Stunt casting to stay open post COVID-19

[Theatrefanboy1]

Posted: 4/6/20 at 10:50am

Im curious how many shows will be using a stunt casting approach to stay open after this Situation. I could see those safer shows being less affected. And I would assume most that were in the midst of previews will still have their OBC together. But for shows like dear Evan Hansen, Hadestown, aint too proud to name a few I could personally see them using names to bring people back. With lots of musicians and Hollywood actors having tours and projects canceled or postponed it may entice them as well to do an in between musical for a couple months.

Anyone remember what happened the months following 9/11. Did a lot of shows close or get cancelled or did they bring in big names?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/6/20 at 10:59am

The shows you mentioned (Hadestown, Evan Hansen) won’t need any stunt casting to get people back to them. But I’ve thought about this and i even posted before that I think when this is said and done and theaters reopen that we’ll see a lot of new play revivals featuring extremely famous actors for short runs or with rotating casts. Also I’ve said I think shows like Les Mis, Annie, really anything that’s toured for years and has enough people who know the show like the back of their hand will move in ASAP and probably with very recognizable people associated with them.

I even have this fantasy of Michael Crawford doing 8 weeks in Phantom either here or on the West End.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/6/20 at 11:13am

Oh and to answer your 9/11 question, yes a lot of shows closed, including my beloved “Rocky Horror”. Not nearly as many as are going to shutter because of this, though.

[Kimbo]

Posted: 4/6/20 at 12:30pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Oh and to answer your 9/11 question, yes a lot of shows closed, including my beloved “Rocky Horror”. Not nearly as many as are going to shutter because of this, though. "
 

I’m genuinely curious why you say that a lot if shows closed post-9/11 but not nearly as many will because of this. After 9/11 Broadway was shut down for a day or 2, and some people were scared to come to NY, but we weren’t in the middle of an economic or health crisis and there was a very rah-rah get-out-there-and-help-New-York feeling in the entire country.  

This time, we’ll have been closed anywhere from 2 months to —? (4? 10? 6? who knows?) — people will, to a certain extent, be trepidatious about going ANYWHERE, but certainly to congregate in large groups immediately, and most certainly older people, who make up Broadway’s bread-and-butter. And that’s assuming audiences (and investors) have the wherewithal to buy tickets (and open new shows or prop up old ones), which in the middle of an economic downturn that will clearly be the worst in 12 years, if not the worst since the 1930s, is an additional very real concern. Just yesterday there was an article saying the entire AMC movie chain is likely to fold and never reopen. Obviously they have a very different structure than Broadway, and are deeply in debt, so that’s not going to happen to the Shuberts, Nederlanders, etc.

And I completely agree with your assessment and strategy that we’ll see even more of the Scott Ruffin-type star-driven revivals of limited runs (based on how people will need to laugh and how well Plaza Suite was selling even begins almost this, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Neil Simon have another day in the sun - things like Prisoner of Second Avenue, Lost in Yonkers, California Suite, Chapter Two, and maybe even Rumors all seem plausible candidates for their first Broadway revivals over the next several years, with chestnuts like The Sunshine Boys all but guaranteed) - but as far as the short-term fallout, I’m surprised you won’t think there’ll be a larger thinning of the herd relative to 9/11 and wondering what that feeling is based on... since I’d love to believe you’re right.

 

Updated On: 4/6/20 at 12:30 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/6/20 at 12:34pm

Not sure what you mean. I said I think significantly more shows will close over this than closed because of 9/11.

[Impossible2]

Posted: 4/6/20 at 12:59pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Not sure what you mean. I said I think significantly more shows will close over this than closed because of 9/11."

It does but I had to read it 3 times before it did lol

[IAMREADING]

Posted: 4/6/20 at 1:06pm

Mean Girls has Sabrina Carpenter until June 7th. She posted on her opening night on Instagram (with 20.1 million followers!) she regrets doing a limited run because she is enjoying it--which kind of implies it isn't feasible with her schedule to extend. 

"I am here for a limited 3 month run which i am now deeply regretting the limited part cause this is so fun but please come out to see a show!" 

[Wick3]

Posted: 4/6/20 at 1:17pm

I think we will see a lot of good deals on ticket prices. I hope Scott Rudin will do something similar to the $50 ticket sale last month for Broadway's first month back in operation. Who knows though. 

As for stunt casting, it really depends whether that actor can actually sell tickets over $200 per person and more importantly, premium tickets priced over $400 per person. With our economy in a recession with super high unemployment, I just doubt people will pay regular prices to see a Broadway show (which I consider a luxury or non-essential experience.) Even with Hugh Jackman coming in for Music Man this fall, I think they'll have discounted tickets. 

[JBradshaw]

Posted: 4/6/20 at 1:45pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Oh and to answer your 9/11 question, yes a lot of shows closed, including my beloved “Rocky Horror”. Not nearly as many as are going to shutter because of this, though. "

That final “Rocky Horror” in Sept was so much fun. I went solo the person that had a seat next to me was Charlotte d’Amboise. 
 

back on topic when broadway reopens it needs a “hairspray” revival. That show makes people happy

[Broadway Buddy]

Posted: 4/6/20 at 3:47pm

I think what they have to do is cast Tina Fey as the adult woman in Mean Girls. That will really bring some more attention. I also think they should stund cast Idina for an eight week engagement in Wicked. It’s not as big as it was just five years ago. They don’t really sell out every night anymore.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/6/20 at 3:56pm

I think maybe Lin going into Hamilton for a few weeks is something that could probably happen, but really who knows.

