Broadway's Labor Day PerformancesWhile you might think it's the rare Broadway show that plays on a Monday,
six current productions offer performances when the rest of the Great White Way takes a well-deserved rest.
Even on Labor Day.
So this year, as I offer my holiday greetings, I'd like to offer my own special salute to the hardworking men and women in the cast and crew of the following shows who are troupers in every way.
And to work on this Labor Day holiday? They have my respect and admiration.
Broadway shows performing on Labor Day 2010 include:
ChicagoIn The HeightsMamma Mia!Next To NormalThe Phantom Of The OperaRock Of AgesSo why not go and give these folks a huge hand by going to see them live on stage this evening!
Happy Labor Day!
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, Chicago, In The Heights, Labor Day, Mamma Mia, Monday Performance, Next To Normal, Rock Of Ages, Special Messages, The Phantom Of The Opera
Has "Love" Actually Died?
UPDATED OCTOBER 1, 2010
Arguably one of Broadway's most anticipated new shows may have already withered before ever making it to the United States.
Make no mistake.
Love Never Dies --
Andrew Lloyd Webber's $15 million sequel to
The Phantom Of The Opera that transports the action from Paris' Opera House to New York's Coney Island -- is still playing at London's Adelphi Theatre. But now reports are suggesting that the show won't make it to Broadway this season, if ever.
Update: Love Never Dies producers announced on October 1, 2010, that the production would not be on Broadway during the 2010-11 Theatrical Season.
The musical sequel opened to largely negative reviews in London earlier this year. After seeing the show for myself in May,
I concluded that it needed an immense amount of work if it was ever going to last even a fraction of the twenty-plus years that
Phantom has been around. And indeed, it's been my understanding the performance West End audiences are seeing today is different than the one I saw just months ago.
But apparently that's not enough.
Previews were slated to begin for an open-ended run in April 2011, but all of that has now been called into question since director
Jack O'Brien and choreographer
Jerry Mitchell have
reportedly bailed so they may concentrate on a more sure-fire hit:
Catch Me If You Can.
The
New York Post's Michael Riedel
goes one step farther to say that although his sources have said the show is postponed "indefinitely," he says, "The $15 million London production, which was directed by Broadway vets Jack O'Brien and Jerry Mitchell, will not be seen in New York. Ever."
Thus, I have pulled
Love Never Dies from my
confirmed list of shows scheduled for the 2010-11 Theatrical Season and have placed it on my "
Definitely Maybe" list. Until we hear for certain that Andrew Lloyd Webber's sequel is truly a non-starter for this season, it will languish like several other improbable shows on that list.
P.S. I must place a large
SPOILER ALERT on the second comment below. If you don't want to know the plot, read no further.
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: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Broadway, Jack O'Brien, Jerry Mitchell, London, Love Never Dies, Postponement, The Phantom Of The Opera
Lo
ve Never Dies (The SOB Review) – Adelphi Theatre, London, United Kingdom
*1/2 (out of ****) Eternal optimists often say, “Never say never.”
Legions of optimistic
Phantom Of The Opera fans aside,
Andrew Lloyd Webber would have been well-served not only to say “no,” but “never again” after his
cat reportedly destroyed his first draft of his score for this deadly dull sequel with not much to love, including its ridiculous opera meets vaudeville vibe. While the
show has been dubbed "Paint Never Dries," I dare say I've had more fun watching paint dry -- and it's faster, too.
That
Love Never Dies is merely a shameless rip-off of the original becomes painfully clear after Christine (
Sierra Boggess) arrives at New York’s Coney Island to perform a new aria she and Raoul (
Joseph Millson) discover has been written by her rejected and disfigured suitor (
Ramin Karimloo) from the Paris Opera House. When the words, “We’re just in this for the money” is spoken, the jig is up for all involved.
To
Love Never Dies’ credit, both Karimloo and Boggess are in exceptional voice. And there’s a visually arresting projection design from
Jon Driscoll. But with the exception of a first act tune “Beauty Underneath” in which director
Jack O’Brien must have decided that the time had come to show at least a little money up on the stage,
Love Never Dies comes up short in terms of spectacle for which the first show is known.
Instead, this sequel is mostly overwrought that's overdone. (Also overdone the night I attended was the incessant fog machine, which obscured all action on the stage for at least three or four minutes of the climax, making the unintended disembodied voices seem like the true phantoms. It left me thinking "Fog Never Dies.")
