PRODUCER’S PERSPECTIVE Ken Davenport, Broadway Producer, Off-Broadway, Theater

Broadway's 2nd Quarter results: The season is half over. How we doin'?

It's that time already, can you believe it?  Seems like just yesterday we were BBQing in our backyards and taking Summer Fridays.  

And now look . . .

The temp has dropped, it gets dark at 4:30, and the Radio City Christmas Show is kicking again.  You know what that means?

We've reached the end of the 2nd Quarter of our Broadway Fiscal Year.

Week #26 of the Broadway season ended on Sunday, so let's check and see how we're doing!

Total gross sales for Quarter #2 were $242,217,564, which is UP (!) 5.9% over last year's Q2 posting of $227,836,554.

All I have to say to this bit of news is thank you Mr. Jackman, Mr. Craig and Mr. Law (and the retiring company of God of Carnage, don't forget).

So, we're winning the second furlong, but where does this put us for the entire horse race of a season?

As you'll remember from our Q1 analysis, our gross was down 3.2% and attendance was down a gi-normous 9.6%.  Thanks to our strong Q2, we've picked up ground.

The season gross tally thus far is $500,376.907, or up a marginal .4%.

Unfortunately, the disturbing spread in our gross and our attendance remains.

Last season we had put 6,125,872 butts in the seats.  This year, we've only put 5,806,155. 

How will we do in Q3? 

Unfortunately, I'm predicting some more slippage.  We will lose some ground over the next 13 weeks.  Those giant super power plays disappear soon, and I don't see any other million-dollar shows on the horizon, do you?  And the shows killing with the critics (Ragtime, Finian's) haven't yet exploded at the BO.  (Sign of the economic times, or are the critics losing power even faster than we thought).

We need a big fat musical hit. 

Will it be this?

Broadway Grosses w/e 11/22/09

Show Name	GrossGross	TotalAttn	%Cap	AvgPdAdm
A STEADY RAIN	$1,170,859	8,645	100.90%	$135.44
AFTER MISS JULIE	$229,019	4,364	73.72%	$52.48
BILLY ELLIOT: THE MUSICAL	$1,297,066	10,768	94.72%	$120.46
BURN THE FLOOR	$320,485	5,660	67.77%	$56.62
BYE BYE BIRDIE	$592,404	7,768	94.64%	$76.26
CHICAGO	$405,115	5,322	61.60%	$76.12
FELA!	$249,610	6,888	95.53%	$36.24
FINIAN'S RAINBOW	$532,291	8,546	62.80%	$62.29
GOD OF CARNAGE	$497,779	5,392	62.52%	$92.32
HAIR	$596,302	7,095	62.81%	$84.05
HAMLET	$934,627	9,074	96.61%	$103.00
IN THE HEIGHTS	$525,294	6,620	60.62%	$79.35
IN THE NEXT ROOM OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY	$143,731	4,427	61.55%	$32.47
IRVING BERLIN'S WHITE CHRISTMAS	$534,443	7,407	57.33%	$72.15
JERSEY BOYS	$1,149,626	9,823	100.48%	$117.03
MAMMA MIA!	$743,680	8,955	74.72%	$83.05
MARY POPPINS	$658,797	9,718	67.60%	$67.79
MEMPHIS	$640,437	9,287	78.97%	$68.96
NEXT TO NORMAL	$341,883	4,619	74.79%	$74.02
OLEANNA	$149,424	2,769	43.05%	$53.96
RACE	$519,352	7,204	85.11%	$72.09
RAGTIME	$419,359	6,734	59.32%	$62.27
ROCK OF AGES	$560,631	6,391	80.13%	$87.72
SHREK THE MUSICAL	$580,238	8,033	57.94%	$72.23
SOUTH PACIFIC	$651,648	6,512	78.19%	$100.07
SUPERIOR DONUTS	$222,868	3,477	43.86%	$64.10
THE 39 STEPS	$142,276	2,599	55.16%	$54.74
THE LION KING	$1,191,066	11,635	87.93%	$102.37
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA	$655,516	8,412	65.11%	$77.93
THE ROYAL FAMILY	$201,887	3,353	64.48%	$60.21
WEST SIDE STORY	$949,737	10,162	74.85%	$93.46
WICKED	$1,430,006	13,343	92.20%	$107.17
WISHFUL DRINKING	$385,078	6,389	79.54%	$60.27
TOTAL	$19,622,530	237,391	73.23%	$77.54

Advice from an Expert: Vol. XIII. What is The Broadway League?

