What's next for the Lunt-Fontanne?

[TheatreKid3]

Posted: 7/25/12 at 1:19am

This is first time in recent memory (or at least since BEAUTY AND THE BEAST opened there), that we haven't known what the next show going into the Lunt will be prior to the current tenant closing. It's no secret the Lunt is a much in-demand theatre due to its prime location in Times Square, so its sudden (although not completely unexpected) availability is an interesting situation to say the least. We knew MERMAID was taking BEAUTY's place, then knew MERMAID was kicked out for ADDAMS FAMILY, and knew GHOST was taking over after that. Now that the theatre is open, and there are no shows really waiting in the wings to take it, what do you think is next for the Lunt-Fontanne? Regardless I don't think it will sit empty long. We might even see some announcement within the next few weeks. But what show do you believe will claim this theatre next?

My only thoughts of what may be on the horizon:
-INTO THE WOODS transfers (but that's a long way off).

-SCANDALOUS switches from the Neil Simon.

-Disney elects to move NEWSIES (which I think is a bad decision, but it wouldn't surprise me as I'm sure they miss controlling the Lunt like it is the New Amsterdam).

-Disney rushes Aladdin to Broadway (that one is a HUGE long shot, but I'm throwing everything out here).

-Disney's first revival of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST returns home for the rumored limited holiday engagement (even though the holiday revival has been rumored, theres on chance of this happening this late in the game - I just threw this in as a wish).

- A CHRISTMAS STORY switches to a Nederlander contract and books it for the holidays.







Updated On: 7/25/12 at 01:19 AM

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 7/25/12 at 1:22am

A Wonderland revival starring Morgan James. It will be a one woman show.

[Ghostfan2]

Posted: 7/25/12 at 9:46am

Twilight the musical

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/25/12 at 9:54am

"a christmas story" is to be a jujamcyn production. You can't just "switch contracts". they are producers, they have money in the show. That's not how it works.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 7/25/12 at 10:01am

I still don't get why people are even thinking that Disney would switch theatres for Newsiews.

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 7/25/12 at 10:05am

Why does everyone freak out about empty theatres? This happens all the time and we often don't know who the next tenant will be for a while. Not sure why we need a new thread about an empty theatre every time a show closes.

[bdn223]

Posted: 7/25/12 at 12:31pm

I think all the fuss, as previous posters have stated is that for the past 5 years all of the Lunts tenants have been "FORCED" out to make way for a new show. Not to say its tenants were't loosing money, but within hours of a closing notice a new show would announce its plans to open there, and there was often a gaP large enough between the date of the announcement and the actual closing date, to cause everyone to realise it was an eviction rather than a true closing notice.

Beast was close to make way for Mermaid because Disney feared they had over saturated the market...which they did.

When Mermaid closed for Addams Family, many suspected that there would be a theater switcharoo and Poppins would instead close and Mermaid would move into the Amsterdam, since the TLM, was doing better than Poppins. Then peoPle suspected the only reason this plan didn't pan put, was because Mackintosh vetoed the Poppins closing, since he would lose money and Poppins still had life in it.

Addams family then closed for Ghost, and when the tour opened to positive notices, Lippa made clear to note, that he and Addams Family's producers wanted to put the changes into the Broadway production and have critics re-review the show...alla Spiderman 2.0. Sheilds and Reese were willing to remain in the production to make the changes, but the Neaderlanders were forcing them out for Ghost, and it was too expensive to switch theaters.

So with this pattern of "evictions" its weird that Ghost isn't following the pattern.

[philly03]

Posted: 7/25/12 at 12:41pm

Jekyll & HYDE will be in a Nederlander house come April, but with all these Nederlander houses going to be open I wonder where it will land now.

[TheatreKid3]

Posted: 7/25/12 at 12:45pm

Mercades - I know it is under a Jujamcyn contract and that is not usually "how things work," but stranger things have happened.

bdn - That's exactly my point. The Lunt is arguably one of the most, if not THE most, in-demand theatre for commercial productions because of its location. As I said, this is the first time in recent memory that no one is sure what is moving in next - leaving the theatre vacant. It's an odd thing for the Lunt.

