Steve On Broadway (SOB)

Calling Gublin & Green!

2011-02-14T10:34:00.000-05:00

Calling Gublin & Green!

The funniest part of watching this past weekend's "Saturday Night Live" was this mock advertisement for hack trial attorneys Gublin and Green. Wonder how "uncool" the PR flacks at Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark think this is. I hate to pile-on, but personally, I think it's very cool that any Broadway show gets parodied on late night TV.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending January 16, 2011

2011-01-18T19:04:00.001-05:00

Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending January 16, 2011

If you follow me on Twitter, you most likely know that each Monday, I offer my quick analysis of each preceding week's box office on the Great White Way. Last week's results were delayed until today because of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Holiday.

Some people live for the latest sports stats. I love poring over each week's box office totals on Broadway. So, for your viewing pleasure, here are my tweets in chronological order for the week ending January 16, 2011:

1:00 p.m. January 18, 2011 - Broadway box office plunges 11.2% last week to just $14,896,892 in grosses

1:01 p.m. January 18, 2011 - Broadway capacity down 5.72% last week to 79.36% or 170,093 seats sold out of 214,092 possible

1:02 p.m. January 18, 2011 - Broadway's average ticket price last week was down slightly to $84.61 from $85.17 week before

1:03 p.m. January 18, 2011 - At 100.1% capacity SPIDER-MAN was only sold-out Broadway show last week. Gross: $1,258,330. Avg ticket price: $108.57

1:04 p.m. January 18, 2011 - WICKED back on top as Broadway's #1 show, grossing $1,540,868 on 98.3% capacity. Average ticket price: $108.30

1:05 p.m. January 18, 2011 - THE LION KING only other Broadway show to gross over $1million last week: $1,334,354 on 83.6% capacity

1:07 p.m. January 18, 2011 - THE LION KING had Broadway's highest average ticket price last week: $118.99

1:08 p.m. January 18, 2011 - COLIN QUINN LONG STORY SHORT had Broadway's lowest gross last week: $187,617 on 69.6% capacity. Avg tix priced $57.3

1:10 p.m. January 18, 2011 - Broadway's lowest capacity: TIME STANDS STILL at 59.4%. Gross: $363,619. Average ticket price: $70.89

1:11 p.m. January 18, 2011 - THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST had week's lowest average ticket price: $50.43. Gross: $282,607 on 94.7% capacity

1:12 p.m. January 18, 2011 - Shows below 70% capacity: TIME STANDS STILL, MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, AMERICAN IDIOT & COLIN QUINN LONG STORY SHORT

1:13 p.m. January 18, 2011 - MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET still grossing $456,566 on 62.8% capacity. Average ticket price at $74.85

1:14 p.m. January 18, 2011 - Only Broadway shows to increase capacity last week: IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, LOMBARDI and SPIDER-MAN

1:15 p.m. January 18, 2011 - IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST posted week's top capacity increase of 5.3% to 94.7%

1:16 p.m. January 18, 2011 - RAIN posts week's largest capacity decline of 24.3% to 71.2%. Grosses $681,640. Average ticket price is $82.64

1:20 p.m. January 18, 2011 - Finally, NEXT TO NORMAL closes with gross of $552,653 on 96.4% capacity. $92.82 average ticket price

So, dear readers, do any of these results surprise you? Do you have any other observations about last week's box office totals? If so, feel free to comment below.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Proudly Celebrating MLK In The Name Of Love

2011-01-17T17:13:00.001-05:00

Proudly Celebrating MLK In The Name Of Love

Today is America's Martin Luther King, Jr. National Holiday, a day where we take stock of how far we've come as a society, as well as consider what remains to be achieved.

While responding to the horrifying killings in Tucson, President Barack Obama's call for civility last week certainly seemed particularly well-timed given today's observances. Yet, since civility also naturally extends to those who look different from us, let alone think differently than we do, the President's remarks also provide a stark reminder that we have a long way to go before reaching Reverend King's dream.

Since Bono and The Edge have been in the news for their gestating work on Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark -- and since Steve On Broadway (SOB) is ostensibly about theatre -- today, I'm posting U2's seminal 1984 hit, "Pride (In The Name Of Love)."

While the tune references Dr. King's tragic 1968 assassination in Memphis, it also boldly proclaims, "Free at last, they took your life, (but) they could not take your pride."

Let's remember his enduring legacy through civility and love -- proud traits no one can take away unless you let them.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Et Tu, Spider-Man?

2011-01-15T12:05:00.002-05:00

Et Tu, Spider-Man?

In the annals of Broadway history, who could have ever thought one show would be capable of such betrayal as Spider-Man - Turn Off The Dark?

Now, for the fifth time during previews, Julie Taymor's beleaguered, best-selling show on Broadway has announced that its opening night has been delayed, without any trace of irony, to the Ides of March -- yes, March 15 -- from February 7.

Even though I'm one of those dreaded theatre bloggers whom former Bloomberg critic (and now fellow theatre blogger) John Simon called "vermin," I have tried to play the Broadway game. That is, I have dutifully respected embargoes by not reviewing any show until the time it actually opens. After all, that's a Broadway tradition among critics, and I believe if you want to be taken seriously as a blogger, you just may want to observe the rules.

I've also gone so far as to defend this production from one particular writer, who at one time all but suggested that Spider-Man would never make it to Broadway.

Since I always buy my own tickets to see productions, I try my level best to time my attendance for each Broadway show to ensure I'm seeing one of the final previews if the work hasn't already opened.

Such was the case when I first purchased tickets back in 2009, nearly a year in advance of the originally scheduled opening date for early 2010 (those tickets were subsequently refunded after it became clear that the production was temporarily grinding to a halt).

Such was also the case when I bought tickets for a December 18 performance after the newly rescheduled opening night of December 21 was set. Subsequently, opening night shifted to late January. Since I could not get a refund, I decided to go see the preview anyway. Yet, I dutifully remained publicly mum on what I saw on stage, even after Christopher Tierney's nearly fatal fall occurred just two days later.

I further respected the embargo, even after the opening night shifted yet again to February 7, which was when theatre critics Linda Winer (Newsday) and Jeremy Gerard (Bloomberg) provided mini-reviews of preview performances they saw much to the chagrin of the production. Naturally, a spokesman for the production cried foul.

Fast forward to Thursday. With no new reports of mounting casualties or incidents, I began to think that Spider-Man just might open on February 7 after all. I decided to take the plunge and purchase tickets for my third time, booking the show for the very end of January when critics would start seeing the final, untinkered (or "frozen") version.

Later that same evening, reports surfaced that Spider-Man would postpone opening night once again, this time to March 15. Friday morning, I tweeted, "Spider-Man delays opening for fifth time to March 15 to deploy new ending. I should have waited a day to buy new tix."

It wasn't long before I heard from The New York Times' incisive theatre writer, Patrick Healy, who quotes me in his story today on how the producers are defending their decision. I told him, "As a blogger who pays for his own ticket, Spider-Man is getting to be very expensive. This is the second time I thought I had tickets to see a frozen production, only to learn that I'm only going to see another preview. They need to reconsider what they're charging for preview tickets. It's very disappointing to think I'll have to pay even more to come again and see the finished product."

Thanks, Spider-Man, for making me feel like such a chump. You've not only betrayed someone like me who, at least until now, has respected both your creative process and time-honored traditions by remaining silent on what is to be found on your stage (as well as flying over your audience), but through what is looking more and more each day like a web of deceit, you've also likely duped thousands of audience members who think they're seeing a finished product and paying full price to do so. That's just wrong.

Beware, the Ides of March!

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending January 9, 2011

2011-01-10T17:25:00.001-05:00

Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending January 9, 2011

Spider-Man Edges Out Wicked As Number One Show

If you follow me on Twitter, you most likely know that each Monday, I offer my quick analysis of each preceding week's box office on the Great White Way.

This week is particularly noteworthy for two reasons. Not only did Broadway's box office not fall-off as dramatically as expected for this time of year, but Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark has officially replaced longtime champ Wicked as the top-grossing show, yet only by web-thin margin.

Here are my tweets in chronological order for the week ending January 9, 2011:

January 10, 2011 4:22 pm - Broadway box office down 30.13% (over $6 million) last week, but grosses still at respectable $20,750,910

January 10, 2011 4:23 pm - SPIDER-MAN is Broadway's #1 show edging WICKED by just $58! SPIDER-MAN gross $1,588,514 vs. WICKED gross of $1,588,456

January 10, 2011 4:24 pm - Broadway capacity down by just .93% to 85.9% or 232,314seats sold out of 267,513 possible

January 10, 2011 4:25 pm - Broadway's average ticket price down to $85.17 from last week high of $100.22

January 10, 2011 4:26 pm - Broadway shows grossings $1 million+ : SPIDER-MAN, WICKED, LION KING, MERCHANT OF VENICE, JERSEY BOYS, IN THE HEIGHTS

January 10, 2011 4:27 pm - Broadways shows at 100% or more capacity: MERCHANT OF VENICE, NEXT TO NORMAL, IN THE HEIGHTS, SPIDER-MAN, WICKED

January 10, 2011 4:28 pm - SPIDER-MAN became Broadway's top grossing show last week w/ $1,588,514 on 100% capacity. Average ticket price: $102.86

January 10, 2011 4:29 pm - #2 WICKED grosses $1,588,456 on 100% capacity. Average ticket price: $109.76

January 10, 2011 4:30 pm - #3 LION KING close behind with $1,550,640 gross on 95.4% capacity. Average ticket price: $121.21

January 10, 2011 4:31 pm - #4 MERCHANT OF VENICE had Broadway's highest capacity (102.5%) & avg ticket price ($134.79). Gross: $1,114,050

January 10, 2011 4:32 pm - Grosses for IN THE HEIGHTS ($1,083,254) and A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC ($737,852) help shows close with bang

January 10, 2011 4:33 pm - Billie Joe Armstrong boosts AMERICAN IDIOT. Grosses $952,123 on 80.2% capacity. Average ticket price: $86.79

January 10, 2011 4:34 pm - Broadway's lowest grossing show: COLIN QUINN LONG STORY SHORT at $217,312 on 75.9% capacity. Avg ticket price: $60.99

January 10, 2011 4:35 pm - MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET had week's lowest capacity of 65.5% (not bad) with $423,658 gross. Avg ticket price of $66.59.

January10, 2011 4:36 pm - Last week's lowest average ticket price was $50.95 for IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST. Gross: $269,557 on 89.4% capacity

January 10, 2011 4:37 pm - THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST posted last week's biggest capacity increase of 19.3% to 89.4%

January 10, 2011 4:38 pm - PHANTOM OF THE OPERA posts week's top capacity decline of 19.7% to 78.9%. Grosses $808,761

So, dear readers, do any of these results surprise you? Do you have any other observations about last week's box office totals? If so, feel free to comment below.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending January 2, 2011

2011-01-03T19:34:00.002-05:00

Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending January 2, 2011

Wicked Soars To New Heights

If you follow me on Twitter, you most likely know that each Monday, I offer my quick analysis of each preceding week's box office on the Great White Way and this week marks a banner week, not only for all of Broadway, but for a show that has just broken its own Rialto record: Wicked.

