“What people don’t know about the process is that when the old cast is done, on their final day, usually a Sunday, the new cast comes in on a Tuesday,” director Carisa Barreca says. “That night, the new cast has to put up a show — the old show.” - WBEZ (Chicago)
“Mounting a play in the West End now requires between £1 million and £2 million pounds in upfront investment, while staging a musical requires between £3 million and £10 million. This is before weekly costs" — £120,000 to £200,000 before royalties for a play and £300,000 to £400,000 for a musical. - WhatsOnStage (UK)
“The new and sole artistic director is Lindsay Smiling, who has been one of the company’s three co-artistic directors for the past three years; … the other two, Yury Urnov and Morgan Green, are moving on to other roles and pursuits.” - The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)
With our economy stagnant, this situation is not going to improve any time soon, and we need glamour and celebrity to boost sales, particularly in the subsidised sector. - The Telegraph (Yahoo)
An indicative ballot held by the performing arts union, Equity, was overwhelmingly backed by its membership: 98% voted yes to potential strikes. The result means the union now has the right to have a statutory ballot on taking industrial action. - The Guardian
“A decision to go ahead with a sale of ATG Entertainment, previously known as Ambassador Theatre Group, … could value the business at more than £4 billion ($5.38 billion). … ATG Entertainment owns and operates more than 70 venues across the UK, the United States, Germany and Spain.” - Reuters (MSN)
American Players Theatre, located in Spring Green, Wisconsin — a town 40 miles west of Madison, home to roughly 1,500 people and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin — presents nine productions each year in its 1,075-seat amphitheater and 200-seat indoor space. APT’s repertory focuses on “timeless, challenging, poetic texts," particularly Shakespeare. - Wisconsin Public Radio
“In the West End, average ticket prices rose by a nominal 0.92 per cent over the last year. When measured against the annual UK inflation rate of 3.4 per cent, this represents a real-terms price drop of 2.5% for consumers. Compared to 2019, this real-term drop extends to 8.9%.” - WhatsOnStage (UK)
That’s the allegation in a lawsuit filed by the production company (called Iceberg Ahead LLC) in Virginia against former general manager Carl Flanigan. In March the company won a $4.3 million default judgment against Flanigan, who never responded to the suit. - Broadway Journal
Death of a Salesman, which received nine Tony nominations, hit $1.7 million, its highest gross yet, last week playing to 100 percent capacity at the Winter Garden Theatre. Ragtime has similarly been drawing increased interest since the Tony nominations, bringing in $1.2 million last week. - The Hollywood Reporter
The show began previews at the Majestic Theatre March 27, ahead of an April 22 opening date, but has failed to catch on with audiences and with critics, who delivered mixed to negative reviews. - The Hollywood Reporter
With the merger of the city’s two largest stage companies and the programming of inexpensive-to-produce small-cast shows, Pittsburgh's gig market for theater artists is shrinking. There may not be fewer shows, but the bigger ones are tours or imports. So there’s a real fear that talented theatermakers will move away. - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The musical, which garnered good reviews and 10 Tony nominations but only one actual Tony, will close June 28 after a 20-month run which didn’t recoup its initial investment. A multi-year tour will begin in September in Cleveland. - Variety
“Here, midsize theater companies help anchor the scene and bridge the gap between big playhouses such as the Guthrie and Children’s theaters and smaller companies. But as corporate, civic and private funding has dried up or shifted to other areas, they are feeling the heat.” - The Minnesota Star Tribune (MSN)
“Every number is a homage to at least one classic musical, and often two or three. Here, the hills are alive with the sound of pastiche; the plains and the valleys too.” - The New York Times
