Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending July 11, 2010
If you follow me on
Twitter, you'll know that each Monday, I offer my quick analysis of each preceding week's box office on Broadway.
For your viewing pleasure, here are my tweets in chronological order for the
week ending July 11, 2010:
3:07 pm July 12 - WICKED, LION KING, ADDAMS FAMILY, FENCES, PROMISES PROMISES, BILLY ELLIOT, MARY POPPINS each have $1 million+ box office
3:08 pm July 12 - Sold-out WICKED was last week's top grosser by thin margin of just $16,000 over LION KING on Broadway
3:09 pm July 12 - WICKED grossed $1,650,562 on Broadway last week, playing to 100% capacity. Average ticket price: $114.05
3:10 pm July 12 - THE LION KING grossed $1,634,367 on Broadway last week, playing to 100.1% capacity. Average ticket price: $121.74
3:11 pm July 12 - Last week's highest capacity(101.5%) & av ticket price($134.20) belongs to FENCES, week's top grossing play: $1,175,626
3:12 pm July 12 - RACE last week's lowest grossing show $248,053.Av tix priced $65.94. Capacity just 44.4% Will closing notice be posted?
3:13 pm July 12 - COME FLY AWAY had last week's lowest capacity at just 40.4%. Grossing $488,217. Av tix price still sky high at $93.76
3:14 pm July 12 - Just closed EVERYDAY RAPTURE had week's lowest average ticket price of $51.44. Grossed $253,560 on 83.3% capacity
3:15 pm July 12 - EVERYDAY RAPTURE also posted week's biggest capacity gain of 10.1% to 83.3%. Grosses up $83,000 week over week
3:17 pm July 12 - Week's biggest capacity drop was LEND ME A TENOR losing 14.6% capacity to 59.4%. Grossed $333,346 last week.
3:18 pm July 12 - Tony-winning Best Musical MEMPHIS doing respectable box office. Grossed $890,626 last week playing to 88.9% capacity
3:19 pm July 12 - Overall, Broadway grosses up nearly $700,000 from last week to $19,380,905, yet audience was down .44% to 79.8%
Feel free to comment and let me know if you're surprised by any of these results.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.Labels: average ticket price, Box Office, Broadway, Broadway Box Office, Capacity, Come Fly Away, Everyday Rapture, Fences, Race, The Lion King, Wicked
Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending July 4, 2010
If you follow me on
Twitter, you'll know that each Monday, I offer my quick analysis of each preceding week's box office on Broadway.
For your viewing pleasure, here are my tweets in chronological order for the summer holiday
week ending July 4, 2010:
3:15 pm July 6 - WICKED, LION KING, ADDAMS FAMILY, FENCES, BILLY ELLIOT, MARY POPPINS, PROMISES PROMISES each enjoy $1 million+ box office
3:16 pm July 6 - Sold-out WICKED still Broadway's top weekly grossing show: $1,620,851. Average ticket price: $112.00
3:17 pm July 6 - FENCES still Broadway's top grossing play taking in $1,164,529 last week, up $26,000 week over week
3:18 pm July 6 - FENCES is #1 Broadway show in terms of average ticket price: $132.65. Top tickets selling for $425.00
3:19 pm July 6 - FENCES, which ends Broadway run on Sunday, also has Broadway's highest capacity. Standing room only at 101.7%
3:20 pm July 6 - EVERYDAY RAPTURE had Broadway's lowest gross $171,942 & average ticket price $39.69. Capacity still at 73.2%
3:21 pm July 6 - COME FLY AWAY had Broadway's lowest capacity last week: 43% (drop of 11.6%). Gross: $515,296. Av tix priced: $93.01
3:22 pm July 6 - Just-closed NEXT FALL has week's biggest capacity increase of 25.5% to 90.1%. Grosses: $257,274. Av tix priced: $60.58
3:22 pm July 6 - IN THE HEIGHTS has Broadway's biggest capacity drop of 12.8% to 69.3%. Grossed $515,540. Average ticket price: $69.20
3:24 pm July 6 - Overall, Broadway's week over week grosses were down 9% or nearly $1.7 million to $18,840,132
Feel free to comment and let me know if you're surprised by any of these results.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.Labels: average ticket price, Broadway, Broadway Box Office, Capacity, Come Fly Away, Everyday Rapture, Fences, In The Heights, Next Fall, Wicked
Broadway: What Shows Are Closing?Good thing I didn't make a bet to eat my
Next Fall Playbill if it didn't post closing notices.
