Cirque Wants To Come To Broadway
Cirque Wants To Come To Broadway
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#1Cirque Wants To Come To Broadway
Posted: 3/4/15 at 11:14pm
According to Playbill.com, Cirque du Soleil wants to take over the Lyric theater once OTT closes
The article says OTT will probably close in the spring. If true, this would finally make good use of this barn of a theater. It makes perfect sense for both parties. The theater is simply too big for a normal show to succeed in.
Poster Emeritus
Updated On: 3/4/15 at 11:14 PM
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#2Cirque Wants To Come To Broadway
Posted: 3/4/15 at 11:46pmI actually think that's a solid idea. If only they could restore the theater next to the Lyric back to a Broadway theater. That way they lose one and gain one.
brdway411
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/24/14
#2Cirque Wants To Come To Broadway
Posted: 3/4/15 at 11:51pmJust hope it is better than that Zarkana crap that was at RCMH.
#3Cirque Wants To Come To Broadway
Posted: 3/4/15 at 11:56pmugh
"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one".
-Felicia Finley-
Tag
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/19/05
#4Cirque Wants To Come To Broadway
Posted: 3/5/15 at 12:04amThey're planning to do Broadway style musicals. It won't be typical Cirque.
brdway411
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/24/14
#6Cirque Wants To Come To Broadway
Posted: 3/5/15 at 1:04amSo are they going to do what they planned ti do with Analeigh Ashford? Also is this confirming OTT is closing?
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brdway411
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/24/14
#7Cirque Wants To Come To Broadway
Posted: 3/5/15 at 1:23am
OTT closing is only a matter of time. With the grosses they are taking in, they cannot afford to stay there much longer (unless someone has VERY deep pockets).
I think they are waiting for Tony Nods, but with King and I opening. I think Best Revival will go to K&I.
Updated On: 3/5/15 at 01:23 AM
Starship
Broadway Star Joined: 7/29/12
#8Cirque Wants To Come To Broadway
Posted: 3/5/15 at 1:34amCirque may want to do a "Broadway musical," but whatever it is will not even be close. I think a show like "Iris" would fair well on Broadway. Anything too egocentric will loose to the other competition on Broadway.
Islander_fan
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/25/14
#9Cirque Wants To Come To Broadway
Posted: 3/5/15 at 4:25amI don't think that this is a bad idea at all. I mean if you consider the fact that Cirque has wanted to have a presense in New York for quite some time that didn't involve bringing in one of their touring shows to NYC every year. Iris, from what I was told was great and really well done. I think that if they do something along those lines rather than something like Banana Schpel which was a total disaster then it might work out for them.
SharoninB
Understudy Joined: 3/4/15
Understudy Joined: 12/31/69
#11Cirque Wants To Come To Broadway
Posted: 3/5/15 at 7:51amRemember a few years back, Cirque was going to build a theatre on 42nd Street where Mima/Yotel is?
ethan231h
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/5/11
#12Cirque Wants To Come To Broadway
Posted: 3/5/15 at 8:23am
Maybe it will close when Ricky Ubeda leaves in April.
lostboinmd2
Swing Joined: 5/9/12
#13Cirque Wants To Come To Broadway
Posted: 3/5/15 at 8:25amIf Cirque does it right, it would be amazing.
Swing Joined: 12/31/69
#14Cirque Wants To Come To Broadway
Posted: 3/5/15 at 9:12amThis article is from 2005 when they wanted the Yotel space... http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/27/nyregion/27cirque.html?_r=0
Islander_fan
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/25/14
#15Cirque Wants To Come To Broadway
Posted: 3/5/15 at 10:20am
Deena Jones
Yes, Cirque had wanted to, fora long time, build their own space in New York City. The notion behind them doing that was that they were able to conquer other major cities with resident shows or other tourist areas. They have one at Disney, had one for a few years in L.A. with Iris and have several running in Vegas. But, what they are talking about now is different than before. Rather than building their own space, they intend to use an already existing space in the Lyric Theatre to house their show. Clearly they realized by now that they aren't going to be able to build their own space for their show in NYC, but using a huge theatre like the lyric is clearly the next best (and more plausible) option for them.
#16Cirque Wants To Come To Broadway
Posted: 3/5/15 at 10:43amWasn't Spiderman just Cirque meets Broadway? :)
#17Cirque Wants To Come To Broadway
Posted: 3/5/15 at 12:04pm
@RippedMan The theatre next to the Lyric is the former Times Square Theatre. They have been trying to gradually restore it, but no buyers are coming forward to operate it. The theater is landlocked on 42nd Street, with no stage door on 43rd. Obviously load ins/outs would be a nightmare and near impossible which is why it likely wont return to being a broadway house. The Broadway 4D experience was its best bet at remaining a theater, but it fell through with Singer's lawsuits. If that doesnt get back on track it will likely turn into a retail store(s) (though it would retain its facade and the mezzanine).
As for Cirque du Soleil I think it is possibly the only thing that could regularly sell the Lyric. Its just too big a theatre and needs something with lion king like popularity. I hear that the producers of OTT are planning to keep the show open til Tony nominations, but its up in the air after that.
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#18Cirque Wants To Come To Broadway
Posted: 3/5/15 at 12:07pmOTT will likely get a number of Tony nods. Whether it wins or not is debatable. It should make it with tourists thru the summer but after that it is anyone's guess.
Poster Emeritus
FindingNamo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
#19Cirque Wants To Come To Broadway
Posted: 3/5/15 at 12:30pmIf it wins or not will not be debatable at all.
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RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#20Cirque Wants To Come To Broadway
Posted: 3/5/15 at 1:29pmI don't get why they can't do load ins at like 4am when no one is on the streets for The Times Sq. Theater? I get the location for the loads in sucks, but you can't beat the foot traffic, etc.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#22Cirque Wants To Come To Broadway
Posted: 3/5/15 at 1:32pm
Imagine the overtime & costs for doing that @ that time.
It would probably be economically unfeasible.
Poster Emeritus
AEA AGMA SM
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/13/09
#23Cirque Wants To Come To Broadway
Posted: 3/5/15 at 1:38pmBecause IATSE (and I would assume the Teamsters as well) have rules about what hours their members can work at regular pay and what hours would constitute additional payments. You need fairly continual access to your loading door not only while loading in but also during the tech process as you bring in new equipment, replacements, stuff that needs to be sent offsite for repair, etc. That adds up to a LOT of extra money if you can only do that at 4:00 am.
#24Cirque Wants To Come To Broadway
Posted: 3/5/15 at 1:43pm
What everyone forgets is that Cirque is a company with MAJOR profits in the bank, who can easily outspend anything ever put on Broadway before. Granted, spending money doesn't always equal success, but for them to move into the Lyric and spec it out the way they need to, it wouldn't be a huge issue for Cirque.
Ultimately, it's about finished product. Can Cirque tone down the circus to include a true plot and great music? I think so.
To those who say it's another Spiderman, I disagree. The patents that Cirque holds on rigging alone would have made Spiderman a MUCH better show (technically) if used. Sadly, they couldn't afford to buy into those designs. They rented cheaper equipment and poached a few of Cirque's people to run it. Obviously, it never worked all that well.
