"Signature Theater Company and the producers Jeffrey Richards and Daryl Roth are discussing a possible transfer of the Signature production of Horton Footes last play, The Orphans Home Cycle, to Broadway in April after the current Off Broadway run at Signature, according to three people involved in the production.
Mr. Richards, one of Broadways busiest play producers, said in a telephone interview Tuesday afternoon that he was certainly interested in the possible transfer of Orphans, a three-part, nine-hour play based on the lives of Footes parents and relatives in Texas in the early 1900s.
I think its a great piece of theater, Mr. Richards said, before adding about a possible transfer: Other people are looking at it too."
I echo the comment that Orphans is a great piece of theater. A transfer would certainly make an impact on Tony nominations. Figure a certain Best Play nomination. Likely director and set design nods, as well.
As nice as it would be to see Horton Foote have one last hurrah on Broadway, it would be extremely difficult to make money off of this, or even keep it open long enough to matter.
As nice as it would be to see Horton Foote have one last hurrah on Broadway, it would be extremely difficult to make money off of this, or even keep it open long enough to matter.<
There are some producers I know who have produced shows knowing they'll never return a dime, but they produce them anyway because they feel the work needs to be seen. Rare, but it does happen.
Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop.
I haven't seen it, know little about it. But if this is a nine-hour play done over two nights, it hasn't got a chance -- that's four and one-half hours each. Neither Coast of Utopia nor Norman Conquests clocked in at that length of unrelieved sitting. I say, keep it at an Off-Broadway venue, let it take the Pulitzer or whatever, get its due recognition, etc., etc. IMO.
Angels in America came in at just on nine hours...
Well I didn't want to get into it, but he's a Satanist.
Every full moon he sacrifices 4 puppies to the Dark Lord and smears their blood on his paino.
This should help you understand the score for Wicked a little bit more.
Tazber's: Reply to
Is Stephen Schwartz a Practicing Christian
I didn't see Coast of Utopia, but I think it was a similar length/division of parts. The play certainly seems worth devoting three nights (or one very full day) to, but I agree it would never make money. The Norman Conquests had what I think was the ideal schedule, was absolutely brilliant, and still couldn't make back its investment.
I could absolutely see a producer who wasn't focusing on/interested in a profit doing right by this work. That said, I personally think any producer who hopes to make money on the production is on some drugs I'd like to get my hands on.
"Why, I make more money than... than... than Calvin Coolidge! PUT TOGETHER!" ~Lina Lamont