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: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Jack O'Brien, Jon Driscoll, Joseph Millson, Love Never Dies, Musical, Ramin Karimloo, Sequel, Sierra Boggess, The Phantom Of The Opera, The SOB Review
SOB's Theatrical Firsts Of The Noughties: Seeing Shows In Every Broadway HouseOver the course of the last decade, I’ve been truly fortunate to enjoy a number of enlightening firsts in my personal theatergoing that have only served to increase my deep and abiding love for the art form known as live theatre. What follows is one of my ten favorite experiences of the last ten years.If you are a regular reader of Steve On Broadway, you may recall back in September of this year when I finally made my way to Broadway’s
Majestic Theatre to finally see a performance of
Andrew Lloyd Webber's iconic
The Phantom Of The Opera, the longest running show in the Great White Way’s history. And what a performance to attend as they celebrated the show’s 9,000th performance milestone, albeit one day early.
Of course, my sole reason for attending was to scratch one last Broadway house off my list, and I guess you can say I did it in style since
The Phantom Of The Opera celebrated its 9000th performance the afternoon I went. It came after just over 24 years after taking my first Broadway show at the
Winter Garden Theatre for another Andrew Lloyd Webber hit,
Cats, in 1985.
But about the time in September
I was crowing I had been to every single Broadway theatre, another newly refurbished one was going back online. With its façade being the only remnant from its original theatre, the entirely
new Henry Miller’s was making its Broadway debut with
Bye Bye Birdie as its first occupant. As I try to see every new show that opens, I dutifully made my way to Henry Miller’s in October and this time, for real, I scratched every last legit Broadway house off my list.
P.S. If you're wondering which Broadway venue I've seen the most shows in, that would be the
Booth Theatre, where I've taken in 10 different productions, bookended by two musicals: the 1992 revival of
The Most Happy Fella and the current hit
next to normal.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new 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. I paid my own way for each performance.Labels: Booth Theatre, Broadway, Broadway Venues, Bye Bye Birdie, Henry Miller's Theatre, Majestic Theatre, Next To Normal, The Most Happy Fella, The Phantom Of The Opera
8,999 Plus One Donut HoleTonight marks Broadway history as
Andrew Lloyd Webber's iconic
The Phantom Of The Opera celebrates its 9,000th performance on Broadway. The production opened at Rialto's
Majestic Theatre on January 26, 1988.
Even though I've seen
The Phantom Of The Opera twice (three times if I count
my 2007 visit to
Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular), I've never seen it on Broadway. Is that heresy?
I first saw what is now the Great White Way's longest running show in London in 1988, as well as during its 1998 Los Angeles run
when I was provided a free ticket.
As I've said before, I've never truly understood the lasting appeal of
The Phantom Of The Opera. Some have said that it has essentially become a tourist attraction, while I view it as the very first entry level Broadway or West End show for the tens of millions who have seen one incarnation or another.
So in order to say I saw the show before it hits that magic 9,000 number tonight, as well as to finally scratch the last Broadway theatre off my list of venues I've never visited, I'm taking in today's matinee, which happens to be its 8,999th performance.
And as
POTO fans gather for the evening's milestone performance, I'll be just a block away ... toasting the very
first preview of
Tracy Letts'
Superior Donuts. While this latest import from Chicago's
Steppenwolf most certainly won't go the distance of 9,000 performance, something tells me that it will be a whole lot more satisfying.
UPDATE (9.17.09): Imagine my surprise at yesterday's matinee for
The Phantom Of The Opera when it was announced immediately prior to the performance that this would mark the 9,000th record setting milestone. I had read elsewhere, earlier, that #9,000 would occur that same evening.
Immediately after yesterday's matinee, countless television cameras and still photographers filled the aisles to capture the celebration as Andrew Lloyd Webber,
Harold Prince and
Gillian Lynne all appeared on stage to join in the festivities, with each delivering remarks. For his part, Webber announced that the sequel,
Phantom: Love Never Dies will debut in London next spring and land on the Great White Way in November 2010.
Now that the dust has settled on yesterday's momentous occasion, I did some additional research.
According to the Internet Broadway Database (IBDB),
The Phantom Of The Opera had played 8,995 performances as of this last Sunday. Although the show is one of the few Broadway shows with a Monday performance, that one added to Tuesday's and the two on Wednesday only add up to 8,999, so my title of this piece is inaccurate as well.
Webber's
Really Useful Productions indicates that the actual 9,000th performance comes this evening, but for some reason, the powers that be decided to celebrate at Wednesday's matinee.
So even though I got the photo opp yesterday, if you're seeing
The Phantom Of The Opera at the Majestic on Thursday, September 17, you truly have the bragging rights to #9,000!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Broadway, London, Los Angeles, Milestone, Musical, Play, Steppenwolf, Superior Donuts, The Phantom Of The Opera, Tracy Letts
Paying A Film VisitWant to know what one of my greatest entertain-ment pleasures is aside from seeing live theatre?
It's seeing some of the stage's greatest talents on the silver screen. Every now and then, a film comes along that surprises with the number of decidedly un-Hollywood actors in them.
