Ken Davenport - Opinions from a Broadway Producer

Variety cuts their coverage. Should you and I complain?

Variety, one of the few "trades" that remain, has changed their business model over the past twelve months, just like most media companies, and, well, like most companies period.

They've put their online articles behind a paywall, fired critics, and just recently I noticed that the legit coverage I pay $299 a year for has now been cut to just one page, and one feature article. 

Am I mad?

You betcha.

But not at Variety.

Look, Variety is a business, just like Broadway, just like a diner, and well, just like your own household.

When you can't pay your expenses in any of those situations, you have to cut out the crap, or the stuff that isn't necessary, in order to survive.

What I'm mad about is that somehow, Broadway has become the crap.

We've failed to make ourselves relevant enough to the modern readers of Variety.  The higher-ups had to think that a cut in our coverage wouldn't cause that much of a stink, or put that much of a dent in their subscriber base either. There was obviously a meeting at some point where someone at Variety said, "Look if we cut theater coverage, we may lose X number of subscribers, and that will decrease our revenue by Y. But since we'll be saving Z dollars, and since Z is greater than Y, it makes sense to lose the page." 

And if you are having trouble keeping the lights on, then that's how meetings should go in industries of all kinds whether that is on Broadway, in a diner or in your own household.  

Because that's business.

And we don't have to like it. 

But yelling at Variety isn't going to do us any good.  We've got to yell at ourselves and find a way to make us important enough so people aren't cutting coverage, they are adding it.

That's a constructive use of our time.  

Yelling certainly isn't.

What do innovators have in common?

A few weeks ago, I got a call from Susan Lee.

You don't know Susan?  

Well, you should. 

Susan is the CMO of The Nederlander Organization, the founder of Camp Broadway, the Executive Producer of The Jimmy Awards, one of the engines behind Audience Rewards (Broadway's only loyalty program), and more.

In other words, she is a super passionate person who has dedicated herself to expanding and building the audience of tomorrow.

So, she called . . . and duh, I answered. 

I was honored when Susan told me she was inviting me to participate in the event held yesterday as part of Advertising Week, called The Innovator's Forum.  The Forum was a group of about 30 marketing "Thought Leaders" in both the profit and non-profit sectors of our industry.  It was sponsored by The Nederlander Organization and The National Corporate Theatre Fund, led by an innovator himself, Exec. Director, Bruce Whitacre.

What happened during this 7-hour marketing-fest?

We discussed RenGen, and multicultural marketing.  We talked new ways to bring brands to the sponsorship table, when they didn't even know where the table was the year before (check out Long Wharf's tactics for ideas).  We talked metrics, and money, and ways to make the consumer feel more like he or she is at the "center of the universe."

It was an inspiring day, and I was thrilled to be a part of it.

But the most inspiring part of the day wasn't the specific action item we all walked away with.  The most inspiring part of the day was seeing the faces of the other folks in that room.

What did they all have in common?

There wasn't a scowl on one of them.

In the 'free-speech' wrap-up at the end of the day, a colleague of mine brought up exactly what I was thinking, which was that everyone . . . everyone . . . in that room was an optimist.  This room knew more about the huge challenges facing our industry than most, yet they all still believed there was a way to make things better, and most importantly, that the fight it would take would be worth it.

This forum could have been the biggest bitch fest our industry has ever seen.  And then, it would have been like so many other sessions I've been to. 

But it wasn't . . . and that's when I realized that the "change agents" of the world have to be optimists, otherwise, they would never be motivated to get out of bed in the morning.

And the real innovators, like Susan and Bruce, are the ones that usually never go to bed in the first place.  

How do you see the world in which you work?  

5 Shows that stand out at NYMF.

Six years ago, Altar Boyz debuted at the NYMF.  And it changed my life.  

Yesterday, the 7th season of NYMF kicked off.

And hopefully, a lot of lives will be changed when it's over.

If you don't know NYMF, you should. If the Fringe Festival is the Walmart of theatrical offerings (and for the record, there is nothing wrong with Walmart - it's got everything you could ever want and then some at "everyday low prices"), then NYMF is the Madison Avenue boutique of musicals.

During the voting at NYMF's Next Broadway Sensation last Sunday, which I was honored to judge, I flipped through the catalog of shows to see what stood out to me.

