WATER FOR ELEPHANTS at the Imperial Theatre, Opening March '24

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 9/11/23 at 6:26pm

Previews begin February 24, with opening set for March 21:

https://www.telecharge.com/eventoverview.aspx?cityName=NY%20City%20Area&productId=14224

Since the dates are in the system and ready to go active, an official announcement tomorrow seems likely.

Updated On: 9/11/23 at 06:26 PM

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 9/11/23 at 6:34pm

Tickets go on sale this Wednesday at 9 AM.

Updated On: 9/11/23 at 06:34 PM

[willep]

Posted: 9/11/23 at 6:56pm

It’s amazing to me how often Telecharge slips the announcement.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 9/11/23 at 7:18pm

willep said: "It’s amazing to me how often Telecharge slips the announcement."

This has been such a well kept secret........

[theblackumbrella]

Posted: 9/11/23 at 7:48pm

This is some beautiful artwork. 

[willep]

Posted: 9/11/23 at 7:49pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "willep said: "It’s amazing to me how often Telecharge slips the announcement."

This has been such a well kept secret........"

I’m well aware. Doesn’t negate the fact that telecharge slipped the announcement.

[Robbie2]

Posted: 9/11/23 at 9:13pm

 

https://www.waterforelephantsthemusical.com/

 

[jpbran]

Posted: 9/12/23 at 9:13am

The official release seems to have hit the socials and theater news sites right at 7AM EST.

Updated On: 9/12/23 at 09:13 AM

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 9/12/23 at 9:59am

WEPRE912 on Telecharge Offers is the code for the presale, which is going on now.

[pablitonizer]

Posted: 9/12/23 at 10:25am

I see a similar fate as 'Life of Pi', I hope I'm wrong!

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 9/12/23 at 10:40am

pablitonizer said: "I see a similar fate as 'Life of Pi', I hope I'm wrong!"

On paper, a musical with circus elements has significantly more potential than a nonmusical play. They won't be able to rely on the book or film to sell tickets –– it will have to stand on its own as a musical.

I do think LIFE OF PI's WOM was hurt badly by the fact that if you sat in the Orchestra section, you didn't get to see the full show since so much relied on the stage floor. Tony nominations for Best Play and Best Actor could have helped its "must see" narrative, too. It very clearly wanted to be CURIOUS INCIDENT, but that show became the once-every-few-years phenomenon of a play being embraced more like a musical; the must-see play of last season was LEOPOLDSTADT (and to some extent the star-plays PRIMA FACIE, GOODNIGHT OSCAR, and DOLL'S HOUSE). 

Updated On: 9/12/23 at 10:40 AM

[Falsettolands]

Posted: 9/12/23 at 11:10am

I didn't realize PigPen did the music! Might have to see this if the word of mouth is good.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/12/23 at 11:18am

WOW. I don't think I've ever seen a show at The Imperial charge $114 a seat for the last row mezz all the way to the side. 

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 9/12/23 at 1:37pm

Jordan Catalano said: "WOW. I don't think I've ever seen a show at The Imperial charge $114 a seat for the last row mezz all the way to the side."

Not to turn into an "in my day" grampa before I'm 40 but...those were like $40-$50 for August/Billie Elliot/Nice Work. But I guess you could also have seen My Fair Lady for $3 or something. 

[BroadwaysBroad]

Posted: 9/12/23 at 1:39pm

Ok boomers, this is going to be a hit!

[RippedMan]

Posted: 9/12/23 at 2:23pm

Is it? I feel like there was zero buzz or word of mouth coming from Atlanta. I think with the popularity and abundance of Cirque type shows, they’ll have to really up the circus vibes to make this feels unique.

[Hope Lombardo]

Posted: 9/12/23 at 5:24pm

Not surprised by this at all...i saw it twice in Atlanta earlier this summer and it had a "sure bet" feel around it....and sold out nearly every performance over the course of the month. 

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 9/12/23 at 5:32pm

nasty_khakis said: "Jordan Catalano said: "WOW. I don't think I've ever seen a show at The Imperial charge $114 a seat for the last row mezz all the way to the side."

Not to turn into an "in my day" grampa before I'm 40 but...those were like $40-$50 for August/Billie Elliot/Nice Work. But I guess you could also have seen My Fair Lady for $3 or something."