In 2007, for example, it was the
Steve Carell comedy/drama "
Dan In Real Life" that surprised with an exciting cross-section of today's top talents known primarily for their work treading the boards, including
Norbert Leo Butz,
Alison Pill and
Matthew Morrison, alongside several actors who have successfully straddled the seemingly widening gulf between stage and screen:
John Mahoney,
Dianne Wiest,
Amy Ryan and
Juliette Binoche. Not incidentally, the Rhode Island-based flick also features such names from live theatre as
Frank Wood and
Jessica Hecht.
Yesterday, in an effort to catch up on some of the most talked about flicks from 2008, I finally saw the tender little New York City-based gem called "
The Visitor," for which
Richard Jenkins has earned an Academy Award nomination. What an absolute delight to see cameos from the likes of
Marian Seldes as a bluntly honest piano teacher,
Michael Cumpsty as Jenkins' university colleague and
Richard Kind as an exuberant next door neighbor.
The moving film itself is an examination of an unexpected friendship that develops between a less-than-hardworking college professor and Muslim émigrés over a shared loved of music. Broadway itself also makes a surprising cameo as one of the characters expresses a desire to see
The Phantom Of The Opera -- placing that 21 year old tuner in the most touching light I've seen it in years.
I've often lamented the fact that more American films don't feature more of the great stars of the Great White Way. But thankfully, every now and again, the stage actors and actresses we've come to love have their chance to shine for the whole world to see. "The Visitor" certainly provides one of those rare opportunities.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Alison Pill, Broadway, Dan In Real Life, Film, Hollywood, Marian Seldes, Matthew Morrison, Michael Cumpsty, Norbert Leo Butz, Richard Kind, The Phantom Of The Opera, The Visitor
RIP: Rob Guest (1950-2008)
RIP: Rob Guest (1950-2008)Sad news for theatre lovers Down Under. British-born musical stage actor
Rob Guest died yesterday from a stroke suffered Tuesday evening.
While stateside audiences may not be familiar with him, he was considered one of the top performers on the Australian and New Zealand stage. Additionally, for fans of
The Phantom Of The Opera, it should be noted that he earned the distinction as the
world's longest serving star of the musical with 2,289 performances in the eponymous role over a period of seven years.
In late July, I had the unique opportunity to enjoy his terrific portrayal as the Wizard of Oz in the current Melbourne (Australia) mounting of the international hit
Wicked. He captured the essence of the role exquisitely.
According to the
production site:
Rob was taken to Melbourne’s St. Vincent’s Hospital late on Tuesday night after suffering a stroke and remained in a critical condition until his death 26 hours later. The Australian Producer of Wicked, John Frost said "His family -- his mother, his partner, his children -- and friends held his hand and told him how much we loved him."
Mr. Frost told the cast of Wicked of Rob’s lost fight for life after the Wednesday matinee performance. "It was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do in 35 years in the theatre," he said. "Everyone was very emotional because Rob was such a father figure to the company. Wicked’s cast looked up to him because of his vast experience.
"Rob Guest was one of Australian music theatre’s biggest stars, and the most easy-going of stars. He may have had top billing but at all times he came across to us -- producers, fellow cast members and backstage crew -- as an irrepressible, always cheerful optimist. An all round good bloke. All of us who knew him are shocked and deeply saddened."
Guest was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to the New Zealand entertainment industry, where his career had its start. Guest's career capper would be as that "
Sentimental Man" in
Wicked. I join with others in expressing my condolences.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Australia, In Memoriam, Melbourne, Musical, Rob Guest, The Phantom Of The Opera, Wicked
Phantom 2In revealing that the long gestating sequel to
The Phantom Of The Opera will be entitled
Love Never Dies, Sir
Andrew Lloyd Webber lamented to
Playbill.com:
Everyone is going to call it Phantom 2, whether we like it or not.
So, dear readers, who among you plans to see
Phantom 2?
Personally, as I've said countless times before, I'm not really looking forward to
Phantom 2.
In fact, I don't really care if I ever see
Phantom 2 at all.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Broadway, Musical, Sequel, The Phantom Of The Opera
36 Down, 3 To GoLast week, Chris Caggiano over at
Everything I Know I Learned From Musicals was musing about how he'd finally get inside Broadway's
Lyceum Theatre now that
[title of show] is headed there this summer. He mentioned how that would leave just three Rialto theatres in which he's never stepped foot.
His post got me to pondering whether I've been in all 39 Broadway theatres that are currently functioning, and like the geek I am, I systematically went through the
Internet Broadway Database's encyclopedic history on each venue and discovered that I've now been in all but three myself. And those three might actually surprise you.
First, the theatre housing Broadway's all-time longest running show is the
Majestic Theatre. Is it heresy for someone purporting to be "Steve On
Broadway" to admit he's never actually seen
The Phantom Of The Opera on the Great White Way? Sure, the show's been running for 20 long years, but since I first caught the London production about the time the Main Stem incarnation was first being performed, I didn't feel compelled to go to see it at the Majestic. Oh sure, I've seen it again -- thanks to freebie tickets 10 years ago in Los Angeles, and then again for kicks and giggles just last year in the truncated
Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular -- but suffice it to say that as long as
The Phantom Of The Opera is playing the Majestic, I won't be going there.
