With so many shows closing - why so few opening announcements

[BETTY22]

Posted: 7/2/23 at 10:01am

Do the theatre's that are empty or soon will be, already have new tenants. If so, why have so few been announced?

I'm sure the theatre owners pick the best shows first for their houses. 

 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 7/2/23 at 12:08pm

This is a bad time of year for announcements  because no one pays attention. This is even more true now than before. That said, there are 14 shows scheduled to open before the end of the year.

All of this is normal except that MORE shows have been scheduled/announced or even started performances than usual.

[perfectpenguin]

Posted: 7/2/23 at 12:18pm

John Golden currently has Prima Facie closing today. And The Shark is Broken starting previews July 25th. 

[quizking101]

Posted: 7/2/23 at 12:34pm

Actually, if I remember correctly, a few (6-8) weeks ago, there seemed to a glut of announcements of incoming shows and a few commenters (myself included) were surprised by the amount of summer and early fall openings. 

Me thinks shows are trying to drum up press earlier and earlier if they know that they will be harder sells - PURLIE Victorious is months away but once they landed a theatre, that marquee (ugly as it is) went UP.

[Mr. Wormwood]

Posted: 7/2/23 at 1:28pm

I'm just speculating here but I wonder if some of the shows are waiting to see if a desirable theatre like the Shubert or St. James (or even Walter Kerr or Broadhurst) becomes available before announcing but then they'll settle for something else if they have to.

I am surprised nothing has been announced for August Wilson or the Jacobs

Updated On: 7/2/23 at 01:28 PM

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 7/2/23 at 1:32pm

Imperial, studio 54, longacre, schoenfeld, jacobs, august Wilson, Vivian Beaumont. All are vacant or soon to be vacant and still no announcement. 

[perfectpenguin]

Posted: 7/2/23 at 1:34pm

Mr. Wormwood said: "I'm just speculating here but I wonder if some of the shows are waiting to see if a desirable theatre Shubert or St. James (or even Walter Kerr or Broadhurst) becomes available before announcing but then they'll settle for something else if they have to.

I am surprised nothing has been announced for August Wilson or the Jacobs"

I’d be surprised if NYNY holds on through Labor Day. But it might since it has LMM’s name attached to it and people gravitate to whatever he’s attached to. Anyway, if it does close soon, St James could have something late fall.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 7/2/23 at 1:39pm

As Hogan said, the period post-Tonys through 4th of July week is an awful time to announce a new show. I have no doubt there'll be some announcements within the next month. The show happens when the theatre is available. A lot of announcements happened pre-Tonys, and now some producers are getting their ducks in a row.

There are some shows all but confirmed to come in but are waiting on the current tenant posting closing notice. For example, a buzzy new musical will get a house currently occupied by a Best Musical loser for a Q4 opening (with the owner's anticipation - but not confirmation - that the current tenant closes around Labor Day)

The grosses that come out this week & next will be bad because a lot of people flee the city around July 4th and NYC is not exactly a tropical destination for tourists, and this year with the 4th on a Tuesday people may be making a Friday-to-the-following-Sunday plans. Savvy folks know there are discounts galore this weekend and that will continue over the next week. After that, we'll see where the numbers lie.

Updated On: 7/2/23 at 01:39 PM

[inception]

Posted: 7/2/23 at 3:13pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "

For example, a buzzy new musical will get a house currently occupied by a Best Musical loser for a Q4 opening (with the owner's anticipation - but not confirmation - that the current tenant closes around Labor Day)

The Post should hire you to write their gossip colum

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/2/23 at 3:24pm

^ Since it's such a terrible publication, 1000%   

I’d be surprised if NYNY holds on through Labor Day. But it might since it has LMM’s name attached to it and people gravitate to whatever he’s attached to. Anyway, if it does close soon, St James could have something late fall.

I enjoyed it but the majority of people I speak to about it thought it was boring. I went last week and the balcony had rows of seats empty. Bad sign. 