I mentioned The Broadway League in a post recently, and a new reader dropped me a note asking just what the heck "The League" was. 

I was in the middle of composing my own response, when I realized that I had a few questions about the League and its history myself.  So I decided to call in an Expert for all the answers!  

So, here she is, Ms. Charlotte St. Martin, the Executive Director of The Broadway League (and #19 on BroadwaySpace.com's list of Broadway's Most Powerful People) with a guest blog on The League.

- - - - -

In 1930 the brand new League of NY Theatres stated in a document called "The Primer of the League of NY Theatres"  that "a new stimulus is being given to the Theatre in general as a result of the formation of the League.  While that was 79 years ago, it would be safe to say that the League still does that.  And the purpose of the League at that time, "that the public may be assured of better theatrical conditions, greater convenience in purchasing theatre tickets and a vigorous policy by the Members of the League to place the American theatre in that high position which it deserves to hold in the community" would still hold true today and would be a great mission statement today, as well as then. 

Other stated purposes at that time are still quite relevant today. 

- To eliminate theatre ticket speculation and to protect the public from the exorbitant charges made by ticket brokers for desirable locations. 
- To make theatre going easy for the public. 
- To make it possible for the public to buy tickets for good seats at theatre box offices. 

Even though our name was different then, it is not without merit to mention that one of the key goals of The Broadway League today is not so dissimilar. We have a committee that has been working on an initiative to educate consumers on a national level about "How to buy a ticket from the official sources of Broadway" to insure that our theatregoers are getting what they pay for!

In addition to New York producers and theatre owners,  members of The Broadway League also include the presenters of Broadway in over 150 cities and 250 venues across the country. The organization is a member-driven trade association representing the commercial theatre industry in those areas most important to them including: 

1.  Labor

We negotiate with the 14 unions representing Broadway in NYC.

2.  Marketing and Branding 

Through audience development programs such as Broadway on Broadway, Kids' Night on Broadway and Back 2 Broadway, one of our key goals is to introduce new audiences to theatre through education and opportunities to experience live theatre.  In addition, another key goal is to differentiate a Broadway show from other forms of live entertainment, and the branding campaign launched last year entitled "Now that's Broadway" is the face of that initiative.

3.  Government Relations

We communicate the needs of commercial theatre with our local, state and national elected officials.  Whether we are working on improving the traffic pattern for NYC, or fighting the attack on our wireless devices with the FCC, we are there to represent the needs of our members. A key new initiative is to work with our lobbyists in Washington D.C. to create tax incentives for the producers of commercial theatre, which ultimately creates a significant number of jobs across the country.

4.  Conferences and Forums

We host meetings, conferences, forums, and other types of events which are opportunities for our members to learn, network and solve industry challenges.

5.  Research

We maintain historical data on individual playhouses and productions - the Internet Broadway Database (www.IBDB.com). The League is "the" source of information about commercial theatre that is important to our members. We collect weekly box office grosses for Broadway and Touring Broadway, and provide research reports on the demographics of the Broadway and Touring Broadway audiences as well as Broadway's economic impact.

6.  Tony Awards

As co-presenter of the annual Tony Awards which are aired on CBS-TV, the awards recognize excellence and provide national exposure for Broadway.

Over the years we have been quite active in a variety of issues. We convinced the N.Y. State Legislature to drop proposed draconian censorship laws, spearheaded a boycott of segregated playhouses, fought McCarthyism and the Hollywood blacklist by refusing to shutter productions because of artists' political views,  collaborated with the theatrical unions and the City of New York to create a pension plan for Broadway employees, plus so much more. 

The more things change, the more they remain the same? No!  Perhaps our mission in fulfilling the needs of our members and theatregoers has remained the same.  But as those needs became more complex and diverse, so has the evolution of our organization into a modern way of thinking and one that yields positive results to better our industry.

- - - - -

For more information on The League, including how to become a member, visit www.BroadwayLeague.com 

 

The Shubert stimulus package.