Some people live for the latest sports stats. I love poring over each week's box office totals on Broadway. So, for your viewing pleasure, here are my tweets in chronological order for the week ending January 2, 2011:

6:42 pm January 3, 2011 - Banner week on Broadway as grosses up over $10 million (28.58%) last week over Christmas week to whopping $34,997,576

6:43 pm January 3, 2011 - Broadway capacity soared 14.3% to 87.85% or 329,604 seats sold out of 368,210 with many shows in final performances

6:44 pm January 3, 2011 - Broadway got expensive last week as average ticket price shot up to $100.22 from $91.63 week before.

6:45 pm January 3, 2011 - Sold-out WICKED sets new Broadway box office record grossing $2,228,235. Also had top average ticket price: $153.97

6:46 pm January 3, 2011 - Broadway's #2 show, sold-out LION KING came close to grossing $2 million at $1,992,270. Average ticket price: $148.49

6:47 pm January 3, 2011 - Sold-out #3 show SPIDER-MAN played 1st complete 8-show week, grossing $1,880,833 w/ avg ticket price of $121.79

6:48 pm January 3, 2011 - Only other Broadway show grossing over $1.5 million:BILLY ELLIOT at $1,518,486. 99.1% capacity.Avg ticket price $119.79

6:49 pm January 3, 2011 - All totaled, an astounding 17 Broadway shows enjoyed grosses of more than $1 million last week.

6:50 pm January 3, 2011 - Broadway's top play MERCHANT OF VENICE had week's highest capacity: 102.5%. Grosses $1,175,750. Avg tix priced $142.24

6:51 pm January 3, 2011 - Show drawing 100% or more capacity: MERCHANT, FELA, JERSEY BOYS, WICKED, LION KING, SPIDER-MAN, BLOODYx2 ANDREW JACKSON

6:53 pm January 3, 2011 - The average ticket price for an amazing 20 Broadway shows was more than $100 each

6:54 pm January 3, 2011 - Only two Broadway shows saw declines in capacity last week: MERCHANT OF VENICE (-.1%) and TIME STANDS STILL (-5.8%)

6:55 pm January 3, 2011 - ELF (-$227,843) and DONNY & MARIE (-$49,826) were only 2 Broadway shows grossing less last week than week before

6:56 pm January 3, 2011 - THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST had Broadway's lowest gross last week: $235,694 on 70.1% capacity.Avg tix priced $56.83

6:57 pm January 3, 2011 - A FREE MAN OF COLOR had Broadway's lowest avg ticket price of $53.05. Gross: $236,459 on 53.5% capacity.

6:58 pm January 3, 2011 - LA BÊTE had Broadway's lowest capacity last week of 49.5%. Grosses $308,549 with average ticket price of $68.83

7:00 pm January 3, 2011 - As truly stratospheric as past week's Broadway box office was 9 shows closed because January marks the start of annual doldrums.

7:01 pm January 3, 2011 - Plus even more shows will close throughout the rest of the month.

So, dear readers, do any of these results surprise you? Do you have any other observations about last week's box office totals? If so, feel free to comment below.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Happy 2011

2011-01-01T11:16:00.001-05:00

Happy 2011

Greetings from Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, and Happy New Year!

It’s been years since I’ve been to Philly, but this is where the Love Of My Life (LOML) and I decided to ring in the New Year. Why? Aside from being one of my longtime favorite American cities – thanks in part to its rich history, culture, charm and its friendly character – it is in part mercenary for me to benefit my LOML, who was within a stone’s throw of platinum status on our favored airline. Silly, right?

But wait! There’s more!

Not only does this mark the eighth New Year’s we’ve been infinitely blessed to share and enjoy together, but by moving our celebration to Pennsylvania, the two of us have now visited 44 out of 50 states together. Not bad for eight years. (Look out, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Oregon and West Virginia – we have you in our sights!).

It’s the little thing, isn’t it?!

May health and happiness follow you throughout the New Year! And remember to hold those dearest to you very closely because all those little things add up to a life worth living and loving.

(P.S. I'm resolved to be back with much more discussion on theatre very soon!)

Happy New Year!

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending December 26, 2010

2010-12-28T18:45:00.002-05:00

George Gershwin Theatre Box Office (Home to Wicked)

Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending December 26, 2010

If you follow me on Twitter, you most likely know that each Monday, I offer my quick analysis of each preceding week's box office on the Great White Way. Because of last weekend's blizzards over Broadway, the weekly box office report was not released until today.

Some people live for the latest sports stats. I love poring over each week's box office totals on Broadway. So, for your viewing pleasure, here are my tweets in chronological order for the week ending December 26, 2010.

11:38 am December 28, 2010 - Despite snow, Broadway grosses up $1,142,016 or 4.57% to $24,993,795 last week

11:39 am December 28, 2010 - But no doubt because of blizzard, Broadway capacity up only .3% to 73.55% or 250,134 seats sold out of 330,025

11:40 am December 28, 2010 - Broadway grosses up because average ticket price up sharply last week to $91.63 from $86.28 week earlier

11:41 am December 28, 2010 - Sold-out WICKED breaks its previous box office record for Broadway show, grossing $2,153,110 last week.

11:42 am December 28, 2010 - As Broadway's toughest ticket last week, WICKED's average ticket price was a whopping $148.78 - highest among all shows

11:43 am December 28, 2010 - Broadway shows grossing $1.5 million-$2 million last week: The LION KING ($1,823,766) and ELF ($1,572,836)

11:45 am December 28, 2010 - Shows grossing $1-1.5 million last week: JERSEY BOYS, MARY POPPINS, ADDAMS FAMILY, MERCHANT, PHANTOM, BILLY ELLIOT

11:47 am December 28, 2010 - Broadway shows with 100% or more capacity: THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (102.6%), SPIDER-MAN & WICKED (100% each)

11:48 am December 28, 2010 - THE MERCHANT OF VENICE remains Broadway's top grossing play: $1,099,420 on 102.6% capacity. Avg ticket price: $132.89

11:49 am December 28, 2010 - Broadway shows drawing 90-99% capacity: LION KING, FELA! JERSEY BOYS, ELF and BILLY ELLIOT

11:51 am December 28, 2010 - Despite just 4 performances (one nearly fatal), sold-out SPIDER-MAN grosses $944,138 with avg ticket price of $122.30

11:52 am December 28, 2010 - ELF proves to be major holiday fare, grossing $1,572,836 on 91.6% capacity. Average ticket price: $134.02

11:54 am December 28, 2010 - TIME STANDS STILL was last week's lowest grossing show at $117,962 on 73.4% capacity. Avg ticket price: $74.42

11:57 am December 28, 2010 - Clarification on TIME STANDS STILL: Its $117,962 gross was based on just two performances last week

11:55 am December 28, 2010 - LA BÊTE drew Broadway's lowest capacity last week. Just 40.8%. Gross: $184,011. Average ticket price: $63.91

11:56 am December 28, 2010 - Practically free? A FREE MAN OF COLOR had week's cheapest ticket averaging $39.52. Gross: $143,850 on 43.6% capacity

11:58 am December 28, 2010 - Among shows with 8 performances, A FREE MAN OF COLOR had week's lowest gross of $143,850

11:59 am December 28, 2010 - Among shows with 8 performances, ADDAMS FAMILY had week's top capacity increase of 15.8% to 86.4%. Gross: $1,100,286

12:00 noon December 28, 2010 - Among shows with 8 performances, ADDAMS FAMILY had week's top capacity increase of 15.8% to 86.4%. Gross: $1,100,286

12:01 pm December 28, 2010 - DONNY & MARIE: A BROADWAY CHRISTMAS saw 17.8% decline in capacity for 5 shows to 60.3%. Gross: $481,812.

So, dear readers, do any of these results surprise you? Is you favorite show teetering on the brink of breakaway success or failure? Either way, or if you have any other observations worth sharing, feel free to comment below.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

2010-12-25T00:01:00.002-05:00

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

I want to take this opportunity to express my deep appreciation to every single reader who has visited Steve On Broadway (SOB) this year.
I’ve been honored to begin many online friendships during the course of the past five years, and I’ve been thrilled that so many of them have translated offline as well. What a blessing. I feel extraordinarily fortunate.

Ostensibly, I write Steve On Broadway (SOB) for my own personal enjoyment. If there’s one characteristic about myself that I hope rings genuinely authentic, it’s my love for the theatre. Perhaps it’s that passion that sways my reviews toward the favorable overall --although I prefer to think that I’m somewhat discriminating in what I pay to see in the first place.

Never do I go to see any show with malice in my heart. Since I pay for each and every ticket, I go to enjoy and be entertained or at least enlightened. Yes, there are those occasions where I find myself disappointed by a musical or play or by specific performances therein, but I also hope that ultimately, my critiques have provided anyone out there reading them with some heartfelt guidance from an honest-to-goodness theatre lover.

Please accept my best wishes for a very Merry Christmas -- and regardless of whether you celebrity this Holiday or not, here's wishing you and yours nothing but peace and love.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Everyone Deserves The Chance To Fly

2010-12-21T20:20:00.001-05:00

Everyone Deserves The Chance To Fly

Last evening's terrifying accident at Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark certainly is leaving us hoping the best for actor (and Spider-Man stunt double) Christopher Tierney, who was reportedly in serious but stable condition after the mishap.

But the video above offers perhaps the best analysis of the inherent dangers of Broadway shows and nuanced perspective missing in other reporting. Seriously.

Here's wishing Tierney a speedy and full recovery.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Help Make A Difference This Holiday Season

2010-12-21T11:06:00.001-05:00

Help Make A Difference This Holiday Season

If you're among the thousands of theatregoers who have been to Broadway over the past month or so, you'll likely have heard an appeal from onstage to support Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS with a donation, no matter how large or small.

But since I know I have been readers who have never yet had a chance to see a Broadway show, here's a chance for you to hear a direct appeal from Carol Channing, Kristin Chenoweth, Robin de Jesús, Sean Hayes, Douglas Hodge, Cherry Jones, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Billy Porter, Colin Quinn and Molly Shannon as they voice their support for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS this holiday season.

Please view the video, learn how Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS supports over 400 local agencies across the country, and then please consider joining me in supporting this vital organization. Every little bit helps. To donate, please go here.

What we do together makes a difference.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending December 19, 2010

2010-12-20T21:40:00.001-05:00

George Gershwin Theatre Box Office (Home to Wicked)

Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending December 19, 2010

If you follow me on Twitter, you most likely know that each Monday, I offer my quick analysis of each preceding week's box office on Broadway.

Some people live for the latest sports stats. I love poring over each week's box office totals on the Great White Way. So, for your viewing pleasure, here are my tweets in chronological order for the week ending December 19, 2010.

