SIDE SHOW To Replace BULLETS At The St. James?- Page 3

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/11/14 at 2:17am

It's a barn. It's a big theater in comparison to most other Broadway houses. It's big. And if this show isn't a hot ticket in DC where it's basically the only show running, how is it going to come to NYC and compete?

[ethan231h]

Posted: 7/11/14 at 7:05am

I'm Thinking that Side Show would take either the St. James or the Nederlander. On broadway.com they said that it could hit broadway as early as this fall which means it's probably the Nederlander. Pippin is making enough money each week to keep running so the Music Box will probably still be taken in the spring.

Posted: 7/14/14 at 4:54pm

If sideshow does open on Broadway the producers should wait to open in the spring closer to Tony award accouterments. I am afraid if it opens in the fall it will end up closing and wont get the attention it deserves.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/15/14 at 12:20am

Well, the St. James would be a quick death.

I think shows are always using the St. James as a back up plan. Wasn't Natasha suppose to open there too? It's just too big of a theater for most shows.

[Up In One]

Posted: 7/15/14 at 12:52am

I think the fall is the best time for Side Show to open, look at this past season - way too many musicals opened in the spring and with no sure fire break away hit you wound up with a bunch of shows extending runs longer in the hope the other would close and focus the choices for the public.

It looks like there are only two musicals set to open before Christmas - On The Town and Last Ship. While the post Xmas traffic jam is already forming , Honeymoon In Vegas, Funny Thing, 20th Century, King And I, Fun Home, Finding Neverland, Bull Durham, Dames At Sea, American In Paris, Hamilton. Its going to be a suffocating spring to gain attention.

The fall to me looks like a good opportunity to drop anchor and build a reputation and not get lost fighting for coverage in the spring. B'Way Musical fans will have no other choices in the Fall.

If they close the balcony similar to what they did at Cinderella Side Show will do fine at the St. James

PS: Saw it this past weekend and it is very special - the first act is perfection, the performances all great and the new book and direction makes it very real rather than an exercise in theatricality like the original. Heartbreaking really.

[binau]

Posted: 7/15/14 at 5:58am

I realise most people probably know this, and it has been alluded to in the thread already. However, FOLLIES not only "Sold well" in DC but was a complete smash hit -it sold out practically every performance, and was even open for 50% longer (two-weeks) than Side Show. A Sondheim show with decent reviews (even better in NYC), strong sales and a couple of stars - I'm sure it made the decision a little easier to transfer particularly after RAGTIME really did not make it. And it almost looked like it was going to pay off until about half-way through the run. But surely with two flops in a row they will have to think twice.

I really wonder if one of the biggest issues is the time they choose to open shows. There is a reason why many shows open in Spring rather than at the end of the year. Both Ragtime and Follies opened at the end of the year and didn't get to experience any kind of Tony boost. If FOLLIES opened in April 2012 I wonder if it would have lasted till at least January 2013. Maybe they thought it would lose momentum/have difficulty with the availability of cast if they were to wait but the transfer was really rushed - tickets only went on sale to the general public one month before performances started - crazy!! Some time to build an advance if it opened in spring also couldn't have hurt.

I understand the argument RE: competition in Spring though, particularly if your show is not close to the top of the pile in terms of reviews + chances of Tony award wins + word of mouth (and I suspect Side Show might not be at the top of the pile for a few or all of these aspects - it's not the greatest show in the world. There is too much competition in the revival space).

Updated On: 7/15/14 at 05:58 AM

[dreaming]

Posted: 7/15/14 at 8:25am

Up in One-Honeymoon in Vegas is opening in the fall.

As for Bull Durham and Finding Neverland-we aren't sure those are coming this season (it depends on the out of town reviews. At one point they said they were planning on bringing Neverland to London first. I don't know if that fizzled out when they changed creative teams.)

Side Show is a tough sell and there is a glut of revivals this season. (On the Town, Forum, Dames at Sea (maybe), On the Twentieth Century and The King and I).

And you listed Hamilton as arriving on Broadway this season which is highly unlikely since it's going to be at the Public. (I didn't see anything in a press release about that coming this season.)

The only new shows that I've seen as definite are: Honeymoon in Vegas, An American in Paris, Fun Home and The Last Ship. I think either Bull Durham or Finding Neverland (or both) have a shot at opening but we won't know until the out of town reviews are released.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 7/15/14 at 8:48am

Sideshow was a tough sell then and will be this time.

