YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN - A big flop

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 1:24pm

As per Playbill...

In fall 2007, the show's top ticket prices were $450 and $375 for "premier" seats, with plenty of $120 seats available in and around the same area of the orchestra.

That high-price offer was established in anticipation of high demand for the show. "Dynamic pricing" was in effect for the show. That is, if the $450 seats did not sell, they were released at the box office (at a time to be determined by the producers) for $120 — the standard price for a Broadway orchestra seat. Conversely, if all allotted $450 seats were sold, additional seats priced at $120 could be marked up to $450. It was all about what the market would allow.

Sillerman later said in interviews that the high pricing was not a good idea. No announcement of recoupment was made.

With 484 performances, it doesn't even register on Broadway's long run list. Makes me wonder, who actually paid $450 for this?

[Parks]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 1:27pm

I don't understand why just because it didn't make it into the long run list it is a flop...

And we don't know how many people paid 450, since they never released weekly grosses. :-/

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 1:29pm

No, it is a flop because it did not recoup.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 1:29pm

I have a feeling this show didn't recoup, as I would say it's definitely one of the five most expensive shows in Broadway history.

[blaxx]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 1:31pm

Don't have a feeling, it's a massive flop!

[TimeSquare3]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 1:32pm

It didn't recoup. If it did, Brooks would have held a parade down 5th Ave.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 1:40pm

On the other hand many of the closing shows have recouped and earned significant profits: HARIRSPRAY, SPAMALOT, BOEING BOEING, and the revival of GREASE. So it's not all doom and gloom along the great white way.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 1:41pm

If this show recouped, Brooks would have greenlit musical adaptations of Blazing Saddles, History of the World Part 1, Dracula: Dead and Loving It, and Robin Hood: Men in Tights, all starring Roger Bart and whatever pretty starlet he will aggressively try to f***, with direction and wacky-Susan-Stroman-prop choreography by Susan Stroman, with a supporting cast of underused talents, and featuring jaunty-yet-completely-forgettable showtunes by the man himself.

Updated On: 1/4/09 at 01:41 PM

[lakezurich]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 1:45pm

^ LOL!

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 1:49pm

Haha, so far you made my day.

[blaxx]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 3:36pm

I hope he finds a nail clipper soon!

[nmartin]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 3:38pm

"Makes me wonder who actually paid $450 for this."
Whoever did is a chump. I wouldn't pay that for anything except the ghost of Judy Garland at the Palace with a special specteral appearance by Sophie Tucker.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 3:38pm

Would he have greenlit Spaceballs: The Musical?

Merchandising. Merchandising. Where the real money for the show is made.

Spaceballs: The T-Shirt. Spaceballs: The Cast Album. Spaceballs: The Souvenir Brochure. Spaceballs: The Giant Coffee Table Book That The Diehard Fans Shell Out 30 Bucks For. Spaceballs: The FLAMETHROWER! The kids love this one.

You idiots, these are not them! You've captured their understudies!!!!

Oh yeah. I went there.

[Winston3]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 3:38pm

Yes but he also has an ego as big as an ego that is bigger then your entire foot.

[lakezurich]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 3:38pm

cantstandbrody, would be so kind as to point out where someone on here said they were more talented than Brooks?

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 4:36pm

Is the definition of a flop the new cast album or soundtrack of BWW. A flop means the show didn't make its money back. Plain and simple. Even if it ran 10 years on Broadway, if it didn't recoup, it's a flop.

[bwaygirl211]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 4:53pm

honestly, it really bothers me that Mel had to let his ego fly over his head, and YF is closing because he ridiculously overpriced the seats..well, the premier ones. in most eyes, it wasn't a GREAT show...but it deserved a longer run on broadway. I personally loved the show, and felt it would've lasted at least another year before it closed. I do know I spoke to Roger (Bart) a couple days ago at the stage door, and he seemed to make it very clear he doesn't plan on doing any more mel brooks material...ever.

[bwaybabe2]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 4:54pm

Well, I still would see it.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 4:58pm

The show didn't close solely because of overpriced seats. It closed because it was BAD (albeit not as bad as you would believe).

[bwaygirl211]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 5:00pm

however, it did have a big affect on people not seeing the show. it turned people off to the show..the show was not as terrible as everyone makes it out to be, there have been worse

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 5:00pm

If only "because it was BAD" was the reason why more shows closed.

I love The Little Mermaid with a delusional passion, but everyone else is pretty much in agreement that it's the worst bit of theatre to have disgraced Broadway. But that's still open. I guess life isn't fair.

Updated On: 1/4/09 at 05:00 PM

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 5:03pm

I certainly wouldn't call it the worst thing to ever grace Broadway. It's an eyesore, the book is gawd-awful, the new songs are hit-or-miss, but there's still that amazing cast and that bit of Disney magic that no Disney show can ever be missing.

[TBD2]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 5:13pm

"If this show recouped, Brooks would have greenlit musical adaptations of Blazing Saddles, ... Robin Hood: Men in Tights..."

OK, I'm not sure of Blazing Saddles, but RHMIT the musical, that would be magical!

All together now: "We're men. (manly men!)
We're men in ti-ights,
roaming around the forest
looking for fights!"

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 5:29pm

I do not think it recouped, production costs was very astronomical on this, I heard $20m, plus day to day running and advertising.

Does anyone know how long it took to go to TKTS?

I did enjoy the show, but good riddance 1, charging $450 a seat and 2, not publishing there grosses.

Wish back home in London, they would publish grosses!

Probably will recoup with a scaled back tour and when they move the New York production to London

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 1/4/09 at 5:32pm

The tour should help it recoup, since it'll assumedly be VERY scaled back.