According to Variety last week, tourists helped boost Broadway sales and it was the “well-established, large-scale tuners” that, per usual, benefited from the “tourist-driven box office, as evidenced by the continuing boffo sales posted by the likes of Wicked ($1,539,124), The Lion King ($1,386,276) and Mamma Mia! ($1,005,981).” Read the entire Variety piece here.
SAFETY IN (MUSICAL) NUMBERS
Not surprisingly, The Road in 2009-2010 looks as though it will generally be following a similar pattern, with the programming of musicals and special attractions nudging out plays. Safer, popular titles will also abound it appears, as Presenters announce their upcoming seasons.
A story in The Naples Daily News touts Jersey Boys, which will be headlining the 09-10 season at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, as “arguably Broadway’s most popular musical since its debut in 2006.” The article continues, “Other shows in next season’s “Broadway Series” will be Grease, featuring American Idol winner Taylor Hicks; Spring Awakening, winner of eight Tony Awards; Cirque Dreams Illumination and the return of Beauty and the Beast.” For the complete story, click here. The Mirvish Theatre in Toronto is also looking mainly to musicals for 2009-2010 to “provide upbeat escapism and variety for audiences during the economic slump. ” For more of that story, click here. The Progess Energy Center in Raleigh, NC also has mostly well-known, comfort food titles coming up next season in their Broadway Series South, as does The McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert, Ca, marketing their subscription series as “Broadway Blockbusters,” and Shea’s Theater in Buffalo has programmed Chicago, Fiddler on the Roof and Grease, each of which has “played Shea’s at least once in the last 10 years.” For more of that article from The Buffalo News click here.
SEASON DOWNSIZING
It also look as though Presenters are being more cautious as far as how many shows they are taking on for 2009-2010 in comparison to past seasons, with PACs whittling down the number of shows in their subscription package offerings.
The France-Merrick Performing Arts Center is one example of The Road playing it a bit safer, offering one less national tour on its subscription season in 09-10, according to a recent article in The Baltimore Sun. Their season will also “be composed of risk-free crowd-pleasers.”
“We definitely want to be responsive to the economy,” says Stella Benkler, the center’s executive director. “We’re cutting our subscription season from seven shows to six, which means the cost of subscriptions will go down. The average ticket price will not increase.” For the whole article, click here.
MAY THE ROAD RISE TO MEET YOU…
I suspect that The Road in 2010-11 may be as conservatively programmed as 2009-2010, possibly more so if the economy is still in the midst of sorting itself out. So what does all this mean for the producers and artists out there who hope to get their original and worthy projects out on The Road, competing not only against revivals and returns, but also more movie to stage musical adaptations than you can shake a stick at?
It’s never going to be easy, but with originally conceived shows such as Spring Awakening, In The Heights and even the large-cast, emotionally intense play, August: Osage County making it to Broadway, and ultimately The Road, with no stars, and not-so-safe topics, it seems clear that there will always be room for new and refreshing work alongside the safe stand-bys.