Updated On: 7/2/23 at 03:24 PM

[Theatrefanboy1]

Posted: 7/2/23 at 6:24pm

I’m also surprised there haven’t been more announcements. Though a lot of the shows iE Hercules, Devil Wears Prada, Aida, Evita, Beauty and the Beast, have all received less than favourable reviews out of town if they were looking for a transfer. And unfortunately just looking at grosses they still are clearly in recovery mode. Which generally means less new shows more revivals 

 

I’m surprised that there has been no word if it is going through of the little night music with Julie andrews revival. I’m also surprised besides the Sweeney Todd revival or merrily we roll along or Gutenberg there haven’t been many “big names” coming to Broadway 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 7/2/23 at 6:46pm

Theatrefanboy1 said: "I’m also surprised there haven’t been more announcements. Though a lot of the shows iE Hercules, Devil Wears Prada, Aida, Evita, Beauty and the Beast, have all received less than favourable reviews out of town if they were looking for a transfer. And unfortunately just looking at grosses they still are clearly in recovery mode. Which generally means less new shows more revivals"

Well Hercules and Evita have additional out-of-town productions announced, and Devil is rumored to be getting a massive overhaul by Jerry Mitchell ahead of a London production, so I don't expect those three titles in the 23-24 season. As for the other Disney properties, it all depends on how much product they feel the market can sustain at one time while Aladdin and Lion King continue; I think with Frozen it was realized that 3 shows at a time is too much (though Aida would kind of be its own thing). Beyond those titles, there are others said to be gearing up for Bway this season (Notebook, Cabaret, Tommy, Suffs, How To Dance In Ohio, Goddess, etc).


"I’m surprised that there has been no word if it is going through of the little night music with Julie andrews revival."

The Cate Blanchett/Julie Andrews NIGHT MUSIC is something that Scott Rudin was allegedly working on and a rumor peddled around here that has somehow been taken as Gospel. I have no doubt it is completely dead and everyone should manage their expectations. Andrews last year was doubtful she'd ever return to Broadway: "These days, I'm so delighted and busy working with Emma. It would depend, I think, but the answer is probably not. I wouldn't turn something down if it was really intriguing. It's about energy, more than anything else."

 

"I’m also surprised besides the Sweeney Todd revival or merrily we roll along or Gutenberg there haven’t been many “big names” coming to Broadway"

Other "big" names coming to Bway in the upcoming season: Danny DeVito, Jeremy Strong, Eric McCormack, Melissa Etheridge, Leslie Odom Jr, Liev Schreiber, Wayne Brady, Laurie Metcalf, Tyne Daly, plus writers David Byrne and Barry Manilow. It's early. There will be more.

Updated On: 7/2/23 at 06:46 PM

[Fosse76]

Posted: 7/5/23 at 5:55am

Broadway Flash said: "Imperial, studio 54, longacre, schoenfeld, jacobs, august Wilson, Vivian Beaumont. All are vacant or soon to be vacant and still no announcement."

The Schoenfeld wasn't expected to be vacant this early, so the Shuberts didn't have anything lined up for it. 

It should be noted that shows/producers generally don't pick the theater... the landlord decides which house to put it in. There are always exceptions, of course.

[perfectpenguin]

Posted: 7/5/23 at 6:08am

Was Life of Pi open or limited? I can’t seem to find a clear answer when I google it. 

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 7/5/23 at 6:46am

perfectpenguin said: "Was Life of Pi open or limited? I can’t seem to find a clear answer when I google it."

Originally, it was, according to a friend who’s a producer on the show but it was not doing well financially.

[yyys]

Posted: 7/5/23 at 6:59am

open.  

perfectpenguin said: "Was Life of Pi open or limited? I can’t seem to find a clear answer when I google it."

 

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 7/5/23 at 7:26am

The Landlords know how to play the game and they know which shows won't be around much longer. 

Every year there are open runs that close after only a few months and the landlords are usually able to be adaptable and get something in the theatre for the next prime opening season, especially if it's a prime ~1100 seat theatres. Oftentimes it involves stuff getting moved around to better theatres and then quicker transfers being put into some of the less desirable ones. 

I would be pretty shocked to see the Schoenfeld sit empty. 

[perfectpenguin]

Posted: 7/5/23 at 7:28am

yyys said: "open.

perfectpenguin said: "Was Life of Pi open or limited? I can’t seem to find a clear answer when I google it."

"

Thank you! That’s what I thought but wasn’t sure

[Kad]

Posted: 7/5/23 at 10:37am

Frankly, I’m surprised there haven’t been more closing announcements. 