Earlier this week, the theatrical royal family known as The Shuberts announced an unprecedented three year development deal with two commercial producers, Frederick Zollo and Robert Cole.  Zollo and Cole (has a nice ring, doesn't it?) have been responsible for a bunch of shows between them including Angels in America, Chitty² Bang², and, this season, they teamed up like the Wonder Twins to produce a little event known as A Steady Rain.

The deal seems pretty simple.  Zollo and Cole get three years to develop projects and get dibs at Shubert theaters (one of the most challenging issues facing producers is how to develop a show without knowing if it will get a theater).  This first-look deal guarantees Z&C that their shows will have a home, and gives their artists the security that their work will be seen on a Shubert stage.  In addition, the Shuberts get first chance to invest, and they've given the guys some nice offices in the castle on 44th St.

What's exciting about this deal is its similarity to the movie model.  The Shuberts have forged a relationship with producers that they trust, respect and that have done well for them; guaranteed them "distribution" (theater availability); and pledged financial support if the product is something they are interested in.  While the guys aren't necessarily hired guns that are being paid to develop product, they have been given an incredible public demonstration of confidence and support from the largest landlord in the theatrical world.  

Independent producers are so often out there on their own, flailing in the wind, trying to drum up interest for projects from artists, investors, etc,.and that is getting harder to do considering how risky of a proposition Broadway is.  When a producer can say that they have a contractual relationship with The Shuberts for developing new material that guarantees them a theater and possible investment, that goes a long way. 

Look, Z&C are smart, successful, and powerful producers in their own right, so I'm sure they didn't have problems getting their phone calls returned before this deal.  Still, I'd bet that they go up a few notches on everyone's call list now.

This is a bold move, and a great one.  Let's hope it's successful for everyone, because if it is . . . they'll be looking for more Producers to fill the offices in Shubert Castle.

My suggestion for the next deal?  Get someone from the Roth generation.

Movie sites versus theater sites. What do you visit?

I went to see Paranormal Activity last week (a must-see thriller, by the way, for the story in the movie and the story behind the movie).  

There were 167.4 previews of upcoming attractions before PA began, and each one of them ended with the customary web address that I could visit to get more info on each movie.  

As I heard website after website, I asked myself two questions:

1.  Why do movie sites use dashes so often?  (e.g. www.paranormalactivity-movie.com)  Is it because they are late on getting the domains?  (shame, shame, you should have read this, movie companies).  Is it because they believe the rumor that the words broken by dashes helps your SEO?  

2.  Why don't I visit movie sites before seeing a movie?

This was the big one.  

I spend hours in front of my computer.  And before I do anything these days, from taking a trip to buying a fan to choosing interns, I'm googling everything I can about the subject at hand, and visiting the primary website for said subject.

Except for movies.

Huh.  

I go to show websites all the time, though.  Weird.  Well, maybe not so weird.  I'm in the business, right?  Of course I visit show websites more often than movie websites.

Maybe that's why. Or maybe not.  I'm confused!

So let's ask people not in the business!

I wanted to ask the general theatergoing public what they did before seeing movies and shows, so with a little help from my friends at Audience Rewards, we posed the following questions to a bunch of audience members who see both movies and theater, and here are the results:

Before seeing a movie, do you visit a movie's website?

Only 6% said all the time.

Before seeing a show, do you visit a show's website?

23% said all the time. 

Quite a difference.

Why such a difference?  Is it because the places to buy tickets for movies (e.g. Fandango, Moviefone, etc.) have all the info we need, and then some?  Is it because a movie ticket is so cheap, audience members don't feel the need to do as much research since there's not as much at risk?  

I'm not sure.

But one thing I am sure about . . . if 23% of our audience members are visiting a website before seeing a show, we better make sure our websites are kickin'.  We have a huge opportunity to not only convert a customer, but to keep a customer.

What about you?  Do you visit movie sites with more/less or the same frequency that you visit theater sites?

Let's do our own survey in the comment section of this blog (email subscribers, visit here to comment).

Two things to see. And both opps are limited.

#1.

Oleanna announced that it will play its final show on January 3rd.  

If you haven't see the show yet, make sure you do.  

While we're proud of our run, it does seem that we may been lost in the shuffle of the mega-star-filled Fall.  But this is not a play or a production that you want to miss.  

We're coming up on Holiday season, so the discounts are a bit harder to get during the prime times, but there's one for you here.

