Vanessa Redgrave, Alan Alda Participate in Free Shakespeare Reading

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Vanessa Redgrave

Vanessa Redgrave

Just as The Public Theater’s free-to-the-public Shakespeare in the Park season is getting started at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park next month, the Public will be offering another free Shakespeare-themed event. On June 17 at 8pm, they will be hosting “What Are We Worth? Shakespeare, Money, and Morals,” a Public Forum event that invites attendees to take part in a town hall-style discussion.

Moderated by Harvard professor Michael Sandel (author of What Money Can’t Buy: The Moral Limits of Markets), the conversation will be about the ways that the language of money directs our lives. The event, which will feature selected readings from Shakespeare plays, boasts the participation of many former and current Broadway stars, including Vanessa Redgrave, Alan Alda, Liev Schreiber, Raul Esparza, Jesse L. Martin, Lily Rabe, and Hamish Linklater.

“We are delighted to be partnering with the Aspen Institute and the brilliant Michael Sandel to create this lively and passionate evening,” stated Oskar Eustis, artistic director of the Public. “Shakespeare was writing at the birth of the modern economy, and his searing insights into money and value will be the perfect frame for this exhilarating event.”

“What Are We Worth?” tickets will be distributed for free at the Delacorte Theater at 12pm on June 17 (limit of 2 per person). There will also be some ticket distributed through an online ticket drawing. Visit shakespeareinthepark.org to learn more.

Broadway Musical Legally Blonde To Take on the High Seas

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Legally BlondeLegally Blonde, the Tony nominated musical that played on Broadway from 2007-2008, is about to be seen out on the open waters when it becomes the resident show of Norwegian Cruise Lines’ brand new ocean liner “Getaway”.

Readying to set sail in January of 2014, the 4,000-passenger ship boasts a 787-seat theater where Legally Blonde will play as it cruises the Eastern Caribbean. Passengers will also get to enjoy another former Broadway show, the dance musical Burn the Floor.

This is not the first time that a Broadway musical has become entertainment for cruise ship passengers. The Royal Caribbean line has offered condensed versions of both Chicago and Hairspray (the latter even had a feature spot on a previous Tony Awards telecast, with a musical performance being broadcast live from the ship).

Broadway Show Ticket Sales Analysis w/e 5/19/2013

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Motown the Musical Broadway ShowBROADWAY TICKET SALES GET A SMALL INCREASE
At last, grosses are looking up on Broadway — even if not by much.  This week Broadway’s total ticket revenue saw a modest increase, going from last week’s $24,246,231 up to $24,657,284.

SEVERAL BROADWAY SHOWS SELLING OUT
A total of seven Broadway shows came in at 100% capacity or more this week:  I’ll Eat You Last, Kinky Boots, Lucky Guy, Matilda, Motown the Musical, Pippin, and The Book of Mormon.  Interestingly, none of those shows are among the top two earners this week.  The Lion King and Wicked took the number one and two spots, respectively, bringing in the highest grosses because they are housed in particularly large theaters and are still popular enough to command high ticket prices.

ORPHANS CONCLUDES WITH DECENT SALES
The Broadway play Orphans, starring Alec Baldwin, Ben Foster, and Tony nominee Tom Sturridge, ended its run at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre early, presumably due to low ticket sales.  Its final week saw fair but unimpressive sales, filling the theater to 84.54% capacity with an average paid admission of $68.84.

The following are the Broadway ticket sales numbers from the week ending May 19, 2013:

Broadway Show Ticket Sales Analysis

Show Name GrossGross TotalAttn %Cap Avg Paid Admission
ANN $247,041 3,528 39.62% $70.02
ANNIE $842,272 10,854 79.44% $77.60
CHICAGO $697,597 7,871 91.10% $88.63
CINDERELLA $1,017,256 12,032 85.89% $84.55
I’LL EAT YOU LAST: A CHAT WITH SUE MENGERS $829,768 5,559 102.21% $149.27
JERSEY BOYS $956,177 9,056 92.18% $105.58
KINKY BOOTS $1,269,683 11,496 100.91% $110.45
LUCKY GUY $1,387,476 9,687 102.44% $143.23
MACBETH $444,348 5,037 80.57% $88.22
MAMMA MIA! $822,902 9,507 79.33% $86.56
MATILDA $1,063,972 11,456 100.00% $92.87
MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL $1,249,920 12,152 100.80% $102.86
NEWSIES $839,892 9,297 98.07% $90.34
NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT $760,202 8,975 77.96% $84.70
ONCE $859,871 7,960 93.96% $108.02
ORPHANS $498,625 7,243 84.54% $68.84
PIPPIN $869,274 7,985 100.82% $108.86
ROCK OF AGES $450,030 4,532 97.17% $99.30
SPIDER-MAN TURN OFF THE DARK $1,032,689 12,098 78.35% $85.36
THE ASSEMBLED PARTIES $354,725 4,914 94.50% $72.19
THE BIG KNIFE $229,239 3,868 65.34% $59.27
THE BOOK OF MORMON $1,701,989 8,752 102.63% $194.47
THE LION KING $1,887,665 13,448 98.88% $140.37
THE NANCE $499,762 5,965 81.40% $83.78
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA $1,078,051 12,454 96.99% $86.56
THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL $469,185 5,450 64.09% $86.09
VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE $549,536 5,935 94.27% $92.59
WICKED $1,748,141 13,881 95.92% $125.94
Totals: $24,657,284 240,992 88.55% $99.52

Broadway ticket sales raw data are provided courtesy of The Broadway League. All other data, text, opinion, charts and commentary are copyright © 2013 nytix.com.