And I do remember the whole "close POPPINS and keep MERMAID debate," but I think the main problem was that, because the stage at the New Amsterdam is SO much bigger than the Lunt's, an entirely new set for MERMAID would have to have been built for the new specifications (which would cost way too much money). Let's not forget MERMAID was already in huge financial trouble after that lawsuit, too. IN the long run, it looks like keeping POPPINS open proved to be a good move. It wouldn't surprise me if we don't see a revamped MERMAID back on Broadway sooner rather than later though, bc something tells me Disney isn't going to let one of its most precious and adored titles sink away (no pun intended)so easily.

philly - Jekyll & Hyde is a possibility, but I don't see the Lunt remaining dark until April.



Updated On: 7/25/12 at 12:45 PM

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 7/25/12 at 1:18pm

bdn, BEAUTY did not close because of a saturated market but because of egos of certain individuals at DISNEY THEATRICALS. BEAUTY was making a mil a week when they closed it, at the time and for that show that's still a hefty profit. You can't saturate a market if you have a popular product and a new audience turning 10 years old everyday. There was a bit of bad blood when they brought in the dud that was MERMAID and the Needers couldn't have loved that. The INTO THE WOODS ser is quite high it might fit the LUNT, but there is a LOT of work to be done if that transferes. I agree there will be probably be a new show, sooner rather than later at the LUNT.

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 7/25/12 at 1:21pm

BEAUTY was making a million dollars a week when it closed? I don't remember that.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 7/25/12 at 2:23pm

^ yes. If you look at the grosses, it was doing remarkably well when it closed.

[TheaterBoy7777]

Posted: 7/25/12 at 2:37pm

https://www.broadwayworld.com/grosses/BEAUTY-AND-THE-BEAST

[TheatreKid3]

Posted: 7/25/12 at 3:21pm

BEAUTY was doing million dollar business in its final weeks bc people were coming to see it before it closed. It's closing was announced almost 6 months in advance. I don't think there is much truth to the whole ego thing, that just seems ridiculous. The official reason given for closing BEAUTY was that Disney was concerned with having two musicals on Broadway with such similar heroines/plot/and notoriety that they feared the two shows might divide the market between the two and cause unhealthy competition - thus hurting the grosses for both shows. That makes much more sense to me as it probably would have happened. They felt BEAUTY had a respectable run and it was time to move on. While, like many, I miss BEAUTY as it was a true classic, I respect Disney for pulling such a move and expanding their offerings. I can't imagine what people on hear would have said if Disney had 5 shows on Broadway at the same time. I also doubt the Nederlanders wouldn't be too keen on letting Disney have 4 of their 9 theatres at one time (POPPINS, of course, being in the Disney-owned New Amsterdam).

Also, MERMAID's weekly grosses were on par with BEAUTY's for the most part. It even started doing million dollar business again in its final weeks just like Beauty. So from a business perspective, BEAUTY was in a good place and could have run forever, but the million dollar business in the final weeks came from a closing notice.

Updated On: 7/25/12 at 03:21 PM

[TheatreKid3]

Posted: 7/25/12 at 11:55pm

Also, I think the CHRISTMAS STORY idea would become more plausible should BRING IT ON extend at the St. James (which doesn't look likely as of now, but things could change after it opens).

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 7/26/12 at 12:01am

If INTO THE WOODS transfers (which is a huge if,) it won't be until the spring.

[theaterisdead]

Posted: 7/26/12 at 1:34am

I thought ITW was headed to the Hirshfield, if it extends?

[little_sally]

Posted: 7/26/12 at 11:11am

The Hirschfeld has Kinky Boots in the spring.

[TheatreKid3]

Posted: 7/26/12 at 5:02pm

CALLED IT! Looks like they switched contracts after all!

Updated On: 7/26/12 at 05:02 PM

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 7/26/12 at 5:46pm

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/A-CHRISTMAS-STORY-The-Musical-to-Play-Lunt-Fontanne-for-2012-Holidays-20120726