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The Economics of Broadway Shows

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Re: The Economics of Broadway Shows

#41

Post by wombatmobile »

epc wrote: post #32
PaulRobinson wrote: post #2

Not knowing what makes a hit vs a flop seems... strange. Familiar actors and stories might help, but also things that are clever and artistically memorable (e.g. Hamilton) have got to help. I'd also be interested to know how many shows start off-Broadway or off-off-Broadway (100-500 seats and below 100 seats as per this article), and move up to the bigger theatres: test a show in a smaller venue, see if people/critic…

I invested (way, way, way below the line) in a show which opened off–Broadway a few weeks ago. Had rave reviews when it ran outside NYC and was supposed to open in April 2020. For some odd reason they had to delay the opening to November 2021. It opened, the audience seemed to love it, but one review in the home town paper of record tanked it, I expect it to close this week or next. Off-off Broadway to Off–Broadway i…

People don't invest in theater to make money.

Same with films, and authoring books.

People invest in the arts to make a living. This has nothing to do with the accumulation of money.

Re: The Economics of Broadway Shows

#42

Post by anm89 »

redwood wrote: post #40
anm89 wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would say the general perception is that it was extremely cringey. Obviously they found a large enough audience that disagreed but I don't think they were a majority. Obviously anecdotal.

Have you seen it? I thought it was incredible. And informative. And I assumed what you described before I saw it

I have seen it. My expectations were incredibly low and I have to say, it was better than I expected by a little but in my mind, still full on cringe.

Re: The Economics of Broadway Shows

#43

Post by anm89 »

ethagknight wrote: post #34
anm89 wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would say the general perception is that it was extremely cringey. Obviously they found a large enough audience that disagreed but I don't think they were a majority. Obviously anecdotal.

>>General perception of extremely cringey I’ll offer a counterpoint. I’ve seen it once live and soon going to see it twice next time it comes to town in a few months. I can’t wait, I’m giddy. A whole lot of people out there clearly are too. I totally get that some people literally can’t understand rap music words. If you are hard of hearing and aren’t familiar with the story, you are totally lost in the audience (ESP…

I like Danny Brown so I'm pretty sure whatever the issue is here, it's not that it's rap that's too unintelligible.

I've listened to and liked plenty of rap.

Re: The Economics of Broadway Shows

#44

Post by redwood »

anm89 wrote: post #42
redwood wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you seen it? I thought it was incredible. And informative. And I assumed what you described before I saw it

I have seen it. My expectations were incredibly low and I have to say, it was better than I expected by a little but in my mind, still full on cringe.

Well let me ask you a different question: are there musicals you like? Eg that don't make you cringe?

Re: The Economics of Broadway Shows

#45

Post by anm89 »

redwood wrote: post #44
anm89 wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have seen it. My expectations were incredibly low and I have to say, it was better than I expected by a little but in my mind, still full on cringe.

Well let me ask you a different question: are there musicals you like? Eg that don't make you cringe?

I'd be the first to admit that you are basically correct, I dislike a vast majority of broadway musicals. There are some musical movies I like and things like Book of Mormon which I'm not sure if it's considered broadway. I find Le Misrables to be okay.

But I would still have to say, amongst all the broadway that I don't like, Hamilton sticks out to me as especially weird, like one of those 90s educational videos where people would rap when they clearly just shouldn't be.

Anyway, to each their own. More power to you if you like it. Something about it really bugs me though.

Re: The Economics of Broadway Shows

#46

Post by anm89 »

gwern wrote: post #33
anm89 wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would say the general perception is that it was extremely cringey. Obviously they found a large enough audience that disagreed but I don't think they were a majority. Obviously anecdotal.

Are you sure the target audience doesn't also find it cringey now? I noticed Hamilton seemed to drop out of the zeitgeist almost overnight at some point. It wasn't as precipitous as Game of Thrones's fall, perhaps, but it was fast. Can you imagine the Obamas saying Hamilton is the “best piece of art in any form that I have ever seen in my life” ( https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/15/theater/hamilton-takes-a-... ) today…

Yeah I would say I had the same perception. I think things that get that popular that quick almost have to go through the uncool downside of that curve.

Also, I'm star struck. I love your blog!

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