Motown to close January 18th, 2015- Page 2
Motown to close January 18th, 2015
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#25Motown to close January 18th, 2015
Posted: 8/22/14 at 12:26amAnyone believes this will be returning also believes in Santa and the Easter Bunny. It is finished on Broadway. Neverland will stay open until Harvey W gets tired of propping it up . Plenty of empty theaters in the future and Cats is closer than ever. Meow Meow.
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FindingNamo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
#26Motown to close January 18th, 2015
Posted: 8/22/14 at 12:33am
Roxy's never been wrong before.
NOT!
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RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#27Motown to close January 18th, 2015
Posted: 8/22/14 at 12:36amTheir reasoning makes sense. It's just like Mamma Mia moving theaters. They want to streamline the show. They can run it on Broadway at a much cheaper cost, and I'm sure they will scale back the production. The sets are pretty minimal anyway, right? Sounds like they'll cut back the cast size - which sucks for the actors. I wonder if they'll take the Broadway cast to London a la Hair?
#28Motown to close January 18th, 2015
Posted: 8/22/14 at 12:39amThis is strange, very strange indeed.
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#29Motown to close January 18th, 2015
Posted: 8/22/14 at 1:32amMakes sense after reading the article. They made their money back. And the tour will help them make a profit. Now they can retool the show and bring it back sleeker and cheaper. Why they're waiting so long, I don't know. But eh.
AnythingGoes23
Broadway Star Joined: 11/21/11
#30Motown to close January 18th, 2015
Posted: 8/22/14 at 3:13am
I think this is a fabulous move. Broadway audiences don't need to "remember" this at all, its for tourists. London will get a good few years run+ out of this show (although possibly not at Dominion but I've heard its postponed to Summer because it wants The Adelphi)
I think the show will easily return to Broadway , probably a touring version or the London show going back - it doesn't matter set wise as the audience just want the songs - and have another successful run.
It could come and go for years, same in London. Let It Be has had three successful runs in London now and will be back again I am sure after this run at Garrick and I am sure.
MarkBearSF
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/25/11
#31Motown to close January 18th, 2015
Posted: 8/22/14 at 3:30am
Just saw the tour tonight in SF. The house was crazy. The Broadway hiatus won't hurt its brand appeal, and if it finally recoups and returns some profit, the investors should be mollified (so if it doesn't return, no damage).
If, as described, the tour is ready to end (or move to non-equity) in 2 years - the "streamlined" tour production can move into some open house vacated by an inevitable early casualty of that season. Presumably, it wouldn't be too expensive to install the touring sets, and having a known brand with a tourist (and international) appeal at the end of the summer could be gravy.
Weird (and yes, certainly Finding Neverland is the unmentioned factor in this) - but it may be what they say ...more or less.
Updated On: 8/22/14 at 03:30 AM
#32Motown to close January 18th, 2015
Posted: 8/22/14 at 3:51amMotown's weekly nut is unsustainably high.....it is surprising but understandable.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
#33Motown to close January 18th, 2015
Posted: 8/22/14 at 6:50amSo Motown will lose and reopen. To paraphrase Sondheim: I'm grateful/sorry.
#34Motown to close January 18th, 2015
Posted: 8/22/14 at 7:22amUmmmm...what? O_o If it's coming back, what's the point of closing?!
#35Motown to close January 18th, 2015
Posted: 8/22/14 at 8:26am
Include me in the camp who doesn't understand the logic here. How can plans already be in place for a return? How can any show be guaranteed a theatre so far out? Something is odd here, it seems like an awfully long hiatus to take for people to remember the show- it's not like it has a cult following! I won't hold my breath for a return- however, I think "Finding Neverland" would work better in this space than in the overly large Winter Garden where it will likely struggle to sell out.
Updated On: 8/22/14 at 08:26 AM
dreaming
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/24/09
#36Motown to close January 18th, 2015
Posted: 8/22/14 at 8:32am
The Winter Garden isn't a Nederlander house.
I don't think Motown has anything to worry about. I'm sure something will be open. There are other Nederlander houses-something is bound to turn up.
I still think Finding Neverland should wait-but that's their problem.
#37Motown to close January 18th, 2015
Posted: 8/22/14 at 8:49amMaybe "Hunchback" could go into the Lunt? Disney shows have played there before.
broadwayguy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/03
#38Motown to close January 18th, 2015
Posted: 8/22/14 at 9:12am
The show's nut is high because it has a huge cast AND royalties to all of the artists depicted.
It isnt so far out of the box.. They can not downsize cast size unless they close for six weeks. People go to see the show for the Brand, not because of the musical. They could bring it in any time and that audience will be there is they have no depleated it. They send the physical production, run the show there with lower costs, make a mint, ship it back and reopen.. or they use the tour set if it closes on the road.