Pippin and Matilda Take Top Drama Desk Awards

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Pippin Broadway MusicalThe Drama Desk Award winners were announced yesterday, and a wide variety of Broadway and Off-Broadway shows and performers were honored. While the Tonys, which exclusively honor excellence in Broadway theater, are the best known theater awards, the Drama Desk Awards recognize a broader range of shows, considering excellence in all New York City theater, from Broadway to small Off-Off-Broadway productions.

The well-reviewed British musical Matilda did well, taking Drama Desks for Outstanding Musical, Featured Actor (Bertie Carvel), Set Design (Rob Howell), Book (Dennis Kelly), and Lyrics (Tim Minchin). The Broadway revival of Pippin also scored big, earning Outstanding Revival of a Musical, Director (Diane Paulus), Featured Actress (Andrea Martin), and Choreography (Chet Walker and Gypsy Snider). Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, which won Outstanding Play, and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, which won Outstanding Revival of a Play, also enjoyed plenty of recognition.

Here Lies Love was the biggest winner among the Off-Broadway shows, earning Outstanding Music, Lighting, and Projection Design awards. Michael Urie in Buyer & Cellar won for Outstanding Solo Performance, and Old Hats (starring Bill Irwin and David Shiner) received the Outstanding Revue award.

Orphans Concludes Broadway Run

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Orphans Broadway ShowThe new production of Lyle Kessler’s play Orphans closes at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre today. The play, which officially opened on April 18, ends its run early, having played only a total of 64 performances.

Orphans starred Ben Foster and Tom Sturridge as orphaned brothers living in a decrepit North Philadelphia row house, with the elder brother supporting himself and his sheltered sibling by committing petty crimes. When he tries to kidnap a rich business man (played by Alec Baldwin), both brothers are surprised to find themselves with a new father figure of sorts.

From early in its rehearsal process, Orphans was making headlines due to reported difficulties relating to the production’s original star, popular movie actor Shia LeBeouf (Transformers). LeBeouf, who was let go from the production during rehearsals, publicized private email conversations that he had had with co-star Alec Baldwin and director Daniel Sullivan via his Twitter account. The young actor was quickly replaced with Ben Foster, and the production’s first preview was delayed a week.

Though most of the press about Orphans centered around Alec Baldwin, Shia LeBeouf, and replacement Ben Foster (who has been active in independent film for several years), Tom Sturridge ended up being the play’s breakout star, earning a Tony Award nomination for his performance.

Alan Cumming and Audra McDonald Are Made in NY

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Audra McDonald

Audra McDonald

Two of Broadway’s best will be honored with 2013 Made in NY Awards in a presentation at Gracie Mansion on June 10.  Audra McDonald (Porgy and Bess, Ragtime) and Alan Cumming (Macbeth, Cabaret), both Tony Award winners, are receiving these special awards, which recognize both people and organizations who have made notable contributions to NYC’s entertainment and media industries.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Media & Entertainment Commissioner Katherine L. Oliver will host the Made in NY Awards ceremony, which will include a performance from Broadway’s Kinky Boots (to be introduced by the show’s bookwriter, Harvey Fierstein).

“The honorees of the 2013 ‘Made in NY Awards’ have made New York City proud by establishing their remarkable careers here,” stated NYC Mayor Bloomberg. “They are a part of a community of thousands of New Yorkers who together have brought the City to the forefront of the entertainment and digital media industries, helping to make New York City an exciting and thriving place to be.”

Billy Crystal Returns To Broadway With 700 Sundays

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Billy Crystal

Billy Crystal

Film, TV, and occasional stage star Billy Crystal is coming back to Broadway once again with his one-man play 700 Sundays. Crystal will appear in the limited-run arrival, directed by Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys), at the Imperial Theatre from November 5, 2013 until January 5, 2014.

Written by Billy Crystal and Alan Zweibel, 700 Sundays originally played on Broadway in 2004 and 2005. The award-winning play is the autobiographical tale of Crystal’s youth and emergence into adulthood and features him playing multiple characters.

“When we originally opened on Broadway, all I knew was that I had a story that I was compelled to share,” stated Billy Crystal about his experience with 700 Sundays. “Now that I’ve performed my play across the country and internationally, I’m gratified to know that the love of family, through joy and pain, is perhaps the most universal story. I’ve now decided to tell this story one last time in my own backyard, where it all took place.”

Broadway Themed TV Show Smash Canceled

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Smash TV ShowSmash, the NBC television drama that has been a frequent topic of discussion (and sometimes derision) among Broadway fans, will not return to the small screen next season. The final episode of the series will air on May 26.

