The Desperation Of Be More Chill

[MollyJeanneMusic]

Posted: 5/17/19 at 10:22pm

One: I adore your profile picture.

Two: I think they definitely are being hit hard by the Tony outcome.  They probably realize that they aren't selling great, know that there are still some people out there who just need a bit of an incentive to see the show, and are trying to give them that incentive.  Whether it works or not has yet to be seen.

[bfreak]

Posted: 5/17/19 at 10:31pm

I wish the show well, but I question if the danger of the show closing is even closer than we think. Many of the creative team/cast have been plugging the Summer offer in a big way, a time when many shows don’t even need to discount. Plus I’ve seen actors who aren’t even involved with the production posting about it, lending their support. I wonder if this will even make it to Labor Day.

[haterobics]

Posted: 5/17/19 at 10:33pm

HamilHansen said: "I've been noticing a lot more ad push/special offers/after-show "exclusive performances" for Be More Chill. Anyone else thinkthe one Tony nom is starting to panic them?"

There's no reason to believe they are related, given that no one thought it was going to sweep the Tonys, nor that it got snubbed... 

[LuPita2]

Posted: 5/17/19 at 10:42pm

They just have to wait for the children to get out of school. It will close by Labor Day though.  

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/17/19 at 11:04pm

MollyJeanneMusic said: "They probably realize that they aren't selling great."

 

Of course they know....it's their job to know.

 

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 5/17/19 at 11:08pm

I kind of see it as this might all have been things that they had laid out and planned out BEFORE the nominations were announced in anticipation of getting nominated and needing to/wanting to campaigning for the votes. If they had been nominated and did all they have been doing, no one would bat an eye at it. It all feels all VERY much like what the others shows that ARE nominated are doing to get attention. So it just feels like they counted some chickens before they hatched and are just rolling with it now.

[itsjustmejonhotmailcom]

Posted: 5/17/19 at 11:41pm

I agree. I saw several of the co-producers and creatives posting very similar messaging about how the show is a hit and they are offering discounted tickets. So which one is it: is the show a hit or do you need to offer discounted tickets?

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 5/18/19 at 12:20am

They are desperate. The grosses keep dropping and the advance probably looks bleak. Sales might rise a little bit this summer, but those kids don't pay $150 a ticket, there's a full month til schools get out, and all the Tony shows + Moulin Rouge are going to be pulling attention.

I get the impression that the BMC team REALLY thought they had Beetlejuice's Best Musical and Book nominations in the bag (even if they weren't going to win). There have also been rumblings about other drama related to BMC and Tony noms, Riedel needs to step up his game.

Updated On: 5/18/19 at 12:20 AM

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 5/18/19 at 4:26am

They're marketing the show as best and as aggressively as they can trying to be as creative as they can. That's what they're supposed to do. Why is that seen as a weakness or an act of desperation? 

[Lifesmellsweird]

Posted: 5/18/19 at 7:16am

UncleCharlie said: "They'remarketing the show as best and as aggressively as they can trying to be as creative as they can. That's what they'resupposed to do. Why is that seen as a weakness or an act of desperation?"

This!!!! Yes yes yes!!

They plan out the marketing ahead of time. It’s not an act of desperation. And the title of this thread is so ridiculous. The desire on this board for this show to fail is really not cool. I’m 40. I love the show. 

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 5/18/19 at 10:50am

Marketing and advertising in general don't reek of desperation. What does reek of desperation are post-show performances (which have never translated into meaningful sales for shows like Bright Star and Disaster) and aggressive discounting. But it may be that their advertising dollars and press appearances just aren't translating into sales. Earlier in the run, the show had press features in NYT, Vanity Fair, and at least 2 national TV performances, among other media, which don't seem to have registered with ticketbuyers en masse.

I have an inkling July 7 is going to be a big closing day on Broadway: My Fair Lady, Ink, and King Lear as planned, with announcements post-Tonys for The Ferryman, The Prom, and BMC (which is when the current aggressive discount ends). 

Updated On: 5/18/19 at 10:50 AM

[itsjustmejonhotmailcom]

Posted: 5/18/19 at 11:44am

SomethingPeculiar said: "There have also been rumblings about other drama related to BMC and Tony noms,Riedel needs to step up his game."

This times 1000. 

[Wick3]

Posted: 5/18/19 at 11:55am

I don't think it's an act of desperation; but rather just creative ways and incentives for undecided folks to finally buy a ticket (or two.)

In hindsight, they should have opened a bit later in the season (like in April) so people will still be talking about the show despite not getting that many Tony nominations. Back then people were talking about Salazar's Tony nomination for featured actor was in the bag, but then newer shows took the spotlight. In addition to the show itself, timing plays a huge role on whether a show can succeed or not in this unforgiving industry.

