Woman in White and Howard Stern Show

[chernjam]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 12:50pm

While people on this board probably know how much I liked Woman in White, well, I'm also a huge Howard Stern fan. In catching up on some of his recent shows while running today, I was stunned with the following exchange.

The day after WIW opened, November 18, 2005 - Robin Quivers, one of Stern's show regulars was doing the daily news. I got nervous at first thinking, Oh boy, they're going to rip it to shreds. Here's what they said:

Robin: There's a new show that just opened on Broadway, it's called The Woman in White, and it's the new Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, and, if I might add my two cents, it's getting good reviews in the paper today, and IT'S GREAT - IT'S ONE OF THE BEST THINGS HE'S DONE SINCE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (to Howard) - Which you loved

Howard: Yeah, that was alright, I liked that...

Robin: Well, Woman in White is just Brilliant, it's wonderful - the music is incredible,

BUT, the leading lady, just got diagnossed with Cancer, she had a lump removed, is still on treatment, and she's still onstage. She's being called a heroic woman - she's out there performing everynight. Hitting the high notes and going on.

At that, Howard said "Chemo knocks the crap out of you - that's amazing..."

All in all, an incredibly positive review from Robin, and company, who are not really into musicals.

Jim

[442namffug]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 1:11pm

WIW doesn't need their promotion or acceptance, but it's nice it will reach a wider audience.

[chernjam]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 1:53pm

Well honestly, does WIW need ANY talk shows/critics acceptance?

I'm just happy they got a nice plug on Stern and wish others were more accepting. I still can't figure out why Liz Smith never wrote about WIW, the show really hasn't hit the local talk shows here. I'm thinking there's some media/publicity plan but I'm at a loss to figure what it is.

[YayJudyYayJudy]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 1:59pm

well, Liz DID write like a one paragraph blurb on Maria's condition back on Nov. 10th in the Post, and couldn't help but say some nice things about her. It's not much... but it is something... and I agree Chernjam, in the case of WIW, all you can do is compile a bunch of little "somethings"

[ruprecht]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 2:01pm

442, are you kidding? Of COURSE it needs the acceptance of any major media outlet. Did you see last week's grosses?

[YayJudyYayJudy]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 2:03pm

haha, did we HAVE to bring up last week's grosses?

[bwaybabe85]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 2:11pm

I'm really surprised the show hasn't been doing any TV performances or talk show interviews.

[chernjam]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 2:27pm

Last weeks grosses (ending Dec 25, I'm assuming we're talking about instead of Jan 1) were primarily because of the Transit Strike. Tuesday, Wed and part of Thursday, the city was practically a ghost town, and then Friday/Sat was pretty close to Christmas.

I know other shows did well during the same time, but I would expect this week was a banner week for WIW. The next couple of weeks should be interesting since January and Feb in NY can be deadly for shows. But with all the Phantom hoopla beginning, I would think WIW as a "sister show" may benefit.

[442namffug]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 2:30pm

Ruprecht, whether or not Robin from the Howard Stern show enjoyed or did not enjoy The Woman in White has no effect on anyone who intends to see the show.

[BWAYboi_yes]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 2:51pm

I must come in to disagree with that. The Woman in White appears to be in a lot of financial trouble. Anything that someone can do to help get audiences in is going to be good news for the show. I think that little snip could have made up people's minds for what show they were likely to come see in New York. It's a complex creature, but imagine that you were sitting at home, you knew you were coming to New York for the holidays, and you hadn't decided on which show to see, and didn't much care. You could only afford one, and it would have to be a TKTS show anyway. So you get to the TKTS line and you can either see Hairspray or The Woman in White--- but you remember the Howard Stern show--- so you opt for a Woman in White ticket. Every little bit helps.
Updated On: 1/2/06 at 02:51 PM

[442namffug]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 2:54pm

I didn't even read your post, and I'm not going to waste my time. But, you're wrong.

[Feathah]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 3:05pm

I'm really surprised he said anything positive about it! That just seems so un-Howard. Although I'm more an Opie and Anthony fan myself. Now those two would definitely rip any musical theater to shreds!

As for positive press, any little bit helps!

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 3:19pm

Howard is a huge fan of Wicked -- especially Idina Menzel, if memory serves.

[riv]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 3:27pm

Howard Stern is going to turn 52 this month. Old enough to actually remember when Broadway musicals were mainstream entertainment in the culture. I'm not surprised to find he's somewhat respectful towards it.

[chernjam]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 3:55pm

>"WHAT???? Maybe if you re-phrased your question more intelligibly, I could answer it for you. Until then, no go.

My question was, you had posted "I didn't even read your post, and I'm not going to waste my time. But, you're wrong." and I didn't know who you were directing that to. I also thought that it seemed a bit ironic that you weren't reading someone's post, weren't wasting your time, judged them to be wrong and then had a tag line saying "Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."

