This Strike probably just shut down 4-5 broadway shows- Page 2

[broadwayman17]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 1:52am

i hope the strike won't affect limited runs like the Homecoming, Cyrano, or Is He Dead?. I'd hate to see show like Rent or Drowsy leave without allowing their true fans to enjoy them one final time.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 1:52am

feng: Oh dear Lord in Heaven, child.

Updated On: 11/19/07 at 01:52 AM

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 1:55am

And, the word is LOSE.

[Wilko]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 2:36am

From what I can see from here - SHAME on both the producers *and* local 1! They're costing the entirety of midtown Manhattan their livelihoods.

They both owe it to everyone who supports their industry to sit down like adults at the negotiating table and not come out of a room until it's done. And, IATSE's sister unions should be demanding this of them.

just my $0.02,

Don.
Updated On: 11/19/07 at 02:36 AM

[DrTheatre]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 2:40am

As for Legally Blonde closing, I doubt it. Correct me if I am wrong, but the show went into the SF and NYC run with million dollars more than needed. I heard that somewhere along the lines 14 million was raised but only needed about 10-12 million.A big article here in SF stated that the producers raised much more money than needed, so I think they will be fine.

[Little-Lotte]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 2:59am

This little blurb from Backstage says it all:

""It's pretty negative," said a line captain leading a picket at a theatre on West 44th Street who refused to give his name. "They aren't getting anywhere."

Asked if the "they" meant the negotiators in general or theatre owners in particular, he said, "The 'they' is them, the producers. If I was talking about us, I'd say 'us.'""

I mean really, how childish of a statement is that? It's not an US and THEM game! Both groups need each other to make these shows and Broadway as a whole possible. You can't have one without the other. BOTH groups need to grow the hell up and stop acting like children. This constant bickering back and forth is just honestly pathetic. They're both to blame and because of their childishness they are f^&king over thousands of people and the entire New York City economy along with them. School kids fight like this not supposed "professionals". Get off your soapboxes and get this stupid high school bitch-fest over with already!

[UnionMade]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 3:24am

The League is not negotiating. Both sides started negotiations with their ideas of a new contract. Local ONE has conceded on many points trying to come to the middle. The producers have not budged. Instead of negotiating they imposed work rules on the union. The only option left to Local ONE was to strike or continue working under these work rules(Which we did for 19 days). The union did not strike to piss off the audience. This was the only LEGAL recourse left to the union. The Producers have stated many times during negotiations that they want to increase their profits. They are not losing money and trying to swing a profit. They are completely unwilling to move from their FIRST and FINAL offer. The union cannot give in to these bullying demands. I am very sorry about everyone who is affected by this strike. I personally do not know how I am going to pay my mortgage this month. But I stand by my union and continue to stand on the picket lines until this is resolved. And I am really tired of trying to be nice to slandering idiots like "fengSHILLnyc".

[AKDPerformer]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 3:40am

"I've been wondering for a while now why no one's called out AngActing for the huge sock puppet she is, but she's just so entertaining that I don't even care!"

Unfortunately, now after seeing her MySpace...I wonder sometimes too..

[craftymarley]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 6:46am

Is it even possible for a show to close DURING the strike? Without the ability to load out their sets, costumes, sound and lighting equipment, etc. wouldn't they have to continue paying for the maintenance and what not of the theater?

And why would Grinch announce a closing so soon? I mean sure, they lost 15 performances this week, but they beat Wicked's grosses for 3 straight weeks last year around Christmas. How much could they be losing weekly that they would be willing to throw in the towel on the last sold out 6 weeks of the run? Same thing with most of the other shows that were mentioned. Why wouldn't they bother to reopen and try to turn a profit and make up some of the lost money?

[Fosse76]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 11:21am

"Technically, the shows aren't "losing" that much. They're not making money, but all that they are losing is basically insurance."

Not true. They have fixed costs: theater rental, equipment rental (they don't own the sound and lighting equipment, you know), insurance (which is costly), not to mention they have no income to cover these costs. All the money is coming from the shows' advance sales, which is why shows like Wicked, Jersey Boys, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid and Grease could survive a long strike. Unless The League is willing to relinquish the $20 Million to shows like RENT, The Drowsy Chaperone, The Farnsworth Invention, etc. expect them to close.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 11:36am

Okay so I fully understand that this isn't the most important thing here, but...

now I can't see Mermaid.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 11:39am

Well, the $20 million is being doled out in equal shares to all 27 affected shows including Rent, The Drowsy Chaperone, The Farnsworth Invention et al in amount s sufficient to cover every show's fixed costs for an extended period of time. Not sure exactly how long that is, but if you subtracted all salaries from the weekly nut of these shows and do a guess-timate of how much lower their utility costs would be in this scenario (I mean, how expensive is the Con Ed bill for dark theater, for example), I would think $20 million would be able to cover the costs for the 27 theaters for at least a month or two.

