Water for Elephants’ to Close on Broadway, Dec 8th- Page 2

[Wick3]

Posted: 10/2/24 at 10:09am

I'm surprised the Shuberts would boot these shows out before the holidays. That means Shuberts won't get any rent for those busy weeks and a lot of front of house folks out of a job during the holidays.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/2/24 at 10:30am

Wick3 said: "I'm surprised the Shuberts would boot these shows out before the holidays. That means Shuberts won't get any rent for those busy weeks and a lot of front of house folks out of a job during the holidays."

Broadway isn't a jobs program, it's a business, and this may be what has the greatest benefit on Shubert's business.

See also: Post 10 of this thread (pasted below).

 

It is odd timing, but after the insanity of last season, perhaps Bob Wankel is trying to do his part to reduce the number of April openings by encouraging current shows to close earlier than Dec 29 or January 5th? Which means the new tenant can start previews in Feb and open in March. Could also be a scheduling matter with the director/writers of the next show going into the Imperial.

As of now three shows are opening in the second half of March (Mincemeat, BVSC, and Othello + possible DORIAN), and three others will open in the first week of April before things get really crazy (Old Friends, Boop, Last 5 Years). Last year, by contrast, 5 shows opened in March, NOTHING opened between March 28 and April 11, and then 14 shows opened between April 11 and 25th.

This is where the theatre owners have leverage over the Broadway schedule (to a certain extent).

[witchoftheeast2]

Posted: 10/2/24 at 11:25am

TheatreMonkey said: "witchoftheeast2 said: "Kad said: "Always odd when shows close just before the very busy holiday weeks. Is there perhaps a new tenant lined up that wants the theatre asap?"

I saw on one of these boards that someone said Smash wants the Imperial?"

Um, yeah -- a few posts before yours. But also long been rumored. (And with other shows, too.)"

Duh- sorry thank you! 

[Blindbutlerdeafmaid]

Posted: 10/2/24 at 8:51pm

It's possibly a disappointment to producers to lose the Christmas / New Years grosses, but those weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas can be a real gamble for producers of floundering shows. The question isn't why not run through Christmas / New Years, but why not just close after Thanksgiving and not have to worry.

But, in the context of what shows are in this environment, it strikes me as being completely logistical.
Heart of Rock and Roll had a six week load in, two weeks of tech, and took a full week to get out. 
If the shows coming in are that time consuming, the shows do absolutely need to be out mid-December.

Water for Elephants had its first preview Feb 24 for a March 21 opening. The Notebook had a Feb 10 first preview for a March 14 opening. On that time line it's plausible that they'll both need a week to get out and that to restore the theaters during the holidays and deliver them by Jan 2, those were the necessary dates. 

If Heart of Rock and Roll had received its theater Jan 2, they wouldn't have had their first preview until Feb 25(ish). I imagine that Smash will have a significant load-in and tech period as well.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/2/24 at 9:44pm

Buena Vista Social Club has a classic early-spring opening schedule: Rehearsal will begin the first week of the year, previews begin Feb 21, and Opening is March 19. Notebook closes Dec 15, it'll take 7-14 days to load out, and then load-in for BVSC will begin. The only challenge is sometimes grosses can be a little scary even in the second half of February.

What's not an ideal schedule is Redwood, which will have to be in rehearsal during Christmas/New Year weeks because it begins previews Jan 24 and opens Feb 13. But much of that is probably dictated by Tina Landau's schedule, being that she then goes into rehearsal for Floyd Collins on February 18.

[hicaesar]

Posted: 10/3/24 at 1:55pm

I'm glad I saw the show last week when I was in town. There are moments of pure magic combining lighting, set design, circus arts, music, and choreography.  Unfortunately for me, in between those moments was one of the worst written shows I've ever seen on Broadway.  I really didn't like it and I'm not surprised it is closing.  

Now on to the early December closing - I wonder if they have a client ready to move in with a Holiday only show that they know will sell more tickets?  That's the only reason it makes sense to me.