Shows That May Not Re- Open After Strike?- Page 2
Shows That May Not Re- Open After Strike?
#25re: Shows That May Not Re- Open After Strike?
Posted: 11/11/07 at 6:04amWere the strike to last, would they hold over Spelling Bee?
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=972787#3631451
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=963561#3533883
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=955158#3440952
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=954269#3427915
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=955012#3441622
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=954344#3428699
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#26re: Shows That May Not Re- Open After Strike?
Posted: 11/11/07 at 11:14amProbably not. While it's great it's getting the benefit of less competition now and doing better than it has for some time, it's scheduled to close January 20th which is the beginning of the slowest period of the Broadway year. In the depths of winter, the tourists are gone and most shows struggle during February and March, so what little extra money SPELLING BEE might be making now would all be absorbed by how much they would lose if they tried to stay open through the winter. Unless the strike is somehow STILL going on Jan. 20, expect SPELLING BEE to close as scheduled.
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
#27re: Shows That May Not Re- Open After Strike?
Posted: 11/11/07 at 11:24amDo you think they'll bother posting the weekly grosses?
Broadway Shows I've Seen: Hairspray, Chicago, Little Shop of Horrors (2003), The Wedding Singer, Spamalot, Riverdance, Rent, Beauty and the Beast, Spring Awakening, Wicked, Legally Blonde, Phantom of the Opera, Sweet Charity (revival), Drowsy Chaperone, The Lion King, Dreamgirls(2010 Tour).
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#28re: Shows That May Not Re- Open After Strike?
Posted: 11/11/07 at 11:36am
The longer this goes on the more shows will close
With the shows closing, those stagehands will be out of work. Correct me if I am wrong but isn't the strike alledgedly re job security. What security do you have if you lose your job?
The strike is simply about protecting jobs not needed. You can see all over america employers are falling over themselves to protect these type of jobs. Employers just loves to pay for work not done.
Poster Emeritus
Updated On: 11/11/07 at 11:36 AM
ILuv2shop531
Broadway Star Joined: 7/12/07
#29re: Shows That May Not Re- Open After Strike?
Posted: 11/11/07 at 11:36amthat's a good question. I have no idea, maybe they will, it could be interesting.
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#30re: Shows That May Not Re- Open After Strike?
Posted: 11/11/07 at 11:57am
I'd expect the weekly grosses to be up Monday afternoon as always. They'll just be a little lower than usual for some shows who only did 5 performances -- and a lot higher than usual for the 8 unaffected shows (though YF doesn't report its grosses).
If the League does in fact have a $40 million war chest set aside to get it through this strike, then it could hold out for MONTHS. After all, since they don't have to pay stagehands, actors, musicians or anyone else, they only have their fixed costs like insurance to worry about which is a pretty small percentage of the running cost. With $40 million to cover those few costs, unless this goes on SEVERAL months, I honestly can't see why any show would have trouble re-opening.
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
#31re: Shows That May Not Re- Open After Strike?
Posted: 11/11/07 at 12:17pm
It's possible that this strike will continue for weeks - my guess is that if it isn't settled within the next few days it will last at least a month. Both sides are very far apart, and it can be argued that both sides have valid points. In some cases the old work rules can force producers to spend more than they have to on labor, and the new work rules will result in a significant cut in the Stagehand's earnings. The League and the musician's union were both dug in for a long strike in 2003, but the mayor thwarted their plans with his pressure. I don't think either side was satisfied with the outcome in that case.
If the strike continues I expect numerous shows to post closing notices. Once we get into December the Grinch will certainly close, as will anything else that was going to close in January. Bear in mind that much of this battle is being fought in the arena of public opinion. The producers will loudly proclaim that the selfish strikers have forced shows like Drowsy, Les Mis and even Rent to close, costing the jobs of so many other workers.
"I have got to have some professional music!" - Big Edie
Bwayfan4
Broadway Star Joined: 10/11/06
#32re: Shows That May Not Re- Open After Strike?
Posted: 11/11/07 at 12:54pmJust out of curiosity, could both parties agree to a fact finder (I think that's what it's called) and THEN determine whether or not to resume the strike?
One NYC StageHand
Chorus Member Joined: 10/26/07
#33re: Shows That May Not Re- Open After Strike?
Posted: 11/11/07 at 1:29pm
Local 802 when out on Mar. 7 and struck 18 musicals.
From Workers.org. Mar.20,2003
"Broadway bosses made their union-busting intentions plain in contract talks. They wanted to abolish the union's hard-won guaranteed minimum of 24-26 live musicians for each Broadway musical. Producers wanted to cut the minimum to just six musicians.
The union said this is just the start of the theater bosses' plan to do away with live music on Broadway and replace live orchestras with pre-recorded soundtracks."
According to IBDB, http://www.ibdb.com/season.asp?ID=1271, 2 musicals closed in the two months following the strike, "Flower Drum Song" and "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom." In the week prior to the strike "Flower" played at 56% capacity while "Rainey" played ay 55%.
The "Rainey" revival opened on Feb. 6, 2003 with Whoopie Goldberg to poor reviews.
"Drum Song" opened Oct 22, 2002 and had already posted it's notice to close.
It's safe to say the strike had no direct effect on the closings.
#34re: Shows That May Not Re- Open After Strike?
Posted: 11/11/07 at 1:33pmYes the 2003 musician's union strike didn't close shows, but it only lasted one weekend. Who can say what might have happened if it had lasted a week or a month?