Second is the
Nederlander Theatre, home to the musical
Rent since 1996. I've seen
Jonathan Larson's landmark tuner twice, just never in New York. In fact, the first time I saw it was when the first touring company swung through Boston during the winter of 1996-97, and I saw it again in St. Paul in 2000. Unlike
Phantom, I actually enjoyed this profoundly moving show, and I had even considered (at the last minute) to get tix for the Broadway version when
Adam Pascal and
Anthony Rapp reprised their turns as Roger and Marc, respectively, just last year. But alas, the show was sold out the first time I tried and only had back row seating available the next. With the departure of
Rent from the Nederlander now imminent, coming in September, I suspect that I'll finally get into that theatre sometime in the next year.
Finally, I have never been to the
Neil Simon Theatre, host to current occupant
Hairspray since 2002. Through a little bit of serendipity, I actually saw and loved
Hairspray with its original cast, but it was when I was passing through Seattle during its tryout performances there. And I also enjoyed seeing the first touring production when it passed through Minneapolis. While its current cast is appealing, I am probably not inclined to go see it, saving my theatregoing dollars for other shows.
So which theatre have I been to the most? That distinction goes to what is arguably Broadway's worst venue: the
Booth Theatre. Always one for prestige productions, I've been going there since 1992 when the acclaimed revival of
The Most Happy Fella enjoyed a 229 performance run. Almost in spite of how lousy this theatre itself is, including some of the least desirable seating
(read: tightly crammed), some of my best Broadway memories came from this house, where visions of
Paul Newman,
Dame Edna,
Vanessa Redgrave and others still dance in my mind. And I'm absolutely looking forward to returning next month to see
Laurence Fishburne in
Thurgood. I'm just not looking forward to being uncomfortable.
Finally, my very first Broadway theatre
ever was none other than the
Winter Garden where I caught
Cats near the beginning of its 18 year run. Fortunately, as much as I disliked that show, it has not deterred me from coming back to the Great White Way for performance after performance.
I just wonder how many more years it will take for me to check the Majestic off my list....
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, Broadway Venues, Everything I Know I Learned From Musicals, Hairspray, Musical, Rent, The Phantom Of The Opera, title of show
Twenty Year Old PhantomToday marks a most auspicious occasion for Broadway's longest running show ever. Andrew Lloyd Webber's
The Phantom Of The Opera celebrates its twentieth anniversary treading the boards of Rialto's
Majestic Theatre, after opening there on January 26, 2008.
As
Kenneth Jones of Playbill points out, after today's showings (both matinee and evening) conclude, the tuner will have enjoyed 8,319 performances.
When
Phantom opened stateside a year and a half after its
West End debut, its two London leads --
Sarah Brightman (then Webber's wife) and
Michael Crawford -- transferred to New York. The original Broadway cast also featured a very young
Rebecca Luker in her Great White Way debut.
The Phantom Of The Opera would dominate the 1988 Tony Awards, winning Best Musical over the original
Into The Woods,
Romance/Romance and
Sarafina! Overall, the show received ten Tony nominations and won seven, including for Crawford,
Judy Kaye (Best Featured Actress in a Musical) and
Hal Prince for Best Direction of a Musical.
Even though I've now seen
The Phantom Of The Opera twice (three times if I count
my visit last year to
Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular), I've never seen it on Broadway. Is that heresy? I mean, I did see the show in London 20 years ago, but the only other time I took in the show was in Los Angeles in 1998 when I was provided a free ticket.
While I've never truly understood the lasting appeal
of The Phantom Of The Opera, I realize this is often the very first entry level Broadway or West End show for
millions of fans around the world. Over 12.5 million have seen the Broadway incarnation alone, and the production at the Majestic has grossed over $675 million -- more than any film.
And so,
The Phantom phenomenon continues. Happy anniversary to everyone associated with the show.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular (The SOB Review) (September 12, 2007)
Where's Oscar The Cat When We REALLY Need Him? (July 20, 2007)
London: The Show Must Go On (June 29, 2007)
Phantom Sequel: So Much For Writing On Otto-Pilot? (June 17, 2007)
Broadway's Longest Running Hits (March 17, 2007)
The Phantom Of Manhattan? (March 12, 2007)
Is It Just Me, Or...(Part II) (February 21, 2007)
Wicked Becomes Broadway's 8th Overall Cumulative Grosser Among Current Hits (June 2, 2006)
Labels: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Anniversary, Broadway, Hal Prince, London, Michael Crawford, Musical, The Phantom Of The Opera
Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular (The SOB Review) - Phantom Theatre, The Venetian, Las Vegas, NV** (out of ****)The enduring wonders of
Andrew Lloyd Webber's
The Phantom Of The Opera have always eluded me. Actually, they've confounded me.