3:45 pm December 20, 2010 - Broadway box office drops 4.84% last week or $1,153,842 to $23,851,779 in gross grosses

3:46 pm December 20, 2010 - Broadway capacity down last week by 2.8% to 73.16% or 259,268 seats sold out of 349,408 possible

3:47 pm December 20, 2010 - Broadway's average ticket price last week was $86.28 down from $87.41 week before

3:48 pm December 20, 2010 - Broadway's WICKED, LION KING, ELF, JERSEY BOYS, PROMISESx2, DONNY & MARIE, SPIDER-MAN each gross over $1 million

3:49 pm December 20, 2010 - THE MERCHANT OF VENICE only grosses $645,015 last week, but that's because it only played 4 performances

3:50 pm December 20, 2010 - Broadway shows grossing between $900,000 and $1 million last week: BILLY ELLIOT, MARY POPPINS & THE ADDAMS FAMILY

3:51 pm December 20, 2010 - THE MERCHANT OF VENICE only show to sell-out last week with capacity of 102.6% (but only 4 performances)

3:52 pm December 20, 2010 - Broadway shows attracting 90-99% capacity last week: SPIDER-MAN, ELF, WICKED, JERSEY BOYS, LION KING

3:53 pm December 20, 2010 - Broadway's top grossing show last week: WICKED with $1,631,743 on 97.9% capacity. Avg ticket price: $115.12 97.9%

3:54 pm December 20, 2010 - THE MERCHANT OF VENICE was Broadway's toughest ticket w/4 performances, 102.6% capacity and $136.48 avg. ticket price

3:55 pm December 20, 2010 - Should have added in FELA! to shows with over 90% capacity. In final weeks FELA! at 93.6% capacity, grosses $613,717

3:56 pm December 20, 2010 - ELF is another tough ticket on Broadway, grossing $1,464,913 on 96.3% capacity. Avg. ticket price: $133.53!

3:57 pm December 20, 2010 - Another tough ticket is SPIDER-MAN at $1,036,133 on 98.9% capacity. Avg ticket price $90.45. High for show in previews!

3:58 pm December 20, 2010 - Plus, SPIDER-MAN only had 6 performances last week so gross would've been much higher than $1,036,133 w/8 performances

3:59 pm December 20, 2010 - DONNY & MARIE may have only attracted 78.1% capacity, but they grossed $1,047,740 with avg tickets priced $117.20

4:00 pm December 20, 2010 - With only 4 performances, IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST bottom gross $71,928 & avg ticket price $34.76. 69.9% capacity

4:01 pm December 20, 2010 - Among shows w/8 performances COLIN QUINN LONG STORY SHORT lowest grosser $147,620. 48.5% capacity. Av tix priced $64.77

4:02 pm December 20, 2010 - Among shows w/8 performances FREE MAN OF COLOR had lowest avg ticket price of $50.42. Gross of $214,439 on 51% capacity

4:03 pm December 20, 2010 - Broadway's lowest capacity last week: LA BÊTE at 42.5%. Grosses $232,383. Average ticket price: $67.95

4:04 pm December 20, 2010 - Broadway shows attracting less than 50% capacity last week? LA BÊTE, COLIN QUINN LONG STORY SHORT and AMERICAN IDIOT

4:05 pm December 20, 2010 - Broadway's biggest week-over-week capacity increase? BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON up 12.4% to 79.6%. Gross: $419,303

4:06 pm December 20, 2010 - Broadway's biggest week-over-week capacity decline? MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET down 16.2% to 53%. Gross: $445,007

4:07 pm December 20, 2010 - Expect huge spike at Broadway box office this week, next for Christmas & New Year's holidays. Maybe 1 or 2 shows can gross over $2 million

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

The Simpsons Get Wicked

2010-12-15T00:01:00.001-05:00

The Simpsons Get Wicked

In yet another nod to the Great White Way, "The Simpsons" used this year's holiday episode to pay tribute to this season's biggest Broadway hit, Wicked.

Makes me wonder what took "The Simpsons" creators so long!

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Which Cast Recording Would You Want Most?

2010-12-14T00:01:00.004-05:00

Which Cast Recording Would You Want Most?

If you could win any original Broadway cast recording, which one would you want most?

That was essentially the question I posed via Twitter and Facebook over the past week in my latest SOB Contest. Since I have been feeling very much in the holiday spirit, I decided that my gift to some of my lucky followers would be the cast recording of their choice. I then drew the names of five lucky winners.

Congratulations to the following winners:

Lynn Gaillard (Carrollton, TX), who wanted and won [title of show] cast recording.
Jonathon Hunter (Akron, OH), who wanted and won Monty Python's Spamalot cast recording.
Jayson Kerr (New York, NY), who wanted and won The Scottsboro Boys cast recording.
Evelyn Sam (Briarwood, NY), who wanted and won The Lion King cast recording.
Alex Wolfe (Blue Bell, PA), who wanted and won The Scottsboro Boys cast recording.

To each of these winners, as well as to all followers, let me express my deepest appreciation for following Steve On Broadway (SOB)! To the winners, please note that once I have the cast recordings of your choice in hand, I will ship them out immediately, just in time for the holidays!

So, dear readers, if you had to choose any cast recording you just have to have in your collection, which would it be? Would it be one that is already in your possession? Would it be one you have been saving up to buy? Or would it be for a rarity that is just impossible to get? I'll be curious to hear what your selection would be.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

In keeping with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post. In fact, I have even sprung for each of the cast recordings so that five lucky readers could enjoy listening to the ones they wanted most.

Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending December 12, 2010

2010-12-13T16:50:00.001-05:00

George Gershwin Theatre Box Office (Home to Wicked)

Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending December 12, 2010

If you follow me on Twitter, you most likely know that each Monday, I offer my quick analysis of each preceding week's box office on Broadway.

Some people live for the latest sports stats. I love poring over each week's box office totals on the Great White Way. So, for your viewing pleasure, here are my tweets in chronological order for the week ending December 12, 2010.

3:30 pm December 13, 2010 - Broadway box office up 8.53% week over week. Up nearly $2.2 million last week to $25,632,217

3:31 pm December 13, 2010 - Broadway capacity up last week by 4.85% to 76.47% or 277,015 seats sold out of possible 357,102

3:32 pm December 13, 2010 - The average price of a Broadway ticket last week? $87.41. That's up from $86.73 the week before.

3:33 pm December 13, 2010 - The average gross for each Broadway show last week was $692,763, up from $651,274 week before.

3:34 pm December 13, 2010 - Total of 8 Broadway shows grossed over $1 million each last week

3:35 pm December 13, 2010 - Shows grossing over $1 million last week: WICKED, LION KING, ELF, JERSEY BOYS, PROMISESx2, MERCHANT OF VENICE, BILLY ELLIOT, ADDAMS FAMILY

3:37 pm December 13, 2010 - 9 Broadway shows attracted capacities of over 90% last week.

3:38 pm December 13, 2010 - Shows attracting 90%+ capacities:MERCHANT, SPIDERMAN, WICKED, JERSEY BOYS, LION KING, SCOTTSBORO BOYS, ELF, BILLY ELLIOT, DRIVING MISS DAISY

3:39 pm December 13, 2010 - 9 Broadway shows had an average ticket price of over $100 last week

3:41 pm December 13, 2010 - Shows over $100/avg ticket: MERCHANT, JERSEY BOYS, DONNY & MARIE, DRIVING MISS DAISY, ELF, LION KING, WICKED,ADDAMS FAMILY,PROMISES PROMISES

3:43 pm December 13, 2010 - Broadway's top grossing show last week: WICKED w/$1,645,313 in grosses on 98.2% capacity. Average ticket price: $115.78

3:44 pm December 13, 2010 - MERCHANT OF VENICE had Broadway's highest avg ticket price ($129.87) & highest capacity (102.6%). Gross: $1,074,410

3:45 pm December 13, 2010 - SCOTTSBORO BOYS ends run with a bang. Grosses $454,251 on 97.2% capacity (up 19.4%). Avg ticket price: $64.93

3:46 pm December 13, 2010 - Despite just 5 performances, SPIDER-MAN grosses $911,682 on 99.4% capacity. Avg ticket price: $95.02

3:47 pm December 13, 2010 - Broadway's lowest gross last week: COLIN QUINN LONG STORY SHORT at $153,081 on 48.9% capacity. Avg ticket price: $66.73

3:48 pm December 13, 2010 - Broadway's lowest capacity was for LA BÊTE playing to 46.8% full house. Grosses $253,079. Avg ticket price $67.13

3:49 pm December 13, 2010 - Broadway's lowest average ticket price: PITMEN PAINTERS at $44.89. Grosses $172,345 on 73.8% capacity

3:50 pm December 13, 2010 - THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS enjoyed week's biggest capacity increase of 19.4% to 97.2%. Grosses up $171,786 week over week

3:51 pm December 13, 2010 - BRIEF ENCOUNTER had week's largest capacity decline of 16.2% to 60.3%. Gross: $300,383. Avg ticket price: $62.13

3:53 pm December 13, 2010 - DONNY & MARIE: A BROADWAY CHRISTMAS does brisk business. 5 performances gross $881,925 on 88.1% capacity.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Ringing My Bell

2010-12-10T00:01:00.002-05:00

Ringing My Bell

I'll wager most Americans have no idea the Salvation Army is actually an organized religious faith that they're supporting every time they throw their loose change into one of their bell ringer's little red pots at this time of year.

Speaking of organized religion, I still can't help but wonder what the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, more commonly known as Mormons, will think of the upcoming Broadway musical The Book Of Mormon. As I've previously said, I will vigorously defend the right to freedom of speech, but I have serious doubts the show's creators would ever have moved forward with a production lampooning the Islamic faith.

As for bell ringers, move your cursor over the doorknob on The Book Of Mormon's Web site and you'll hear a completely different variety. (At least no one was asking me for money, unless you count the show's tickets that start at $59.)

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Anything Goes Viral

2010-12-09T00:01:00.003-05:00

Anything Goes Viral

Tuesday, Roundabout Theatre Company revealed its television ad for its upcoming Broadway revival of Cole Porter's beloved Anything Goes, which will star Sutton Foster, Joel Grey, Jessica Walter, John McMartin, Adam Godley and Laura Osnes. The production begins at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre March 10, 2011, and opens April 7.

But surely this viral video could have been just a tad bit more splashy, don't you think?

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Hard To Imagine It's Been Thirty Years

2010-12-08T12:15:00.001-05:00

Hard To Imagine It's Been Thirty Years

It really is incredibly hard to believe it was 30 years ago today that John Lennon was murdered.

Millions of us were shocked to learn the tragic news in this highly surreal fashion. The evening of December 8, 1980, hit virtually everyone around the world so extraordinarily hard. Suddenly that evening, it didn't matter if you were a fan of The Beatles or Lennon. The idea that such a creative genius who espoused peace could be gunned down so violently broke our collective hearts.

Lennon's untimely death marked the end of an era, even as he had just attempted to begin a new one for himself.

The musical icon had just emerged from a self-imposed "exile" to help raise his young son Sean. On November 17, 1980, just three short weeks prior to his murder, he and his wife Yoko Ono released the incredibly hopeful "Double Fantasy," his first studio recording in five long years.

While the recording would quickly climb to number one on the Billboard charts and go on to earn him a posthumous Grammy for 1981 Album of the Year, for those of us who purchased the recording, we were haunted by the back cover image showing Lennon and Ono outside the Dakota Apartments, just steps from where this man of profound peace met his violent end.

Rest in peace, John Lennon. Thirty years later, we're still trying to imagine the type of world you envisioned.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending December 5, 2010

2010-12-06T18:06:00.001-05:00

George Gershwin Theatre Box Office (Home to Wicked)

Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending December 5, 2010

If you follow me on Twitter, you most likely know that each Monday, I offer my quick analysis of each preceding week's box office on Broadway.

Some people live for the latest sports stats, while I love poring over each week's box office totals on the Great White Way. So, for your viewing pleasure, here are my tweets in chronological order for the week ending December 5, 2010.

3:30 pm December 6, 2010 - After Thanksgiving box office blowout, Broadway comes back down to earth with grosses down by 9.67%

3:31 pm December 6, 2010 - Broadway grosses totaled $23,445,874 last week or an average of $651,274 per show

3:32 pm December 6, 2010 - Broadway capacity down 2.03% last week to 71.62%, or 253,436 seats sold out of 348,912 possible

3:33 pm December 6, 2010 - Broadway's average ticket price last week was $86.73, down from $89.14 during Thanksgiving week.

