Ken Davenport - Opinions from a Broadway Producer

We go to theatre to see if someone will #$&@ up.

There's a very popular thread on BroadwaySpace right now called "Mess-ups on stage".  It's 8 pages long and features tons of comments like this:

i saw legally blonde the musical back in march and during positive laura bell's wig fell off right before the part when she's supposed to say "girls, how is this helping? he's not even here! he left while we were shaking junk". well, laura bell thought on her toes and said "girls, how is this helping? he's not even here and i shook so hard my hair fell off!" and everyone was laughing and cheering so hard that she missed her cue and they had to bring the music back around.

Wigs falling off, technical screw-ups, and so on, are all things Producers spend millions trying to avoid, but ironically, audiences treasure them . . . and talk about them.

And as long you're not talking about Billy Elliot-sized preview problems, most shows aren't hurt by them (in fact, those preview problems don't seem to be affecting BE's grosses).  Some shows are even helped.  That's why at least two shows that I know of, Will Rogers Follies and Falsettos, had planned "mess-ups" written into the show (that's right - that dog jumping back on the stage 3 minutes after the dog act was over happened every night).

What does this tell us about our audience?

Live theatergoers are different than people who just sit in front of a screen.  They are thrill seekers.  They like the risk involved with seeing something unfold right before our eyes.  They like thinking that anything could happen, and sometimes does. 

You do too, don't you?  I bet you all remember something that went wrong in a show that you saw.  And I bet you'll never forget it.

Even those people who sit in front of a screen are getting more and more titillated by what's happening live.  Look at this quote from a NY Times article about the Rosie O'Donnell's live variety show:

Promotions for the show remind viewers that “anything can happen”; in a decade of time-shifting and fast-forwarding, “live” is an important sales pitch.  It’s not only “American Idol,” the nation’s most-watched show, that proves the point: NBC’s only show among broadcast’s Top 20 for the week ending on Nov. 16 was Sunday’s live N.F.L. game. And the network’s most storied franchise, "Saturday Night Live,” has had a robust year.

Live entertainment, including the theater, isn't going anywhere, no matter what people may say.  In fact, as we become more and more inundated with 2-dimensional forms on entertainment on our tv, laptop, cell phone, etc., the live theater experience becomes more rare, and more valuable.

As long as we keep F-ing up every once in awhile.

Got a favorite "mess up"?  Comment about it below.

I've got two:

• Matthew Broderick coming out in the finale scene of How To Succeed with his fly down - then zipping it up and flashing us a hugh Ferris-Bueller sized grin.
• The Goodbye Girl with Bernadette Peters and Martin Short.  Bernadette was under the weather that night, but trouper that she is, she was out there, even though the audience could tell it was a tough one for her.  Until, Mr. Short made her laugh during "Paula".  The show got so much more fun for all of us at that moment.

 

Happy T-Day: 10 things I am thankful for this year.

1.  All of a sudden, investing in the theater doesn't seem as risky as it did before the stock market collapse.

2.  Telecharge is rebuilding their website.

3.  We hit our goal of 10,000 members on BroadwaySpace.com three months early.

4.  A NY Times staffer, who refused to be named, told me that his department loved DidHeLikeIt.com.

5.  Broadway is going green. 

6.  I have a fantastic staff that comes in early and stays late:  Matt, Jamie Lynn, Ryan, and all my interns and admin assistants (including Michael Roderick, who proofs these blogs every morning).

7.  Altar Boyz, My First Time, and The Awesome 80s Prom all recouped. And Speed The Plow is speeding along on its way.

8.  Seth Godin has a new book (I have an extra copy - first person to comment that they want it, gets it).

9.  The new TKTS booth actually opened.

10.  I get to wake up every morning and work in an industry that I love.  I know, I know, that sentence is pure this, but it doesn't make it any less true.

Happy Thanksgiving.  Just remember:  Eat a turkey. Don't produce one.

We will get a New Deal for Xmas?

President-Elect Obama revealed his economic plan last week.  As expected, there were some similarities to FDR's plan, most notably in the creation of public works jobs. 

