The Minutes & American Buffalo Will Now Start Performances in March

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/25/20 at 2:11pm

American Buffalo press release
 

The Minutes press release

Updated On: 6/25/20 at 02:11 PM

[TheSassySam]

Posted: 6/25/20 at 2:14pm

Yay! 

 

And now... for a miracle... Virginia Woolf announces a return? Please?

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 6/25/20 at 2:15pm

I think most shows will be following their leads of a Spring 2021 re-opening for Broadway. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/25/20 at 2:17pm

That was my first thought as well. But that would depend on the filming schedule for ”The Conners” , which was picked up for another full season and moved to the “Modern Family” timeslot, so it appears ABC is full on behind the show.

[KingOfTheMine]

Posted: 6/25/20 at 2:18pm

TheSassySam said: "Yay!



And now... for a miracle... Virginia Woolf announces a return? Please?"

I wonder if Scott Rudin would go for this or opt for Death of a Salesman with Lane and Metcalf?

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 6/25/20 at 2:27pm

Excited that The Minutes announced they’re invested in continuing. I’m still cautiously optimistic about that timeline, but it’s one of the shows I was excited about seeing.

Now fingers crossed Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf follows suit and gets picked back up over Salesman. I’m interested to see Salesman come to fruition one day also, but Woolf is one of my faves and I will go to my grave regretting having missed seeing Laurie as Martha when I had the chance. (In the same way I’ll never get over missing Cate Blanchett’s Streetcar. That one still stings.)

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/25/20 at 2:38pm

As of right now, every show I was excited for this year (besides "Woolf" ) that hadn't started or I hadn't gotten to yet has been announced as returning a full year later - that's just incredible. I'm curious if these two announcements mean some kind of deal has been reached with theatre owners, to allow them to keep the space until 2021 and what that means for other shows we'd fear would definitely be lost. 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 6/25/20 at 2:42pm

I pray to god there’s some vaccine out by March. Otherwise they will all likely postpone again or just end up cancelling all together.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 6/25/20 at 2:46pm

This is amazing! Could it be possible that most of the non-opened shows from this/last season could be pushed back and not scrapped altogether? What about the musicals? Sing Street, Company, Doubtfire, Diana?

Nevertheless, this could make for a memorable comeback story next year given some remedy/vaccine has surfaced. Fauci has stated he is "cautiously optimistic" for the end of the year or early 2021.

Updated On: 6/25/20 at 02:46 PM

[JBroadway]

Posted: 6/25/20 at 2:47pm

I'll echo everything that's been said - great news on both counts! And now crossing fingers for Virginia Woolf! As I've said many times, and continue saying on this board, I'm in the same boat as ColorTheHours: for me, personally, missing Virginia Woolf was the biggest theatrical casualty of the shutdowns. 

Worth noting, by the way, that The Minutes and American Buffalo share the same producers, so this was clearly a joint decision made by them. What Rudin does will be a different question. But I do really hope that he follows suit. And also, as others have said, let's hope that the theatres will actually be open again come March....

I'm glad to hear that American Buffalo will retain its amazing cast. I hope the same will be true for The Minutes, but it may be more difficult because the cast is larger. Although I luckily did manage to see The Minutes already, so it's not as important to me personally. 

With regards to Virginia Woolf and Hangmen, I have been assuming this whole time that the reason they announced closing before anyone else is because for both productions, the majority of the cast was UK-based, and they couldn't keep them here while we waited for the theatres to re-open. Which was obviously a smart move. I wonder if that will pose any issues for them to re-open though. Seeing Metcalf as Martha would be the most important thing to me, when it comes to return engagements. But Patsy Ferran is a wonderful actor, and I was really looking forward to see her. I was also really hoping to see Dan Stevens in Hangmen, but that's not as important to me. 

[EthelMae]

Posted: 6/25/20 at 3:16pm

Great news, but as I read on another chat line just now, how can producers be so definitive about dates? Vaccine or not, and we don’t know about that now anyway, will we watch with masks and temperatures taken out front? Producers and others in the industry have already been vocal about the impossibility of social distancing in the theatres and backstage. I want theatre back as much as others want to see a ballgame but  these announcements seem very crystal ball-ish. 

Updated On: 6/25/20 at 03:16 PM

[Broadway61004]

Posted: 6/25/20 at 3:18pm

Jordan Levinson said: "This is amazing! Could it be possible that most of the non-opened shows from this/last season could be pushed back and not scrapped altogether? What about the musicals?Sing Street,Company,Doubtfire, Diana?

Nevertheless, this could make for a memorable comeback story next year given some remedy/vaccine has surfaced. Fauci has statedhe is "cautiously optimistic" for the end of the year orearly 2021."