They were $39 for Bad Cinderella.

 

[Dolly80]

Posted: 9/12/23 at 5:43pm

With this, Lempicka, The Notebook, The Outsiders and Harmony- all I’m seeing is a very weak 2024 season. Full of musicals destined to flop. I hope I’m wrong.

Updated On: 9/12/23 at 05:43 PM

[Voter]

Posted: 9/12/23 at 5:58pm

Dolly80 said: "With this, Lempicka, The Notebook, The Outsiders and Harmony- all I’m seeing is a very weak 2024 season. Full of musicals destined to flop. I hope I’m wrong."


All of these musicals had a pre-Broadway tryout in some sort of capacity. Clearly a lot of work has been done between the transfers. 
 

2024 Best Musical Nominees (Predictions):

 

Back to the Future 

Here Lies Love

The Notebook 

Water For Elephants 

Harmony 

 

[Mitch101]

Posted: 9/12/23 at 5:58pm

Sadly, you are not wrong. I've seen all four of these musicals in their out of town tryouts, and though each has strengths, none are particularly good. For me, Harmony is the real head scratcher since it had a full production off-Broadway and the reviews were hardly the kind to encourage a Broadway transfer. 

Lempicka - accomplished, but ultimately unsatisfying

The Notebook - schmaltz (made me think of Bridges of Madison County for some reason)

The Outsiders - a mess

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 9/12/23 at 6:13pm

Mitch101 said: "

For me, Harmony is the real head scratcher since it had a full production off-Broadway and the reviews were hardly the kind to encourage a Broadway transfer."

To me, Harmony isn't really a head-scratcher at all. It's Barry Manilow, it was a NYT Critic's Pick and Chip Zien will easily be a Tony favorite. I think The Outsiders, Water for Elephants, and Lempicka have tougher roads ahead of them.

 

Updated On: 9/12/23 at 06:13 PM

[BossBroadway]

Posted: 9/12/23 at 6:21pm

In terms of financial status, I'm sure that almost any new musical will flop in the foreseeable future. In terms of quality shows, the 2024 season is going to be a hit. The Notebook was hit with near universal praise. Lempicka was, as well. Harmony's were strong, especially with a NYT Critic's Pick, and I think the score is beautiful and hope the show has reworked a little more. Here Lies Love got great mostly reviews, How to Dance in Ohio is also pretty strong, like Kimberly Akimbo. Water for Elephants, Back to the Future, and The Outsiders are just plain mediocre, neither of them bad (unlike Bad Cindy, Almost Famous, KPOP, and NYNY). As much as I enjoyed it, Once Upon a One More Time was definitely a mess and the weakest link in terms of new musicals this season. All of these shows are in a fairly good shape before their Broadway bows. Awards season will be tough. I think Here Lies Love and and Once Upon a One More Time will be forgotten except for the design categories and choreography, respectively.

 

I think Best Musical looks like this right now:

 

Best Musical:

• The Notebook

• Harmony

• How to Dance In Ohio (should it close before awards and be forgotten, I could see Here Lies Love somehow making it here, or even Water for Elephants)

• Lempicka

• The Outsiders (could also see Here Lies Love or Water for Elephants making it here if How to Dance in Ohio is still open)

Updated On: 9/12/23 at 06:21 PM

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 9/12/23 at 6:53pm

I'm not hoping this will happen, but has there ever been a Broadway season in which every nominee for Best Musical flopped, including the winner?

Truth be told, positive reviews and awards of any kind don't have the power they once had. Whether or not this leads to a paradigm shift — be it on Broadway or in other areas of the entertainment industry — remains to be seen.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 9/12/23 at 6:56pm

Back to the Future being up for Best Musical makes my heart sink. Honesty, I was looking forward to flying in to see some shows but none of these are particularly exciting to me. Listen to Limpecka and I didn't hate the music but they never could seem to find a melody they liked so they just kept changing it. The Notebook was fine, but it was kind of neither here nor there for me. The rest just don't appeal to me in any meaningful way the way Kimberly Akimbo did. 

But we also have Boop in Chicago in December, and I could see that taking the Shubert or something. And The Bedwetter was suppose to come in this season too.

Updated On: 9/12/23 at 06:56 PM