Just over 6 weeks left.  

#2.

Don't Quit Your Night Job is a once-every-couple-of-months comedy/variety show that features Broadway stars like Anthony Rapp, Bebe Neuwirth, Michael McKean, Sara Ramirez, etc. doing some of the craziest improv you've ever seen, like Showtune Mad Libs, and more.  It is the brain child of the some of the funniest people in the city:  Steve Rosen, David Rossmer, Sarah Saltzberg and Dan Lipton.  

And it's all for charity.

The next Don't Quit is tomorrow, Thursday, November 19th at 11:30 PM at the Julia Miles Theater. (Huh, I just realized that Julia Miles rhymes with Julia Stiles.  These two items are more connected than I thought.)

Get tickets here.

I know what you're saying.  "Gee, Ken, if it's done every couple of months, then why is it limited?"

Well, tomorrow night's show is a definitely a once-in-a-lifetime show.  

It features Kate Baldwin, Montego Glover and, uhhh, I'll be making a cameo.

Me on a stage hasn't happened since a 1997 production of Forever Plaid, so God knows, anything can happen.  

Go easy on me, guys.  Will ya?  I don't want what happened to this guy, to happen to me.  

To take pictures or not to take pictures, that is the question.

I received an invite to Fuerza Bruta's “Twitter Night” on Thursday, Dec. 3rd where I would be “encouraged to live tweet with pictures and video.” Benefits to the show, obvious.

I also saw Hamlet last week, and a couple of enthusiastic fans (at least one being from international waters) took photos during the curtain call. She was greeted with a flashlight in the face, and a security guard yelling at her. Damage to the show, obvious.  (It reminded me of the time I got in trouble!)

It was the curtain call, guys.  They weren’t shooting pix during Ophelia’s mad scene.  

I had to wonder . . . are the actors really opposed to curtain call photos, or is this just one of those union positions that we’re holding on to that no one is that concerned about anymore?  Wouldn’t those actors benefit from having their mugs on facebook pages and tweeted like the ones at Fuerza Bruta on 12/3?  Could we get a curtain call provision that would allow photos to be taken only then?  It's not "uncontrolled" because the actors know what they look like, what they are wearing, etc.  It's much better than a shot on the street, which we can't prevent.

If the actors are opposed to curtain call photos, then I respect it (Jude has had issues with camera folk before, so maybe he has asked for none to be taken).  But if that really is the case, let’s treat our fans with a little more respect as well and not make them feel like they took a picture of the Mona Lisa (I still have nightmares about those security guards at The Louvre).  

I guess I sort of understand the question of, "Do you really want all these flashes going off at the end of a show?  It'll look like a baseball game!"  Ok, ok, I get it.  But baseball games are exciting.  And when people take pictures, they want to capture excitement so they can reminisce later.  The marketing power of those photos for the show, and for Broadway, is more significant than we could ever muster on our own.

And since we allow the press to take curtain call photos (with or without a flash), why can’t we allow the fans? Nowadays, the fans actually have more distribution outlets than members of the press anyway. 

At the end of the day, here is how I saw these two experiences:

Fuerza Bruta is harnessing the power of the fans.  

Traditional Broadway has a habit of turning fans away.