Here are five shows that caught my show-shoppin' eye (in reverse alphabetical order, because, well, you gotta do things differently every once in a while):

1.  V-Day

If you've been in NYC a while, then you've probably heard of the late night escapades of the Don't Quit Your Night Job crew.  Well, two of the crew, including the funny-in-every-show-he's-in Steve Rosen, took a day job and wrote a musical about the holiday we love to hate, Valentine's Day. 

2.  Show Choir

I had an idea for a show choir musical a few years ago, and even did some research over pizza with real show choir members to get some ideas.  It was a hysterical brainstorming session.  Dramas are about characters, and there are some kooks in show choirs around the country.  I remember thinking, "There's a successful show here somewhere."  Let's see if these guys found it.  

3.  My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wican Wedding

Just when you think the gag-wedding-title idea is played out, here comes another one . .  and it still makes you laugh.  Unless you have a star, nothing . . . nothing . . . sells a ticket more than a title.  

4.  Jay Alan Zimmerman's Incredibly Deaf Musical

Comedy is born in contrast, and when you put the word "Deaf" next to "Musical," it says, "I'm funny, unique, and about a hero overcoming a challenge."  I'd bet that some of your favorite shows, movies and books have the exact same elements.

5.  Bloodties

The blurb about Bloodties describes the story of Ned Massey who was once called, "the finest talent since Dylan and Springsteen."  Umm,  you had me at Springsteen.  (And BTW, where's that jukebox musical?  I inquired some time ago and haven't heard much lately . . . I know I'd have produced the bandana out of that one.)

So there you have it . . . the 5 NYMF shows that jumped out of the catalog and, like Tommy, screamed, "See me!"  

Now, remember, you all know how this game works.  I haven't read the scripts, seen the readings, etc.  Instead, I put myself in the mind of an audience member and a Producer (aren't they one in the same?), and relied solely on the marketing, the titles, and the teams to tell me what show to see.

What happens then?

Only one way to find out.

To get tickets to all NYMF shows, click here.

Broadway Grosses w/e 09/26/10

Show Name	GrossGross	TotalAttn	%Cap	AvgPdAdm
A LIFE IN THE THEATRE	$344,287	5,809	67.80%	$59.27
A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC	$612,209	6,713	90.13%	$91.20
AMERICAN IDIOT	$480,566	7,197	52.64%	$66.77
BILLY ELLIOT: THE MUSICAL	$1,000,428	10,730	94.39%	$93.24
BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON	$281,383	5,809	67.36%	$48.44
BRIEF ENCOUNTER	$224,905	6,816	85.03%	$33.00
CHICAGO	$469,963	6,269	72.56%	$74.97
FELA!	$522,253	6,625	80.40%	$78.83
IN THE HEIGHTS	$465,322	7,138	66.39%	$65.19
JERSEY BOYS	$1,088,466	9,803	99.79%	$111.03
LA BETE	$217,164	4,455	88.48%	$48.75
LA CAGE AUX FOLLES	$532,620	6,296	74.46%	$84.60
LOMBARDI	$89,427	1,748	73.76%	$51.16
MAMMA MIA!	$821,598	10,565	88.16%	$77.77
MARY POPPINS	$586,069	8,346	58.06%	$70.22
MEMPHIS	$916,070	9,881	84.02%	$92.71
MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET	$541,296	6,363	65.52%	$85.07
MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION	$230,352	4,222	71.32%	$54.56
NEXT TO NORMAL	$231,635	4,289	69.45%	$54.01
PROMISES, PROMISES	$981,598	10,474	74.94%	$93.72
ROCK OF AGES	$440,626	5,916	74.17%	$74.48
THE ADDAMS FAMILY	$929,655	9,620	79.16%	$96.64
THE LION KING	$1,269,344	11,353	84.62%	$111.81
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA	$691,135	9,373	72.55%	$73.74
THE PITMEN PAINTERS	$200,807	4,429	85.17%	$45.34
TIME STANDS STILL	$221,769	3,392	78.59%	$65.38
WEST SIDE STORY	$585,217	8,247	60.75%	$70.96
WICKED	$1,495,013	14,447	99.83%	$103.48
TOTAL	$16,471,171	206,325	77.12%	$74.15

You asked. We listened. New At The Booth™ version released.

Products, like plays, don't have to be stagnant.  

They should live, breathe, and morph based on audience feedback and interaction.  

We launched our At The Booth™ iPhone App just a couple of months ago, and, frankly, we got some incredible positive feedback.  

But you want to know what the best feedback was?

Constructive criticism.  