Is that more intelligible?

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 4:42pm

well...people on here don't see the shows...and they still have the nerve to say they are "good" or "bad". I wouldn't be surprised if someone doesn't even read what you wrote and still comment about it! lol
Woman in White just did bad during the transit strike...it will do better next week im sure.

[VinnieTheIceman]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 5:08pm

Woman In White is getting the stuffing kicked out of it as I told you it would before it opened. It needs all the help it can get to stay alive. Jersey Boys, on the other hand, is setting house records at the Virginia. Sorry namfug, WRONG AGAIN. Nice to have you back off the banned list though.

[chernjam]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 5:30pm

A new year, same old Vinnie:

Here's the facts about the how WIW is getting the stuffed kicked out of it. The grosses since it opened:

(week) (gross)
1 $351,682 (3 previews)
2 $609,586 (7 previews)
3 $778,772
4 $608,396 (Opening Week)
5 $772,664
6 $828,873
7 $856,686
8 $711,198
9 $435,001 (week of transit strike)

One week so far below $600,000 since it opened, and a week where the Transit strike occured. Don't know where you get your facts Vinnie, but the reality seems much different than the story in your mind. There's several shows who I would imagine would love to have grosses like the ones WIW has...

[VinnieTheIceman]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 6:03pm

I know you wish to think otherwise, but WIW is on TKTS everyday and discounting like crazy. The numbers were decent through December due to the advance which is rapidly evaporating. Jersey Boys on the other hand, is the hit of the season (thus far) and has basically become everything WIW hoped to be. The winter will be very cruel to WIW, it will limp to the Tony's, get a couple of noms, lose the only thing that can save it -- best musical -- (will it even get a nom? JB, Tarzan, Color Purple are three in front of it for sure. Lestat is a bomb, so you're ahead there, Ring of Fire probably gets the fourth slot) and then try and make it through the fall only to close in early 2007 with a complete loss. The truth hurts -- deal with it.

[VinnieTheIceman]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 6:35pm

Thanks dd. It doesn't take a genius to see which show is a big hit and which is sruggling. All I'm doing is pointing out the facts and the numbers are about to get uuuuuugly for WIW.

[Piazzaslight]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 6:44pm

Oh, good God, Vinnie, do we HAVE to deal with you and your brooding remarks about the numbers for WiW?

Honestly, all you have said ever since WiW first started previews (Aside from your POSITIVE review) was that WiW will fail, it will flop, it will lose big money, yadayadayadayada... My, you can get REALLY repetative a lot of the time.

And where did JERSEY BOYS enter the context? We all know that the show is doing well, and that WiW is doing average, and was that way until the strike occured. I concur with you and ddtruitt that JB made more money than WiW will ever make, but frankly, we don't really care. honestly. W*CKED is doing better than the show, so why not say THAT show made more money than WiW will ever make? Huh?

It's nice to dream Vinnie. We don't want to have our fantasies shut down by you, althogh I don't know if it will do THAT well at the TONY'S, but it's nice to dream.

[WhatAWay]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 7:08pm

I thoroughly enjoyed the Woman in White. The cruelty on this site is amazing! I had to sign up and put in my two cents.

[VinnieTheIceman]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 7:09pm

Dreaming...about the prospects of a Broadway show?

[WhatAWay]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 7:12pm

I think you need to relax VinnieTheIceman. It's kind of obvious that whatever you have commented on, anyone can refute. If you don't like a show, that's fine--we all have our favorites and least favorites. But complaining about something for no reason is pretty ridiculous. Maybe I'm wrong?

[jo]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 7:27pm

THE WOMAN IN WHITE is a good show - what it needs is for people to know that it is playing on Broadway. I am heartened to read on message boards that when people get to see it, more than most would say they have enjoyed it and would even bother to say why lengthily. There is universal praise for the cast, and even the sets are beginning to grow on people ( Hey, that was quite a testimonial from TIME magazine on the cinematic quality of the sets). People are also beginning to talk about individual songs from the show ( there was a recent thread here on that subject). Perhaps, slowly, it is finding an audience.

But it needs to be seen on talk shows and covered by more media publicity. Maybe when Andrew Lloyd Webber comes over this week for the PHANTOM celebration, hopefully he might be persuaded to do the talk show circuit - to talk about POTO as well as his new show on Broadway, THE WOMAN IN WHITE. If Michael Ball and Maria Friedman ( who are both very interesting conversationalists) could join him in the chats and/or allowed to present a musical number ( even if not directly from the show), that should really give a great boost to the show.

Vinnie - I do remember reading what you have said in your first post about the show : "that while many may find it boring, it will mesmerize the sophisticated...and that it has to be seen.". You have also said a few times that you actually liked the show. Any suggestions on how the show can further find its audience?

Anyway, let's hope it is only a case of a late blooming show


Jo


Updated On: 1/2/06 at 07:27 PM