It is not a stretch. It ia an innovative idea.
Shows used to close all the time and come back... A summer hiatus, or a tour and a return engagement. This is not very different.. The "tour" just happens to be London.
Cant blame any producer for streamlining their show once they know how they can manage based on knowing how it runs. Kudos to them for not just chopping it up like certain others have.
#39Motown to close January 18th, 2015
Posted: 8/22/14 at 9:15am
Maybe "Hunchback" could go into the Lunt? Disney shows have played there before.
I honestly think they're saving New Amsterdam for Hunchback if they can't find any other theater. TLM and Tarzan only lasted a year, so I won't be surprised if this closes next year (which would be too bad, I really loved it)
neonlightsxo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/29/08
#40Motown to close January 18th, 2015
Posted: 8/22/14 at 9:59am
"This has Weinstein written all over it. We'll hear a Finding Neverland/Lunt announcement any day now. "
100% agree. I have no inside info but I would bet a limb that Weinstein cut McCollum a check because he wanted the theater.
jro_8
Swing Joined: 9/16/13
#41Motown to close January 18th, 2015
Posted: 8/22/14 at 10:05amI thought the article said they want to close it because they've seen how they can retool it for a lower running cost?
#42Motown to close January 18th, 2015
Posted: 8/22/14 at 10:08amSo Finding Neverland (which for some reason I keep singing "Finding Wonderland" from the musical Wonderland) will go to the Lunt. But I doubt Aladdin will close too soon. It is the most popular Disney show since Lion King. It is selling very well.
"Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around."
#43Motown to close January 18th, 2015
Posted: 8/22/14 at 10:10am
"I think "Finding Neverland" would work better in this space than in the overly large Winter Garden where it will likely struggle to sell out."
Lunt-Fontanne: 1509 seats
Winter Garden: 1498 seats
They're roughly the same size.
Cheyenne Jackson tickled me. AFTER ordering SoMMS a drink but NOT tickling him, and hanging out with Girly in his dressing room (where he DIDN'T tickle her) but BEFORE we got married. To others. And then he tweeted Boobs. He also tweeted he's good friends with some chick on "The Voice" who just happens to be good friends with Tink's ex. And I'm still married. Oh, and this just in: "Pettiness, spite, malice ....Such ugly emotions... So sad." - After Eight, talking about MEEEEEEEE!!! I'm so honored! :-)
#44Motown to close January 18th, 2015
Posted: 8/22/14 at 10:21amDidn't the original West Side Story close, go on tour and then do a return engagement on Broadway?
#45Motown to close January 18th, 2015
Posted: 8/22/14 at 10:29am
Just saw the tour tonight in SF. The house was crazy.
Really?
https://twitter.com/AllisonSemmes/status/502708567708033024
https://twitter.com/AllisonSemmes/status/502709465117122560
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
mjohnson2
Broadway Star Joined: 11/2/13
#46Motown to close January 18th, 2015
Posted: 8/22/14 at 10:33am
disneybroadwayfan22, are you being serious? Like, actually? They are most certainly not saving the most elaborate and luxurious theatre on Broadway for one of their most scaled-down shows to date, and they will certainly not close ALADDIN until ticket sales dry up (which probably won't be for another 4-5 years or more). TARZAN (vomit) and THE LITTLE MERMAID both lost a colossal amount of money and closed because they didn't have good enough ticket sales to stay open, while ALADDIN has great reviews, great ticket sales and the death of Robbin Williams, which though tragic will undeniably boost ticket sales. So, no. HUNCHBACK is not going into the New Amsterdam unless ALADDIN takes a nosedive in ticket sales.
GoSmileLaughCryClap, WEST SIDE STORY did that, but that was at a time when Broadway shows actually went on tour with the original cast, not with their own National Tour cast, so this is quite a bit different.
Anything regarding shows stated by this account is an attempt to convey opinion and not fact.
#47Motown to close January 18th, 2015
Posted: 8/22/14 at 11:10amCalm down. It was just a guess. Why does everyone take everything so dang seriously here?
Liza's Headband
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/28/13
#48Motown to close January 18th, 2015
Posted: 8/22/14 at 11:20am
If you say something absolutely and utterly ridiculous, you'll get that response... Don't act surprised.
By the way, for those who are somehow still confused about this decision, please take the time to read the NY Times article already posted in this thread. It lays out everything. Not very difficult to understand.
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#49Motown to close January 18th, 2015
Posted: 8/22/14 at 11:29amAgreed. Don't call it stupid until you read his plan. Granted it's def. something that we haven't seen done before, but it totally makes sense. Essentially Les Miz did the same thing just without announcing it.
