I would found a theatre company off-Broadway and mount tasteful productions of revivals and new plays and musicals that might have very little commercial appeal with the production quality that they deserve.
I would produce a musical that would showcase the talents of the lovely Liz Callaway.
"Noel [Coward] and I were in Paris once. Adjoining rooms, of course. One night, I felt mischievous, so I knocked on Noel's door, and he asked, 'Who is it?' I lowered my voice and said 'Hotel detective. Have you got a gentleman in your room?' He answered, 'Just a minute, I'll ask him.'" (Beatrice Lillie)
I would produce Hocus Pocus the Musical, finance a film version of Next to Normal, and pay someone to write a starring role for Jenn Colella. A lot more as well, this stuff just came to me first.
I'd produce the jukebox rock musical I've been gradually writing in my head for the last few years. I wouldn't even care if it made any money, I just want to see the show that's in my head.
"I would produce enough new and exciting shows that there would no longer be space for revivals, jukebox musicals, magic shows etc. And the funny thing is, there would be enough money to do it again and again for well beyond my natural life."
There should be room on Broadway for everything. Imagine someone who never saw King & I and with no revivals they would have been unable to see the LCT one now playing.
I would produce my own play starring Meryl Streep and my own musical starring Hugh Jackman, both based on my own original ideas. (I can dream, can't I?)
I would buy back the Mark Hellinger and produce a stellar production of Carousel and Ragtime with full orchestra. Josh Henry would be cast as Coalhouse.
Hey Dottie!
Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany
It would be nice restoring the original entrance to the Hellinger which was on Broadway but that would need displacing other businesses there now.
Repainting would be nice as well plus a nice steam cleaning of the exterior. Add to that a first rate marquee and that would take care of the Hellinger unless you would be renaming it. The Stritch would be a nice name.
^Are you sure the original entrance was on 7th?? Although the front entrance to the building currently is located on 51st Street,this was originally a side entrance. The main entrance was originally at 1655 Broadway, with a narrow lobby leading to a Grand Foyer on 51st Street.[
Hey Dottie!
Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany
When I first heard about it from someone who actually saw it I was told it was totally different in design from the theater itself. The original entrance was art deco whereas the theater was French Renaissance I believe. The rent they were paying for the original lobby was not part of the theater itself . The theater owners felt the extra expense was not worth it so they cast it adrift.
Did you look under the theaters original name Warner's Hollywood?
I would produce unproduced cast recordings or record musicals that never gotten a recording at all. My top choices include Marilyn an American Fable and Something More!
I love the idea of building a theatre or two. What I would do with it, though -- and remember that I have a lot of money to lose, without feeling the pinch -- would be to create a rep company that produces revivals of shows that I loved but will never be revived otherwise, unless on a shoestring budget; and I would hire the best in the business to work to update them, particularly to address known issues. I don't expect to ever see a full scale, professional production of Darling of the Day, Drat the Cat, Hallelujah Baby, Cyrano (Plummer version), Shenandoah, Coco, Bells Are Ringing, Half a Sixpence, The Grand Tour, Over Here, at the rate things are going Mame and Funny Girl, Purlie, Chess, Dear World, you get the idea. Sondheim is covered by the Roundabout, so I would not worry about him.
If I did not have to share the $$ at all, I would probably try to hire someone who could bring off a first class revival of Follies, something we have not had to date. I always fear that at time has enhanced my memories of this production, but I don't think so. The version I saw in Boston with Uptown! Downtown! and Boy, Can That Boy Foxtrot was far superior to either revival on Broadway, and a lot better than the London Production. I would love to try to get it right, and that would require more $$ than the last revival had, which resulted in a Loveland set that looked like it was covered with those pink carnations kids make out of tissue paper. Of course, Id probably be broke by the time it opened.