Why did Avenue Q close so quikly in Vegas?

I wasn't even aware it had closed because it happened so fast! Why did it close that quikley?

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Vegas isn't something you can take kids to either...

I majorly disagree. I loved the Vegas Version and thought the cast was great.

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it closed early because of venue size...all vegas theatres are much larger than broadway houses, so if it was based upon the size of the Golden, the Wynn sold more seats than the Golden every performance, but that still did not fill the theatre, since the wynn Bway theatre is larger.

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I think Avenue Q is a "word of mouth" type show. I really had no intentions to see it but a friend dragged me along. I'm glad he did.

Vegas is of course full of tourists and they are more likely to see a more familiar show.

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Well, I meant compared to the broadway run. :)


Hi Rick! Big fan!

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Any news on a tour?

Yes hardly any advertising...just lot and lots of orange. I saw the show twice in vegas and loved it.

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I heard it was poor spelling.

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I went in Feburary and only the first half of the orchestra section was filled.

I forgot if the theatre had a balcony, but the theatre and it's small lobby were amazing.

Also, Wynn has a Cirque-esque show that shares a HUGE gift shop with whatever show playes at the Broadway Theatre.

Updated On: 12/19/06 at 10:21 AM

It has nothing to do with language issues. There are several reasons it closed, Wynn being the major reason. Avenue Q made money, but Vegas likes its houses packed, which Avenue Q failed to do. So Wynn closed it. It's not a spectacle, and not a family show, so to succeed in Vegas it would really need strong word of mouth. The problem is, it takes much longer for word of mouth to gain traction in Vegas. A friend of mine told me that would probably need over a year to get strong word of mouth going. Don't forget, Vegas is a heavy tourist town, so the word of mouth is going to people in other states, who can't just run out to the theater. So that's the reason. Simply put, the house wasn't full. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Avenue Q made a huge mistake committing to Vegas (they sold out, taking money over artistic integrity). It is so far-removed from winning the Tony it's going to have a hard sell on tour (though, from what I heard, Vegas was at least not asking them to cut more un-friendly themes from the show). Personally, I don't think Vegas should get any long running shows. People aren't going to want to see something they saw or can see on tour or in New York.

Actually, I think it does have something to do with language--but not because of bad language. Avenue Q is a show that you have to understand English to enjoy--most of the shows in Vegas rely on spectacle (including Phantom) or familiarity with the material (Phantom and Mama Mia). Vegas is primarily a tourist town and most of those tourists are from other countries. When you see the Cirque shows one of the brilliant things about them is that there is very little dialogue--and no important dialogue.

Also, though Vegas is trying to cultivate a hipster reputation, those hipsters don't go there to see theatre--they go to gamble, drink and go to the ultralounges. Avenue Q, while it is a smart show is not a hipster show in the way that they would want. Avenue Q deals with issues that these people don't want to think about--at least not while they are in Vegas.

Then there is the venue itself--it was hard to find and there was very little street advertising to encourage people from walking in.

Vegas is really not a theatre town. The few shows that do well there are very much escapist in nature. Even light message shows like Hairspray are too heavy for Vegas.

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Tough for any Braodway show to do well in Vegas. It ain't Broadway!!!

Too many toursits more interested in gambling....