That got me to thinking . . . could we see something similar happen in our little word? Could our version of big government (our theater owners) step in and give us a little stimulation by creating projects for us to work on?

In the early days, theater owners used to be the most prolific Producers in town.  But as years passed, as costs and risks increased, the theater owners scaled back the number of shows they actively produced and focused more on growing their other businesses - see the Shubert website time line which indicates a thirteen year hiatus from Producing altogether (thank God they are still producing, however, because without Shubert involvement, shows like this one, would never have happened). 

What if the owners stepped in to stimulate by producing more shows on their own?  They'd fill their own quickly emptying theaters, employ a lot of out-of-work folks, and insure that there was plenty of product for the tourists coming to town to see.

We're not in a dire enough situation to see any of this happen just yet.  But if it gets worse . . . and if I were the Producer-Elect, that's what I'd do.

- - - - -

A 13 T-Shirt to the first person who comments with the name of the show that inspired the subject of this blog.  And check out the new comments section while you're at it!  It's fun!

A day of blog silence.

Sometimes, we forget that our business is not that old, and that our founding fathers walk among us ever day.

Moments ago, it was announced that we lost one of those fathers.

Mr. Schoenfeld, a standing ovation from all of us. 

These people shopped and won.

Congrats to all the folks who did some holiday shopping early and told us about it. 

While I originally said I would only make winners out of the first five people who bought tickets as a holiday gift, I decided to make winners out of everyone who commented.  Why?  Because I think it's great when people do something because they want to, regardless of material gain.  The more-than-five folks weren't doing it because they wanted a money clip.  And I bet that wasn't the motivation for the first five as well.  They did it because they wanted to do it, and for no other reason.  And that's an ingredient for success.

Thanks for helping the biz, guys.  Your gift is on the way.  And for everyone else, there are still 32 days until Santa comes . . .

As a bonus for the winners, I've listed them all below and given them a chance to promote whatever the heck they want to promote, which will also give the rest of you a chance to know some of your fellow readers!

Introducing . . . .

Heather, a high school senior from Ocala, Florida who volunteers at a local middle school and helps with their drama dept.

Mike, a webmaster and historian for Civil War Richmond, thinks this book would make a great play.

Clayton, a student, is also interning at The Piven Theater (yes, there is a relation) and he has a cute cat.

Elisabeth works at the UN.  And that's all that I can say about that!

Kendra (anyone else sing "Hey Kendra" when you read that name?) is a Group Tour Manager over at that behemoth Group Sales Box Office.  Check them out at  www.BestOfBroadway.com   

Paige, a college freshman, runs a Broadway podcast entitled On Broadway.

Danielle is starting a theater company.  You can read about it on her blog here.

Favorite Quotes: Volume XIV

"There is no shame in closing a show." - Mike Isaacson, Producer, Fox Theatricals

Click here.

Is the grass always greener?

I was jealous.

When the revival of American Buffalo announced that Haley Joel Osment was joining Leguizamo AND Cedric The Entertainer, for a moment I thought I was involved with the wrong Mamet.  Many people think it's a better play than Speed, it had three Hollywood names appealing to three different demographics, etc.

I took a second, reminded myself of why I got involved with Speed and the moment eventually passed.  But I do admit, I had some John Patrick Shanley-sized doubt for a half-a-day.

Flash forward to today.  After a set of disappointing reviews and in the midst of a climate where Harry Potter only pulled in $495k last week, Buffalo just announced that their closing date will be Sunday!  If only Haley saw notices being posted instead of dead people.

The lesson?  Stick to your guts and your initial instincts, because while the grass is always greener, sometimes it's artificial turf:  attractive to the eye, but nothing real underneath.

Before anyone accuses me of celebrating this premature closing, let me correct you - this ain't good news.  First, it's another Show Spot.  I don't remember the last star driven, high profile, limited-run revival of a tested play that closed this fast, do you?

Second, anytime Broadway boots out three Hollywood actors after only a week makes those Hollywooders think twice about doing it again. And they don't need us like we need them.

