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

Advice from an Expert: Vol. 11. 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.

Overheard at Angus: Volume V

An Old Timer and a Medium Timer were sitting at a table near mine the other day, and this is what I heard:
 

Old Timer:  Did you see those reviews for XXXXX?

Medium Timer:  Yep.  Fantastic!  

Old:  How long was the line at the box office the next morning?

Medium:  At the box office?  There was no line.

Old:  Too bad for them.

Medium:  Just because there wasn't a line doesn't mean they didn't sell tickets. There was no line . . . because it's all online.

There was nothing too revelatory in their conversation, but it did get me thinking.

It wasn't too long ago that the day after a show opened, you went by the box office on the way to work to see if people were waiting in line to be the first to buy tickets.  

Not so much anymore.  

What other things are we doing right now that will be antiquated in a few years?  What thermometers are we using to judge the temperature of our shows that will be obsolete tomorrow?

Great businessmen and great producers are the ones who can figure out the answers to these questions . . before tomorrow comes. 

How Korean producers raise money for their shows.

I "broke toast" with a Korean theater producer this morning. 

As with most conversations I have with fellow producers, the topic turned to raising money. 

We compared strategies, types of investors, and why it's easier to raise money for one high risk project than several low risk projects in a blind pool (answer: theatrical investing is like investing in art.  Investors want to see what they're getting.  They want to love it because they think its value will increase, yes, but also because they think it's beautiful enough to hang in their house.  Blind pools and/or funds don't give them that tangible opportunity).

Just when I thought what we did was identical, he said to me, "And of course there are the ticketing companies."

I choked on my rye.

He explained that the ticketing companies in Korea were always willing to throw money in to his ventures, because they knew they could recover some of that investment on the ticketing side, even if the show didn't work out.  They were always good for it.

I have to admit, for a brief moment between my OJ, I wondered if I could grow to love Kimchi and move to Seoul.

Imagine if all bets were off when you walked into a venue here in NYC and you could cut any deal you wanted.  You got to pick your own ticketing company, your own concessions company, your own Playbill, etc. just like you pick your own costume shop, merch company, etc.  Imagine the leverage you could have and how much easier it would be to fund projects (I also have to believe that the quality of those services would increase because of the increase in competition).

This quid pro quo investing happens here on some level, with merch companies mostly.

I'd expect it more often, especially if risk increases, capitalizations increase, and investment dollars shore up. 

And don't be afraid to use quid pro quo when you can.  As a Producer, remember, you're building a business that people are going to benefit from. Asking those that benefit most to shoulder some of the show's risk is more than appropriate.

Just don't be surprised if they tell you to go eat a plate of Kimchi.

Gotta problem with star casting? Talk to Hugh Jackman.

I'm one of the lucky folk that got a couple of tickets to see A Steady Rain, and to be honest, that's only because I'm a Tony Voter. If I weren't a TV, I'm not sure I would have even tried to score seats to what is one of the most difficult tickets of the decade.  

(I mean, each one of these guys could have sold out a play on their own. Sort of seems like a waste having them in the same play!)  

At the end of this 90 minute Hunk-O-Mania, Hugh stopped the thunderous ovation to begin his BC/EFA fundraising speech.   

He started it with this question . . .

"How many of you are here tonight seeing your very first Broadway show?"

At least 100 hands shot up.

Star casting has taken a lot of swipes over the years, and believe me, I've had my issue with a number of no-talents that have struggled their way through a Broadway play or musical.

But the right stars could be doing more to develop new audiences than we could ever do on our own.

What happened after Hugh's question?  He and Daniel proceeded to live-auction-off signed t-shirts and backstage visits and photos, all to benefit BC/EFA.  They raised over $20k in about 10 minutes.

Thanks for joining us on Broadway, guys.  And thanks for your incredible generosity to the community. 

Today's audiences are lucky to have you . . . and so are tomorrow's.  