I hope it eventually succeeds but if we keep on seeing less than $500k gross each week, it will definitely close by Labor Day.

[itsjustmejonhotmailcom]

Posted: 5/18/19 at 12:02pm

Lifesmellsweird said: "They plan out the marketing ahead of time. It’s not an act of desperation. And the title of this thread is so ridiculous. The desire on this board for this show to failis really not cool. I’m 40. I love the show."

Discounts are rarely planned ahead of time. You don't discount unless you need to.

[Andres_123]

Posted: 5/18/19 at 12:15pm

I am a huge fan and lover of Be More Chill but I always knew that going to Broadway was never going to work. The people who love the show and sold out the off- broadway run can't afford the broadway ticket prices as they are too young. So many fans complain about how they would love to see the show if only they had the money. I understand why producers would send it to Broadway as the hype around it when it was off-broadway and it being sold out. However they never considered that off-broadway tickets are more cheaper and that many fans couldn't see it and were complaining about it in very public ways such as Instagram comments. When they announced new block of tickets for the Broadway run all the comments were people saying I wish I could see this if only I had the money. It's also a show that appeals to the teen audience more than the adult audience and the adult audience is who you need to appeal to. Many of adults have enjoyed Be More Chill but it seems like more of a minority than a majority. As for why all the T.V stories, performances, and features in big magazines haven't worked is because the plot itself is pretty generic expect for the squip part which is what they should have been more focused on. The more than survive that was on GMA was too most people who don't know anything about BMC pretty generic, I would have done a number that focused on the squip and the sci-fi side. I think it will last longer than labor day as so many shows this season have gone on longer than they should have ( King Kong, The Prom). Even when it closes it will tour and have many international productions and will make way more money and become more known. 

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 5/18/19 at 12:22pm

Wick3 said: "In hindsight, they should have opened a bit later in the season (like in April) so people will still be talking about the show despite not getting that many Tony nominations. Back then people were talking about Salazar's Tony nomination for featured actor was in the bag, but then newer shows took the spotlight. In addition to the show itself, timing plays a huge role on whether a show can succeed or not in this unforgiving industry."
 

Sometimes it's better to open earlier in the spring, because SO many other shows open in April. BMC probably got more media coverage by opening in mid-March (especially considering its awful reviews). Salazar was being talked about for Featured Actor because at the time of its opening, there was virtually no competition (HOH, Gettin' the Band, Pretty Woman, Kong, Prom, Cher).

[theatregoer3]

Posted: 5/18/19 at 12:31pm

BMC could have been a real success story if it had moved to New World Stages instead of Broadway.

[MollyJeanneMusic]

Posted: 5/18/19 at 1:24pm

They probably could've done better in a smaller theater, too.  The Lyceum, while not huge, has a decent capacity, and their percentages would've looked better in a smaller house like the Golden or the Booth.  I think if they had waited until the 19-20 season to open, it would've allowed them to take one of these theaters, they could've monopolized on the summer crowds, and they'd have a decent shot at more Tony nominations due to the lack of already-announced original scores coming to Broadway.

[victoriafr]

Posted: 5/18/19 at 1:28pm

I definitely agree about how a smaller theater would've been much better for BMC. Like a week ago, I was checking Stubhub and found $12 tickets being sold for balcony seats. Clearly, this show is in high demand.

[BroadwayRox3588]

Posted: 5/18/19 at 1:28pm

theatregoer3 said: "BMC could have been a real success story if it had moved to New World Stages instead of Broadway."

THIS

[annang]

Posted: 5/18/19 at 2:54pm

This is the Stubhub page for tonight’s Saturday 8pm show. 

 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/18/19 at 3:49pm

Yeah those scalpers who bought up those tickets hoping it was gonna be a massive hit are feeling the hurt now.

[LuPita2]

Posted: 5/18/19 at 4:31pm

"BMC could have been a real success story if it had moved to New World Stages instead of Broadway."

A thousand times this. 

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 5/18/19 at 5:09pm

theatregoer3 said: "BMC could have been a real success story if it had moved to New World Stages instead of Broadway."

BMC could have been a real success story if it had opened at New World or a different Off-Bway venue to begin with, instead of the Signature which had a hard closing date. But I don't fault them for moving it to Broadway this season: they were able to raise the $$ and come in with buzz from the Off-Bway run. If it hadn't moved, everyone would have spent the next 5 years saying "ya know, BMC really should have moved."

The capacity of the Lyceum (922 seats, the Shuberts' third-smallest house) should not be blamed for the show's failure. Financially, it's hard to make a musical work with fewer seats; Next to Normal appears to be the only musical to recoup at the Booth in the past 40 years. There are other drawbacks about the Lyceum, such as the location, the marquee, the bathrooms, and the fact that it has a balcony (which is only a drawback if you're a hit).

Updated On: 5/18/19 at 05:09 PM