What's Next for the Imperial?

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 8/7/18 at 7:27pm

Shall we begin?

I’m hoping that Dreamgirls returns where it began. 

Updated On: 8/7/18 at 07:27 PM

[Sondheimite]

Posted: 8/7/18 at 7:32pm

I wish Hadestown would scoop it up. 

[WayTooBroadway]

Posted: 8/7/18 at 7:32pm

LES MIS, for another revival?

J/k, it’s probably DREAMGIRLS...

[ACL2006]

Posted: 8/7/18 at 7:33pm

Dreamgirls is rumored for the Winter Garden. Maybe Ain't Too Proud?

[DCS]

Posted: 8/7/18 at 7:35pm

It should be interesting to see what happens......with reports that Moulin Rouge is waiting until next Summer (so as not to compete with King Kong from the same producers), what other shows having out of town tryouts seem likely?  Dave?  Lempicka?  Tootsie?  Hadestown?

[bwayrose7]

Posted: 8/7/18 at 7:36pm

Sondheimite said: "I wish Hadestown would scoop it up."

Would be very poetic to have another Rachel Chavkin show in the space. (I'm still bitter about her losing the Tony last year, to be honest).

[MattRVA]

Posted: 8/7/18 at 7:53pm

bwayrose7 said: "Sondheimite said: "I wish Hadestown would scoop it up."

Would be very poetic to have another Rachel Chavkin show in the space. (I'm still bitter about her losing the Tony last year, to be honest)."

I can’t wait for Hadestown, but I would be concerned the Imperial is a touch too big. The Hudson or Belasco seem like a good fit, and their current tenants probably won’t be around much longer.

Circle in the Square would be exciting, but the Edmonton production makes me think they’re looking for a proscenium stage. Eager to see the London production (yes, I’ve got tickets!) to see how it works at the National Theatre.

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 8/7/18 at 7:53pm

I would like to see King Kong moved into the Imperial, then open Moulin Rouge into the Broadway instead.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 8/7/18 at 8:09pm

What about The Secret Garden? That's been announced for this season, but hasn't found a theater yet.

[MannPhan24601]

Posted: 8/7/18 at 8:20pm

Put Moulin Rogue here and preserve Kinky Boots

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 8/7/18 at 8:25pm

Sondheimite said: "I wish Hadestown would scoop it up."

I wonder if Hadestown wants Circle in the Square for the spring? Return the show to its in-the-round/thrust roots. It's playing the Olivier at the National, which is a big thrust stage.
 

If CAROUSEL can't run more than 5 months with Broadway-level names, I think Secret Garden would fold even quicker.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 8/7/18 at 8:34pm

SomethingPeculiar said: "If CAROUSEL can't run more than 5 months with Broadway-level names, I think Secret Garden would fold even quicker."

Please keep in mind that Jessie Mueller's previous two Broadway outings had popular singer/songwriters attached, so we don't know if Beautiful and/or Waitress still would've succeeded without her. The last time Joshua Henry got to be the lead of a Broadway show was The Scottsboro Boys, and that only lasted six weeks.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 8/7/18 at 8:49pm

Frankly, I think people will go see a good show with good word of mouth. If The Secret Garden were to transfer, it would need that, not necessarily stars. Just look at The Band's Visit for example. Carousel didn't close because the cast wasn't flashy enough (I mean I think it's one of the flashiest casts that I've seen recently), but because it had seriously terrible word of mouth, a boring Tony award performance, and was just not very good to begin with.

[WayTooBroadway]

Posted: 8/7/18 at 9:46pm

It’s not about Mueller or Henry. I don’t know why that reply?

CAROUSEL seemed to be a more viable and trusted title. It seems that’s what the poster’s view was.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 8/7/18 at 10:29pm

WayTooBroadway said: "CAROUSEL seemed to be a more viable and trusted title. It seems that’s what the poster’s view was."