3:34 pm December 6, 2010 - 7 Broadway shows grossed over $1 million each: WICKED, LION KING, JERSEY BOYS, PROMISESx2, ELF, MERCHANT, BILLY ELLIOT

3:35 pm December 6, 2010 - Broadway's highest capacity (102.5%) & top grossing play ($1,085,310): MERCHANT OF VENICE's avg tix priced: $131.30

3:36 pm December 6, 2010 - MERCHANT OF VENICE could easily earn more but it's regularly had 7 or less performances each week. Last week a "full" 7

3:37 pm December 6, 2010 - Who reigns atop all Broadway shows? WICKED ($1,566,919) by just $37,900 over LION KING ($1,529,019)

3:38 pm December 6, 2010 - WICKED remains Broadway's top grossing show with $1,566,919 on 94.5% capacity. Average ticket price is $114.62

3:39 pm December 6, 2010 - JERSEY BOYS has Broadway's highest average ticket price at $132.06 narrowly edging out MERCHANT OF VENICE's $131.30

3:40 pm December 6, 2010 - THE LION KING still going strong grossing $1,529,019 on 95.6% capacity. Average ticket price: $119.17

3:41 pm December 6, 2010 - JERSEY BOYS also remains strong grossing $1,237,955 on 95.4% capacity.

3:42 pm December 6, 2010 - Broadway shows over 90% capacity: MERCHANT OF VENICE, SPIDER-MAN, LION KING, JERSEY BOYS, WICKED, BILLY ELLIOT

3:43 pm December 6, 2010 - Broadway shows w/avg tix price over $100: JERSEY BOYS, MERCHANT, DRIVING MISS DAISY, ELF, LION KING, WICKED, ADDAMS FAMILY, PROMISESx2

3:44 pm December 6, 2010 - Playing just 5 performances last week, SPIDER-MAN grosses $919,457 on 98.2% capacity. Average ticket price at $97.11

3:46 pm December 6, 2010 - Broadway's lowest grossing show: COLIN QUINN LONG STORY SHORT. Gross: $128,644. 47.1% capacity. Avg ticket price $58.10

3:47 pm December 6, 2010 - Broadway's lowest capacity: LA BÊTE at 40.4%. Gross: $216,038 Average ticket price still at $66.41

3:48 pm December 6, 2010 - Broadway's cheapest ticket? THE PITMEN PAINTERS at $45.62 average. Gross: $154,367 on 65.1% capacity

3:49 pm December 6, 2010 - THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS, closing this Sunday, was at 77.8% capacity. Gross: $282,465 with $50.43 avg ticket price

3:51 pm December 6, 2010 - BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON which posted closing notice grossed $315,796 on 58.8% capacity. $65.18 avg ticket price

3:52 pm December 6, 2010 - Billie Joe Armstrong can't come back soon enough. AMERICAN IDIOT grossed $424,812 on 43.3% capacity. $71.73 Avg tix

3:54 pm December 6, 2010 - Last week's closing notice for SCOTTSBORO BOYS helped it earn Broadway's highest capacity gain of week. Up 18% to 77.8%

3:55 pm December 6, 2010 - Week's biggest capacity decline? PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, dropping 25.8% to 65.3%. Grosses $690,663, down over $333,000

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

It's Raining Free Tickets: Congratulations To Latest SOB Contest Winner!

2010-12-06T10:45:00.001-05:00

It's Raining Free Tickets: Congratulations To Latest SOB Contest Winner!

Remember how much I told you I loved Rain - A Tribute To The Beatles?

Today, I'm thrilled to send a lucky Steve On Broadway reader to see the show. Congratulations to Eleah Burman from New York, New York, who has just won two free tickets to see Rain - A Tribute To The Beatles at Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre!

Eligible entries for this SOB Contest needed to subscribe to this blog, follow me on Twitter (and then retweet one of my contest messages) and follow me on Facebook.

Congratulations again, Eleah!

Thank you to everyone who entered the contest. By subscribing to Steve On Broadway, you'll automatically be entered in all future contests!

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post. However, in conjunction with SpotCo, two tickets for Rain: A Tribute To The Beatles will be given away to one lucky reader.

"Do You Know How Many People Die Every Year Doing Jersey Boys?"

2010-12-05T11:28:00.001-05:00

"Do You Know How Many People Die Every Year Doing Jersey Boys?"

From the annals of "The only bad publicity is no publicity" comes this spoof on Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark from "Saturday Night Live."

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

In keeping with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value directly in exchange for this post.

Too Bloody Soon To Close

2010-12-03T17:35:00.003-05:00

Too Bloody Soon To Close

Sure this post is two days late, but I've been reeling, feeling bloody awful in the wake of two high profile closing notices that went up this week.

Although I'll have more to say on the other one shortly, let me discuss my dismay that Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson received the ax on Wednesday. (Almost immediately after the closing notice was posted, the shiny starry revival of That Championship Season -- which on paper stands to be a bigger box office success -- announced it would take BBAJ's Bernard B. Jacobs berth starting in February.)

Yes, my review was among the minority taking a dim view of the show. But I was rather enthusiastic about Michael Friedman's rollicking rock score and the brilliant star-making turn offered by Benjamin Walker as the eponymous 7th President.

My dismay is two-fold.

First, while I can't claim to be among the production's boosters, my hat is off to the enormous effort expended by director Alex Timbers and the Public Theater to make Broadway relevant to a new audience. I fully appreciate that I may be getting a little long in the tooth and may not be the type of audience a show like this was seeking. But I fully support their valiant attempt to infuse fresh new, er, blood into the Great White Way.

Second, I submit that the box office wasn't that bad. Last week, the production grossed $442,113, playing to a capacity of 64.7%. Though those are not the greatest figures, they're far from the worst, which includes shows that are barely attracting 50% and have indicated that they'll be around for a longer haul. Certainly the box office would likely have improved over the upcoming holidays, right? Unfortunately, a lot of talent will be out of work when the show closes January 2.

One silver lining at the box office has been that Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson's average ticket price was at a respectable $82.92 last week -- that's just under the average ticket price for The Phantom Of The Opera, which grossed over $1 million last week.

Perhaps BBAJ's producers should have given considerably more thought to how to attract their target audience, who simply can't afford Broadway prices. My recommendation before the show opened was for them to invest in a $20 ticket promotion -- you know, with that guy on the bill who happens to be the star of the show. My hunch is that they could have earned a major steam of buzz and the type of word-of-mouth that could have kept the show open considerably longer.

Instead, we have a closing notice coming too bloody soon.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

In keeping with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value directly in exchange for this post.

McNally Master Work To Be Revived On Broadway

2010-12-03T16:04:00.002-05:00

McNally Master Work To Be Revived On Broadway

Tyne Daly is set to return to Broadway this May as the late great soprano Maria Callas in the first Great White Way revival of Terrence McNally's Tony Award-winning Best Play from 1996, Master Class.

Daly received accolades when she performed in this new Stephen Wadsworth-helmed revival first staged at Washington's Kennedy Center earlier this year. Since only a casting notice has been issued for Broadway, there is no further word at this time as to which, if any, of Daly's DC co-stars may make the transfer.

While Playbill has stated that the production will arrive on Broadway in late May -- too late for 2011 Tony nomination consideration -- it has only surmised that the play will be housed at Manhattan Theatre Club's (MTC) Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. There has been no confirmation by MTC.

The Kennedy Center described their 2010 production as follows:

Tony winner for Best Play, Master Class stars Emmy and Tony Award–winning actress Tyne Daly as Maria Callas. The play is a portrait of the opera diva told through her recollections of the glories, triumphs, and tragedies of her own life and career. Her voice is gone, her lover is long departed, and her sanity could possibly be next. All she has is a lonely itinerary of master classes and luggage packed full of the memories that are her only travel companion. Her students are the hapless targets of her sharp tongue, while she remains the picture of innocent aristocracy. Master Class shows that while the actress may have left the stage, she will never give up her audience.

As part of its promotion of the revival, the Kennedy Center offered the following video presentation with McNally:

Under Leonard Foglia's direction, Master Class first played Broadway in a lengthy 598 performance run, opening at the John Golden Theatre November 5, 1995, and closing June 29, 1997. Zoe Caldwell earned Tony and Drama Desk Awards for her turn as the opera diva. Audra McDonald won a Tony for her portrayal as Sharon, while Karen Kay Cody earned a Theatre World Award as Sophie -- her only Broadway credit. Other cast members included David Loud, Jay Hunter Morris and Michael Friel.

The $64,000 question is whether a revival presented as part of a subscription series (meaning it would have a limited run) and that opens after this season's Tony nomination cutoff will even be remembered a year later for the 2012 Tonys. If Daly provides a Master Class in acting, it just might have a shot.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

In keeping with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value directly in exchange for this post.

Win Two Tickets To Ride! SOB Contest For Rain - A Tribute To The Beatles

2010-12-02T00:01:00.004-05:00

Win Two Tickets To Ride! SOB Contest For Rain - A Tribute To The Beatles

Remember how much I told you I loved Rain - A Tribute To The Beatles On Broadway?

Now it's time for me to put my money where my mouth is. (Actually, I'm thrilled to announce that in conjunction with the production, I'm giving away two tickets to a performance of this limited-run show.)

To qualify, all you need to follow are a few easy and free steps.

First, you'll need to subscribe to Steve On Broadway (SOB) (don't worry, the subscription is free and you may cancel at any time). If you're already a subscriber, you'll automatically be entered into the contest. By subscribing, you'll be providing your preferred email address so I may notify you directly if you're the lucky winner. To subscribe, all you need to do is input your email here and hit "subscribe me":

Second, you must follow Steve On Broadway on Twitter by going here and then retweeting one of my contest messages. (If you're not on Twitter already, sign up today - it's quick, easy and free.)

Finally, you'll need to follow Steve On Broadway via Facebook by going here and clicking "Follow." (If you're already not on Facebook, sign up today - again, it's quick, easy and free.)

Complete all three steps by midnight Sunday, December 5 (midnight EST), and you'll automatically be entered in the SOB Contest for two free tickets to see Rain - A Tribute To The Beatles live on Broadway. Please note that tickets are for weeknight performances only (excluding performances from December 27, 2010, through January 2, 2011.

Good luck, and thanks for following!

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

In keeping with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value directly in exchange for this post. However, in conjunction with SpotCo, two tickets for Rain - A Tribute To The Beatles will be given away to one lucky reader.

Happy Hanukkah!

2010-12-01T17:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Hanukkah!

As the Celebration of Lights begins anew, I'm taking a moment to celebrate all my dear Jewish friends.

Thank you for illuminating my life with your knowledge, compassion and love. The glow of your friendship brightens my days and nights more than you may ever know.

Here's wishing you a very Happy Hanukkah!
חנוכה שמח

Chag Urim Sameach!

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

In keeping with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that while my Jewish friends have indeed been generous in giving me material gifts in addition to their gift of friendship, I have received nothing of value directly in exchange for this post.

World AIDS Day 2010

2010-12-01T10:46:00.001-05:00

World AIDS Day 2010

Today marks the 22nd anniversary for World AIDS Day.