[bdn223]

Posted: 7/5/23 at 11:07am

Kad said: "Frankly, I’m surprised there haven’t been more closing announcements."

The only imminent Labor Day closing announcements we are theoretically waiting on are likely Grey House and New York, New York. In terms of still more likely then not closing around labor day we have Some Like It Hot and Once Upon a One More Time. Then its up in the air Shucked and A Beautiful Noise are still up in the air as both are making money currently and could probably hold out until January. Kimberly Akimbo likely has until January. Then of the long runners I would guess come September either Hadestown or The Book of Mormon announce a January closure, with the former being more likely than the later. 

In terms of yet to be announced tenants from my understanding The Wiz wants one of the barns, (St. James, Shubert. Lunt). Their first choice is the Lunt, but as it likely won't be known until at earliest October if it will be available in the Spring and their connections to Jujamcyn via the Ambassador Theater Group they are leaning towards the St James.

 

Updated On: 7/5/23 at 11:07 AM

[gibsons2]

Posted: 7/5/23 at 11:53am

bdn223 said: "Kad said: "Frankly, I’m surprised there haven’t been more closing announcements."

In terms of still more likely then not closing around labor day we have Some Like It Hot and Once Upon a One More Time."
 

SLIH has been doing well lately, why would it close by Labor day? Over a million a week doesn't warrant the end of a Broadway run. Correct me if I'm wrong. I was booking tickets for the end of August as a birthday gift, and even mid week looks well sold.

In regards to One More Time, that's a different story... 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 7/5/23 at 12:10pm

Yeah, I don't really see any of the 2022-2023 musical titles making an announcement in July. Last week and this week's numbers won't be a great indicator (the timing of the 4th this year messes a lot of things up), so we won't get a great sense of the continued post-Tony numbers until the performance week that begins next week.

There's a world in which they all last to January or beyond, though I wouldn't bet money on that.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/5/23 at 12:13pm

gibsons2 said: "bdn223 said: "Kad said: "Frankly, I’m surprised there haven’t been more closing announcements."

In terms of still more likely then not closing around labor day we haveSome Like It Hot and Once Upon a One More Time."


SLIH has been doing well lately, why would it close by Labor day? Over a million a week doesn't warrant the end of a Broadway run. Correct me if I'm wrong. I was booking tickets for the end of August as a birthday gift, and even mid week looks well sold.

In regards to One More Time, that's a different story..."

The producers are looking ahead to the doldrums of Sept/Oct/Nov. They might be doing $1m now, but what are the projected sales for OCT and can that sustain them to the holiday season? And then, can that sustain them through the winter doldrums of Jan-March? They've gotta crunch the numbers and see. I would have bet money that the Britney show would have had legs, but the design is awful and that theater is just too big for that show. 

[quizking101]

Posted: 7/5/23 at 1:07pm

I think of the Best Musical nominees, NEW YORK, NEW YORK will likely be the first to fall. Even with the name recognition of LMM, Kander & Ebb, and Susan Stroman, this show has likely burned through it's built-in audience, which was decidedly polarized. SHUCKED has legs and seems to be slowly increasing, but also has shown it's been able to survive on lean weeks and deep discounts (since that was the entire first few months of their run). & JULIET I'm not worried about in the slightest - it's the buzziest and been doing the best business of all (and is likely some part of the reason why the Britney musical isn't taking off and may topple that).

SLIH and AKIMBO are assured until January, although I do actually see a scenario where AKIMBO folds first because of it's "small, prestige musical" status (a la A STRANGE LOOP and FUN HOME). SLIH has the benefit of some name recognition, a truck full of awards (even if the Tony for Best Musical isn't one, they are using every BM win from other bodies to their advantage), and are in the flagship theatre of Broadway with the most curb appeal (the Shubert).

Not going to lie, I don't think Grey House was going to pass Labor Day anyway, mostly because it appeared to coincide with Laurie Metcalf returning to "The Conners" (pre-strike), and her theatre appearances in the past few years seemed to have worked around that calendar.

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 7/5/23 at 1:31pm

I believe someone on here said that the language that was being used was that Grey House was "an open run that expects to conclude around Labor Day."