan isn't selling like Wicked.

[fengshuihellnyc]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 3:01am

THE SHOW SELLS OUT EVERYDAY. NO TIME in the near future will it be closing. I found it fairly entertaining but not necessarily the best of disney or broadway theatre.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 4:02am

It might sell out sometimes, but not everday. It's doing good business and I'm sure will grow into a sleeper hit. However, with Mary Poppins opening in the fall, it might take some of Tarzan's thunder.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 5:51am

"I found it fairly entertaining but not necessarily the best of disney or broadway theatre."

So now we have a new genre in the performing arts: "Disney Theatre"

At long last we can differentiate from the well-crafted work of Broadway regulars and the crowd-pleasing schlock of the Disney machine!

[Unknown User]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 9:09am

I wish Tarzan had been put in a smaller theater, and this might sound crazy, but I think a theater designed like Circle In The Square with a really steep orchestra and no real mezzanine or balcony couldve made every seat feel like the front row. Having done student rush 3 times, i think its breathtaking that upclose- like youre a part of the action as opposed to watching it. Im bringing my mother tonight. Maybe Ill actually write a full review when I get home.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 9:25am

While Tarzan is no Lion King (in terms of popularity), it certainly, based on its grosses, appear to sell out most performances. I agree with the poster who said its run will probably be about as long as Aida's.

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 9:45am

It's doing really well. Look at the grosses. 97% capacity is GREAT for a Broadway show in this age!

[mejusthavingfun]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 9:46am

I'm surprised Tom Schumacher is still working. Tarzan isn't just flawed; it is a big expensive mess. Maybe it will work abroad? I know they were talking of taking it to Vegas, but I doubt very much that is an option anymore. I also wonder what kind of tour can be salvaged from this it. It is incredible no one at Disney shut this production down during the workshop. At least with Aida they had time to bring something reworked to Broadway.

I know Tarzan's branding works well at this point and bad press means nothing to tourists. The show is bad though, very bad. I can't see it lasting nearly as long as Aida, especially with Poppins and Mermaid in the wings. As you know though, every time someone can't get tickets to Lion King, you can press 3 to get available Beauty or Tarzan tickets.

I think the best place for this show is High School USA sans the areial work. Which is really only needed for Tarzan. In the movie the apes stayed grounded. In the show it's just stupid, and I mean really stupid.

[uncageg]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 10:19am

Last Wednesday I was walking up 8th as shows were letting out and I tapped a man on his shoulder (He had a Tarzan Playbill in hand) and asked him how the show was. He said that he read all of the reviews and he thought they were unfair and that he really enjoyed the show and thought it was way better than the reviews said it was.

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 12:27pm

My information came STRAIGHT from the mouth of a high ranking Disney employee, do you know what Beauty's running costs are by the way?