In years past, I've used this day to talk about the sobering statistics of this deadly disease that affects tens of millions around the world. This year, I'd like to remind you of the wonderful work that the fine people at Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS provide. They're once again in the midst of one of their annual giving campaigns. If you've been to a Broadway show in recent weeks, you'll likely have heard from the stage about this great organization's continuing efforts.

Even if you're nowhere near Broadway, please consider giving to this industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organization by going here to make a donation. As many of you know, I dug deep into my pocket earlier this fall, but that isn't deterring me from digging even deeper today by giving again. I hope you'll join me in giving. No gift is too large or too small.

If you're looking to receive something in return -- in addition to my sincere appreciation -- you might also consider joining me in purchasing one of BC/EFA's annual snow globes like the one designed by Broadway's very own David Gallo. For more details, please go here.

Here's to your good health and all the best for your loved ones. Thank you for your support.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

In keeping with the Federal Trade Commission regulations (FTC) that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value in exchange for promotional consideration, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.

Look Out! There Goes The Spider-Man?

2010-11-30T11:55:00.001-05:00

Look Out! There Goes The Spider-Man?

Something occurred Sunday evening that even Michael Riedel of the New York Post probably didn't expect ever would. Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark actually began preview performances.

Premature to be sure, but a preview nonetheless.

But now a column by The New York Times' Patrick Healy questions whether Spider-Man will have legs. His story indicates that the Foxwoods Theatre's new General Manager Erich Jungwirth has begun introducing himself to producers, asking them to consider his 1,932 seat venue for their Broadway shows.

Just smart business or a desperate move?

For the record, I have my ticket to see Spider-Man on Saturday, December 18. It was initially to be among the final preview performances before the previously scheduled December 21 opening, but now it will simply be one of nearly 50 previews leading up to the new opening night of January 11.

To be honest, I can't wait to see it. And no, I am certainly not hoping for a colossal failure. Since I pay for every ticket to every show I see, I go into each one hoping for the best. Whatever Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark turns out to be, it will likely be one to really remember.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.

Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending November 28, 2010

2010-11-29T17:45:00.001-05:00

George Gershwin Theatre Box Office (Home to Wicked)

Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending November 28, 2010

If you follow me on Twitter, you most likely know that each Monday, I offer my quick analysis of each preceding week's box office on Broadway.

As this week's analysis makes extraordinarily clear, it's holiday season yet again, meaning that family-fare shows pull in the biggest audiences.

For your viewing pleasure, here are my tweets in chronological order for the week ending November 28, 2010.

3:30 pm November 29 - Thankful Broadway box office way up 19.06% last week, grossing $26,365,126. That's $5 million+ week over week increase

3:31 pm November 29 - Broadway capacity up just 1.47% last week to 71.03%, or 270,277 seats sold out of 363,588 possible

3:32 pm November 29 - Broadway's average ticket price skyrocketed to $89.14 last week from just $78.96, explaining huge overall gross

3:33 pm November 29 - 10 Broadway shows grossed $1 million+ each last week, twice as many as week earlier

3:34 pm November 29 - Broadway's $1 million+ club: WICKED, LION KING, ELF, ADDAMS FAMILY, JERSEY BOYS, BILLY ELLIOT, MARY POPPINS, MERCHANT, PROMISESx2, PHANTOM

3:35 pm November 29 - Sold-out WICKED stays Broadway's #1 show grossing $2,150,665, breaking $2 million mark like it did last holiday season

3:37 pm November 29 - WICKED also had last week's highest average ticket price on Broadway: $148.61

3:38 pm November 29 - MERCHANT OF VENICE was Broadway's top grossing play last week, taking in $1,160,360 with avg ticket price of $140.31

3:39 pm November 29 - MERCHANT OF VENICE also had Broadway's highest capacity with standing room only crowd of 102.6%

3:40 pm November 29 - Surprisingly, only THE MERCHANT OF VENICE and WICKED attracted capacity of 100% or more last week on Broadway

3:43 pm November 29 - Broadway shows attracting capacities of 95-99%: SPIDER-MAN (1 performance) LION KING, JERSEY BOYS, BILLY ELLIOT, ELF

3:44 pm November 29 - Broadway shows attracting capacities of 90-94.9%: MARY POPPINS, PHANTOM, ADDAMS FAMILY, DRIVING MISS DAISY

3:45 pm November 29 - 1st Broadway preview for SPIDER-MAN grosses $200,605 on 99.7% capacity and average ticket price of $104.32

3:46 pm November 29 - Broadway's lowest grossing show last week: PITMEN PAINTERS taking in $127,483 on 55.9% capacity. Avg tix priced $43.84

3:47 pm November 29 - Last week's lowest capacity: A FREE MAN OF COLOR at 45% grossing $194,194 on average ticket price of $51.70

3:48 pm November 29 - Broadway's cheapest ticket last week was THE PITMEN PAINTERS. Average ticket price of only $43.84

3:49 pm November 29 - Broadway shows with under 50% capacity: TIME STANDS STILL, ELLING, LA BÊTE, COLIN QUINN, FREE MAN OF COLOR

3:51 pm November 29 - PHANTOM OF THE OPERA posts biggest week over week capacity gain of 29.8% to 91.1%, grossing $1,024,656 last week

3:52 pm November 29 - With original London stars, MARY POPPINS also posts huge capacity increase of 27% to 91.8%, grossing $1,206,630

3:53 pm November 29 - Top capacity decline on Broadway last week? ELLING, down 30.2% to 47.7%, grossing just $198,048 before closing Sunday

So, dear readers, do any of these results surprise you? Is you favorite show teetering on the brink of breakaway success or failure? Either way, feel free to comment below.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Elling Turns To Ending

2010-11-26T07:02:00.001-05:00

Elling Turns To Ending

Well, that was quick.

No sooner had Simon Bent's Elling opened on Broadway this past Sunday and its producers have announced it's closing. This Sunday, November 28. After just nine regular performances.

The play fared poorly with many critics, as well as at the box office. Last week, the Doug Hughes-helmed comedy grossed only $145,070. All of which is quite a shame for a show that boasts Denis O'Hare, Jennifer Coolidge, Brendan Fraser, Richard Easton and Jeremy Shamos.

Since I've been on vacation, I haven't even had an opportunity -- yet -- to write my review for the show. But I can tell you that I certainly enjoyed the show, which snuck up on me and left me a wee bit teary eyed at the end -- perhaps a surprise for all the folks who walked out of the production who never knew what they missed.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Broadway's Thanksgiving Schedule

2010-11-25T08:30:00.002-05:00

Broadway's Thanksgiving Schedule

It's "Turkey Lurkey" time. But by the time you read this, I'll be on the ground in London for my traditional English Thanksgiving.

No, the British don't actually observe our uniquely American holiday. But it tends to be my own personal tradition as I travel to London most years to enjoy a nice four day weekend. And this just happens to be one of them.

But since you might be itching to see a Broadway show this holiday weekend, here's the full schedule of what's playing when. Note that the only shows performing on this Thanksgiving Day are A Life In The Theatre, A Little Night Music, American Idiot, Chicago, Elf, In The Heights, Promises Promises (bet they'll be singing "Turkey Lurkey Time" with bawdy abandon!), The Phantom Of The Opera, The Scottsboro Boys and West Side Story.

Also note that the following Broadway shows will be featured as part of Macy's 84th Annual Thanksgiving Day Parade: American Idiot, Memphis, Million Dollar Quartet and Elf. Each certainly captures varying aspects of the American experience to be sure, but thanks to Macy's sponsorship of Elf, it's a given that it would be featured in the parade. As a bonus to Broadway fans, the beautiful and brilliant Betty Buckley will also participate in this year's parade, which will be broadcast on NBC beginning at 9 a.m. EST today.

No matter where you are this Thanksgiving, and regardless of your nationality, please accept my deepest appreciation for making Steve On Broadway (SOB) one of your regular theatre stops. I can't thank you enough for your candid feedback and comments. I'm especially grateful to so many of you for your friendship.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.

Millions To Finally Get Sense Of Spidey Musical Sunday

2010-11-24T12:16:00.002-05:00

Millions To Finally Get Sense Of Spidey Musical Sunday

For many Broadway shows, there's no better place than Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade to show millions of Americans what you've got through the television exposure on NBC, let alone the estimated 3.5 million who line New York City streets.

Yet, this Sunday, Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark will reach tens of millions via TV's venerable "60 Minutes" news magazine (see video above). It's all too much of a rarity for "60 Minutes" to focus on Broadway. So kudos to CBS for focusing on at least one of the Great White Way's newsworthy musicals.

For the millions of football fans who stay tuned to CBS, they'll get an inside look at the musical that's still causing headlines and headaches for the beleaguered, delayed $60 million production. Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark is supposed to start previews on the very same day as the broadcast: November 28.

Will you be turning on The Dark?

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.

Yet Another Great Performance For Sondheim

2010-11-23T10:58:00.001-05:00

Yet Another Great Performance For Sondheim

In this seemingly all-Sondheim, all-the-time year -- due in large part to the celebration of the great Stephen Sondheim's 80th birthday -- all of America will have its chance to observe this living legend's work as "Sondheim! The Birthday Concert" finally airs as part of PBS's "Great Performances" tomorrow night, November 24.

Think of this as a perfect way to begin your Thanksgiving, as the show -- hosted by David Hyde Pierce -- offers a loving Valentine through song.

Originally presented by the New York Philharmonic at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall on March 15 and March 16 of this year, "Sondheim! The Birthday Concert" includes performances by Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald, Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, Donna Murphy, Michael Cerveris, Elaine Stritch, Nathan Gunn, and many more. Paul Gemignani conducts and Lonny Price directs songs and orchestral pieces from Sondheim musical theater favorites such as A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, Little Night Music, Company, Follies, Sunday In The Park With George, Sweeney Todd, and more.

Sounds like a winner. I'll be setting my DVR. How about you?

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.

Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending November 21, 2010

2010-11-22T20:30:00.002-05:00

George Gershwin Theatre Box Office (Home to Wicked)

Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending November 21, 2010

If you follow me on Twitter, you most likely know that each Monday, I offer my quick analysis of each preceding week's box office on Broadway.

Some people live for the latest sports stats, while I love poring over each week's box office totals on the Great White Way. So for your viewing pleasure, here are my tweets in chronological order for the week ending November 21, 2010:

7:00 pm November 22 Broadway box office down slightly last week (6.2%) to $21,333,678 in grosses

7:01 pm November 22 Broadway capacity down 5.05% last week to 71.03% or 255,508 seats sold out of 360,160 possible.

7:02 pm November 22 Broadway's average ticket price last week was $78.96, up from $77.93 week before

7:03 pm November 22 WICKED, THE LION KING, JERSEY BOYS & BILLY ELLIOT, PROMISES PROMISES each gross $1 million + last week

7:04 pm November 22 WICKED was Broadway's top grossing show (again!) taking in $1,509,711 on 96.3% capacity. Average ticket price $108.36

7:05 pm November 22 Week's highest avg ticket price ($134.40) & capacity (102.4%): MERCHAQNT OF VENICE, grossing $793,110 - top among plays

7:06 pm November 22 MERCHANT OF VENICE, WICKED, JERSEY BOYS & DRIVING MISS DAISY only Broadway shows attracting capacity of more than 90%

7:07 pm November 22 Broadway shows attracting less than 50% capacity last week: A LIFE IN THE THEATRE, LA BÊTE, AMERICAN IDIOT

7:08 pm November 22 A LIFE IN THE THEATRE had lowest capacity on Broadway: 45.1%, grosses $213,364 w/avg ticket price: $55.22

7:09 pm November 22 ELLING had Broaday's lowest avg ticket price of $22.03 last week. Grosses $145,070 on 77.9% capacity

7:10 pm November 22 COLIN QUINN LONG STORY SHORT had Broadway's lowest gross of $143,902 on 62.9% capacity. Avg ticket price: $48.70

7:11 pm November 22 ELLING had Broadway's highest increase in capacity last week. Up 13.4% to 77.9% in advance of yesterday's opening

7:12 pm November 22 THE PEE-WEE HERMAN SHOW had week's biggest capacity drop of 14.8% to 70.5%. Grosses $594,217

Do any of these results surprise you? Is you favorite show teetering on the brink of breakaway success or failure? Either way, feel free to comment below.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Will Fat Pig Become Cash Cow On Broadway?

