WOMAN IN WHITE - First Preview- Page 4

[Danitriniqueen]

Posted: 10/30/05 at 4:34pm

Ok, I know, I have not been here in awhile, BUT could someone help me out. What is Woman in White, about?

[kec]

Posted: 10/30/05 at 4:55pm

It's based on the novel of the same name by Wilkie Collins, written in the 1860's -- noted for being the first "detective" novel. It's about a young drawing master who travels to Cumberland to teach drawing to two sisters, Laura Fairlie and Marian Halcomb. On the way to his new job, Walter, the drawing master, meets the mysterious woman in white who talks of a secret, but runs away before he can find out what it is. Walter eventually falls in love with Laura, and she with him, but there's a complication in the presence of Sir Percival Glyde, to whom Laura is engaged. Glyde seems nice enough at first, but after they're married he shows his true colors. What is the mysterious secret the Woman in White speaks of? How are Glyde and his friend Count Fosco connected to the Woman in White?

Hope this helps a bit.

[Piazzaslight]

Posted: 10/30/05 at 6:02pm

I'm going to see it!

Sunday, December 11th, 2005, 3:00

That date was the soonest weekend I could get for an extreme rear mezzanine seat (which I got.) so the show must be selling well.

Can't wait! (Also seeing Doubt on Saturday night...)

Updated On: 10/30/05 at 06:02 PM

[VinnieTheIceman]

Posted: 10/30/05 at 6:54pm

None of the shows have sold out in advance even with major discounting. No previous ALW shows have had discounting before previews even have begun like WIW has.

[jo]

Posted: 10/30/05 at 6:57pm

Wasn't there a recent article by Michael Riedel where he mentioned that the show had an advance of $ 5 Million? If you compare this with the advances for The Odd Couple ( $ 21 million) and SUNSET BOULEVARD ( I have read that it amounted to $ 37.5 million) - that is not too good an advance sales figure.

But let's hope that positive word of mouth and fair critic assessments will help boost the show at the box office.

I'd be interested to know how well premium seats are selling because they have classified an awful lot of seats under this pricey category.

[EganFan2]

Posted: 10/30/05 at 6:59pm

Actually, "The Woman in White" was an early "sensation" novel.
"The Moonstone" was considered the first detective novel.

*is a fan of Wilkie C.*

[hedonism]

Posted: 10/30/05 at 7:16pm

As a comparative newcomer, really shocked at how mean this thread is. OK we may disagree, but we're all on the same side, no?

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 10/30/05 at 7:20pm

THIS IS WHAT I KNOW:

I saw WIW in London this past January, and I thoroughly loved and enjoyed it. I regularly do not like ALW, but I loved the score, the book, and the performances.

I have heard that it has been selling well from several different people. Well doesn't mean "SOLD OUT FOREVER," it just means well.

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 10/30/05 at 7:21pm

OH, and Chinaberry, come on. I am sure (or at least hope) you have better things to do than going through old posts, acting like a detective.

[Now Ulla Dance]

Posted: 10/30/05 at 7:40pm

Let me clear something up...

I know from firsthand knowledge that yes, ticket sales were a little show from the beginning, maybe about 5-10 million in advance sales. But since about oh, 2 weeksna ago, sales have really picked up...i don't know of any sold out shows yet, but i know that sales have gotten much better. The show is selling extreemley well with out-of-towners, meaning non-new yorkers...but yes, the tickets sales are definetly picking up

[AnotherDay46]

Posted: 10/30/05 at 9:39pm

I saw the show today and I have to say, it was wonderful. The score was a beautiful and very well composed and it was a very moving show, in my opinion. I also saw it in London, the only complaint I have about the New York version is they changed the ending. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed it. The cast was very good tonight as well. Michael Ball was a joy, as always. Adam was a delight, better then Martin, in my opinion. Maria and Jill were also very, very good - maybe not as strong as when I saw them in London, but wonderful nonetheless.

Everyone came out after, though I did wait around for a bit. Everyone was kind and signed autographs and took pictures.

It is a wonderful show, I highly recommend it!

[bwaybabe85]

Posted: 10/30/05 at 9:53pm

I also saw the show today, and I thought it was great! I can't wait till Daniel goes on as Walter How is the ending different in London?

[442namffug]

Posted: 10/30/05 at 10:02pm

This is good news! I guess the fact that they aren't promoting the hell out of this thing is working in their favor! Who wants to know everything and see everything before they even step into the theatre? That's what happens when everything is done Disney style.

Glad they are staying away from that, and focusing on the quality of the show.

Updated On: 10/30/05 at 10:02 PM

[AnotherDay46]

Posted: 10/30/05 at 10:14pm

Semi-spoiler? It ended without the wedding in London.

[EganFan2]

Posted: 10/30/05 at 10:20pm

One of the endings before the changes had a stonecutter changing the name on Laura's presumed grave from Lady Glyde to Anne Catherick.