Apart from the fact that my sightlines were obstructed when I first saw the show nearly 20 years ago, not long after it initially bowed in London's West End, I found the entire proceedings to be a bit of snooze.
Holding out the possibility that jetlag may have gotten the better of me the first time around, I readily accepted a gratis ticket nine years ago on this side of the Atlantic to see it again. It wasn't any better. In fact, I found the plot ridiculous and forgettable.
But since I was going to be in Vegas, I thought how bad could it be to check out the relatively new, truncated 95-minute version of
Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular, which was once again directed by
Harold Prince.
Let's just put it this way: the third time was
not the charm.
When an ornate lighting fixture becomes the most exciting part of a spectacle, a show's in trouble. In this
Phantom, the celebrated chandelier takes center stage (actual center theatre in the specially-designed opera house) very early on through a whiz of special effects that lifts four separate pieces into place as if it were an object from outer space. During those first five minutes when
Paul Kelly's gorgeous scenic adaptation of the original work whirls together with
David Rockwell's breathtaking
theatre design and special effects, the denouement is dazzling to be sure.
But there's still a couple trifles like the score and book that leave me cold. And then there's the acting, which is entirely overwrought. Worst offender was Kristi Holden in the pivotal role of Christine Daaé; not only did she chew Kelly's considerable scenery, but her acting was so over the top that I kept thinking the chandelier would come crashing down at any second.
Fortunately for her and her fellow thespians, Broadway and West End veteran
Brent Barrett offered some degree of gravitas to the proceedings in the title role. Ryan Silverman also added to the production with his tender portrayal of Raoul.
While the edited tuner excised at least nine songs (by my count) from the original production, it certainly sped things along and reduced the number of times I had to look at my watch. However, the result is that Christine becomes something of an enigma in how she inexplicably vacillates between the Phantom and Raoul. It's as if we're missing a reel from a film that's been cut down to accommodate a distracted television audience.
Do I doubt for one minute that most
Phantom Of The Opera fans won't eat this all up? Of course not. Many probably won't even know the difference. In fact, they'll likely love all the special effects. But all the makings of a spectacle does not a spectacular make.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Becoming SOL (September 10, 2007)
Where's Oscar The Cat When We REALLY Need Him? (July 20, 2007)
London: The Show Must Go On (June 29, 2007)
Phantom Sequel: So Much For Writing On Otto-Pilot? (June 17, 2007)
Broadway's Longest Running Hits (March 17, 2007)
The Phantom Of Manhattan? (March 12, 2007)
Is It Just Me, Or...(Part II) (February 21, 2007)
Broadway's Gamble on Vegas No Sure Bet (June 6, 2006)
Wicked Becomes Broadway's 8th Overall Cumulative Grosser Among Current Hits (June 2, 2006)
Labels: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Broadway, Las Vegas, London, Musical, Phantom The Las Vegas Spectacular, The Phantom Of The Opera, The SOB Review
Phantom Sequel: So Much For Writing On Otto-Pilot?Did you hear the one about
Andrew Lloyd Webber's
cat destroying his entire score to the sequel of
The Phantom Of The Opera? There's no punch line, but that hasn't stopped the, ahem, catterati over the possibly exaggerated antics of
Otto the cat (pictured)
here,
here and
here.
You may have thought the cat had my tongue in not writing about this earlier, but alas,
Webber's spokesperson Peter Brown has subsequently stated that there really isn't a there there: "It was nothing significant...It was said in jest.''
I'm certainly glad I refrained from making catty comments that could only come back to haunt me.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for The Phantom Of The Opera tickets.Related Stories:The Phantom Of Manhattan? (March 12, 2007)
The Hits From Coast To Coast (March 8, 2007)
Is It Just Me, Or...(Part II) (February 21, 2007)
Labels: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Blogs, Cats, Otto, Sequel, The Phantom Of The Opera
Box Office: Theatregoers Don't Passover BroadwayEven though Broadway box office traditionally declines the week of Passover, most Great White Way productions enjoyed boosts -- some very healthy -- during this year's holiday week that also included Easter.
Even
Christine Ebersole's
much-ballyhooed vacation from
Grey Gardens didn't result in lower capacity for the show (
up 0.5% to 62.2%). However, the musical was clearly dumping seats at TKTS and elsewhere given that its average ticket price fell to just $51.69 from $72.23 one week earlier. Only
Prelude To A Kiss had a lower average ticket at $43.52.