Broadway Grosses w/e 11/08/09

Show Name	GrossGross	TotalAttn	%Cap	AvgPdAdm
A STEADY RAIN	$1,201,252	8,663	101.11%	$138.66
AFTER MISS JULIE	$245,254	4,427	74.78%	$55.40
BILLY ELLIOT: THE MUSICAL	$1,381,812	11,246	98.93%	$122.87
BURN THE FLOOR	$294,494	5,030	60.23%	$58.55
BYE BYE BIRDIE	$617,801	7,883	96.04%	$78.37
CHICAGO	$484,255	6,248	72.31%	$77.51
FELA!	$236,019	5,654	78.42%	$41.74
FINIAN'S RAINBOW	$556,349	10,242	75.26%	$54.32
GOD OF CARNAGE	$886,206	7,717	102.27%	$114.84
HAIR	$723,831	8,128	71.95%	$89.05
HAMLET	$880,552	8,683	92.45%	$101.41
IN THE HEIGHTS	$624,046	7,607	69.66%	$82.04
IN THE NEXT ROOM OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY	$142,206	3,569	48.39%	$39.84
JERSEY BOYS	$1,179,345	9,891	101.18%	$119.23
MAMMA MIA!	$965,548	10,723	89.48%	$90.04
MARY POPPINS	$746,047	10,606	73.78%	$70.34
MEMPHIS	$613,717	9,422	80.12%	$65.14
NEXT TO NORMAL	$381,407	4,881	79.03%	$78.14
OLEANNA	$233,311	4,088	63.56%	$57.07
RAGTIME	$463,982	8,086	71.23%	$57.38
ROCK OF AGES	$589,138	6,723	84.29%	$87.63
SHREK THE MUSICAL	$725,297	10,635	76.71%	$68.20
SOUTH PACIFIC	$704,615	7,026	84.37%	$100.29
SUPERIOR DONUTS	$308,457	4,850	61.18%	$63.60
THE 39 STEPS	$180,310	2,923	62.03%	$61.69
THE LION KING	$1,244,389	12,184	92.08%	$102.13
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA	$768,541	9,681	74.93%	$79.39
THE ROYAL FAMILY	$229,894	4,398	84.58%	$52.27
WEST SIDE STORY	$933,147	10,363	76.33%	$90.05
WICKED	$1,511,167	14,035	96.98%	$107.67
WISHFUL DRINKING	$386,912	6,457	80.39%	$59.92
TOTAL	$20,439,297	242,069	79.81%	$79.51

Time Out becomes a tabloid.

In his Time Out New York theater blog, Editor and Reviewer David Cote wrote the following in an article about New World Stages:

Something strange is happening at New World Stages, the five-year-old theater complex on West 50th Street:  you can actually see worthwhile shows there.  Not so long ago, we'd associate the former Hell's Kitchen cineplex with gimmicky tourist trash (Naked Boys Singing, My First Time, etc.).  

I know what you're thinking.  You're thinking I'm ticked off that Cote called my show "trash."

Well, I'm not angry.  I'm confused.

I'm confused, because I don't understand how an editor of a prominent publication can make a derogatory statement about a show that he has never seen.

That's right, my readers, David Cote has never seen My First Time (or Naked Boys Singing for that matter), yet he feels it's appropriate to comment on the quality of the work.

I'm sure you can understand my confusion.

Making insulting and demeaning comments about a show that you have never seen is simply irresponsible journalism.

Now, Adam Feldman, Time Out's other main theatre writer, well, he can call the show anything he wants, and he has!  See, Adam actually saw My First Time.  He didn't like it, and you've never heard me make a peep.  Why?  Because not liking My First Time is his right, and it's his responsibility as a theatrical reviewer to let people know what he thinks.     

But how the editor of the theater section can make snarky comments with no firsthand knowledge of the product is shocking to me.  It's not journalism. It's tabloidism:  making bold and exaggerated statements to give your rag personality (and I can call it a rag, because I was a subscriber and an advertiser).  

And we wonder why people aren't listening to reviewers anymore.

Oh, and for the record, when I read David's blog, I had my press agent reach out to David and invite him to see the show.  Perhaps once he got in to see it, he'd like it?  Or perhaps he wouldn't, and he'd cut it up even more (which would then be his right, and the risk that I'd be taking). 

He said he was too busy.  

Three reasons why Glee is great.

There is no question that Glee is great for Broadway.  Here are three reasons why I love it:

1.  IT PUTS BROADWAY PEEPS TO WORK

The transition from theater to television is a lot more difficult now than it was in the early days of both industries.  Look at how many great Broadway actors are out there that you haven't seen headlining in movies and piloting pilots.

And then along comes a show like Glee, and the casting directors can't get enough from our pool: Lea Michele, Matt Morrison, Jonathan Groff, John Lloyd Young, Debra Monk and more.  

The longer it runs, the more our folks will get a chance to lend their talents and their pipes to that program.  And then they'll hopefully come back to Broadway and bring some fans with them.  

2.  IT PUTS SHOWTUNES NEXT TO POP TUNES

"Where Is Love," "Tonight," "I Could Have Danced All Night," and "Sit Down You're Rockin' The Boat," are just a few of the showtunes featured on Glee, and these classics are smacked right up next to songs like "Can't Fight This Feeling," "Rehab," and "Single Ladies."  

The line between pop and showtunes is being blurred.  

Who knows, maybe we'll go back to the days when major rock bands like, oh, I don't know, The Beatles, sang showtunes when looking to make a big splash on television.

3.  IT PUTS SINGING INTO STORIES

So often I hear people say, "I just don't get musicals.  People start singing.  What the?  People just don't do that!"

For the most part, Glee chose the Jersey Boys model (or Altar Boyz model, for that matter) where the musical numbers are actual performances and not "sung scenes."  Still, having a show like Glee helps audiences get used to the fact that music can be incorporated seamlessly into entertainment.
 