A couple days ago,
I had predicted that due to its lackluster box office performance in the already tiny
Helen Hayes Theatre coupled with no Tony wins that it would likely shutter soon. But
its producers say, for now anyway, that it's their goal to remain open through summer.
UPDATE (June 23, 2010) - Next Fall has posted its closing notice for July 4.So what shows
are closing?
So far, none as a direct result of Sunday night's Tony Awards.
In fact, this year's Best Play
Red announced just yesterday that its limited run would close
as scheduled on June 27, which is really too bad because it offers those fortunate enough to see it two of the year's most magnificent stage performances (
Alfred Molina and
Eddie Redmayne). That is, unless you count those being offered over at the
Cort Theatre for this year's Best Revival of a Play
Fences with the two other stellar performances (
Denzel Washington and particularly
Viola Davis).
Fences currently remains on schedule to close its limited engagement on July 11.
But here is the full list of Broadway shows currently scheduled to close:
June 27, 2010:
Hair - Al Hirschfeld Theatre
(
SOB Review: *** out of ****)
On June 9,
it was announced that the 2009 Tony Award-winning Best Revival of a Music otherwise known as "The American Tribal Love Rock Musical" would shutter on June 27, 2010, after 29 previews and 519 regular performances (over and above those
Hair extensions in Central Park during the summer of 2008).
Most of this revival of
Hair's original cast may be seen in
London through September 4. Plus, a
tour commences this October at the
Shubert Performing Arts Center in New Haven, Connecticut.
Red - John Golden Theatre
(
SOB Review: **** out of ****)
An import from London's
Donmar Warehouse, this year's Tony Award-winning Best Play has only been scheduled for a very limited run. That engagement will conclude as scheduled on June 27, 2010.
Red will have played 22 previews and 101 regular performances.
Look for
John Logan's work to be mounted by regional theatres throughout the United States over the next couple years, albeit with different direction and casts.
Sondheim On Sondheim - Studio 54
(
SOB Review: **1/2 out of ****)
This limited engagement initially was set to finish this past Sunday but was extended by two weeks. When it closes on June 27, 2010, this revue will have played 37 previews and 76 regular performances.
As for a life beyond? Unless there's a tour, which seems highly unlikely, it's hard to imagine regional mountings given how a major portion of the show incorporates
Stephen Sondheim's own words via video. Plus, there are already several other Sondheim songbook revues out there.
July 11, 2010:
Everyday Rapture - American Airlines Theatre
(
SOB Review: *** out of ****)
The last-minute, surprise hit run that managed to garner Tony nominations has always been a limited run and is scheduled to close on July 11, 2010. When it shutters,
Everyday Rapture will have played 11 previews and 85 regular performances.
Although
Sherie Rene Scott is portraying a semi-fictionalized version of herself, there's no reason why enterprising regional theatre companies couldn't pick up this show
a la Hunter Bell and
Jeff Bowen's semi-autobiographical
[title of show]. Yet Scott herself
seems to be keeping the door open to returning to her character for a tour, although "it wouldn't be for another year."
Fences - Cort Theatre
(
SOB Review: ***1/2 out of ****)
Director
Kenny Leon's camp at this year's Tony-winning Best Revival of a Play has been so silent over the past few days that you can't help but wonder if they're secretly working toward extending their limited run past July 11, 2010, which is nearly sold out. Or are they waiting to announce something else like a new cast and/or a tour?
If the show closes as scheduled, it will have enjoyed 13 previews and a mere 80 regular performances. But why do I have this hunch....