[bwaybabe85]

Posted: 10/30/05 at 10:23pm

So in London it ended when Walter and Laure exited stage right and Marian walked off stage left? Or was there a completely different ending instead of the wedding scene?

[AnotherDay46]

Posted: 10/30/05 at 10:34pm

Like it just ended with her singing - I close my eyes and I still see his face, then you see the man carving Anne's name in the tombstone. It was a sadder ending, which I think fit with the show.

[bwaybabe85]

Posted: 10/30/05 at 10:40pm

Hmmm quite interesting. I wish I could see both endings to compare them. The sadder ending does seem like it would fit better.

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 10/31/05 at 12:54am

Man. I can't decide if I want to read the reviews or not! Very difficult decision!

[Theatreboy33]

Posted: 10/31/05 at 3:57am

That ending has been changed god-knows how many times now. Currently, in London, it ends with a funeral service around the new rave and then everyone starts dancing and singing a reprise of lamastide (sp? while the lovers embraced). Really tacky looking in my opinion. Looked more like the ending of a shakespearian comedy than a melodramatic musical. With they had kept with the sadder tone of the tombstone carver.

On a side note, i happened to be in paris this weekend where woody allen's new film Match Point is playing and the main couple of the story go to see woman in white and a semi-brief clip of the shows music is played.

[kec]

Posted: 10/31/05 at 4:19am

Theatreboy, are you sure it's a funeral service and not a wedding? For them to sing Lammastide at a funeral doesn't make much sense.

As I understand it the tombstone carver was out of the show before it opened.

For those interested, there is an interview with Michael at the link below.
It's Ball under 2 Chins

[kec]

Posted: 10/31/05 at 4:29am

"Actually, "The Woman in White" was an early "sensation" novel. "The Moonstone" was considered the first detective novel. "

Ooops! Sorry about that. I got my Collins novels mixed up. That's what I get for typing responses late at night...

[Eastwickian]

Posted: 10/31/05 at 5:57am

Tombstone carver was cut in the first week of previews (though survives on the OLCR. From then on *SPIOLERS* it ended with Laura and Walter walking off, Marian singing, drawing a shawl over her head as the screens closed in front of her. From the main cast change back in July, the ending was changed to what is currently on Broadway (with the gravestone and the wedding)

[Piazzaslight]

Posted: 10/31/05 at 7:32am

Actually, on the OLCR commercial that guy provided us with, you can have a breif look at that scene. It goes by quickly though, and I agree, that gravestone ending would've worked much better than the one I saw. (With Marian walking as the screens closed in around her. That ending left me cold.) Can't wait till I see this show. December 11th feels like such a long time away.

[BWAYboi_yes]

Posted: 10/31/05 at 10:13am

I may be waaay off track here, but I didn't think so at the time. Spoilers following: (Not that there haven't been spoilers above) I thought the ending was very powerful with Maria putting the white scarf over her head, and standing the the train tunnel as the walls closed. Reason being that I believe it indicated to the audience that Marian killed herself. If you see how she is in love with Walter, betrays her sister, then rediscovers her after Walter has begun to fall for her, she is left again with no one and after all she went through to put things right. I don't know, but that's what I thought.

Okay- now on the money. $5 million advance, by the way, is still pretty good. The show is coming in under budget at $9 million. I'm sure it's much more than $5 million advance now. In fact, let's pretend that there is no advance, shall we?...

The Nederlanders have cash, Webbers got cash, Boyett's got cash. I don't know about Sonia Friedman, but I bet she's got some. Webber and Friedman have a personal interest in the show, The Nederlanders and Boyett have a personal interest in their long-term relationships with Webber. If there were no advance, the producer's team could easily pay to keep the show floating until some money came in, or even if it didn't.

Now, by very modest estimation, the show could gross $800,000.00 per performance week. Once again, that's modest, considering that it's a new musical and it's a Webber. Weekly running costs are likely to be in the $250,000.00-$300,000.00 range. (That's calculated with all chorus receiving minimum, all supporting receiving 2.5 minimum, and the stars each receiving $20,000.00 per week-- I honestly don't think it's more) On top of that you'll have orchestra, crew, rental, benefits, accomodation for the stars, and etc... just like any show.

That leaves 500,000 per week. Out of that take 20% royalties for the writers (out of gross, not net) and another 20% for producers, directors, designers, theatre, etc (net not gross). That will leave $240,000.00 per week to pay off the show's investment.

Let's say the show ran for one year only, and then closed. That's an investor payoff of $1,248,000.00 for an investment of $9,000,000.00. Remember that that's a conservative estimate. It could be much more, and that's in year one alone. (I did take into consideration that ticket sales would slow down near closing, but then, in all actuality, so would costs).

The payoff is $3,248,000.00. After applicable taxes, it's approximately $2,225,000.00. Even in our investors had found some sort of scheme offering them a 20% annual investment percentage (which is unheard of) to put their money somewhere else, they'd still be better off putting their money into a "losing" Webber show.

Sorry, that was bothering me. I'm glad I got off my chest.