[Kimbo]

Posted: 4/6/20 at 3:59pm

Wick3 said: "I think we will see a lot of good deals on ticket prices. I hope Scott Rudin will do something similar to the $50 ticket sale last month for Broadway's first month back in operation. Who knows though.

As for stunt casting, it really depends whether that actor can actually sell tickets over $200 per person and more importantly, premium tickets priced over $400 per person. With our economy in a recession withsuper high unemployment, I just doubt people will pay regular prices to see a Broadway show (which I consider a luxury ornon-essential experience.) Even with Hugh Jackman coming in for Music Man this fall, I think they'll have discounted tickets."

I completely agree.  If "The Music Man"  even actually happens on schedule this fall (debatable, I think, due to pre-existing contractual obligations for Sutton Foster and Jackman on other film & TV projects that were interrupted), and in the absence of a vaccine, there'll be so many cancellations from theater-party groups and older ticketholders that there will be discounts for sure.  It'll still be an event (and the kind of event that Broadway needs to get back up and running), but no longer the sell-out smash that Hello Dolly was.  (Which, combined with the conflicts of shooting schedules resuming, is why I suspect that like so much else in virtually every field of society from music festivals to the Olympics, Music Man likely gets pushed back to at least spring 2021, and maybe more likely, by a full year to fall 2021).   With tourism inevitably down and the economy hurting, I think sales and deals could possibly be the case for every show, with even something like Hamilton having to come up with some creative voodoo to help resell cancelled tickets and avoid heading prematurely, even temporarily, to the half-price line.

 

Updated On: 4/6/20 at 03:59 PM

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 4/6/20 at 4:23pm

As mentioned above, it’s impossible to compare the COVID-19 pandemic to 9/11. Broadway was back two days later and attendance was virtually intact. I visited NYC 3 months later (for Christmas holidays) and shows were packed as usual. Saw THE PRODUCERS and the cancelation line was just as crazy as it was prior to 9/11. Times Square was just as packed for New Year’s Eve with the only exemption being they said there would be no fireworks. No one was scared to be in crowds or attend a Broadway show.

[IAMREADING]

Posted: 4/6/20 at 5:11pm

Broadway Buddy said: "I think what they have to do is cast Tina Fey as the adult woman in Mean Girls. That will really bring some more attention. I also think they should stund cast Idina for an eight week engagement in Wicked. It’s not as big as it was just five years ago. They don’t really sell out every night anymore."

ADULT WOMAN TINA FEY! 

[Theatrefanboy1]

Posted: 4/6/20 at 11:49pm

Yes I guess i was thinking more shows like mean girls or Chicago or ain’t too proud or Hadestown.

I guess in terms of Hadestown I could see them also alternating genders with Hermes or I could see them have cyndi Lauper or someone come in for a couple weeks for amber. Kind of do what great comet or waitress had done. I think Hadestown is wide open for recording artists to come in for some of the roles.

I could definitely see Tina fey come in for a month or two.


But in the coming year or so I do agree I think some of the classic shows like some Neil simons could come in with big names.

[jo]

Posted: 4/7/20 at 1:02am

Hugh Jackman's availability up to Sept 2021 does not seem to be an issue --

From an interview article dated March 12, 2020 --
https://www.travelandleisure.com/style/travel-accessories/biking-beer-and-audiobooks-heres-what-traveling-with-hugh-jackman-looks-like?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=social-share-article

Excerpts --

"You live in New York City, and you’ll be staying put here for a while since you’re beginning your run in The Music Man on Broadway this fall. What’s your favorite thing to do in the city?"

“The theater. The theater’s my favorite. I just saw The Inheritance which I think is one of the best plays I’ve ever seen. And I just saw West Side Story last week, which I thought was astonishing. That’s certainly the best West Side Story I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen a bunch.” 



"What other projects are you working on this year?"

“I’m doing The Music Man, and that’s it. I’m sort of in early, early rehearsals for that. Apart from that, I went straight to a film after the world tour, so I’m having a little bit of a break.”

*************************

Presumably he is committed to the project till at least Sept 2021 (per The Hollywood Reporter which reported the revival news, based on an exclusive interview with Scott Rudin in March 2019)?

Updated On: 4/7/20 at 01:02 AM

[jo]

Posted: 4/7/20 at 1:25am

Re the movie that Hugh Jackman worked on after his music tour -- filming happened end-October to end-January 2020. A comment from the Director of Photography, Paul Cameron, who has just directed an episode of WESTWORLD --

collider.com/westworld-season-3-episode-4-ending-dolores-twist-explained-paul-cameron-interview/

Excerpts --
 

You also shot Lisa Joy’s feature film directing debut, is that right?

CAMERON: Yeah. I just finished that at end of January, a movie called Reminiscent (sic) directed by Lisa Joy. Westworld co-creator and co-showrunner and director. It’s Lisa’s first film, it’s a Warner Brothers studio film with Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Ferguson. Incredible love story. Lisa really wrote a fantastic script here, and directed a beautiful movie. We shot it in New Orleans over four months.


I can’t wait to see that. I’m excited for that one.

CAMERON: Yeah, that will be good. I think it’ll be a good one, she did a really good job.