Broadway Grosses w/e 11/15/09

Show Name	GrossGross	TotalAttn	%Cap	AvgPdAdm
A STEADY RAIN	$1,202,161	8,665	101.13%	$138.74
AFTER MISS JULIE	$229,464	4,348	73.45%	$52.77
BILLY ELLIOT: THE MUSICAL	$1,387,830	11,280	99.23%	$123.03
BURN THE FLOOR	$325,800	5,454	65.30%	$59.74
BYE BYE BIRDIE	$635,450	8,074	98.37%	$78.70
CHICAGO	$444,816	5,882	68.08%	$75.62
FELA!	$264,145	6,219	86.26%	$42.47
FINIAN'S RAINBOW	$556,069	9,342	68.65%	$59.52
GOD OF CARNAGE	$1,107,302	8,817	102.24%	$125.59
HAIR	$758,827	8,659	76.66%	$87.63
HAMLET	$947,180	9,286	98.87%	$102.00
IN THE HEIGHTS	$651,197	7,747	70.94%	$84.06
IN THE NEXT ROOM OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY	$162,622	5,268	71.42%	$30.87
IRVING BERLIN'S WHITE CHRISTMAS	$334,409	4,779	59.18%	$69.97
JERSEY BOYS	$1,191,398	9,881	101.07%	$120.57
MAMMA MIA!	$811,600	9,707	81.00%	$83.61
MARY POPPINS	$694,997	9,665	67.23%	$71.91
MEMPHIS	$672,285	10,015	85.16%	$67.13
NEXT TO NORMAL	$394,504	5,060	81.93%	$77.97
OLEANNA	$241,999	4,159	64.66%	$58.19
RAGTIME	$466,489	9,872	86.96%	$47.25
ROCK OF AGES	$608,748	7,108	89.12%	$85.64
SHREK THE MUSICAL	$581,794	7,783	56.14%	$74.75
SOUTH PACIFIC	$713,666	7,036	84.49%	$101.43
SUPERIOR DONUTS	$257,890	3,887	49.03%	$66.35
THE 39 STEPS	$197,281	3,162	67.11%	$62.39
THE LION KING	$1,166,487	11,503	86.93%	$101.41
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA	$764,769	9,938	76.92%	$76.95
THE ROYAL FAMILY	$259,843	4,594	88.35%	$56.56
WEST SIDE STORY	$971,851	10,731	79.04%	$90.56
WICKED	$1,549,328	14,330	99.02%	$108.12
WISHFUL DRINKING	$411,088	6,919	86.14%	$59.41
TOTAL	$20,963,283	249,170	80.31%	$79.40

Advice from an Expert: Vol. XII. My own (M)ad man speaks again!

Boy, you loved last Friday's post from my reader who worked at Blaine Thompson.  I had more emails about it than I did about Piven when the fish story broke.

Since you loved it so much, I thought I'd give you some more.  This guy is like a treasure chest of theatrical lore.  Here are a few more comments from him about the infamous opening night routine at the agency:

On opening nights, producers, press agents, backers, general managers, actors, etc would come up to our office on the 8th floor of the Sardi's Building to wait for the reviews to be called in by our "friends" who worked in the press rooms of the newspapers.  The phone calls were put on speaker phones so all could hear - good, bad, or indifferent - before they were sent to the composing rooms to be set in type.  This practice may still exist at the current ad agencies.

On occasion there was more drama and excitement those nights than on the stage the previous few hours.  One night the author of a play which was very harshly reviewed became so distraught after hearing one devastating review after another that she tried to throw herself out of a window.  She had to be physically constrained.

Another time the star of a play that had just opened became inebriated and chased one of our young account people threatening to beat him up.  The show's press agent (who had been a boxer in his youth) actually knocked the actor out to stop him.  Just one punch.

I don't think it appropriate to name the people involved in an email.

I love the way that new media has exploded, but if there was ever an argument to restore the power of print and blow up the internet, it would be to experience one of those late night meetings at an agency before the papers came in. 

Oh, my guy also ended that story with this:

Blaine Thompson was a very interesting place to work.  And there are 
lots of stories.  Maybe a book?

Uh, yes.  Absolutely.  You guys would read it, wouldn't you? 

Aren't you dying to know who the puncher was?  

Advice from an Expert: Vol. XI. The guy who placed the Subways are for Sleeping ad speaks!

Oh how I love the internet.  It gives you the chance to speak to so many people that you would otherwise never have the chance to, and learn from them.

Perfect example . . .

A few weeks ago, I posted a blog about The Balloon Boy and his dad's stupidity.  In the same blog I referenced the infamous David Merrick Subways are for Sleeping stunt. 

Today I got an email from a gentleman who was the Production Director at The Blaine Thompson Company, a powerhouse ad agency who repped Broadway shows from 1938 - 1977 including the original productions of Gypsy, Pippin, Hair, A Chorus Line, and yes, Subways are for Sleeping. 

This gentleman was directly involved with the Ad Heard 'Round The World, and with Mr. Merrick himself, and was kind enough to share his story in an email to me.

I convinced him to put the story into a comment on the blog itself for all of you to enjoy.

Here it is.  A piece of theatrical history, brought to you by the power of the internet and by people willing to share their story (which is what theater is all about, isn't it?).

Click here to and scroll down to read the comment from Ron.