The timing will be critical. They should open right before the Tony nomination cutoff date and insure they do not open during the first 3 months of the year which will be deadly for them. This way if they get a ton of nominations they will start off on the right foot. Find a way around Brantley's expected negative review. Hire a marketing team who knows how to sell this show - hint do not use the Bridges marketing team.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 7/15/14 at 8:49am

Sideshow was a tough sell then and will be this time.

The timing will be critical. They should open right before the Tony nomination cutoff date and insure they do not open during the first 3 months of the year which will be deadly for them. This way if they get a ton of nominations they will start off on the right foot. Find a way around Brantley's expected negative review. Hire a marketing team who knows how to sell this show - hint do not use the Bridges marketing team.

[newintown]

Posted: 7/15/14 at 9:26am

Brantley gushed over Side Show last time; no reason to expect that he'll feel differently now, even with changes to the book and score.

He actually does like some things.

I have no admiration for the guy; I think he's a crappy writer and I find much of his taste pedestrian, uneducated, and low-brow. But that's no reason to try to predict what he'll write.

[dreaming]

Posted: 7/15/14 at 9:53am

I think if Side Show is coming, due to Bill Condon's film schedule, they may have to open in the fall, which isn't good news at all. Also, who reviewed it in DC from the NYT? (Also, great reviews the last go round couldn't save this thing.)

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/15/14 at 3:17pm

Like I've said, if something like Follies can't turn a profit with a large cast, big production, and some big names. Why would this show work?

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 7/15/14 at 3:28pm

If this decides to transfer, it's going to be an uphill battle to get it to catch on.

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 7/15/14 at 7:08pm

I have trouble believing that producers are lining up to throw money at a production that got rave reviews, has over-the-top word of mouth and despite it all is only doing middling business. It seems the subject matter is no more appealing to the mainstream now than it was then. It's a shame but it's a fact.

[ilovebroadway2014]

Posted: 7/15/14 at 7:56pm

AH! I love this score. And I've heard they have made amazing changes in D.C. I can't wait to see it back on Broadway. Have you seen the production photos from the Kennedy Center?? I just can't wait!!

[Glittergrrl]

Posted: 7/16/14 at 12:44am

I missed out on this one the first time around. I'm hoping it comes to Broadway. I really want to see it. The costume/character design looks much darker and more interesting than the last production (as far as I can remember). It looks sad. I like sad. Sad and dark. This should be in my wheelhouse. It also reminds me of one of my favorite books, "Geek Love".

[gstrus2]

Posted: 7/16/14 at 10:16am

Riedel claims that the Muppets musical is looking at a Jujamcyn theater, and isn't the St. James the only one really available? Walter Kerr has GGLAM, Al Hirschfeld has Kinky Boots, August Wilson has Jersey Boys and O'Neill has Book of Mormon.
Could they do a limited engagement for Muppets at St. James for the winter then bring Side Show in the spring?
Muppets BWW Article

[James885]

Posted: 7/16/14 at 10:27am

If the Muppets musical does actually happen, it certainly won't be in this upcoming season. The article states that the show is ' a ways off' - in other words it'll probably be a couple years before you see the Muppets on Broadway.

Updated On: 7/16/14 at 10:27 AM

[ACL2006]

Posted: 7/16/14 at 10:52am

"Bullets" is doing decent business, I can see it lasting until the end of the year and then having "Side Show" come in in the spring for a limited engagement.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/16/14 at 12:34pm

Is the show that big? Why are they insistent on putting it in a huge barn theater? I guess the theater has good curb appeal, but it just seems like a theater that's a tough sell. I can't imagine this show is as big as Bullets is in its design, etc.

[morosco]

Posted: 7/16/14 at 12:48pm

Is the show that big?

The set for SIDE SHOW is not especially big or complicated. Nothing unusual about it.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/16/14 at 5:04pm

Right. So why put it in such a big house. Is it just because it's in a good location? Too bad they can't hold out and partner with Roundabout.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/16/14 at 5:12pm

SIDE SHOW would be the perfect show to go into Circle In The Square.

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 7/16/14 at 5:16pm

Jordan, I thought HEATHERS was taking the Circle in the Square.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/16/14 at 5:19pm

No, now that ROCKY is closing it's going to the Winter Garden. It's gonna do so good there!