August 15, 2010:
Lend Me A Tenor - Music Box Theatre
(
SOB Review: ***1/2 out of ****)
The single most hilarious Broadway show I saw all year was initially an open-ended run. But on May 21, a
closing notice was posted for August 15, 2010, which marks the end-date for its ensemble's contracts. Tony-nominated for Best Revival of a Play,
Lend Me A Tenor will have played 25 previews and 153 regular performances.
There's no word on any plans for this production beyond Broadway, but
Ken Ludwig's farce is already regularly mounted by regional and community theatres.
August 21, 2010:
Race - Ethel Barrymore Theatre
(
SOB Review: *1/2 out of ****)
Yesterday,
Eddie Izzard,
Dennis Haysbert and
Afton C. Williamson join the cast of this
David Mamet play as replacements for
James Spader,
David Alan Grier and
Kerry Washington, respectively (
Richard Thomas remains). Currently, the show is scheduled to close August 21, 2010, after 23 previews and 297 regular performances.
Although the show has already recouped its initial investment, don't be surprised to see it close earlier if the box office doesn't experience a bounce from its new cast.
August 22, 2010:
South Pacific - Vivian Beaumont Theatre
(
SOB Review: ***1/2 out of ****)
On February 19,
it was announced that this 2008 Tony Award-winning Best Revival of a Musical would close on August 22, 2010. But when it does, it will have played 37 previews and 1,000 regular performances. The show will go out with a bang as original cast member
Kelli O'Hara returns August 10 and again appears opposite Tony-winner
Paulo Szot (rumors that
Matthew Morrison may also return remain just that -- rumors).
Earlier this year, I caught the
South Pacific national tour and I can tell you that it is nearly as good in every way as the Broadway mounting; that tour will last through 2011. Additionally, when the closing notice was posted, it was
also announced that there are plans to bring the production to London and Australia.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.Labels: Broadway, Closing Notices, Closings, Everyday Rapture, Fences, Hair, Lend Me A Tenor, Next Fall, Race, Red, Sondheim On Sonheim, South Pacific
SOB's Best Of 2009-10: Best New MusicalsDuring the 2009-10 Theatrical Season, I've had the opportunity to see over 80 performances of a wide range of new and revived musicals and plays, as well as other theatrical events.
For the third year in a row, I've been the least enthusiastic about the quality among new musicals. But as disheartening as the last two seasons prior to this one were, the season just ending was particularly dismal, as even
The New York Times'
Charles Isherwood has so eloquently asserted.
That's not to say that there weren't new musicals I've enjoyed over the past year, but the offerings I've seen had me really reaching for a full complement of my five favorites.
While it was tempting to completely shelve by usual "5 Best New Musicals" list altogether, I've opted instead to do away with my "5 Worst" list of shows because it would just be a tad too depressing.
So, without further ado, here is my list of the "5 Best New Musicals" over the 12 months ending April 30, 2010:
5 - Everyday Rapture (American Airlines Theatre, Roundabout Theatre Company, New York, City, New York)
Dismiss
Sherie Rene Scott’s
Everyday Rapture as nothing more than Broadway navel-gazing at your own peril. It’s Scott’s very soul that’s laid completely bare in this most improbable of Great White Way shows.
Wearing her enormous heart on her sleeve, Scott manages to win ours as she shares her semi-semi-autobiographic journey in a very winning, surpising and often poignant way. Scott enraptures you throughout with talent that’s anything but everyday.
4 - Memphis (Shubert Theatre, New York City, New York)
With a whole heck of a lot of hockadoo, the rhythmically-infused
Memphis is a dazzling destination worth the trip. As one of the year's only original musicals,
Memphis is, if not entirely fresh, a solid crowd pleaser that will have you cheering.
Two principal reasons are
Chad Kimball and
Montego Glover. With a folksy swagger, Kimball's Huey is a great ball of fire who can't be extinguished. Then there's Glover's Felicia in which we witness an amazing ascent both for a captivating character and an immensely impassioned new Broadway star. Glover took my breath away. The boundless soul within
Memphis has the power to rock your heart.
