"We were gonna close, but we changed our minds"

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 9:24pm

Wishful thinking about the upcoming closings of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Sweeney Todd got me to thinking:

Have any shows ever announced a closing and then cancelled it, allowing the show to run? I don't mean pre-show tryouts like the past revival of "Sweet Charity", but have any shows on Broadway ever said they were going to close, and then before said closing date, cancelled and said "nevermind"?

[little_sally]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 9:25pm

The recent revival of Gypsy announced a closing date but then ended up running a few more months.

Updated On: 8/17/06 at 09:25 PM

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 9:26pm

The cast and crew of Urban Cowboy were told they were closing on opening night I think. Then at the eleventh hour the producers changed their minds. It still ended up running for only six weeks or something.

[Katurian2]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 9:26pm

Light in the Piazza extended several times- as did the recent Pajama Game. But these were limited runs- not ticket based closings.

Updated On: 8/17/06 at 09:26 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 9:30pm

I seem to remember Miss Saigon putting up a closing notice, but after the announcement was made, there was such a huge surge of ticket sales at the box office from people who wanted to see the long-running show one more time before it closed that they took the notice down and it ran for several more (six?) months.

[gavrochegirl]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 9:31pm

Margo, isn't it because Lea Solonga joined Saigon at one point?

[Producer2]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 9:33pm

some shows post a closing notice just to sell tickets

[jimnysf]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 9:34pm

I don't know if this counts but "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" closed, then moved to Boston for a few weeks and then came back to Broadway but closed soon after that (same time as the movie was running). I think it was tied to a union dispute over how many musicians had to be "carried/paid".

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 9:34pm

I know Salonga came back and ended up closing the show at the end.

[overthemoon419]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 10:02pm

The Rocky Horror revival closed abruptly after September 11th, then re-opened for a limited 10-week engagement.

[Just_John]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 10:04pm

Do you think that's what there trying to do with Dirty Rotten Scoundrels??

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 10:08pm

I recall that the original production of EQUUS closed and re-opened at another theater about 10 weeks later.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 10:08pm

No. DRS has been losing money for weeks and has almost no chance of ever recouping on Broadway (perhaps later on tour). Its closing isn't a ploy to boost box office and short of it selling a million dollars worth of tickets in the next couple of days, it'll be closing on 9/3.

Updated On: 8/17/06 at 10:08 PM

[coolkid11776]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 10:11pm

I hope they change they mind about Sweeney. I just saw the show last night and Now I'm so sad it's closing I never relized what a great show it is. Do you think they will release a dvd of this production with Patti and the rest of the OBC. I know they have one of the 79 cast.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 10:14pm

Nope. They won't film this production, especially with a Burton/Depp film of it coming out next year. And no, there's no chance the show will extend -- it's been doing poorly at the box office for a while, so it's going to close before it loses any more money.

[broadway_show_fan]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:01pm

And I know these closing issues have been discussed elsewhere, but the DRS closing sparks these questions and concerns in me:

- Why hasn't Lieutenant of Inishmore closed yet with it's low box office records?

- What does this mean for my beloved Wedding Singer, which has dipped? How long does it generally take before producers nix the run?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:08pm

Lieutenant of Inishmore costs less than half of what DRS does, so it can survive and keep running a while despite less than stellar box office receipts.

Wedding Singer is struggling and it's unclear how much longer its producers will keep it open. The next couple of months are usually some of the weakest of the year for shows given the normal decline in tourist business (everyone goes back to work/school after Labor Day), so we'll have to see.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:10pm

Plus you can't wear white after Labor Day (or so I am told)...and, well, The Wedding Siner....need I say more?

Poor Inishmore was so empty yesterday. I got a rush ticket (3, actually) for the Wednesday matinee.

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:21pm

This thread title made me excited, as I thought the producers of DRS have changed their mind and continue on with the show...

[DWalk]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:46pm

Didn't the Grease revival post a closing notice when Lucy Lawless was not approved by the union only to take it down when they allowed her to perform?

[thevolleyballer]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:48pm

7th Heaven 'closed' on the WB last spring. And now it's coming back this fall. Only to close again next spring.

Oh, 7th Heaven. Please, never go to Broadway.

[roseaddams]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:49pm

I know Les Mis closed two months after they said they would because of a sudden rush for tickets.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 1:06am

The original run of THE FANTASTICKS posted a closing notice but after a huge surge in ticket sales, took the notice down and continued to run for about ten years.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 1:09am

Les Mis extended because the musicians went on strike when they were supposed to close.

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 1:09am

Michael Bennett, you have given us diehard DRS fans much needed hope

Maybe if we get enough people to go see it and show some MAJOR love, we can get it at least extended?

Who's willing to try with me?