Don't run from the roaches.

I was on a subway platform the other day.

And so was a roach.

And so were a group of Australian tourists who, when they saw the roach, ran to the other side of the platform, shrieking like their shrimps were burning on the barbee along the way.

I couldn't help but wonder what that roach would have done if the Down-Underians had run right AT him, instead of running the other direction.  I'd bet that the little "bugger" would have scurried off into the subway tracks, scared antenna-less.

Most people are scared of roaches.  They are dirty and ugly and there are a lot more of them then there are of us.

Huh.  That's just like the business world.

You're an independent thinker.  You're a rarer breed.  You want to do big things.  Great things.  You don't like the status quo. 

Roaches do. 

And roaches will try and infiltrate where you live, where you work, in an attempt to scare you away from making any kind of change.

Just remember. You're bigger than they are.  You can crush them with one stomp.  But to do so, you can't be on the other side of the platform.

Next time roaches try and scare you away from where you belong.  Don't run away.  Run at them.

Or if you really want to prove your point, take a bite out of one.

Where to do your holiday shopping.

I was a bit of a doomsdayer yesterday, I know. 

So today, I'm gonna be Mr. Constructive-Guy and follow-up with a simple something you can do to help the biz get through this economic muck.  At the same time, this something will actually make your life a lot easier as well. 

Here it is.  You ready? 

Give theater tickets for your holiday gifts.

We've got enough eyeballs on this blog that if each of you went out and bought a pair of theater tickets for one person on your holiday list, we'd more than fill a Broadway house.  And if each you of you got a pair of theater tickets for EVERY person on your list, well, we could fill a whole week!

Here are some reasons why you should buy theater tickets as your holiday gifts this year:

• You're going to spend the money on gifts anyway, why not spend it on theater.
• Theater tickets are special and have a high perceived value.
• They can be inexpensive due to the multitude of discount sites out there like BroadwayBox, TDF and BestOfOffBroadway.
• They can be flexible thanks to gift certificates (and the thank-God-they-are-finally-coming gift cards)
  • Although here's an idea for the shows out there planning Holiday Gift Campaigns:  I'd get rid of the "No Exchange" policy for this season, and make it public that if you bought tickets for any performance in January or February before 12/24, you could exchange it to any other performance during that time. 
• The choice of show can be personalized to your recipient.
• You can sit at home and buy them all in one hour, or save some service fees and take a trip to the box office.
• You're supporting what you love and developing more audiences for the future.

It may seem like one pair of tickets is a small thing, but to sound like a 2nd grader for a second . . . lots of small things add up to one big thing.

So 'Tis The Season, and your task is to buy at least one pair of tickets for someone on your list.  When you've done it, come back and comment below what show you bought and for whom (we won't tell).

First five folks that do it will get the opening night gift that I gave to all of the members of the Speed The Plow company; a money clip in the shape of a dollar sign that says, "F*** MONEY" - Speed The Plow, Oct. 23, 2008.

(Not So) Favorite Quotes: Volume XIII

From the New York Times, this past Wednesday:

Best Buy, the electronics retailer, cut its fiscal 2009 earnings outlook on Wednesday and said it was being hammered by the worst retail environment in its 42-year history.

“Rapid, seismic changes in consumer behavior have created the most difficult climate we’ve ever seen,” the chief executive, Bradbury H. Anderson, said in a statement.

It may seem like running a big business and running a Broadway show are as different as HD and Blue-ray, but they are not. 

As a Producer, it's your job to not only look at today's numbers, but also at tomorrow's, next week's, and next year's and then . . . adjust accordingly. 

Shows and theaters in NYC and around the country should be cutting their gross projections right about now, and making expense cuts to keep their heads above the water, because the tide is rolling in.

The tall kids (the hits) will be fine, but in storms like this, the average-sized kids, who would normally be able to withstand the waves, are going to get pulled under.

Simply put and without the water:  we're looking at losing the middle of our market. 

Just like the electronics industry is losing theirs.