4 - Caroline, Or Change (Wurtele Thrust Stage, Guthrie, Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Finally! Change I could believe in. While
Tony Kushner and
Jeanine Tesori's
Caroline, Or Change may not truly fit the definition of "new," I'm including it here since I had never seen it until it played Minneapolis last summer. This intensely profound, mystical musical as directed and choreographed by Marcela Lorca transfixed and even tranported me.
Greta Oglesby's brave turn as Caroline alone was worth the price of admission. She wrung every last drop of pathos out of her performance, making her Caroline infinitely sympathetic. As Oglesby transformed during this musical, she broke my heart.
2 - Chita Rivera (Birdland, New York City, New York)
If the 77-years young Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero, better known as
Chita Rivera, hadn't been born the Broadway Baby she is, the Great White Way would have had to invent her. The fact that she's the genuine article who's still going strong after all these years not only becomes her tenacity, but it's a testament to her courage and talent.
What really becomes Chita Rivera is that she continues to mesmerize adoring audiences as she had proven yet again during her all-too-brief cabaret stint late last year at
Birdland. Sure, we've heard many of the enchanting anecdotes before. But when the enduring and endearing Ms. Rivera can still run circles around gifted performers half her age, she effortlessly retains the mantle as the singular consummate entertainer of our time. If you've never seen Chita Rivera perform live, you simply haven't lived.
1 - Fela! (Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New York City, New York)
Bill T. Jones' sublime
Fela! dares to dream its own stylized mantle of "most original new musical on Broadway." Infused with the rascally
Fela Kuti's radicalism and rhythms, this revolutionary tuner is almost all originality, with little artificiality.
In what has to be the most transcendent musical to descend upon a Broadway stage in years,
Fela! envelopes the senses in this most unusual of jukebox musicals that simply defies description and exceeds all expecations.
Jones has conceived a living, breathing, pulsating and truly magical musical monument to a man most in America may never have heard of. In telling Kuti's story and showcasing his infectious music, it's a tribute to Jones that he makes us feel
Fela! so deeply.
Fela! is one of the most compelling and affecting musicals you're likely to see this or any other year. As an equally entertaining piece of musical theatre, I can't fail to strongly recommend this captivating and worthy show. Long live
Fela! So what were the best new musicals
you saw over the past year? I invite you to join the conversation by sharing your theatre experiences with me.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.Labels: Caroline Or Change, Chita Rivera, Everyday Rapture, Fela, Memphis, Musical, SOB's Best of 2009-10
Everyday Rapture (The SOB Review) – American Airlines Theatre, Roundabout Theatre Company, New York, New York
*** (out of ****)
Dismiss
Sherie Rene Scott’s
Everyday Rapture as nothing more than Broadway navel-gazing at your own peril. It’s Scott’s very soul that’s laid completely bare in this most improbable of Great White Way shows.
All attention in this "semi-autobiographical" show is skillfully redirected away from her covered midriff -- she is, after all,
Amish-lite. Wearing her enormous heart on her sleeve, Scott manages to win ours as she shares her journey from simply being a devout disciple of Jesus to one who becomes inquisitive enough to also ask what would
Judy do.
In one of the year’s most hilarious scenes, Scott’s
show-stealing tune from
Aida takes center stage as she tries reaching out to a young fan (a riotously funny
Eamon Foley) with questionable success. But succeed,
Everyday Rapture does in a very winning, surpising and often poignant way.
How much is fact or fiction is immaterial. Possessing both a sly self-deprecating wit and one of Broadway’s most beautiful singing voices, Scott enraptures you throughout with talent that’s anything but everyday.
You can’t help but wonder when this self-professed semi-superstar will be able to toss aside all semi-statuses for good.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.Labels: Broadway, Eamon Foley, Everyday Rapture, Musical, Sherie Rene Scott, The SOB Review