2010-11-19T12:55:00.001-05:00

Will Fat Pig Become Cash Cow On Broadway?

After first premiering to great acclaim at Off-Broadway's MCC Theater in 2003, Neil LaBute's Fat Pig is being fattened up just a little bit more for its 2011 Broadway debut.

The playwright himself prepared to carve it up via his directorial debut on the Great White Way. Comedian Dane Cook and stage and movie actor Josh Hamilton are slated to star, although neither theatre nor dates have been confirmed.

According to David Ng of The Los Angeles Times:

LaBute's plays are famous for their controversial and blunt-force subject matter, as well as their high density of swear words. Fat Pig tells the story of Helen, an obese woman who gets into a romantic relationship with Tom, a slender thirtysomething man. Causing trouble is Tom's obnoxious friend Carter, who antagonizes Helen about her weight. Cook will play Carter while actor Josh Hamilton will take on Tom. The actress playing Helen will be announced at a later date.

While I haven't yet seen a production of Fat Pig, I was a huge fan of LaBute's devastating play The Shape Of Things and I truly admired reasons to be pretty. So count me among the intrigued, including on whether this casting can turn the production into a cash cow.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.

Final Weeks For 21 Broadway Shows

2010-11-18T11:13:00.001-05:00

Final Weeks For 21 Broadway Shows

As incredible as that headline sounds, it's for real.

A whopping 21 Broadway shows out of 39 will be closing between now and the end of January 2011. Yes, over half of the shows currently on the Great White Way will be gone in less than two months.

Among those 21 shows, 17 of them are scheduled to close during the month of January (although one could possibly extend beyond). That number may seem inordinately high, especially coming off two consecutive Januarys in which we lamented the closing of an unusually large number of shows due to the perennial winter doldrums coupled with a poor economy.

However, unlike the last two years, 10 of the shows set to close in January are limited runs shuttering on schedule. And among the four shows concluding performances between now and the end of the year (including one, pictured right, that hasn't even opened yet), all but one of them is also a limited run closing as scheduled.

Additionally, it should be noted that of the seven other shows closing in January, five of them -- A Little Night Music, Fela!, In The Heights, next to normal and West Side Story -- will not only have been performing on Broadway's boards for over a year, but each has earned at least one Tony Award, including In The Heights' Best Musical Tony from 2008. And did I mention next to normal's belated Pulitzer Prize?

With box office doing quite well in recent weeks -- grosses hit $22,656,843 just last week -- it's fair to say that things seem to be looking up for the Great White Way, which is relatively flush with green. Of course, it's entirely possible that there are additional closing notices looming for other Broadway shows that aren't faring well at the box office. But I won't speculate here on what else may not be long for this world.

Here's the current schedule of shows set to close between now and the end of January:

A Life In The Theatre - Limited run closing early on November 28, 2010

Mrs. Warren's Profession - Limited run through November 28, 2010

The Pitmen Painters - Limited run through December 12, 2010

Donny & Marie: A Broadway Christmas - Limited run December 9-30, 2010

Brief Encounter - Limited run extended through January 2, 2011

Elf - Limited run through January 2, 2011

Fela! - Closing notice posted for January 2, 2011

Promises, Promises - Closing announced for January 2, 2011

The Pee-Wee Herman Show - Limited run through January 2, 2011

West Side Story - Closing announced for January 2, 2011

Colin Quinn: Long Story Short - Limited run through January 8, 2011

A Free Man Of Color - Limited run through January 9, 2011

A Little Night Music - Closing notice posted for January 9, 2011

In The Heights - Closing notice posted for January 9, 2011

La Bête - Limited run closing early on January 9, 2010

Rain: A Tribute To The Beatles Limited run through January 9, 2011

The Merchant Of Venice - Limited run through January 9, 2011

next to normal - Closing announced for January 16, 2011

Time Stands Still - Limited run through January 23, 2011

Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown - Limited run through January 23, 2011

Driving Miss Daisy - Limited run through January 29, 2011

So, dear readers, which of these shows are you going to make a point of seeing before they close?

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.

Come January, All Bêtes Are Off

2010-11-17T00:01:00.004-05:00

Come January, All Bêtes Are Off

Talk about poor timing on my part.

No sooner do I post my SOB Review for the outrageously funny La Bête than the revival announces an early closing for January 9, 2011 -- five weeks earlier than originally planned.

By the time the comedy closes, it will have played 101 regular performances -- 76 more than the original production that bombed back in 1991. The current production wasn't even attracting 60% capacity at the box office last week. Unbelievable given all the talent involved.

Personally, I'm downright disappointed that this play didn't do better. It was incredibly well-crafted by director Matthew Warchus and brilliantly acted, particularly by Mark Rylance, who deserves a Tony nomination for his virtuoso work.

If there is a saving grace, it's that Rylance has indicated that he's set to begin rehearsals for a Broadway incarnation of Jerusalem, a play that blew away virtually everyone who had a chance to see it in London earlier this year. Rylance would reprise his Olivier Award-winning turn as Johnny "Rooster" Byron, and quite possibly do it at the very same theatre where he's currently treading the boards for La Bête.

To get a taste of what else to expect from Rylance, here's the trailer from the London production of Jerusalem:

After seeing Rylance in La Bête, I'm already salivating for his next star turn. If you haven't already seen La Bête, do yourself a favor and get to the Music Box Theatre before it closes in January. You can thank me later.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

99 And Counting...

2010-11-16T00:01:00.005-05:00

99 And Counting...

Talk about one long running hit!

If you're a regular reader, you might recall last year when I wrote about my (then) 98 year old Gramps. Guess who's turning 99 today?

This past weekend, much of my family gathered in northwest Arkansas to celebrate this exceptional man. We're so enormously proud to have him in our lives that I'm pleased to reprise my post from one year ago today with a few subtle changes.

Charles Loucks and 99 Reasons We Love Him

Ninety-nine years ago in tiny Tipton, Indiana, a middle-aged farmer’s wife named Mary Frances Loucks gave birth to a bouncing baby boy. She and Charles Sherman Loucks would call the infant Charles Francis Loucks. Charles Loucks became the youngest of many children this sizeable farm family would welcome into the world.

Charles, or Charley as his friends call him, would migrate to Minnesota shortly after high school. Not too long after he arrived, he would meet and then marry an Iowan named Marian Lucille Plummer. Together, they would have two children, Barbara Joyce and Donald Dean (pictured, flanking my Gramps this past Sunday), who in turn provided their parents with five grandchildren, including yours truly.

Now, as all of us – including his 14 great grandchildren and 9 great-great grandchildren (with another on the way!) – proudly celebrate our beloved Gramps’ 99th birthday, I’m using the occasion to pay tribute to this wonderful man by expressing 99 of the countless reasons why we love and adore him so very much. We’re so very blessed to still have this exceptional man in our lives.

So, in no particular order, I give you my 99 reasons:

1. He loves dogs and currently has an adorable Chihuahua named Lady as his very faithful companion.

2. He remains open to learning new tricks.

3. He once emulated magicians by pulling a table cloth out from under a table full of glasses without moving a one. He decided not to try and tempt fate twice.

4. Over the past ten years, he taught himself how to operate his own personal computer, which he continues to use in emailing family and friends.

5. He continues to volunteer at his local cable access television station in Bella Vista, Arkansas, and has even operated its camera from time to time over the last dozen years.

6. He has mastered his church’s sound mixing board.

7. He is a man of immense faith.

8. He still believes he can drive a car, and yes, he continues to possess a valid license.

9. But he will acquiesce when we insist on taking the wheel.

10. He’s traveled to all 50 states, and driven in 49 of them.

11. He used to enjoy getting our adrenaline pumping by driving us across Minnesota’s frozen lakes during the wintertime.

12. He continues to purchase a new automobile each year, whether he needs one or not.

13. He just renewed his passport, so he’ll be good to go for the next ten years.

14. He recently told me he’d love to go to Chile next.

15. In 2006, he ventured to China for his first time in just over 60 years.

16. Shortly after the close of World War II, he was part of a detail that swept mines from the Yangtze River in Shanghai.

17. He served his nation proudly during World War II, enlisting in the U.S. Navy even though he could have avoided service altogether since he was already aged 32, had a wife and two children, and was already serving his community as a St. Paul firefighter.

18. He would be honorably discharged after having been promoted to the rank of Carpenter - Second Class.

19. He’d serve in the waters around Europe, Africa and Asia during World War II.

20. He and his shipmates onboard the destroyer U.S.S. Baldwin proudly escorted President Franklin D. Roosevelt to Yalta. He even caught a glimpse of Winston Churchill once there.

21. He is the epitome of a true patriot and exemplifies the very best in America.

22. While the navy was on a six week hiatus in New York City during the war, he took in countless performances of the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall.

23. He is an exceptional storyteller and is always pleased to regale me with highlights from his life.

24. Knowing how much I love his stories, he once sat down in front of a video camera and chronicled much of his life for posterity (and me).

25. He’s always been drama-free, which has been a good thing given the drama his descendants have indulged in.

26. When he was just 17 years old and a senior in an Indianapolis high school, he performed alongside other minors as orphans in a play headlined by Ethel Barrymore.

27. He also performed in a high school production of “The Pirates of Penzance.”

28. He has personally met Frank Sinatra, even though he admits that he wasn’t particularly a fan.

29. He’s also met Milton Berle, who made him laugh.

30. He once told me he wanted to meet Anne Murray (pictured left), so I arranged a backstage meeting with the Canadian singer after a concert stop in Tulsa. Gramps was stunned.

31. He can be a bit shy.

32. He was supposed to personally meet and greet President Harry S. Truman, but was so overcome when observing the president’s uncanny resemblance to his deceased father that he retrenched into a corner of the reception room.

33. He learned how to pilot a plane after World War II, but because he was $12 short of the final payment necessary to enable him to fly solo, he never received his license – and he never told my grandmother that he had even been practicing.

34. He has only ever been married to one woman, my grandmother, in a union that lasted 63 years until her death in 1995.

35. He met my grandmother on a blind date.

36. His pen “slipped” as he was signing his marriage license. Back in those days, the minimum legal age to get hitched without parental approval was 21. But he feared his parents would not approve, even though he was just shy of 21 years. When he signed the marriage license, his pen “slipped” so it appeared that he was born in 1910 rather than 1911.

37. He spent half of the money he had on his honeymoon – an exorbitant $15 on a trip to Brainerd, Minnesota. It was exactly half of all the money he had to his name.

38. He was so in love with my grandmother that he was clearly heartbroken when she died. He still tears up when he talks about her.