"I have got to have some professional music!" - Big Edie
#35re: Shows That May Not Re- Open After Strike?
Posted: 11/11/07 at 5:22pm
The 1960 strike blacked out Broadway for 10 days. The actors were planning to strike a different show each night but management locked them out and closed everything down. This spelled the end for commercial transfer of the City Center revival of FINIAN'S RAINBOW.
But the post strike damage was more severe. Although the blacked out Broadway made headlines heading into the busy summer tourist season, the resolution received less press and attendance was down for weeks after the strike ended.
Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!
I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com
#36re: Shows That May Not Re- Open After Strike?
Posted: 11/11/07 at 6:00pmDoes anyone think RENT will close?? Or I should say.. never open up again??
"It's terrible to have a house fall on you, it is, but accidents will happen"
#37re: Shows That May Not Re- Open After Strike?
Posted: 11/11/07 at 6:15pmIt's possible. Anything is possible right now. It's all in how long the strike lasts. I think it might be over somewhere around Thanksgiving. No matter what some people would like to think, the stagehands are NOT trying to shut down Broadway. I have a feeling they'll go back to the bargaining table soon.
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#38re: Shows That May Not Re- Open After Strike?
Posted: 11/11/07 at 6:39pmIs it likely that the mayor will force both sides to come to an agreement soon like Bloomberg did regarding the 2003 musician's strike? I mean, is NYC losing a ton of money per day like it did before?
#39re: Shows That May Not Re- Open After Strike?
Posted: 11/11/07 at 6:41pmThe mayor offered to mediate the discussions between the stagehands and the producers. They turned him down. And the mayor doesn't have the authority to force the stagehands back to work.
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popular_elphie
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/3/05
#40re: Shows That May Not Re- Open After Strike?
Posted: 11/12/07 at 12:00amI really hope that all shows stay open after the strike, although I really see an end for DROWSY should the strike continue much longer.
LI Larry
Stand-by Joined: 7/25/06
#41re: Shows That May Not Re- Open After Strike?
Posted: 11/12/07 at 12:05am
I remember the train strike in 1980. (I know we are talking about broadway strikes but the train strikes affect broadway) The original production of Grease (at that time the longest running show in broadway history) closed because no one on Long Island could get into the city.
#42re: Shows That May Not Re- Open After Strike?
Posted: 11/12/07 at 12:12amI hope "Phantom" closes!!
-Benjamin
--http://www.benjaminadgate.com/
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musicalangel12
Stand-by Joined: 10/21/06
#43re: Shows That May Not Re- Open After Strike?
Posted: 11/12/07 at 2:02amI can't really see Andrew and the Really Useful Group closing "Phantom" over the strike, though I'm sure they aren't happy about it. Disney probably isn't either.
"Movies will make you famous; Television will make you rich; But theatre will make you good."--Terrence Mann
"Pretty much...if you've seen any shows that have a jerk boyfriend in that show...I'm that guy."--Richard H. Blake
Diane: Aww, you are such a chick flick. I would totally pay $12 to see you. (Kristin Chenoweth on "Ugly Betty") http://musicalangel12.blogspot.com <-- my blog. Give it a read, please.
"Pretty much...if you've seen any shows that have a jerk boyfriend in that show...I'm that guy."--Richard H. Blake
Diane: Aww, you are such a chick flick. I would totally pay $12 to see you. (Kristin Chenoweth on "Ugly Betty") http://musicalangel12.blogspot.com <-- my blog. Give it a read, please.
BroadwayBound86
Leading Actor Joined: 1/24/07
#44re: Shows That May Not Re- Open After Strike?
Posted: 11/12/07 at 2:47amI'm sure Disney isn't eiter but perhaps they are semi-thrilled since MP is still open and will have a sudden rush of people.
RockabyeHamlet
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/1/05
#45re: Shows That May Not Re- Open After Strike?
Posted: 11/12/07 at 12:53pmI'm sure this has been asked before, but is Cymbeline dark because of this strike?
"I wouldn't let Esparza's Bobby take my kids to the zoo...I'd be afraid he'd steal their ice cream and laugh."- YankeeFan
"People who like Sondheim enjoy cruelty."-LuvtheEmcee
"People who like Sondheim enjoy cruelty."-LuvtheEmcee
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#46re: Shows That May Not Re- Open After Strike?
Posted: 11/12/07 at 12:59pmNo, Cymbeline is running.
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
popular_elphie
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/3/05
#47re: Shows That May Not Re- Open After Strike?
Posted: 11/12/07 at 1:00pmCYMBELINE is running. It was the only thing on TKTS for the Saturday matinee and I wanted to go see it, but ended up going home and taking a nap between checking in at shows.
Fosse76
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/21/05
#48re: Shows That May Not Re- Open After Strike?
Posted: 11/12/07 at 1:01pm
"I'm sure this has been asked before, but is Cymbeline dark because of this strike?"
No, and considering it is STILL on TKTS, I don't think it is benefitting, either.
RockabyeHamlet
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/1/05
#49re: Shows That May Not Re- Open After Strike?
Posted: 11/12/07 at 1:13pmThank you! I may try to get out there this week then.
"I wouldn't let Esparza's Bobby take my kids to the zoo...I'd be afraid he'd steal their ice cream and laugh."- YankeeFan
"People who like Sondheim enjoy cruelty."-LuvtheEmcee
"People who like Sondheim enjoy cruelty."-LuvtheEmcee
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