Carousel has never been the most commercially viable title from the Rodgers & Hammerstein catalogue. Even the last revival from 1994 only ran for a little less than a year despite all the acclaim it received.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/7/18 at 10:37pm

As someone who went into Carousel completely blind: It's a weird story. I also didn't understand any of Henry's choices? Why was he always hunched? Why did he have that accent? And why did Mueller find him so irresistible? Also, why can't they cast dancers who can actually sing and act? I'd much rather a dancer who can tell a story as opposed to just do some pretty pirouettes. 

That said, I'd think Dreamgirls is going in considering isn't it basically just a beefed up version of the original? 

[sewhite2]

Posted: 8/7/18 at 10:46pm

MannPhan24601 said: "Put Moulin Rogue here and preserve Kinky Boots"

Adam Feldman (Time Out theatre critic) wants it here too https://twitter.com/FeldmanAdam/status/1026973340433559552

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/7/18 at 10:48pm

I think the Winter Garden is hands down the PERFECT house for Moulin Rouge. They've built out the stage, so you'd want a theater that offers great sight-lines and the Winter Garden is WIDE, so it's great for this kind of thing. The Imperial's Mezz overhang would make it tough to see. 

[Tag]

Posted: 8/7/18 at 10:59pm

I can't understand people (like Feldman) who believe Moulin Rouge could sweep into the Imperial in a month or so.  You can't just wave a magic wand and make everyone schedules suddenly available.

[VotePeron]

Posted: 8/7/18 at 11:10pm

It’s so hard to tell what will go in when we don’t know the timelines of all the shows.

Of everything mentioned, my gut thinks Hadestown is the best fit. They will never go to Circle In The Square after 2 major proscenium stagings, plus, you can’t just take any show and force it into Circle.

Having seen it, people on this board are truly underestimating the scale of the current London revival of Dreamgirls. It is small. It would need some revamping to fit in the Imperial, but it would make sense to have it here.

This also got me thinking about Jagged Little Pill; it feels too modern to fit in such an ornate space; but with Paulus tied up all Spring and Moulin Rouge opening in the summer, they should race to Broadway this November and count their money. Very little seasonal completion as HOH and GTBBT will likely be closed, and JLP is stellar.

Yeah, that’s my vote. Let’s get Jagged in here.

[Sondheimite]

Posted: 8/7/18 at 11:12pm

I also thought about Jagged Little Pill.

But I really hope they take their time before the bring it in so they can fix many of the problems it has.  

[broadwayboy222]

Posted: 8/7/18 at 11:13pm

I believe he meant that beginning next month the theater would be available, not necessarily that Moulin Rouge would be there then. However, I do believe that Moulin Rouge would be a great fit for either the Imperial or Winter Garden and do hope it ends up taking one of those. Not a fan of the idea of it going into the Hirschfeld, as I don’t believe that space is near as opluent and lavish enough for Moulin Rouge.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 8/7/18 at 11:19pm

If you ask me, Moulin Rouge! shouldn't be coming to Broadway at all because that film was nothing but a MIGRAINE from beginning to end!

[BroadwayMan5]

Posted: 8/7/18 at 11:24pm

Tag said: "I can't understand people (like Feldman) who believe Moulin Rouge could sweep into the Imperial in a month or so. You can't just wave a magic wand and make everyone schedules suddenly available."

You are misreading that tweet. He's saying the Imperial will be open in a month or so, not that Moulin Rouge could arrive in a month or so

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 8/7/18 at 11:31pm

WayTooBroadway said: "It’s not about Mueller or Henry. I don’t know why that reply?
CAROUSEL seemed to be a more viable and trusted title. It seems that’s what the poster’s view was."


Yep, that is what I was trying to (inarticulately) say!

I think Secret Garden has a similar title recognition to Once On This Island, and like Island it would require love-letter reviews and the Tony for Best Revival. And we still don't know if Island is going to be a hit yet.
In 39 weeks, Island has grossed $20 million and been seen by about 205,000 people. In 22 weeks, Carousel grossed $23 million and has been seen by about 219,000 people.