39. After her passing, he uprooted himself by moving to a remote part of Arkansas where he owned some land. He built a new home for himself – at age 85.

40. From 1939 through 1975, he served with distinction as a proud St. Paul firefighter.

41. Out of hundreds of applicants to become a St. Paul fireman during the Depression, he would earn the third highest scores on the civil service examination.

42. By the time he was forced to retire, due to the mandatory retirement at age 65, he had been promoted to the position of Fire Chief in St. Paul.

43. He once loaned his trumpet to his nephew George Myers, who would not only go on to become one the military’s most revered players, but he would also play taps at funerals for many dignitaries.

44. He has always been a great instructor.

45. He helped teach me how to water-ski.

46. He was patient with me even when I tried learning how to play golf.

47. He continues to actively play golf to this day.

48. He regularly shoots a golf score under his age (and typically beats his younger golfing buddies).

49. He scored his first hole-in-one back in 1935.

50. He scored his last hole-in-one as recently as 2004 – at age 92.

51. All totaled, he has scored five holes-in-one. Although he nearly scored a sixth, the ball bounced back out of the cup landing just a foot-long putt away.

52. One of his earliest memories is smoking a cigar at the age of 8 at his eldest brother’s wedding reception (his brother Noel was a World War I veteran). He ended up rolling down a hill in a tire and was briefly knocked out, coming to after the reception had ended.

53. As children, he and another brother were thrown from their family horse because they were a little overeager in trying out the spurs they received as a gift. The duo wanted to be cowboys.

54. He can be a bit of a daredevil.

55. He went parasailing in Mexico at age 79.

56. He became an expert ski jumper back in the 1930s.

57. After he went home from his first planned attempt at ski-jumping, he couldn’t help but kick himself for not trying. When he went back for a second attempt, he saw teenagers skiing off the jump with ease and thought, “If they can do it, so can I.” While his first jump proved dangerous (he landed on his head), he dusted himself off and went right back up to the top and tried again. Successfully.

58. He is a model of perseverance.

59. He succeeded in learning how to build houses when moonlighting from the Fire Department.

60. He helped my father build the very first home I ever lived in.

61. He and my grandmother purchased their first residence back in the 1930s for a whopping $2,500. (When I was just a child, I took comfort in knowing that they were just blocks up the street from us.)

62. He sold that same house during the 1970s for over $75,000.

63. He built his own lake home, which was one of our family’s favorite gathering places for special occasions, including a couple of mine.

64. He and my grandmother made every attempt to attend virtually all major milestone events in our family – everything from graduations and confirmations to performances in musicals and concerts to weddings – even after we moved to Milwaukee.

65. He is tremendously fit for his age.

66. In addition to playing golf, he stays in shape by clearing brush from the woods adjacent to his home.

67. He’s routinely mistaken for someone 20 years younger.

68. He makes more money now through his pension than he ever did via his regular paycheck – proving that living long is the best revenge.

69. When his own mother died, he received an “inheritance” totaling $15. He always jokes that the longer he lives, the less inheritance there will be for us. But we all implore him to spend it.

70. Nonetheless, he is a very frugal man.

71. Yet, he is exceedingly generous, as he proved yet again last Christmas.

72. He likes to pick up the check at restaurants.

73. He became an expert woodworker before he was a firefighter.

74. His work from over 70 years ago can still be found in both the Ramsey County Courthouse (St. Paul) and the city’s First National Bank Building.

75. He also designed the single most beautiful inlaid wooden table I’ve ever seen.

76. He likes Peanut M & Ms.

77. He likes his ice cream, something his son and this particular grandson inherited.

78. He is still very spry.

79. He is exceedingly lucid.

80. He cries every time we say goodbye.

81. He possesses a spark in his voice whenever we talk on the phone, beginning with his boisterous, “Hello, there!”

82. He maintains a terrific sense of humor.

83. He continues to be admired by the ladies.

84. He was quite mischievous growing up.

85. He can still recall when everyone had a horse and buggy, as well as when his father bought their first car.

86. When gas prices hit $4 per gallon two years ago, he recalled how a tank of gas was costing more than his very first automobile, a used Ford Model T, which he purchased in the 1920s for a mere $40.

87. He also remembers gasoline-free Sundays, when autos were only used on Sundays in case of emergencies.

88. He remembers how awkward it was to use party-line phones with everyone knowing his family’s business. But by the same token, they knew everything about their neighbors, too.

89. He grew up without electricity, but they heated everything with coal.

90. He understands the virtues of sacrifice.

91. He recognizes just how far he’s come.

92. He’s honest.

93. He has immense integrity.

94. Although he’s consistently voted for Democrats in presidential races beginning in 1940 right through 2008, he voted Republican during his first time at the polls because his farm family was strictly Indiana GOP.

95. He loves his family unconditionally, no matter who votes Republican.

96. He’s tremendously proud of his offspring, and just as the average face of America is changing with more color, so is the burgeoning rainbow hue in his family.

97. He looks forward to turning 100 years of age.

98. He loves us.

99. He gives us countless reasons to love him right back.

Happy birthday, Gramps! With love, sincere appreciation and best wishes for your 100th year!

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending November 14, 2010

2010-11-15T18:16:00.001-05:00

George Gershwin Theatre Box Office (Home to Wicked)

Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending November 14, 2010

If you follow me on Twitter, you most likely know that each Monday, I offer my quick analysis of each preceding week's box office on Broadway.

Some people live for the latest sports stats, while I love poring over each week's box office totals on the Great White Way. So for your viewing pleasure, here are my tweets in chronological order for the week ending November 14, 2010:

3:30 pm November 15 - Broadway box office grossed $22,656,843 last week. Up 10.24% (well over $2 million) week over week

3:31 pm November 15 - Broadway capacity up 4.28% last week to 76.09% (or 276,473 seats filled out of 361,312 possible)

3:32 pm November 15 - The average ticket on Broadway was priced at $77.93 last week, up from $76.12 week before.

3:33 pm November 15 - WICKED, LION KING, JERSEY BOYS, PROMISES PROMISES, ADDAMS FAMILY, BILLY ELLIOT each gross $1 million+ last week

3:35 pm November 15 - Broadway's top grossing show again last week: WICKED at $1,567,087 on 98% capacity and $110.47 average ticket price

3:37 pm November 15 - Broadway's top capacity: MERCHANT OF VENICE at 100.8%. Gross of $848,045 makes it top play. Avg ticket price: $121.69

3:39 pm November 15 - Broadway top avg ticket price: DRIVING MISS DAISY at $123.77. Gross: $681,345. 85.6% capacity (Redgrave ill last week)

3:40 pm November 15 - Broadway shows over 90% capacity last week: MERCHANT OF VENICE, WICKED, JERSEY BOYS, LION KING, BILLY ELLIOT

3:41 pm November 15 - Broadway shows w/avg ticket price $100+: DRIVING MS DAISY, MERCHANT OF VENICE, JERSEY BOYS, WICKED, LION KING, ADDAMS FAMILY

3:42 pm November 15 - Broadway's lowest grossing show: COLIN QUINN LONG STORY SHORT at $132,930. 54.3% capacity. Avg ticket price $52.13

3:43 pm November 15 - Broadway's lowest capacity: A LIFE IN THE THEATRE drawing just 37.2% capacity. Gross: $206,017.Avg ticket price: $64.70

3:45 pm November 15 - Broadway's lowest average ticket price: ELLING at $34.51. Gross: $188,300 on 64.6% capacity.

3:46 pm November 15 - Broadway shows below 60% capacity: A LIFE IN THE THEATRE, AMERICAN IDIOT, COLIN QUINN LONG STORY SHORT, LA BÊTE

3: 48 pm November 15 - LOMBARDI scores biggest weekly capacity increase of 20.2% to 85.5%. Grosses $373,063. Avg ticket price $69.01

3:50 pm November 15 - COLIN QUINN LONG STORY SHORT has week's biggest capacity drop of 14.7% to 54.3%. But gross way up over 50%.

Do any of these results surprise you? Is you favorite show teetering on the brink of breakaway success or failure? Either way, feel free to comment below.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Today's Secret Word? "Winner!"

2010-11-15T11:03:00.001-05:00

Today's Secret Word? "Winner!"

Congratulations to Tanya Elder from New York, New York, who has just won two free tickets to see The Pee-Wee Herman Show on Broadway!

As those of you who entered know, because Paul Reubens (aka Pee-wee Herman) has so effectively used social networking to promote his critically-acclaimed show, eligible entries for this SOB Contest needed to subscribe to this blog, follow me on Twitter (and then retweet one of my contest messages) and follow me on Facebook.

After congratulating Tanya Elder (@Elderta) via Twitter a short while ago, she tweeted:

OMG!!! Wow!! Thank you!!!! @SteveOnBroadway @peeweeherman

Winning tix just made my day and PeeWee brings a smile to my face. I await instructions on the tix. Thanks again! @SteveOnBroadway

Congratulations again, Tanya!

Thank you to everyone who entered the contest. By subscribing to Steve On Broadway, you'll automatically be entered in future contests!

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post. However, in conjunction with SpotCo, two tickets for The Pee-Wee Herman Show will be given away to one lucky reader.

La Bête (The SOB Review)

2010-11-15T00:01:00.003-05:00

La Bête (The SOB Review) – Music Box Theatre, New York, New York

***1/2 (out of ****)

Last week, I wrote about a new show on Broadway that would be funny if it wasn’t so sad.

Fortunately, today I get to write about just the opposite -- a revived comedy that could easily be sad if it just wasn’t so hysterically funny.

Rarely has the term “laugh riot” been more befitting than for the new Rialto revival of American playwright David Hirson’s previously underappreciated 1992 comedy, La Bête -- set in 18th Century France and written to ape the style of Molière. In fact, as if taking a cue from the title (French for “the beast”), I was howling with delight.

While the play is written in rhyming couplets, Hirson’s prose never sounds the least bit forced or unnatural. Enormous credit for that achievement goes to Matthew Warchus, who’s mercifully steering this extraordinary revival. Warchus’ ear for the appropriate cadence lifts the entire production to an astonishing loftiness, as in equaling Mark Thompson's impressive, towering book case, as opposed to being haughty.

Indeed, part of La Bête’s subversive charm is that it pretends to pander to the lowest common denominator, even as its subliminal moralizing is much more high-minded, intelligent and thought-provoking, and ultimately heartbreaking.

Centering on a troupe of serious French actors, led by Elomire (David Hyde Pierce), La Bête appeals to a populist voice as they’re called upon by an unlikely source to join forces with the dubious talents of the beast in question. The beast is actually an ass -- a street performer named Valere (Mark Rylance). That the insisting voice is none other than their primary patron, the Princess (Joanna Lumley), illustrates just how low that common denominator can go in a quest for popular entertainment over substance.

The remarkable Rylance is nothing short of an acting genius. Quite effortlessly, he once again demonstrates why he is -- hands-down -- one of our greatest living stage treasures. Rylance seems to chew just about everything except for the scenery, particularly via his hilarious, non-stop 30-plus minute monologue that must be seen to be believed. It’s the kind of singular, virtuoso performance that audiences will be talking about for years to come.

His delusional, American-accented Valere is so incredibly full of himself -- a true legend in his own mind, if you will -- that he serves as a perfect archetype for all the bloviating excess that much of the rest of the world seems to view in the United States. Valere is the type of narcissistic name-dropping dullard who simply remains clueless to the disdain others around him feel.