It's hard to hear phrases that begin with, "You know what would make this better?" 

Luckily, I have an incredible development team that craves those kind of comments, because they know what stings today brings happier customers tomorrow.

So, we took those comments, went back into the e-labs, and tweaked our app to include some more features that you requested.

Here's what you wanted, and here's what you're gonna get with the new update:

• Portrait view
• Facebook and Twitter share feature (let your friends know what show you're seeing!)
• Restaurants near the theater
• Lottery and rush information
• And more.

Download the update today. 

And after you do, email me and let me know how we can make it even better next time.  Because that's what product and play development is all about.

Oh . . . and for those of you who are about to email me and ask for a Blackberry or Droid version?

Don't bother.

Because both versions are coming.  Soon.  (And BTW, that Droid is one sexy smartphone.)

Get the At The Booth™ update here.

Fun on a Friday: Shut up, Dick!

As you know, I've been talking to a lot of 'people' lately about their love of theater.  

And I've heard some incredible, touching stories that could make a Romanian weightlifter cry.

And then I've heard stories like this one:

A theater lover was seeing a revival of The King and I many, many years ago.  And . . . well . . . I think I should just let him tell the story in his own words:

Nothing pisses me off more than people who sing along with overtures or songs on stage. Immediately upon the down beat of the overture this gravel-voiced man behind me starts to hum loudly.  I gave him a quick "shh" and turned back to my seat.  He continued a few beats later and I shushed him again.  On his third try I turned to face him and in a stage whisper said, "Will you please stop that awful singing?"

It was then that I realized I had told Richard Rodgers to shut up.

To his credit he apologized.

You know what my favorite part of that story is?  It wasn't that my new friend taught Dick some good theater-going habits.  It wasn't that even the Maestro of Musicals knew he was in the wrong!  It was that Richard Rodgers hummed along to his own tunes.  I mean, if the composer gets the songs stuck in his head, you're on to something!

My new iTunes Terms and Conditions are how many pages?

Let's take a quick poll.

How many of you have iTunes?

Now, how many of you have EVER read the iTunes Terms and Conditions that pop up and require you to click "I ACCEPT" before you're able to download Autotune's "Bed Intruder Song."

The last time the T&Cs appeared on my iPhone, they were 55 pages long!  Ok, that's in iPhone pages, but still!  

Who's reading this stuff?  Anybody?  They could have a "you must eat brussels sprouts" clause buried deep on page 37, and I'd have no veggin' clue.  

Obviously, me not reading an agreement or me eating brussels sprouts is not a good thing.

So, are these super-long agreements over simple issues the result of ambitious self-preserving lawyers?  Or is it the fault of overly litigious consumers who hires lawyers in an effort to make a quick buck?

The irony of some of these contracts is that they were written in an effort to protect the consumer, producer, artist, etc. . . . but because most consumers, producers, artists, etc aren't reading them, and may make decisions without reading them, they are actually less protected.

Take aways?

1.  Read your agreements.
 
2.  When creating contracts, ask for simple, straightforward agreements from your lawyers and reps that address the practical issues you expect to face.
 
3.  Hire help if you don't want to read your agreements, or don't understand them.  $500 now could save you 10x that later.
 
4.  Yes, eat your brussels sprouts.

Win tickets. Win cash. What do you prefer?

How many of you have seen this:

"Sign up and enter to win FREE tickets to INSERT SHOW NAME HERE!"

All of you, right?

How many of you have DONE the above?

Almost all of you, right?  I know my hand is up. I'm not chucking any rocks at anyone, don't you worry.

I've got news for everyone . . . giving away free tickets in a contest just doesn't cut it anymore.

Why do we give them away?  Because they are cheap and easy to get.  Guess what?  The consumer knows.  (Oh, and by the way, if the consumer really wants tickets to your show, he or she is going to buy them!)

If you want to increase sign-up conversions, give them something else that might be a little more out of reach.  Try a weekend getaway for two, free dinners, a $100 gift certificate to FAO Schwarz, or . . . for the right show . . . cash.

Give them anything that has a higher perceived value than a voucher for a pair of tickets that won't be available on prime nights anyway.  They know how to get tickets (and most likely at a discount).  Give them something they don't know how to get, and they'll give you something in return...

Their email address. 

And that just might be worth a few bucks after all. 

5 Signs that Broadway is becoming more like Vegas.

I've been in New York for just shy of two decades now, and to say things have changed in the theater district is as obvious as saying Wicked is a big hit.  