Last week was so robust that only five shows experienced any decline in their box office, including:
Lest I forget, in the week where Rialto's longest-running production ever reached yet another milestone with performance #8,000,
The Phantom Of The Opera reigned supreme in terms of overall capacity at 101.5%. I guess there
is still some life in that tuner.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for Grey Gardens ticket information.Related Stories:In The Company Of Underperforming Shows (March 27, 2007)
Labels: Box Office, Broadway, Grey Gardens, Musical, Play, Prelude To A Kiss, The Phantom Of The Opera
Broadway's Longest Running HitsEver wonder which of the Great White Way's shows have enjoyed the longest runs? Look no further than
Playbill, which has published a rather lengthy list of all the shows that have made it past 800 performances (in other words, a minimum of nearly two years), a remarkable achievement in itself.
Naturally,
The Phantom Of The Opera is the all-time longest running production, clocking in at 7973 performances last Sunday. But four of the other top ten spots are also filled with current running shows: #6:
Beauty And The Beast (5305 performances), #7:
Rent (4537 performances), #8: the revival of
Chicago (4290 performances) and #10:
The Lion King (3922 performances). Six other current shows have already eclipsed the 800 barrier with two more within spitting distance.
The column also lists Off-Broadway's longest running hits, as well as the longest runs in Boston, Washington DC, Chicago, Toronto and of course London, where after 54 continuous years,
The Mousetrap continues to hold the world's record with over 20,900 ongoing performances.
A sidenote: Just because a show continues to run doesn't necessarily mean it should. I think Disney is doing itself a favor by finally pulling the plug on
Beauty And The Beast this summer. It was long past its prime a couple years ago. It's also beyond me how
The Phantom Of The Opera continues to march on (I thought it was showing its wear ten years ago). And as for that West End world record? Well, let's just say that when I decided to check it out a couple years ago, I was shocked; I didn't realize that a production could be moldy
and stale at the same time.
Which of the five longest running current shows would you return to see? Vote for as many as all five shows in the latest SOB Poll on the right-hand side of this site. Then feel free to comment on your selections below.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Box Office, Broadway, London, Longest Runs, Musical, Revival, The Mousetrap, The Phantom Of The Opera
The Phantom Of Manhattan?It looks like the world will have another phantom to kick around. That’s right, just as
I raised that specter a few weeks ago,
Andrew Lloyd Webber is now officially set to resume writing a sequel to Broadway’s longest running show,
The Phantom Of The Opera.
According to Sir ALW himself, the action will move from Paris to Gotham City. Maybe instead of a plummeting chandelier, he’ll simulate a drop of the New Year’s Eve ball.
Years ago, the knight was collaborating with
Frederick Forsyth on a sequel. But after that effort failed, Forsyth published a novel called “
The Phantom Of Manhattan.” No word on whether the new stage sequel will be based on said book.
The Phantom Of The Opera is perhaps the last of a certain dying breed of European mega-musicals where spectacle and song thrill audiences the world over. I remember seeing the original London production back in what seems a lifetime ago, and I even admit that I enjoyed it, despite having undoubtedly the worst seat in the house.
But I hardly consider
Phantom to be Lloyd Webber’s best work. Personally, my favorite from his canon is
Evita. I also much prefer both
Jesus Christ Superstar and
Sunset Boulevard over
Phantom. Still,
Phantom is much better than
Starlight Express or my least favorite of his, the interminable
Cats.
While
Chris Caggiano reminds us that there have indeed been decent sequels to big, beloved musicals, it’s hard to believe the odds favor lightning striking twice on something so universally loved (or reviled) as
The Phantom Of The Opera. When I put my SOB Poll question -- “Do you think Andrew Lloyd Webber should move forward with a stage sequel to
The Phantom Of The Opera?” -- to you just a couple weeks ago, the overwhelming majority (85.7%) of you voted thumbs down.
I guess we’ll just have to wait and see whether Sir Andrew can triumph again. You can bet I’ll be watching developments closely.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:The Hits From Coast To Coast (March 8, 2007)
Is It Just Me, Or...(Part II) (February 21, 2007)
SOB Readers Produce Results For Pulling Plug (November 7, 2006)
Labels: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Cats, Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, Sequel, SOB Poll, Starlight Express, The Phantom Of The Opera
For Good: Wicked Wins LA Critical PraiseLast week,
Wicked officially conquered Los Angeles as the fourth sit-down mounting of the mega-hit musical opened at the
Pantages Theatre. Perhaps there's something in Hollywood's water, but the critics largely liked the show.
Noting how this production will be "one tough ticket," the
Los Angeles Times'
Charles McNulty brilliantly demonstrates a keen understanding for the innate popularity of
Wicked in his review -- those insights have proven elusive to countless other critics. McNulty praises the show stating: "The witchcraft is as fresh as it has ever been, thanks to the two splendiferous leads,
Eden Espinosa and
Megan Hilty....But an even more impressive feat is the way their harmonious incantations redeem the fun of this familiar blockbuster. Who knew the spell could still work so well?...The experience is like stepping back into childhood and being reintroduced to one's earliest friends by a puckish yet psychologically forgiving guide."
