Why No Grosses for Young Frankenstein?

[Chris3]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 5:56pm

Maybe I'm missing something but I haven't seen any grosses for Young Frankenstein. Are they being released?

[cooperross]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 5:58pm

Mel and company stated before the show opened that they wouldn't release the weekly grosses.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 6:09pm

Variety however has been doing weekly estimates of YF's grosses and they've come in around $1.6 million (the highest on Broadway) most weeks.

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 6:30pm

i wish they'd give an estimated attendance percentage....I'll bet THAT'S not the highest on bway.....stupid YF.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 6:44pm

I agree with the stupid part.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 7:04pm

Can I ask a question...


Why does it interest anyone how much a show makes on a weekly basis?

I mean, besides the producers...

I just find it odd. Maybe it's up there with the "How much does So-and-so make"

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 7:23pm

Who cares what the attendance figures are if they have the highest gross? Money's the only thing that counts (in terms of these financial records), not attendance. There are plenty of shows that heavily discount resulting in higher attendance figures, but because their average ticket price and weekly gross are so low, they're barely breaking even and as a result they have zero chance of ever recouping their initial investment. You're much better off having a high gross and a high ticket price (and no -- or very few -- discounts) that makes your show very profitable and much more likely to recoup your inital investment, even if that higher price means your not selling out every week.


And as far as why some people follow grosses, for some it's nice to know that a show you particularly like is doing well financially and thus will be around for a while, has a chance to tour, get recorded etc.....

[Teatro2]

Posted: 4/24/08 at 3:12pm

I've got to say, this business about high ticket prices vs discounts is just non-sense. The key to producing a financially successful show is to produce an artistically successful show. Which YF did not (both audiences and critics seem to agree). The producers must have foreseen the oncoming reaction to the lack luster production from the limp support it got from the out-of-town tryouts, thus prompting them not to discloses their weekly grosses. What an embarrassment after the smash-hit box office success of THE PRODUCERS. As for discounts harming the financial success of a show, I think LES MIS, PHANTOM, SPAMALOT, AVE Q, ETC. (not to meantion every Shakespeare play that's ever been produced on B'way) would beg to differ. Word of mouth sells.

[blaxx]

Posted: 4/24/08 at 3:15pm

The key to producing a financially successful show is to produce an artistically successful show.

Ha ha, that was hilarious and cute. Loved it.

[zooxanthellae]

Posted: 4/24/08 at 3:16pm

The key to producing a financially successful show is to produce an artistically successful show.

tell that to the makers of Grey Gardens...

[blaxx]

Posted: 4/24/08 at 3:20pm

And the producers of all those incredible shows that were flops.

[george95]

Posted: 4/24/08 at 3:23pm

I think its great that now there are commercials for Young Frank saying that "all tickets are now 50 to 120 dollars" or something like that, when before all the press seemed to be all about how the tickets were the most expensive ever.