The transformation of Times Square into a Vegas Strip-like scene seems to have had an effect on what's happening inside our theaters as well.  

Here are 5 thing I've noticed that indicate we're getting Vegas-ized:

1.  WHO IS THE HEADLINER?

We're becoming increasingly dependent on the names in our shows, just like the casinos have depended on Wayne Newton and friends for years.  In some cases (A Steady Rain, anyone?), Shakespeare has gotten a rewrite because now, "the star's the thing."

2.  A TRIBUTE TO TRIBUTES.

When Love Never Dies canceled its Fall NYC opening, the show that took its place wasn't a limited run play revival.  Instead it was Rain, a Beatles tribute show that has been touring the nation.  If it succeeds, expect more of this type of entertainment to be coming down the long and winding road.  

3.  BROKERS ARE NOT GOING BROKE.

In Vegas, the Brokers mean business.  If you don't have them on your side, you're gonna get Bugsy Siegeled in no time.  In NYC, they don't wield that much power . . . yet.  But as they continue to out-spend us on advertising, and continue to organize, we may find ourselves not wanting to sit with our backs to the door, if you know what I mean.  My suggestion?  We all have a sit-down.

4.  PARDON ME, I DON'T SPEAK AMERICAN. 

International audiences have been slowly increasing here in NYC, with the Broadway League reporting that 21% of our audience was from around the globe in 2008-2009.  21%!  That means more than 1 in 5 people that see a show many not speak English as their first language!  You'd have to be high on glue to not think that stat has an effect on what runs.  If it increases, expect more and more non-verbal entertainment or spectacular events to take over our boards, like, oh, I don't know, Spider-Man?  

5.  ADVANCE = DAY OF.

It used to be that our tourist audiences picked up a paper before they came into town and bought their tickets in advance.  When my Mom bought my fam Phantom tickets we waited EIGHT months. And we sat in the 2nd row from the back. (Side note: when I went to see it a second time, I bought tickets from a broker because I wanted a great seat.)  Our audiences are becoming more like Vegas audiences, and waiting until they get here to decide, causing most shows to have more availability, requiring more discounting, etc.  So much of our marketing dollars now have to be spent on converting the customer when they get here, instead of before.  

Will Broadway become the U.S's second Strip?  I doubt it.  Great plays and great musicals will always have a place here, whereas I can't imagine that The Pitmen Painters or Next to Normal will ever play The Mirage.  

But we do have more in common with Vegas than ever before.

And you can place a big bet that this trend concerns me.  

Broadway Grosses w/e 09/19/10

Show Name	GrossGross	TotalAttn	%Cap	AvgPdAdm
A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC	$606,204	6,680	89.69%	$90.75
AMERICAN IDIOT	$487,885	8,786	64.26%	$55.53
BILLY ELLIOT: THE MUSICAL	$913,386	10,094	88.79%	$90.49
BRIEF ENCOUNTER	$212,473	5,042	62.90%	$42.14
CHICAGO	$476,061	6,413	74.22%	$74.23
FELA!	$463,706	6,246	75.80%	$74.24
IN THE HEIGHTS	$411,620	7,170	66.69%	$57.41
JERSEY BOYS	$1,046,786	9,613	97.85%	$108.89
LA CAGE AUX FOLLES	$530,552	6,354	75.14%	$83.50
MAMMA MIA!	$798,971	10,357	86.42%	$77.14
MARY POPPINS	$540,903	8,028	55.84%	$67.38
MEMPHIS	$828,154	9,174	78.01%	$90.27
MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET	$559,114	6,597	67.93%	$84.75
MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION	$219,233	4,267	72.08%	$51.38
NEXT TO NORMAL	$198,017	3,575	57.89%	$55.39
PROMISES, PROMISES	$902,890	10,064	72.01%	$89.71
ROCK OF AGES	$429,211	6,063	76.02%	$70.79
THE ADDAMS FAMILY	$884,418	8,991	73.99%	$98.37
THE LION KING	$1,210,030	10,924	81.43%	$110.77
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA	$688,861	9,186	71.10%	$74.99
THE PITMEN PAINTERS	$189,291	3,841	73.87%	$49.28
WEST SIDE STORY	$526,052	7,514	55.35%	$70.01
WICKED	$1,479,055	14,331	99.03%	$103.21
TOTAL	$14,602,870	179,310	74.62%	$76.98