August: Osage County is closing - was the switching of theatres worth it?
August: Osage County is closing - was the switching of theatres worth it?
#1August: Osage County is closing - was the switching of theatres worth it?
Posted: 6/17/09 at 11:14pm
On April 29 of 2008, AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY switched theaters from the Imperial to the neighboring Music Box. Just one week later on May 7, it was announced that the production recouped its INITIAL investment of $2,560,000.
No financial details were ever released regarding the cost of the move, but I do wonder...was the move worth it? Would the show have lasted longer, shorter, or the same at the Imperial? Which theater would have made the production the most money?
I'd love to ask the producers these questions as I'm SURE they have crunched all these numbers today following the decision to close the show on June 28. For those smarter than I with the numbers -- what are your thoughts?
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
--Aristotle
Act4ever
Broadway Star Joined: 4/12/04
#2re: August: Osage County is closing - was the switching of theatres worth it?
Posted: 6/17/09 at 11:30pmJust by thinking about it, I obviously don't know for sure... but they've been in the Music Box for over a year... Billy Elliot opened in what, October or something like that? That's 8 extra months the show is running. One could only assume that it made some kind of profit.
scaryclowns2232
Stand-by Joined: 6/18/08
#2re: August: Osage County is closing - was the switching of theatres worth i
Posted: 6/17/09 at 11:43pmWell Billy was already boooked in the Imperial when August moved in, and August was originally a limited run, so it had no choice but to move if it wanted to stay open. And it got an extra year out of it- so it's definitely worth it.
#3re: August: Osage County is closing - was the switching of theatres worth i
Posted: 6/17/09 at 11:47pmAh, I hadn't realized BILLY ELLIOT was pre-booked! Makes much more sense now. :)
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
--Aristotle
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#4re: August: Osage County is closing - was the switching of theatres worth i
Posted: 6/17/09 at 11:56pmYeah, the producers knew Billy was booked when they booked August in the theater, so I'm guessing they either didn't think the show would last, or they just really believed in the show. The Music Box is so perfect for the show, so I can't imagine it being in such a huge house like the Imperial.
#5re: August: Osage County is closing - was the switching of theatres worth i
Posted: 6/17/09 at 11:59pm
The August move cost $650,000 according to a Times article on the subject last year.
August was going to be "a limited engagement," Mr. Richards said. "And then the reviews came in. The play has been a phenomenon, there was an overwhelming demand for tickets, and suddenly we have an open-ended engagement." He added that the advance going into the Music Box is $1.4 million.
"Hey little girls, look at all the men in shiny shirts and no wives!" - Jackie Hoffman, Xanadu, 19 Feb 2008
#6re: August: Osage County is closing - was the switching of theatres worth i
Posted: 6/18/09 at 12:23amSo do we know if it re-recouped?
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
--Aristotle
#7re: August: Osage County is closing - was the switching of theatres worth i
Posted: 6/18/09 at 2:02amDo the math. If the move cost 650,000 and the Music Box advance was 1.4 Million, what do you think?