With great irony, Rylance is practically holding up a mirror to his American audiences, daring us to laugh at what we have collectively become. And the amazing thing is that we do. We’re in on the joke, even if we're doubled over with this kind of laughter can makes us a wee bit uncomfortable.

As Elomire, Hyde Pierce plays the perfect straight man to Rylance. While he rarely gets a word in edgewise, Hyde Pierce remains nothing if not a master in expressionism, reacting to each and every boast from Valere with requisite double-takes of a man thoroughly frustrated. He’s the yin to Rylance’s yang.

Which is what appeals to the Princess in trying to blend their polar-opposite talents together. In her Broadway debut, Lumley imbues her Princess with unpretentious grace. It’s as if there was a people’s princess long before Diana, even if there’s a brooding, petulant child lurking underneath the regal exterior. And after witnessing Lumley's performance, it's hard to even imagine that the role was written as a Prince.

What is most astonishing about La Bête is that while it easily plays to all audiences, its most deceptive allure is that at its very core is a beating heart, exposing the pandering for what it is and hoping beyond hope for something more stimulating and intelligent. And for those who can see past the play's façade of folly, they’ll find that and more. But laugh too hard, and is just might escape you.

This is Steve On Broadway.

In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.

David Gallo: Designing Broadway And Beyond (The SOB Interview)

2010-11-14T09:19:00.003-05:00

David Gallo

David Gallo: Designing Broadway And Beyond (The SOB Interview)

On Friday, I provided the first portion of my interview with Tony Award-winning scenic designer David Gallo, discussing his Snow Globe creation for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Today, I'm pleased to share the rest of my interview with this affable, engaging and immensely talented designer in which we discussed, among other topics, August Wilson, his incredible inspiration for The Drowsy Chaperone and even how one of his works is now in the Smithsonian Institution.

Here's the SOB Interview:

Steve On Broadway - You had a long association with August Wilson’s works.

David Gallo - That’s correct. My daughter’s name is August as well.

SOB - That's amazing. Can you tell me a little about the experience of working with this great playwright?

DG - It was just the highlight of my career. To even be alive during the same time period with such an extraordinary talent and such an important voice for forever, you know, with world literature. So that enough, but to be able to participate on them was just the highlight of a career to be able to bond with August and be able to work with him directly in developing the visuals aspects of his stories, you know, the words that he was putting together. It was amazing.

August Wilson's Fences

What was it like? I mean, it was great. It was about fourteen years of my life. It was a new challenge every day. Always interesting, you know, because my initial exposure to August was doing a production of Fences almost 20 years ago, which was the first time I had really any connection to the plays themselves. And then I designed the premiere productions of his later works and getting to the point where I was designing productions of August Wilson plays before the plays were written.

SOB - Wow!

DG - Yeah, it got to that point where we would discuss the ideas before he would even have typed out a word, I would already have pen to the paper.

SOB - Well, I was going to ask you how much influence does a director’s vision have on what ultimately you see?

DG - Well a director, a lot. But in this case the playwright, you know, usually not so much. But this was special. He was very much a part of all that stuff. He was a huge influence. And the settings were always so much more than met the eye.

Hughie - 1996 Broadway revival

SOB - With respect to your first design on Broadway, which was for Hughie, you were working at Circle in the Square (a theatre in the round), which in and of itself presents some interesting challenges. I’ve seen many shows that have worked in that space, but so many that just don’t. What were your challenges there.

DG - Well, that space is like really tough. As you know it’s a very difficult theatre to master. And a particular challenge for Hughie is it’s a play that really has just two characters. There’s only two people in it, and one of them is the focus -- the role that Al Pacino played -- and he wanders around a bit. And then the other one played by Paul Benedict is a character that literally never gets out of his chair.

So you’ve got to get a pretty tight ground plan because to get something like that to work in that context is always a little bit tricky. It’s not like a busy play with a lot of characters and a lot of movement and everything is running around that space and you really have to use that space. We pretty much were committed to a very particular play with a very particular presentation style. Yeah, that theatre is not easy.

SOB - I’ve also admired your work in The Drowsy Chaperone. I thought that scenic design was absolute genius. What was your inspiration for that?

The Drowsy Chaperone - Man in Chair's apartment

DG - A guy I knew who was that character.

SOB - Really?

DG - Yes. I read that play and I said, “Holy s***! I know this guy.”

I called my friend and I said I’m coming over with my camera, and I photographed every centimeter of his apartment. The set wasn’t a replication of that apartment, but it was seriously inspired by that guy’s apartment.

He lived in the same place since the late 1970s in a Hell’s Kitchen walk-up on the fifth floor. You know, he actually has his bathtub in his kitchen, you know, and it’s completely filled with musical theatre and opera records. He hangs out there and plays these records. Really, that’s his thing. He’s also a designer -- I mean he has a life. I mean he’s not, you know, as weird as our character. He’s the real thing. So the inspiration came from that.

The Drowsy Chaperone - Play within the play

And then the play within a play was all sort of based on the work of Joseph Urban, the great designer, at the beginning of the century. What if Joseph Urban had actually designed The Drowsy Chaperone. What would it look like?

SOB - I also loved your elaborate designs for Memphis and thought you were really robbed of a Tony nomination.

DG - I never really considered that too much, but we certainly liked the way it turned out certainly.

SOB - It’s also your first Broadway show with a projection design credit?

Memphis (Photo by Wolfram Ott)

DG - Yeah. The first one on Broadway. I’ve done other things.

SOB - Do you think projection designs are here to stay?

DG - Well, yeah, I mean they’ve been around for over a hundred years. So it’s not like it’s new. There’s a lot more that we can do with the ability to make it more effective right now. I think that they’re almost a little too in vogue at the moment. But I think used effectively I think they’d be great. But they’re not going anywhere.

We just opened another one, the Colin Quinn thing – we designed all the projections for that, too.

SOB - You also did the set design for that.

DG - That’s right. It’s sort of my thing.

SOB - It certainly gave me the impression of being right in the middle of a Greek amphitheater.

DG - Oh you saw it?

SOB - Yes.

DG - Good for you.

SOB - Now you have to settle a bet. I was talking with someone about your projection design for Memphis and we were arguing back and forth as to whether it was a live video feed or it was taped.

DG - During the second act when they’re on? It’s all live. It was impossible to do tape.

SOB - And how does it feel to have gotten this far and have something in the Smithsonian?

DG - That actually happened in ’98 or ’99. It was freaky.

SOB - It’s "America’s attic."

DG - I guess so and we’ve cluttered it up with junk. They asked, and they actually had a whole bunch of my stuff and they ended up settling on one thing. But that’s what they wanted to do, and there it is – somewhere in the basement next to the Ark of the Covenant.

I don’t know. It’s never left my bio. I always thought it would. But it’s always still in there. I guess it’s interesting. I don’t know anywhere else with stuff in the Smithsonian.

SOB - I don’t know anybody else with anything there.

DG - So, it’s cool. You know. I mean, when you think about it, you donate it and now it’s not yours anymore, and if I want to go see it I have to have a good reason like it’s my own thing and they’re very clear that you can’t ever have anything back again.

I got some stuff in another museum and that was sort of trippy because I went there to give a lecture and they were like, “Well, while you’re here…” They had a model all laid out and they wanted me to glue it all back together because it had been damaged. And they’re like, “Only you can do it because you’re the original artist.” I know it’s weird. All these art archivists and art restorers are sitting there watching me glue this thing back together again. Weird.

SOB - What’s next for you?

DG - Right now we’re doing Madagascar, the movie -- we’re doing a live version of that. We’re doing a big splashy musical version of Madagascar.

And then we’re just getting started working with a rock band Phish and so we’re designing a New Year’s experience extravaganza for three dates around New Year’s. And then we’re doing scenic design and projections for a very large scale Frank Wildhorn musical -- new musical -- that’s going to happen in South Korea. And then we’re doing another in China. We’re pretty busy. And then I’m going to Stuttgart next week because we have a show opening in Stuttgart, and we just had one open in Rome recently, too.

I ended my conversation with a couple design-oriented recommendations for David Gallo while he's in Stuttgart. I'm sure I'm not alone in looking forward to what this designing genius does next.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.

Deck The Halls With Broadway Snow Globe; Support Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS

2010-11-12T00:01:00.004-05:00

Deck The Halls With Broadway Snow Globe; Support Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS

Looking for that perfect holiday gift for the theatregoer in your life?

Consider the all-new Broadway collectible designed by Tony Award-winning scenic designer David Gallo, who was commissioned by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA) to design their 2010 Official Broadway Cares Snow Globe.

If you're a regular reader, you already know how much I support this invaluable non-profit, which is one of the nation's leading industry based HIV/AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. So I'm pleased not only to share details of the snow globe itself, but also present an interview I conducted with David Gallo.

According to BC/EFA:

Our newest snow globe is the most theatrical one yet, with an eye-popping, multi-layered design from Tony award-winning designer, David Gallo. The subway trains run underneath the snow covered theaters and taxi-lined streets of New York, all of which advertise over twenty Broadway musical logos. Inside the globe, three girls dance on a spectacular stage, which rotates to reveal a surprise glimpse of the goings-on backstage. "There’s No Business Like Show Business" is the perfect anthem for this collectable globe, which stands 5 ¾” x 7 ½”.

On Wednesday, I had a chance to talk with David Gallo about his efforts for BC/EFA. Here's a portion of my interview with this master designer:

Steve On Broadway (SOB) - How did your collaboration with Broadway Cares come about?

David Gallo - On this particular project, it was as simple as them just contacting me about doing this. But I’ve been participating in various forms of fundraising for them for probably almost 20 years. I always worked the Flea Market for them and over the years I’ve donated a tremendous amount of artwork.

Whenever I’m asked to sell something of my own to a museum or an individual, I always have the money given to Broadway Cares. So I’ve done that for a long time as well. And occasionally when people want to purchase memorabilia, I always have the money go to Broadway Cares.

But for the snowglobe, it was just as simple as having them call me.

SOB - I only spotted one of your shows in the Snow Globe.

DG - We made sure Memphis was right there in the center.

SOB - Tell me a little about the concept that went into your snow globe design.

DG - I really wanted to be able to tell some kind of a story with it. As an art object, it’s certainly cute enough. But I was hoping to be able to sort of develop into some basic kind of tale and give it a little sense of surprise -- so the notion of it being the street levels of New York and all the taxis and the cars and then below that the subway and then the city.

Then as it sort of spins around, seeing the city as performance -- Times Square and Broadway as performances -- seeing the backstage goings-on with the wardrobe people and the stagehands throwing the snow. It was just sort of meant as New York -- Broadway in the wintertime as kind of the event and let it work on number of different scales. Just sort of be fun from that point of view.

But alternately, the idea was just to tell some kind of silly little tale.

SOB - Have you ever worked on that kind of scale before?

DG - I don’t think I’ve ever done a snow globe before. I wasn’t unfamiliar working in model form because that’s what we do, but usually our stuff ends up getting built bigger. But yes, it really was the first time, certainly the first time.

SOB - I’m looking forward to getting one of my own.

Yeah, it’s cool. It’s actually turned out really, really well. We’re very pleased with it.

To purchase your very own whimsical snow globe (as I since have), visit the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS online store. They're just $80 each. To give directly to BC/EFA, please go here.

I'll have more of my interview with David Gallo next week as I focus more on his award-winning career.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).