TINA's future (November 2021 and beyond)- Page 3

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 10/29/21 at 10:33am

Let's face it, it's been 18 months since the show was on, and in that time, it lost a lost of its momentum, and it's going to take some time before it builds back up again. I'm really of the thinking that most people are waiting until like two weeks out before they really settle any plans, and not basing it on whether Adrienne is there. The Tony performance and win was great, but by this point, I don't think the general public really cares about who is in it. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/30/21 at 5:27pm

The general public didn't care who Adrienne was either –– just the theatre diehards. Momentum has obviously been lost for this and other shows, and producers also overestimated demand post-reopening.

[itsjustmejonhotmailcom]

Posted: 10/30/21 at 6:11pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "BJR said: "There have been reports that 50% of sales for most shows have been happening week-of. That's indeed scary for producers, but I think it's worth remembering when scoping out seats weeks out."

Yes, but even if we assume shows double their numbers week-of-show, that's still less than half full for some shows like Tina and Girl from the North Country. And some of those week-of sales are discounted (discount codes, TKTS, TDF, rush/lotto). Weekends almost always do better than weeknights, but these numbers are bleak.

What we never know is what a show's daily "wrap" is averaging. The wrap is the amount of money & tickets sold each day for any performance –– so yesterday's wrap (which the general manager would send this morning) includes day-of sales, but also tickets bought yesterday for next month, or next week, or tomorrow. The numbers will vary wildly show to show, and depending on if there's something like a big new advertising campaign or reviews."

It's not just week-of but a lot of day-of too. And I think one reason we're seeing some aggressive premium price scaling is that they know these tickets will likely sell last min and through discount channels. Want to get $75 for your ticket at the booth? Price it at $150.

[ijest22]

Posted: 10/31/21 at 9:52am

fashionguru_23 said: "I love Tina Turner and her music, but if I were going to NY I wouldn't include it on my list of shows to see. If it came in my subscription series, I'd be fine with it.

Although, I find it interesting that when I watched the GMA performance withNkeki and thought that she looked and sounded great. She seemed more like Tina to me than Adrienne Warren."

Completely agree. I saw both, and Nkeki was more Tina-like, particularly as the more mature Tina.  Adrienne was fantastic, but looked 25 when she was playing 50. Both are worth seeing. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 10/31/21 at 10:37am

Anyone seeing Warren's final performance today?

[aEnigma7345]

Posted: 10/31/21 at 11:10am

everythingtaboo said: "Let's face it, it's been 18 months since the show was on, and in that time, it lost a lost of its momentum, and it's going to take some time before it builds back up again.I'm really of the thinking that most people are waiting until like two weeks out before they really settle any plans, and not basing it on whether Adrienne is there. The Tony performance and win was great, but by this point, I don't think the general public really cares about who is in it."

I saw Tina yesterday and Nkeki Obi-Melekwe was on (she performs on Saturday matinees and will be full time) and thought she was phenomenal!  There were people in the audience who mistaken her for Adrienne Warren!  The show is in good hands with Nkeki, and although I missed out on Adrienne performing (due to a scheduling conflict), I wish her the absolute best in her future endeavors.  

Broadway in general has not really been doing too well since reopening.  Ticket sales across the board are way down.  Obviously, this is due to the lingering pandemic -- many people are still not yet vaccinated, so they are shut out of Broadway shows.  And many others are fully vaccinated but just are not ready to sit in a crowded theater for two plus hours.  My parents are fully vaccinated and they still refuse to go to any place indoors that have crowds.  They have tried to talk me out of seeing this show due to safety concerns with covid, and I had to remonstrate with them.  

Updated On: 10/31/21 at 11:10 AM

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 10/31/21 at 3:16pm

Another factor (that I think gets overlooked a lot) is that people are in very different places financially than they were prior to the pandemic.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/31/21 at 3:46pm

I really don't think finances are as big a factor for NYC –– for other areas, yes, but that is part of the larger tourism problem we're dealing with now. 

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/31/21 at 4:55pm

ACL2006 said: "Anyone seeing Warren's final performance today?"

I would love to hear reports from anyone who attended her final show this afternoon. Her performance is forever seared into my memory as one of the greatest performances I have ever seen on a Broadway stage.

[artsygal]

Posted: 10/31/21 at 7:50pm

I was at Adrienne’s final show today. She was electric as usual (and noticeably emotional at some points). The audience energy was insane! We leapt to our feet multiple times for standing ovations throughout the show. I’ve never been to a final show of a lead (I don’t think?) so this was such a special experience! Also seems like many Broadway people were there too! Spotted Ashley Loren, Danielle Brooks, Natalie Weiss, and I *think* Jonathan Groff but I couldn’t entirely confirm (lol). 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 10/31/21 at 8:59pm

There's a few videos out there of Warren's final curtain call.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 11/2/21 at 9:10am

FYI, Kayla Davion is the new TINA alternate.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 11/2/21 at 12:33pm

Not to thread-jack, but I wanted to touch on the Broadway set design for Tina compared to its international counterparts. The Broadway sets “bandstand” is much more complex than any of the other productions, even the west end version, and I’m curious why that is. Even the newer Spain production has the limited version of the set.

