re: Pajama Game

[RYANWOODS]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 7:30pm

How comes it never looked into going to The Imperial - surely it would have been a better option than High Fidelity?!

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 7:39pm

Harry Connick Jr couldn't continue his run and Roundabout (as well as other commerical producers) wisely realized that He and Kelli were the show.
Updated On: 12/10/06 at 07:39 PM

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 7:39pm

So basically, there isn't going to be a remounting of the revival
That was announced awhile ago
There may be a tour, though

[jv92]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 7:43pm

Connick and O'Hara's chemistry made the show. As inventive as the dacing was, the annoying, overly perky ensemble that got too much time onstage would have killed the show. Connick and O'Hara bought real classy, adult fun to the show.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 8:39pm

To answer the actual question correctly...the Pajama Game was going to do a fall run after the Roundabout run, but without Kelli and Harry. The only problem was that they didn't have a theatre. So they scrapped the idea, because they would have had to wait a long long time (or so they thought) to get a decent theatre. Keeping the entire cast on standby and not getting paid for that long is not practical. At this point, DRS hadn't announced its closing yet, so the Imperial wasn't an option. Then, only a short time after PG announced its plans to scrap the fall run, DRS announced its closing, and High Fidelity swooped in like 2 days later to claim the Imperial.
-BJH

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 8:50pm

Actually, the reason had nothing to do with theatre availability (though that's what they announced) and everything to do with not being able to secure a major name to replace Connick. They were turned down by several major names -- had they been able to secure one, then they'd have waited a couple of months for a theatre (it was well-known that DRS and several shows were on the verge of closing).

[bjh2114]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 8:54pm

Actually Margo, while that is true, I wouldn't say it had NOTHING to do with theatre availability. I spoke with Kelli right before they made the announcement that they were scrapping the plans, and she was still considering the part unless something better came along. Connick was the only one who officially stated he wouldn't be returning. And DRS wasn't on the verge of closing that early. It was still pretty early when they made the announcement of scrapping the show.

[Horton]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 8:56pm

I think this was just insentive for tony voters to choose it, saying that It would infact have a longer run. However similar to Avenue Q, right after it won it scrapped the plans.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 8:57pm

Bjh2114- DRS WAS on the verge of closing in June, it's attendance had been poor for a while...

Margo- Do you know who any of those names were?

[bjh2114]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 9:09pm

DRS had poor attendance in January and February, but so did everyone. Attendance was also down a little in May, but back up to 80 and 90% in June, then dropped again in July. That's when it got really low.
DRS Grosses

[i*heart*fame]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 9:14pm

But high attendance does not mean high grosses. The show may have had 90% but it had an average ticket price of about 63, meaning that it still couldnt stay afloat.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 9:17pm

Craig Bierko was a rumor but by no means a big name.

[JustABroadwaybaby2]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 9:56pm

"I think this was just insentive for tony voters to choose it, saying that It would infact have a longer run. However similar to Avenue Q, right after it won it scrapped the plans."
However true that may be, I still don't think that's the only reason why they voted for it. It was a show that was reviewed pretty well by a lot of critics, and had a lot of good performances. Too bad Harry Connick, Jr had other plans.