I feel like Doubtfire will return.  Company will likely return depending on availability of that cast (although they could also recast if needed of course).  I'm not sure how advanced sales for Sing Street were looking before all this (whether they'd invest the money to bring it back or not).  I think it's safe to say Diana won't return, given how dreadfully it was being received when it was in previews.  But who knows.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/25/20 at 3:19pm

They're probably following the science and from statements like Dr. Faucci who says a vaccine will hopefully be available by the end of the year or beginning of next year and going from there. 

[schubox]

Posted: 6/25/20 at 3:19pm

Is there a pre-planned closing date on American Buffalo? I had tickets to it before and would like to see it, but my Music Man tickets got moved to 10/1, and if this is still running I'll add it to that weekend, if not maybe I'll try to exchange Music Man for earlier. 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/25/20 at 3:21pm

Jordan Catalano said: "That was my first thought as well. But that would depend on the filming schedule for ”The Conners” , which was picked up for another full season and moved to the “Modern Family” timeslot, so it appears ABC is full on behind the show. "

THE CONNERS was moved to Wednesday night as ABC is having Wednesday their comedy night.  ABC begins filming their new season starting in mid/late July 2020 and finishes in March 2021.  

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/25/20 at 3:26pm

Will sitcoms be allowed to be filmed in L.A. by July?

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 6/25/20 at 3:47pm

Is it wrong I wish The Music Man delayed their start by a year? I just worry about all the folks in musical that came out this season possibly having to compete for awards season against the likely juggernaut that is Music Man. Wouldn't it have been great for the Moulin Rouge or West Side Story casts to have a fighting chance?

[uncageg]

Posted: 6/25/20 at 3:48pm

Thank God! "The Minutes" was the top show on my list to see before the shut down.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/25/20 at 3:51pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Will sitcoms be allowed to be filmed in L.A. by July?"

Production has started already on a few shows in Los Angeles.  THE CONNERS is the only comedy on ABC shot with a studio audience, so their situation is being configured but it will be shot with a minimal studio audience and the regular scenario being implemented on all productions.  No television production has been delayed or affected.  All safety measures are being sorted out right now. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/25/20 at 4:02pm

That’s awesome to hear

[Broadway61004]

Posted: 6/25/20 at 4:07pm

everythingtaboo said: "Is it wrong I wish The Music Mandelayed their start by a year? I just worry about all the folks in musical that came out this season possibly having to compete for awards season against the likely juggernaut that is Music Man. Wouldn't it have been great for the Moulin Rouge or West Side Story casts to have a fighting chance?"

We have no idea how the Tony eligibility is going to play out, but in theory, if the Tonys are just pushed back a year and this season extended by a year (meaning they'd encompass May 2019-April 2021), then Music Man won't be eligible until the 2022 Tonys since it's opening in May.  So that may be a moot point anyway.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 6/25/20 at 4:11pm

Broadway61004 said: "everythingtaboo said: "Is it wrong I wish The Music Mandelayed their start by a year? I just worry about all the folks in musical that came out this season possibly having to compete for awards season against the likely juggernaut that is Music Man. Wouldn't it have been great for the Moulin Rouge or West Side Story casts to have a fighting chance?"

We have no idea how the Tony eligibility is going to play out, but in theory, if the Tonys are just pushed back a year and this season extended by a year(meaning they'd encompass May 2019-April 2021), then Music Man won't be eligible until the 2022 Tonys since it's opening in May. So that may be a moot point anyway."

The Tony cutoff is being moved to May 2021. 

[fitzdavid2]

Posted: 6/25/20 at 8:10pm

The announcement for these productions came with a caveat, according to Deadline.  A statement from the producers noted that they intend to return when the governor okays gatherings of over 500 persons and, more noteworthy, when a vaccine has been implemented that will help guarantee the safety factors for the personnel on stage and the audience.  That is deemed essential.  I'm not certain that this means that these productions will necessarily hold to these dates but are hopeful they will be able to.  Unlike "The Music Man" wherein there is, according to its announcement, no deliberation in the decision to return and will definitely began performances on the dates noted...come hell or high water,  vaccine or no vaccine.  I'm looking forward to seeing all three productions, but I think I will feel safest (health wise) beginning theatre attendance as to the conditions outlined for the return  of "The Minutes" and "Buffalo" .  

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 6/25/20 at 8:13pm

Interesting, thanks for the info. 

[Mr. Wormwood]

Posted: 6/25/20 at 10:49pm

I think these are all encouraging signs and I think they're going on what Fauci has said about a vaccine. He sounds more and more sure like it will be late 2020/early 2021. I think most new shows will announce in the March/April range and if a vaccine comes sooner, some existing shows may test the waters slightly before that. I know it's all subject to change but I think these are hopeful news pieces and not just pipe dreams