Orange County Register's
Paul Hodgins also gets why audiences are making it a must-see show: "After barely three years in the public consciousness,
Wicked seems poised to replace
The Phantom of the Opera as America's must-see musical....Why does everybody like
Wicked so much? Because it delivers everything we expect of a big-ticket musical theater experience -- spectacle, anthemic songs, a cathartic story -- and makes the most of an irresistible theme: the indelible bond of friendship....There's an added incentive to see this
Wicked. It stars Orange County's Eden Espinosa as Elphaba, the green teen who transforms into the queen of mean. And she's worth the trip."
Laurence Vittes of
The Hollywood Reporter declares that
Wicked "...scores on virtually all entertainment levels and is everything you would expect it to be.... It's no wonder its run at the Pantages is open-ended....Best of all, every one of the main roles is a tour de force, and each is performed with mostly unforgettable charisma, charm and virtuosity, and lit into with unbridled glee. Hilty's Glinda steals the show."
In his two-and-a-half-star review,
Evan Henerson of Los Angeles'
Daily News says somewhat derisively: "But you can't loathe something so slick and technically vibrant as this is. All those great voices, all that impassioned singing ... it's like trying to fault Disneyland....Heck, it's no small achievement to get a hungry audience applauding pretty much the second the lights go down.
Wicked is nice that way. And it's a hit. Likability sells. Go figure."
With ticket sales going through the roof, it looks like this sit-down production is in for the long haul.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for LA tickets.
Related Stories:
Hollywood Becomes Wicked Were London Critics Mourning West End Wicked? (September 28, 2006)
West End Wicked Opens Tonight (September 27, 2006)
Wicked Witch of the West End Takes Flight Tonight (September 7, 2006)
Jaaku or Neikan? Wicked Set for Japanese Translation (July 24, 2006)
Five Times More Wicked (July 17, 2006)
Wicked's West End Witches Update (May 17, 2006)
Worldwide Wicked Casting News (May 5, 2006)
Encore: Spotlight Week Ending April 30, 2006 (April 30, 2006)
Labels: California, Critics' Capsule, Eden Espinosa, Los Angeles, Megan Hilty, Musical, The Phantom Of The Opera, Wicked
Is It Just Me, Or...(Part II)...Do we
really need a sequel to
The Phantom Of The Opera? I thought
Cats were supposed to have nine lives, but isn't two phantoms one too many? What can
Sir Andrew possibly do for an encore? Implode the opera house?
You can weigh in via the new SOB Poll found on the right-hand side of the site.
...Wasn't it a relief that temperatures finally began to warm up and
inspire more people to go to the theatre last week? And how about
Spring Awakening's amazing bump up at the box office! Not only has the tuner finally scored a capacity of over 90%, but it's also among the top five Broadway shows in that category. The great word of mouth is finally catching up with the show.
...Isn't the prurient interest in all things
Daniel Radcliffe just a little bit unseemly for someone who's still 17 years of age? If I have to see one more picture of his bare bum, I'm going to turn myself in.
With talk that his full frontal turn in
Equus might transfer to the States, hopefully Radcliffe will have the temerity to first celebrate a birthday before an official Broadway mounting.
...Don't all those
Olivier Awards for
Sunday In The Park With George make you wish that its Broadway transfer were sooner than later? And wasn't it amazing how two Tony Award-winning Best Musicals --
Avenue Q and
Monty Python's Spamalot -- were snubbed in honor of
Caroline, Or Change, which despite being Tony-nommed, it ultimately lost to
Avenue Q.
...Can the already announced
Xanadu musical really find the appropriate mix of tongue-in-chic relevance with
Kristen Bell, now that
Jane Krakowski won't be riding her roller skates across a Broadway stage this spring? Thankfully, we can still see the latter on "
30 Rock" -- arguably the most hilarious show on television.
...Isn't Rocco at
What's Good/What Blows In New York Theatre just about the funniest theatre blogger around? Today's entry on "What My Mom Says About..." is priceless. Rocco, I think our mothers would get along just fine (and by the way, that's a great wide-eyed photo, presumably of you!).
...Why do directors and/or producers think that a novel winning formula for one show will work for another?
John Doyle has already been burned for attempting to parlay his success from
Sweeney Todd in requiring his actors to double as musicians one too many times (
read: Barnum) even after the novelty wore off with critics via
Company. But now,
Doug Hughes appears to be copying
Spring Awakening's unique onstage audience seating formula for his upcoming revival of
Inherit The Wind. Still, I guess it would be rather cool to be able to say you were on stage with
Brian Dennehy,
Christopher Plummer and
Denis O'Hare, now wouldn't it?
