BROADWAY NYC PRODUCTiON ADDRESSES **7/12/09 - UPDATED!!!***

[TheScarletPimpernel]

Is Wicked ending any time soon?

Wicked has been running on Broadway for the last 6 years straight. I'm pretty certain they don't have any plans of it ending anytime soon.

As Chewie said, Wicked is booking through ATLEAST January 2010, but with sell-out crowds STILL 6 years later, it will more than likely be open for atleast another year.

Nicole Parker (MAD TV / movies and currently playing Elphaba) is leaving July 19 of this year, if you are looking for her. (Ally Mauzy may be as well, but replacements have not been named.)


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On another note, Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID has announced that after poor spring/advance ticket sales, it will close it's doors on August 30, when DREW SEELEY and Ariel CHELSEA MORGAN SCOTT's contracts are set to expire. I am almost positive this will NOT extend.


TLM opened delayed on January 10, 2008, following previews from the previous November, in which the 2007 Actors/Writers strikes occured and shook not just Broadway, but the entertainment industry on a whole. Many shows remained closed during those weeks. Mermaid, which in order to open on Broadway required the closing of another Disney show. The show to close was Disney's Beauty and the Beast, which was selling to extremely satisfying crowds, but Disney Theatrical administrators wanted the Lunt-Fontanne for Mermaid. As compared to Beauty, which ran for over 13 years on Broadway and starred Broadway favourites Terrence Mann (Tony-nominated), Steve Blanchard and James Barbour in it's male title role, as well as Susan Egan (Tony-nominated), singers Tony Braxton & Deborah Gibson and Disney television stars Christy Carlson Romano and Annalese van der Pol in the female title role. That show also starred Donny Osmond as Gaston, Belle's lover rival, from time to time. Mermaid received poor notices and little Tony-recognition, with none of it's leads receiving nominations. As a business standpoint, Disney failed miserably with The Little Mermaid, which comes after another Disney theatrical disaster - Tarzan The Musical. The show will close, expected to be listed as a flop, on August 30, 2009. Chelsea Morgan Scott, Faith Prince, Norm Lewis & Drew Seeley."


Enjoy.

[Chewie]

I wasn't aware that Little Mermaid had replaced Beauty and the Beast... That would be fun to see. (B&B is my favorite Disney movie... Little Mermaid is my mom's... )

Hopefully that'll end up on Broadway again in the years to come. Any plans announced for what will follow at the Lunt-Fontanne? Another Disney one?

[TheScarletPimpernel]

I wasn't aware that Little Mermaid had replaced Beauty and the Beast... That would be fun to see. (B&B is my favorite Disney movie... Little Mermaid is my mom's... )

Hopefully that'll end up on Broadway again in the years to come. Any plans announced for what will follow at the Lunt-Fontanne? Another Disney one?

Disney is in talks to FINALLY bring their 1999 Bremen (Germany) production of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" to Broadway by possibly 2010. Last I have heard, the new musical "The Addams Family" is eyeing either the Lunt-Fontanne or the Nederlander Theatres (where TLM was and Guys & Dolls closed)...visit here for more info on that:

http://www.theaddamsfamilymusical.com/

Don't know anything about the music/plot yet or how they will be, but the cast is absolutely pheoneomal.


Disney's Beauty and the Beast I can truly say is one of the most "magical" musicals ever. Everything about it was breathtaking ... it was a CRIME it had to close because of TLM (especially with the LITTLE success it got.). You can still see it performed at high schools / regional theatres all the time, ... some of Alan Menken (TLM, BatB, Little Shop of Horros, Christmas Carol and now Sister Act)'s best music - a lot of which doesn't appear in the film. What was awful was that BatB said it was closing on July 29, 2007 in January of 2007, and then in June Tarzan closed even earlier on July 7. So basically - they could have kept open Beauty and the Beast, which was still selling extremely decently .. and did NOT have the extreme running costs that TLM has, and moved in where Tarzan was (Richard Rodgers Theatre).

Disney has been in talks to bring back Beauty for possibly a Christmas engagement next year. Also, a national tour will begin this upcoming Fall, last I heard.

[TheScarletPimpernel]

Oh BTW: The Disney Theatrical Organization doesn't OWN the Lunt-Fontanne...rather they just closed their own production so they could put their own new one in it..!

They have a 99 year lease from 1997 from the City of New York for the New Amsterdam .. which is why old Lion King Playbills and now Mary Poppins are called "Showbills." They also were allowed to put all the box offices at that location, so if you're ever in NY and want to buy tickets to one of Disney's shows, you can just go to the New Amsterdam on 42nd I believe it is.

[Chewie]

Ah I was wondering why the Mary Poppins ones said "Showbill"

The Addams Family production looks like it'll be pretty good... It does have an amazing cast!

Interesting that they're thinking of bringing Hunchback in. I'm sure it's a pretty good show but I can't see it lasting any longer than Little Mermaid for some reason.

BRING BACK BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, Disney!!!

[WookieeLover]

Does anyone know if James Gandolfini signs vv?

Thanks {thumb2}

[Chewie]

Well, I can't say I have heard James Gandolfini sing, but he has signed some playbills.

I haven't seen any success with sending to him individually, but if you write and ask for a God of Carnage signed playbill, his autograph will more than likely be on it. {thumb2}

[WookieeLover]

Well, I can't say I have heard James Gandolfini sing, but he has signed some playbills.

I haven't seen any success with sending to him individually, but if you write and ask for a God of Carnage signed playbill, his autograph will more than likely be on it. {thumb2}

--> oops! I edited it
Would be cool if he would sign my R&C pic, but it's already with Susan's sig and I think I don't want risk it :neutral:
http://i362.photobucket.com/albums/oo67 ... ramm01.jpg

[TheScarletPimpernel]

Ah I was wondering why the Mary Poppins ones said "Showbill"

The Addams Family production looks like it'll be pretty good... It does have an amazing cast!

Interesting that they're thinking of bringing Hunchback in. I'm sure it's a pretty good show but I can't see it lasting any longer than Little Mermaid for some reason.

BRING BACK BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, Disney!!!

I've heard the music in Hunchback is phenonomeal, and the Bremen production got great reviews and played over there for a while. Most Broadway fanatatics love it / rave about it, but I still haven't got around to listening to it myself. Disney is also working on a musical entitled "King David," with Tim Rice (& either Menken or Schwartz, the latter did the music to Wicked, Pochantas/etc.). I've been trying to get a hold of that CD but can't find it. Haha.

I'm trying to think what other shows they could try -- 'Alice in Wonderland' has been taken by my favourite composer -Frank Wildhorn. "Wonderland: Alice's New Musical Adventure" has two tryouts upcoming. Can't wait for that! Cinderella's been done to death ... hm Disney Theatricals may cease to exist as we know it!

[nightowl]

Wookieelover,

I have seen two successes from James Gandolfini out of God of Carnage. These are not playbills I am referring to but individual successes.

This was at the beginning, or just before. Since then I have not seen anything. I have a friend that sent to him and she hasn't received any reply.