[Hairspray0901]

Posted: 11/2/21 at 12:37pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "The general public didn't care who Adrienne was either –– just the theatre diehards. Momentum has obviously been lost for this and other shows, and producers also overestimated demand post-reopening."

My friend's Mom saw Tina on Friday night (She lives in NY). She messaged me (knowing I'm a huge bway fan) and said I HAVE to see Tina, that the entire show was "amazing". She didn't mention Adrienne nor I didn't tell her Adrienne was leaving Sunday. So I believe this is entirely accurate - most people aren't/weren't seeing the show for Adrienne, they're seeing the show because they like Tina Turner. I don't think the general public will know any different.

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 11/2/21 at 12:47pm

I think that’s a fair point. I think the general public who go to this will go mainly because they love Tina. And they’ll have a great time over all because they don’t perhaps have a higher expectation of what a musical about Tina could have been. Whereas I, who also love Tina, left the theater feeling disappointed that the lazy book didn’t do her life story justice.

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 11/2/21 at 12:53pm

I have to think general audiences are getting bored of the biopic musician musical the way we're bored of the Oscar bait biopic movie. 

The books are just always really meh. 

[RWPrincess]

Posted: 11/2/21 at 2:28pm

I was also at Adrienne's final performance on Sunday. I was in Row G Orchestra so just before just before the curtain went up, I could hear the cast cheering loudly for her. Adrienne later posted a photo where she was kneeling while surrounded by the cast. The most notable standing ovations were when 17 year old Tina came onstage just after the opening scene--I could see the emotion on her face. Then after River Deep Mountain High and the entire encore.

After the encore, Skye gave her a bouquet of flowers and then Daniel Watts spoke briefly. Adrienne was overcome with emotion and kneeled down at one point. Then she said a few brief words thanking everyone including fans. She mentioned seeing fan posts with videos and told us to keep posting those. Then she ended by telling everyone to be good to one another. The whole thing was very brief--less than 10 minutes for sure maybe even less than 5. I'm sure it was a day Adrienne will never forget.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 11/2/21 at 2:39pm

Hairspray0901, as discussed yesterday in the thread about Audra's play, nobody who is primarily known for their work in theatre can sell tickets to the masses. Adrienne Warren's following is niche and should be assumed as such until she proves otherwise at the box office in another show. The show got a small bump on its return because of her final weeks of playing, but its future looks bleak.

[Phillytheatreguy10]

Posted: 11/2/21 at 3:02pm

I think this may go by way of the Cher Show. Arguably no one that isn’t a theatre person was seeing them for their leading ladies, both of which took home Tonys and then their shows closed. I was at Adrienne’s final show and saw it purely for her. I read the comments about the book here, which I largely agree with- I think the second act is the weaker of the two. Adrienne was a firecracker, she made the show for me. I’m personally tiring of bio musicals, that said, I sadly thought of the three most recent ones with female leads, this one was the strongest- I thought Summer was laughably bad, Cher I was there for the costumes and Stephanie, and here I was there to see Adrienne and that probably led to me having a better time- I also thought the directing was pretty weak. This is a tourist driven show and if tourists aren’t coming back to the city, I think this may be on it’s last legs.

[Hairspray0901]

Posted: 11/2/21 at 3:31pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Hairspray0901, as discussed yesterday in the thread about Audra's play, nobody who is primarily known for their work in theatre can sell tickets to the masses. Adrienne Warren's following is niche and should be assumed as such until she proves otherwise at the box office in another show. The show got a small bump on its return because of her final weeks of playing, but its future looks bleak."

Maybe you misread my post but I was agreeing with you that Adrienne’s name won’t effect ticket sales for the masses, only theatre fans. 

[saxpower]

Posted: 11/9/21 at 3:31pm

I saw the evening performance on Saturday 11/6.  Nkeki Obi-Melekwe was excellent.  I did not see Adrienne Warren, so I have no comparison, but was very impressed by Nkeki.  I do agree with comments about the book... seemed to just be connecting the songs.   Also, there was a few places I had difficulty making out the dialogue.  Then again, this was the third of three shows I saw in two days (and the second that way, plus a guided walking tour) so I may have been a bit worn out by then. 

Orchestra looked pretty much filed.   Could not see into the mezzanine when when looking up from the orchestra. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 11/9/21 at 4:38pm

TINA still has yet to pop-up on TKTS. So it doesn't appear there's that much gloom and doom for this show. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 11/9/21 at 11:03pm

ACL2006 said: "TINA still has yet to pop-up on TKTS. So it doesn't appear there's that much gloom and doom for this show."

Or a deliberate attempt by the producers to get people to buy full priced tickets day of show and not devalue the price of tickets.

Eyeballing, the performances this week seem more than half sold, with some closer to 3/4. Using basic numbers, if we assume it's selling an average of 800 tickets per show at an average cost of $110, that's about $750K per week. Which is probably 50-150K profit per week depending on the running cost. 

But I don't know if any of the above is sustainable longterm, especially if we assume sales will go down by 10-20% or more this winter...a small profit margin can quickly become losses.

[unclevictor]

Posted: 1/2/22 at 12:42pm

Closing notice… today?

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 1/2/22 at 12:51pm

unclevictor said: "Closing notice… today?"

Leave Tina alone!

But seriously, there’s a slight obsession there.