Tell me what you think!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:Is It Just Me, Or... (June 24, 2006)
Labels: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Box Office, Broadway, Daniel Radcliffe, Equus, Inherit The Wind, Is It Just Me, John Doyle, SOB Poll, Spring Awakening, The Phantom Of The Opera
Which Current Broadway Musical Would You Pull The Plug On?One week ago, I started a brand new poll feature on Steve On Broadway (SOB) to quickly gauge what you and other regular readers are thinking about theatre. Today, you'll find a third in my series of polls specifically asking about Broadway musicals -- the latest one asks, "Which current Broadway musical would you pull the plug on?"
I invite you to provide your pick for the show that you believe is past its prime and should make way for the next big Broadway smash. You'll find the actual poll along the right hand column of Steve On Broadway (SOB), as well as the two earlier polls that remain open for you to share your opinion.
Also, feel free to share your opinion on why you're voting the way you are, along with any other comments you'd like to make. As always, whether you think my opinion mirrors yours or is just plain wrong, I promise to post each comment that seeks to engage in a thoughtful discussion on theatre.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:Which New Broadway Musical Revival Are You Most Enthusiastic About Seeing? (October 19, 2006)
Which New Broadway Musical Are You Most Enthusiastic About Seeing? (October 16, 2006)
Take The Steve On Broadway (SOB) Poll (October 15, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Musical, SOB Poll, Tarzan, The Phantom Of The Opera, The Producers
Broadway Box Office ReboundsAs predicted, Broadway bounced back
somewhat this past week from the steep decline it experienced the week before. Most shows enjoyed at least a bit of a rebound week-over-week.
Leading the pack in terms of week-over-week capacity increases was
The Wedding Singer with a 17% larger audience than the week before at the
Al Hirschfeld Theatre. That increase brings the tuner's weekly capacity to 69.5%, ahead of such venerable hits as
The Phantom Of The Opera (69.3%),
Hairspray (68.9%),
Rent (65.4%) and
The Producers (which remains in the box office basement with 54.5%).
The other top gainers week-over-week were
Hairspray (increase of 16%),
Beauty And The Beast (increase of 12.3%),
Rent (increase of 11.4%),
The Drowsy Chaperone (increase of 11.1%) and
The Producers (increase of 10.7%). Only two shows experienced drops in their box office:
The Color Purple (down 1.7% to 84.1%) and
Wicked (down a scant .1% to 99.7%). The latter still leads all shows in terms of gross ticket sales at $1,389,174 for the week followed by
Jersey Boys at $1,161,546. Still number one in terms of capacity is
Jersey Boys (100.8%), followed by
Wicked. Talk about a one-two punch.
Not counting shows currently in previews, the productions with the lowest average ticket prices include:
Rent ($50.48),
Beauty And The Beast ($50.58),
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee ($61.41),
Hairspray ($63.47),
The Wedding Singer ($65.16),
The Phantom Of The Opera ($66.67),
Avenue Q ($68.44),
Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me (69.05) and
The Producers ($69.52).
Still no word on which musical will be the next to depart from the Broadway stage. But my bet remains on an early exit for
The Producers, although barring additional stunt casting,
Rent's days could be numbered.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:Broadway's Biggest Box Office (September 13, 2006)
Fall At Broadway's Box Office (September 12, 2006)
Labels: Box Office, Broadway, Hairspray, Jersey Boys, Rent, The Phantom Of The Opera, The Producers, The Wedding Singer, Wicked
Broadway's Gamble on Vegas No Sure BetDays after Avenue Q's producers proved victorious in snagging the Tony Award for Best Musical a couple years ago, they stunned the theatrical world by announcing that they were eschewing a national tour in favor of what appeared to be a quick Vegas cash-in at the Wynn Las Vegas. Despite a much-ballyhooed opening only last September, the shortened show has already come and gone.
Now comes word from another major Vegas venue -- the Luxor -- that its direct-from-Broadway hit Hairspray will close this Sunday. Hairspray had only opened this past February.
What went wrong? My contention is that in the effort to make a quick buck, the casinos pressured the productions to shrink their shows into 90-minute performances that could easily move audiences in and out. By selling out, producers of these two bona fide Broadway hits gutted the hearts out of what made them so successful in the first place.
I find it somewhat amusing that the only show left standing for the moment is the full-length, unretouched Mamma Mia! that continues to pack them in at the Mandalay Bay. But woe to the upcoming Phantom — The Las Vegas Spectacular that begins performances at the Venetian this coming Monday, June 12 in a dramatically shortened 95-minute version.
Perhaps audiences realize that shorter isn't necessarily better. What's going on in Vegas proves that abbreviated shows shouldn't count on staying in Vegas.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for Hairspray (Las Vegas) tickets.
Click here for Mamma Mia! (Las Vegas) tickets.
Click here for Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular tickets.
Labels: Avenue Q, Billy Elliot The Musical, Broadway, Closing Notices, Hairspray, Las Vegas, Mamma Mia, The Phantom Of The Opera, Wynn
