Wicked New Orleans Sit-Down

Wicked is finally coming to New Orleans to the Mahalia Jackson Theater after 4 years of a broadway absence due to the damage of Hurricane Katrina. The city has been in talks of having a sit down production later in 2011 at the Saenger Theater, but I think it could possibly be Wicked. Do you think New Orleans could keep Wicked here for atleast 6 months, or maybe longer? Only about 500k people live here, but with the amount of tourists we get during Mardi Gras and the summer and special festivities, sporting, etc.. It just may work. What do you think?

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I couldn't see New Orleans hosting a sitdown production. Sitdowns can't open on tourism alone, there has to be a local market to keep it afloat during non-peak seasons.

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Have some of the touring companies returned to New Orleans yet? I know a bunch of them cancelled planned stops and wondered whether this had begun to pick up again.

I always thought they should have gone anyway, and donated their proceeds to Katrina recovery.

The Newly Renovated Mahalia Jackson Theater has many free time, so the theater and city decided to let it host traveling shows, a first for the theater, while touring shows and sit downs were generally hosted at the Saenger Theatre, Loews State Palace, and the Orpheum, due to their location and seating capacity.

Mayor Ray Nagin said in the news yesterday that when the Saenger Theatre reopens in fall 2011, which no work has been begun to restore any of the theatres besides the Mahalia, the Saenger is planned to host a sit-down production of a major broadway show. Rumors around town are it will be wicked, while others say the Color Purple, due to the large amount of the african american population. I could see Wicked playing at the Saenger, due to how beautiful and wide the walls are on the side of the stage, enough to have scalfholding.

I could see Wicked working for around 6-9 months, it deffinetly has the potentials.
New Orleans only has 500,000 people, but the metro. area is in the 2million range.

I could also see the Color Purple, as indicated. The Summer is the worst tourist season, I would know, my dad works at the largest hotel in New Orleans (Royal Sonesta) and they have very low room capacity believe it or not.

If Wicked were to work, they would have to see how it grossed here, and then move from that. The show would have to start after the summer, which involves VooDoo Fest, Mardi Gras, Family Gras, French Quarter Fest, ETC...

More than one million people visit New Orleans each year, and with Wicked here, it would boost the tourism very much, I can see it working.

I could also see Irhma Thompson or however u spell it in the role of Madame Morrible, she is a louisiana local, and is a fantastic singer.

Local actors would also draw more tourism, due to whenever there is a local performing here, the crowds go nuts.

The season kicks off with a special engagement of Cats October 27th-November 2nd; Color Purple December 1-8th?; Mamma Mia february 2-8th; Wicked March 24th-April 11th; and Avenue Q June 1-8th.

We are getting the First National Touring production of Wicked, I have talked to many of the 2nd tour's cast and have told me that it is the first, and how bummed they are they won't get to hit up bourbon. LMFAO.

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Updated On: 6/28/09 at 07:45 PM

It would be really nice to have a sit down that's NOT Chicago or the West Coast. Why not Altanta, or Miami? Those are both cities with some of the greatest theatre scenes outside of New York. They are both heavily populated with strong tourist seasons (especially Miami) and they both have the best touring companies in the market sit down there for fairly long engagements.

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"It would be really nice to have a sit down that's NOT Chicago or the West Coast. Why not Altanta, or Miami? Those are both cities with some of the greatest theatre scenes outside of New York. They are both heavily populated with strong tourist seasons (especially Miami) and they both have the best touring companies in the market sit down there for fairly long engagements."

Chicago and the West Coast are the only markets that can support any sit-down productions. Neither Atlanta nor Miami have the tourism that Chicago or San Fancisco and LA have...and they definitely don't have enough local support to house a long-run show. Chicago is the largest theater market outside New York, and LA has a larger tourism industry than Miami, Atlanta and Chicago combined. But sit-downs not only rely on tourism, but the local market as well. Chicago has a population of 3 million and L.A. 4 million (not counting suburbs...which adds a couple million more to each count). Atlanta and Miami COMBINED wouldn't have 1 million, and in no way could they support a sit down.

As for New Orleans, the population is barely above 200,000, and the tourist industry isn't enough to support a long engagement.

Why don't they just bring the tour there first and see how it sells. Since there are 2 Wicked tours now, seems like this would be an easier and less risky option.

this is exactly what they are doing. The 1st Tour comes here March 12-April 11th for a trial run, to see how it sells.

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I don't see why Wicked has to open EVERYWHERE. They are like the Starbucks of musical theatre.

The clear solution... have a Wicked sit down at every city that the tour sells out in! That way, every city ever visited will have its own Wicked production, and think of all the jobs available for aspiring actresses! :P

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New Orleans has nearly three million people in surrounding areas, The only reason it has 400,000 people in the city is because the city mostly relies on tourism. Mardi Gras is not our only main tourist season, we also have Jazz Fest, and etc.. Wicked will bring people to see it as well.

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You're starting to sound very familiar, TheatreDork. Unfortunately, I think you may be right. The Saenger wasn't wasn't doing gang-busting business before Katrina.

I'm glad they're trying it though, and I hope the best for them. That city needs its theater back.

TO be fair though, HAiR had 9 (or 11, both numbers stick out) sit-down productions when it opened. Heck, even "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" made a sit-down work in Houston.

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