The movie musical has helped Broadway significantly over the past decade, with shows like Hairspray, Chicago, Phantom and Rent ALL adding years to their runs (and millions to their box offices) thanks to their movie counterparts.

Broadway now seems to be making its way into television, in a subtler way, but in a way nonetheless.

Let's hope shows like Glee continue to merge the two mediums.

Meet my interns! And we're looking for more.

I've got a great group of interns this season, and I thought they all deserved a shout-out.

So here is the DTE Fall Semester Class of '09.

Matt Fried

Matt came to New York straight out of college in 2006 to be an actor, and quickly found out that he wanted to write and produce. Since then, he's written scripts for ABC/TV and produces his own talk show, The Matt Fried Hour. Working at Davenport has been an invaluable experience for Matt. 

Marie Gossman

Marie Gossman is excited to be part of Davenport Theatrical. She is a native of Pensacola, FL and a graduate of the University of West Florida. She is a recent addition to the Big Apple and immediately fell in love with the world of theater. She is now pursuing a career in company management and possibly production. Other interests include seeing the world, new experiences, and winning games of Boggle.  

Emily McGill

Emily McGill has a long-standing passion for performing arts.  When her brother's first Broadway show closed, Emily shifted focus from performing to producing.  Fox Theatricals, (...Charlie Brown; ...Millie; Caroline, or Change; Legally Blonde) provided her introduction to producing, and she has been hooked since.  Co-founder of M/E Theatricals with Nick Eilerman, M/E looks to produce commercially viable theater while cultivating new artists and audiences.

Will Norris

Will hails from Griffin, Georgia and recently from Valdosta State University with a BFA in Musical Theatre.  While in school, he assisted with public relations and management for the VSU Theatre season and Peach State Summer Theatre, the university’s resident professional theatre.  Will has written for the Peach State Summer Theatre newsletter, “The Peach Buzz” and contributed to BackStage.  

Danielle Sacks

Danielle is currently pursuing a BFA in Drama at Playwrights Horizons, NYU. Her acting credits have included As You Like It, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Song’s for a New World, Vote!, Rocky Horror Picture Show, and The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe. She also sings in The Point and Swing Big Band. She is very excited to be working with Davenport Enterprises and learning all parts of producing theater!

If you're interested in being a part of the Winter/Spring Semester Class of '10, here's the scoop:

We are seeking interns in all areas of our office:  General Management, Marketing and Group Sales, Internet Marketing and Design, and Company Management.

The upcoming Winter/Spring internships will be from January through April, 2010.

You must be willing to commit to at least 20 hours a week (weekdays and weekends are available). A $500 stipend is paid upon successful completion of the internship program.

If you're interested, please send a resume and cover letter to my assistant, Melissa Heller, who may not have gotten a shout-out here, but certainly gets shouted AT every day:  melissa@davenporttheatrical.com.

The Neil Simon tragedy.

Tragedy.  

Now there's a word rarely uttered when speaking of one of the greatest comic minds of the century.

Unfortunately, Broadway hasn't been kind to Mr. Simon lately.

Prior to Brighton Beach, post-9/11 Broadway had seen productions of a the original 45 Seconds From Broadway as well as revivals of Barefoot in the Park, Sweet Charity and The Odd Couple.   

The Odd Couple, with Broderick and Lane, is the only one of those that recouped, but it wasn't the smash that everyone had expected it to be.  

Sweet Charity sneaked out a seven month run, but Barefoot, and now Brighton and Broadway, were unfortunate disappointments.

Why?

Well, Mr. Simon, to use hackneyed break-up phraseology, it's not you.  It's us.

Our tastes have changed. In fact, perhaps it was 9/11, or perhaps it was Jon and Kate plus Stupid, or perhaps it's the economic crisis, that turned our taste buds a little more acidic.

Neil Simon's plays are classics, but no matter how great the productions may be (and I heard Brighton was fantastic, especially under the gentle hand of David Cromer), today's audiences just don't take to them the way they used to.

Our taste in television comedies has changed over the last twenty-five years, so as much as I was pulling for this double-feature, it's no surprise to me that our taste in theatrical comedies has changed as well.

In my opinion . . . Yasmina Reza is the modern day Neil Simon.  Belly laugh funny with a bite.

Now let's see if Promises, Promises can break this streak. I know I'm pulling for it.  I mean, come on, it's got a song called, "She Likes Basketball!" 

What and who is an impresario?

Merrick, Mackintosh, Drabinsky . . .

All of these producers have been called impresarios during their careers (Drabinsky has been called a few other names most recently).

But what exactly is an "impresario?"

Thanks to one of my favorite readers, Laura M., for sending me this article that appeared in a Minneapolis paper with some great quotes about what impresarios do.  (BTW, Minneapolis is one of the greatest non-big-city theater towns in the country.  I'd even take it over my hometown of Boston and over LA.  NYC, Chicago and then Minneapolis, IMHO.)

Now that you know what an impresario is, you have to ask yourself if you really want to be one?