The literal death of Off Broadway theatre
The literal death of Off Broadway theatre
#0The literal death of Off Broadway theatre
Posted: 6/8/06 at 10:01am
The wonderful Promenade Theatre is officially closing, continuing a string of recent Off Broadway theatres to be torn down - The Variety Arts, Playhouse 91, The Perry Street Theatre - the list goes on an on.
A very sad illustration of the continued "death" of Off Broadway as a fiscally sound theatrical enterprise; though it sounds like the Sprecher Organization is at least partly to blame here - they definitely seem to be cashing in - they owned Variety Arts, The Promenade and the Little Shubert - which hopefully won't be the next to go.
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/100159.html
#1re: The literal death of Off Broadway theatre
Posted: 6/8/06 at 10:09amSecond Stage also has space in that building; they do some good stuff up there. This saddens me.
IssaMe
Broadway Star Joined: 5/15/03
#2re: The literal death of Off Broadway theatre
Posted: 6/8/06 at 10:23am
New off-Broadway (and off-off) spaces continue to emerge, however - Dodger/New World Stages (despite its lack of money recouping hits), the soon-to-be Players (to be renovated and available) and others in the offing.
The problem remains production costs - there are houses but no money-making product to put in them for commercial, non-subscription productions...in the past several years something like only 4 commercial off-Broadway productions (commercial ---so this doesn't include MTC, Second Stages, Atlantic, etc.) have made money out of the dozens which have opened..
#3re: The literal death of Off Broadway theatre
Posted: 6/8/06 at 10:45am
It's a sad, sad state of affairs. It's long been a fact that Broadway thrives on tourists, but is it now the same thing for Off-Broadway? Brand name shows aside (BLUE MAN, STOMP), the only shows that seem to be thriving off-Broadway are right around the Times Square area. (I have a hard time believing that PERFECT CRIME and I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE are attracting local audiences after all these years.) Where are the local audiences for commerical off-Broadway runs?! These theatres wouldn't be closing if audiences were showing up. This is disheartening.
TT
"Me flunk English? That's unpossible!" - Ralph Wiggum
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