[Rotel1026]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 11:39am

Craftymarley: The reason a show with a limited run would consider closing is because they counted on X number of weeks in which to make back their money and some profit. At some point, the loss in performances will mean that it is just not possible for them to recoup their investment. Cyrano only had 10 weeks of performances and with this latest cancellation, they will have lost two full weeks of that run.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 11:45am

Yes, limited runs like Cyrano and the Grinch won't be able to recoup their entire cost, but if they re-open for a couple of weeks, they'd at least have a chance to offset a few hundred thousand dollars more of the loss and return that to the investors (and actually the Grinch will get the benefit of those incredibly lucrative sold out weeks around Xmas). If they don't re-open at all, they lose everything. Why wouldn't they try to recover at least SOME of the money their investors will lose?

[Fosse76]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 12:03pm

"I would think $20 million would be able to cover the costs for the 27 theaters for at least a month or two."

I agree, unless the Union also shuts down the tours and a brave ticketbuyer starts a civil suit against the League for its fraudulant theater restoration fee.

[craftymarley]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 12:06pm

Thanks Margo, that was exactly my point. Sure, they won't be able to make as much money as anticipated, but if they reopen they could still make back some of it. All of this speculation about how the strike is going to close all the shows is silly to me. This isn't 9/11. Tourists aren't going to stop coming to New York because Broadway was dark for a couple weeks. Why would shows like RENT and Drowsy close right before the Christmas season, a time when almost all shows are able to turn a profit?

[ACL2006]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 12:28pm

Well, the Grinch will be open this week(and for the remainder of its run).

The shows that will likely close due to the strike are Les Miz, Drowsy, Legally Blonde, Spelling Bee(already announced) & Rent.

If the strike continues into December, shows that might be in danger are Avenue Q, A Chorus Line, Chicago, Spamalot & The Color Purple.

[Neverandy]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 12:30pm

SO when the above-mentioned shows close, I guess the League expects Equity pull back support from Local one. I wonder how local one will respond.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 12:31pm

FYI --

While I can't confirm this independently, I thought I'd pass on that I just heard from someone who works for a company that rents lighting, sound and scenery to Broadway shows who told me that the producers are not paying their rentals because of the strike. If that's true, then their fixed costs are even lower than previously believed and the producers could truly hold out for a very long time.

Updated On: 11/19/07 at 12:31 PM

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 12:32pm

I love the way people think they know that these shows are just going to start dropping like flies, even when valid information implies otherwise.

Good lord, people, if you're going to be that stupid and not even bother to read, then you deserve to sit around and fret about how oh my God, Rent and Drowsy and this and that are going to close and soon there will be NO BROADWAY EVER.

Updated On: 11/19/07 at 12:32 PM

[Fosse76]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 12:33pm

"FYI --

While I can't confirm this independently, I thought I'd pass on that I just heard from someone who works for a company that rents lighting, sound and scenery to Broadway shows who told me that the producers are not paying their rentals because of the strike. If that's true, then their fixed costs are even lower that previously believed and the producers could truly hold out for a very long time."

That would be interesting...but that doesn't mean it is legal. They may have agreements with those companies to defer payment, since they have no income and no means to actually remove the equipment.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 12:37pm

Just to reiterate what other sensible minds are saying, there is nothing to suggest that any shows are directly in danger of closing because of financial burden of the strike. Basically, all operating costs are on hold. The only shows in jeopardy of closing early are those scheduled for limited runs.

If a show like RENT or CHAPERONE posts a closing notice, you can be assured that the producers of the show are using the strike as an excuse to close.

And yeah - Broadway ain't going anywhere. Just relax kids.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 12:38pm

As I said, I can't confirm it -- but I also don't find it at all hard to believe, which is why I posted it. Just take it as gossip if you want, though you're right it could very well be some sort of deferred payment plan between the company and the producers. Given how much business that company probably gets from these major producers, it would make sense that they would work out a deal with them while the strike is going on.

[Neverandy]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 2:15pm

Michael Bennett-I totally agree with you. If any shows close, it will be because of The league wanting to portray Local one as the bad guys. If Margo's info is correct, then there should be cash on hand to cover expenses.

[logan0215]

Posted: 11/19/07 at 2:18pm

Yes, limited runs like Cyrano and the Grinch won't be able to recoup their entire cost, but if they re-open for a couple of weeks, they'd at least have a chance to offset a few hundred thousand dollars more of the loss and return that to the investors (and actually the Grinch will get the benefit of those incredibly lucrative sold out weeks around Xmas). If they don't re-open at all, they lose everything. Why wouldn't they try to recover at least SOME of the money their investors will lose?

So basically for a show with either a threat of closing in the near future, a closing notice or a short run the dilemma the producers must face is weighing the loss of money of either:

a. Closing the show immediately and not having to pay for insurance, stipends, utilities, theater upkeep etc.

vs.

b. Staying "open" until the strike is over and hoping the possible profit post-strike will outweigh the costs inferred during the strike (minus operating costs)?