WAITRESS closing January 5, 2020 — Page 2

Colin852 said: "I've never been this bummed over a closing notice."

Me either, not since Rent

I was planning on seeing it again this month. I know Shoshana Bean's last is Sunday. For those of you that are familiar with both, should I catch her before she leaves or wait for Alison Luff to start?

OMG this choked me up and brought a tear to my eye - from Sara’s Instagram message...

Alas... everything changes. Sugar, Butter, Thank you.

I have to second someone else--why wouldn't Alison Luff close out the show?

I'm really sad it's closing, but the good news is that right before I saw the closing announcement, I got the schedule for the theatre in Burlington, VT (where I go to school/primarily live) and Waitress will be there in January so I'm hoping to see it! (It's pretty rare that VT gets tours Broadway shows as well-known/current/recent as that so I'm really excited it'll be there! Possibly even worth my coming back from Christmas break a week early...

CT2NYC said: "Ticketmaster has already raisedprices $10-20 since earlier this afternoon."

I’ve just checked and they’ve put up what’s left of the premium seats in the stalls to $400!

I knew it was inevitable with the box office receipts really dropping since last autumn and especially the last few weeks but this news still makes me incredibly sad! At the same time I’m happy to have gotten so much enjoyment from this little pie show and for it to run for nearly 4 years by its end is pretty great, and well deserved! I’ve now gotten to see Jessie, Sara, Kat (on Broadway and in London) and Shoshana as Jenna, and what I have loved is how they’ve each made Jenna their own, and also slayed the score with their incredible voices (although Shoshana kind of annoyed me with her OTT riffing ngl, lol!).

I’d actually quite like though to see Stephanie Torns finish the show. She has literally been there from the very beginning, both in the ensemble and understudying Jenna for probably 4 or 5 months over the past few years! I think she’s been a godsend for the show and it would be well deserved and quite fitting if she got to do it, even though I can see it being Sara, or the new Jenna. If Stephanie did do it though, please just give her her own playbill already!!!

I can't believe it took me four years to see this beautiful show (w Shoshana). I loved it so much, I went back two weeks later with friends. Congrats on a great and successful run. Bad Idea is a constant on my treadmill mix.

the only reason this show didn't close a year or 2 ago was because ms. Bareilles kept coming in to save it during the slow months, performing as Jenna. They basically did what american idiot did with Billy joe but did it a lot more often. Its a fine show but it has lasted way past its selling date.
the cast should be down on their knees thanking Ms Bareilles for giving them at least a year more of employment, benefits etc for keeping them afloat.

I HATE people saying it’s an all female creative team. WHAT about lighting, sound, backstage, props, casting, marketing and so on.

I don’t think anyone is meaning to leave those people out. When people say the creative team, they’re typically referring specifically to the writers and director. It’s just common theatre shorthand.



Everyone involved should be very proud of this run. I didn’t think this show would last a year with Hamilton and the following season’s musicals to compete with. But I love that this show made such a mark. It really surprised me with how funny and moving it is. And Sara’s score is spectacular. One of the most infectious musical scores of the century.

I do worry about them announcing this closing so far ahead. I worked on a show that announced its closing a couple of months ahead of time and suddenly people stopped showing up. It was like they thought we were already gone.

massofmen said: "the only reason this show didn't close a year or 2 agowas because ms.Bareilles kept coming in to save it during the slow months, performing as Jenna. They basically did what american idiot did with Billy joe but did it a lot more often. Its a fine show but it has lasted way past its selling date.
the cast should be down on their knees thanking MsBareilles for giving them at least a year more of employment, benefitsetc for keeping them afloat."

I don’t think you can just put it down to just Sara Bareilles as to why it’s lasted so long although she’s definitely helped! - I mean other than her 1 month this January, the last time she was in the show was early 2018. The biggest box office takings have been at the beginning with Jessie (it being a new show and all, and Tony Awards hype) and then Sara, Jason Mraz and Kat McPhee, so yeah, the bigger names in the show have definitely had a marked positive effect on takings. I think the show has just reached the stage now where it is not able to find a Jenna with the necessary vocal and acting ability to play the role and also the name to sell tickets, and the show could not keep going with just Broadway stars, even if those Broadway stars are big names in the theatre industry, like Jeremy Jordan or Shoshana. I think Colleen will bring in big bucks but she’s only doing the show for a month.

Another thing I also think hasn’t really helped is that Waitress has continually had Stephanie step in as Jenna for 2, 3, 4 weeks at a time in between new Jennas, and unfrtounately that’s had a negative effect on ticket sales, regardless of how good Stephanie is in the role.

kaykordeath said: "CT2NYC said: "Ticketmaster has already raisedprices $10-20 since earlier this afternoon."



Not to be overly pedantic-oh, who am I kidding, this board loves pedants-the producers raised the prices. Ticketmaster is just the vehicle for the change, but they don't make the decisions.

"

My point wasn't who raised the prices, but that they had gone up. That's all. I'll edit it for you:

"Prices have gone up $10-20 since earlier this afternoon."

Better?

Updated On: 7/17/19 at 09:44 AM