Starring American Idol alum Katharine McPhee as a young performer pursuing her Broadway dream, Smash spent two seasons charting the creation and development of a Broadway-bound musical about Marilyn Monroe called Bombshell. The sometimes soapy, sometimes comic drama offered a behind-the-scenes look at the world of Broadway, spotlighting songwriters, directors, producers, and more.

Created and produced by playwright Theresa Rebeck (Dead Accounts), Rebeck was replaced with showrunner Joshua Safran (Gossip Girl) in the show’s second season, but ratings continued to fall. During its run, the cast of Smash boasted many Broadway regulars, including Christian Borle (Peter and the Starcatcher), Jeremy Jordan (Newsies), and Megan Hilty (Wicked). Other series regulars included Anjelica Huston, Jack Davenport, and Debra Messing.

The Beatles Come To Broadway This Summer

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Let It Be Broadway ShowWith the recent successes of Barry Manilow and The Rascals on Broadway, Broadway is becoming an increasingly attractive venue for concert productions. The latest in the series is Let It Be, a concert show that features the greatest hits of one of the greatest rock bands of all time, The Beatles.

Originating as a 50th anniversary celebration for The Beatles on the West End, Let It Be charts the Liverpool band’s rise to international fame utilizing projection technology and 3D sound. The show includes live performances of songs such as “Twist and Shout,” “She Loves You,” “Hey Jude,” “Yesterday,” “Come Together,” and of course the title song, “Let It Be”.

Let It Be will begin performances at the St. James Theatre on July 16, with an opening date set for July 24. The production is scheduled to run through December 29. Find out more at LetItBeBroadway.com.

Broadway Show Ticket Sales Analysis w/e 5/12/2013

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Jekyll & Hyde

Jekyll & Hyde

YET ANOTHER SMALL DECREASE IN SALES
Broadway’s total ticket sales continue to creep slowly downward, decreasing from last week’s $24,611,041 down to this week’s $24,246,231.  While this trend is far from welcome, it is not dramatic enough to be of serious concern.  Broadway producers are likely hoping that the summer tourist season will provide a boost in sales next month.

JEKYLL & HYDE ENDS ON A MEDIOCRE NOTE
The Frank Wildhorn musical Jekyll & Hyde, a hit when it first appeared on Broadway in the late ’90s, did not meet with such success on its recent return to Broadway.  The revival starring Constantine Maroulis only played briefly before shuttering this past Sunday.  In its final week, the romantic melodrama filled just over half its theater at 54.04% capacity, with an average paid admission of $63.11.

THE LION KING DOMINATES THE BROADWAY BOX OFFICE
Disney’s The Lion King continues to lord it over the Broadway jungle, holding the top spot in total ticket sales with weekly earnings of $1,846,975. Wicked and The Book of Mormon came in second and third place, respectively.

The following are the Broadway ticket sales numbers from the week ending May 12, 2013:

Broadway Show Ticket Sales Analysis

Show Name GrossGross TotalAttn %Cap AvgPaidAdm
ANN $241,037 3,445 38.69% $69.97
ANNIE $743,412 8,970 65.65% $82.88
CHICAGO $641,445 7,705 89.18% $83.25
CINDERELLA $911,022 10,010 71.46% $91.01
I’LL EAT YOU LAST: A CHAT WITH SUE MENGERS $865,144 6,271 100.9% $137.96
JEKYLL & HYDE $439,818 6,969 54.04% $63.11
JERSEY BOYS $891,835 8,881 90.40% $100.42
KINKY BOOTS $1,250,718 11,398 100.1% $109.73
LUCKY GUY $1,389,588 9,610 101.6% $144.60
MACBETH $433,127 4,609 73.72% $93.97
MAMMA MIA! $880,486 9,965 83.15% $88.36
MATILDA $1,124,333 11,456 100.3% $98.14
MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL $1,194,456 12,150 100.8% $98.31
NEWSIES $787,730 9,323 98.34% $84.49
NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT $644,906 7,828 68.00% $82.38
ONCE $814,582 7,549 89.11% $107.91
ORPHANS $369,078 6,518 76.07% $56.62
PIPPIN $861,233 7,997 101.0% $107.69
ROCK OF AGES $406,838 4,405 94.45% $92.36
SPIDER-MAN TURN OFF THE DARK $1,002,757 11,236 72.77% $89.24
THE ASSEMBLED PARTIES $347,277 4,631 89.06% $74.99
THE BIG KNIFE $206,469 3,675 62.08% $56.18
THE BOOK OF MORMON $1,692,483 8,752 102.6% $193.38
THE LION KING $1,846,975 13,588 99.91% $135.93
THE NANCE $470,195 5,521 75.34% $85.16
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA $1,039,572 12,244 95.36% $84.90
THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL $562,796 6,416 75.45% $87.72
VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE $489,914 5,145 81.72% $95.22
WICKED $1,697,007 13,967 96.51% $121.50
Total $24,246,231 240,234 84.39% $97.15

Broadway ticket sales raw data are provided courtesy of The Broadway League. All other data, text, opinion, charts and commentary are copyright © 2013 nytix.com.