Spider-Man still a hot ticket on Broadway
The troubled show resumed performances last night to strong sales and the weekend shows are expected to sell out
Spider-Man took in around $200,000 at the box office on Friday, in line with the amount of tickets it was selling daily before it went on hiatusBy Miriam Kreinin Souccar
from: www.crainsnewyork.com
May 13, 2011
In its newly retooled iteration, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark resumed performances on Broadway Thursday night, and demand for the controversial musical is as high as ever.
The show, which closed three-and-a-half weeks ago for a creative overhaul after numerous accidents, mechanical malfunctions and blistering reviews, took in around $200,000 at the box office on Friday, a source said. The numbers are in line with the amount of tickets Spider-Man was selling daily before it went on hiatus. Performances over the weekend are expected to sell out.
“Tickets are selling briskly, and the response since performances have resumed is extraordinary,” said Rick Miramontez, a spokesman for the show.
Of course with a $70 million capitalization—the most expensive musical ever made—and a reported weekly running cost of around $1.2 million, the show needs to nearly sell out every night to make a profit. Before it was revamped, Spider-Man grossed nearly $1.9 million during the week between Christmas and New Year’s, and was taking in about $1.4 million in the weeks before it shut down for its overhaul.
The new version of the musical, which is set to open June 14, is under the direction of Philip William McKinley, who has directed the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus and the Broadway musical The Boy From Oz. He replaced Julie Taymor, who was ousted in early March.
Group sales agents, who had soured on the musical after it kept delaying its opening and announced a hiatus, said the new version is selling well.
“The producers listened and learned and made all the right changes,” said Stephanie Lee, president of Group Sales Box Office, who has sold more than $1.5 million in tickets for future performances and has seen the show. “We’re thrilled and telling our clients about it.”
Ms. Lee has been switching a large volume of school and camp groups that were signed up to see Wonderland, to Spider-Man. Wonderland is closing on Sunday, less than a month after its opening.
The show, which closed three-and-a-half weeks ago for a creative overhaul after numerous accidents, mechanical malfunctions and blistering reviews, took in around $200,000 at the box office on Friday, a source said. The numbers are in line with the amount of tickets Spider-Man was selling daily before it went on hiatus. Performances over the weekend are expected to sell out.
“Tickets are selling briskly, and the response since performances have resumed is extraordinary,” said Rick Miramontez, a spokesman for the show.
Of course with a $70 million capitalization—the most expensive musical ever made—and a reported weekly running cost of around $1.2 million, the show needs to nearly sell out every night to make a profit. Before it was revamped, Spider-Man grossed nearly $1.9 million during the week between Christmas and New Year’s, and was taking in about $1.4 million in the weeks before it shut down for its overhaul.
The new version of the musical, which is set to open June 14, is under the direction of Philip William McKinley, who has directed the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus and the Broadway musical The Boy From Oz. He replaced Julie Taymor, who was ousted in early March.
Group sales agents, who had soured on the musical after it kept delaying its opening and announced a hiatus, said the new version is selling well.
“The producers listened and learned and made all the right changes,” said Stephanie Lee, president of Group Sales Box Office, who has sold more than $1.5 million in tickets for future performances and has seen the show. “We’re thrilled and telling our clients about it.”
Ms. Lee has been switching a large volume of school and camp groups that were signed up to see Wonderland, to Spider-Man. Wonderland is closing on Sunday, less than a month after its opening.
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