Closing????

[balletgirlfan]

I expect the Toronto run will continue until September 3 as planned. It would be lovely if they would decide to extend it where it is, but I am confident that it would not take the place of the current US Tour and start traveling around the country. That would make no sense at all.

I am curious as to why it makes no sense and you are confident that the Toronto run will not take place of the current US tour as that cast was originally set to be the tour.

[ERinVA]

I have had a message with some clarification about the cost of housing for the tour. Instead of actually paying for the accommodations, the company provides a per diem for housing, food and transportation, with the child cast members receiving a higher amount in order to cover the cost for a family member or chaperone to travel with the child.

As for the case of local child cast members' families in Toronto having to make arrangements to accommodate their children closer to the theatre in order to be able to manage their rigorous rehearsal/performance schedule, this is no surprise at all. The same thing has applied to some of the child cast members in NY. Even though they did not live that far away, it was just not possible to manage the schedule without having a place in the immediate vicinity of the theatre.

[ERinVA]

I expect the Toronto run will continue until September 3 as planned. It would be lovely if they would decide to extend it where it is, but I am confident that it would not take the place of the current US Tour and start traveling around the country. That would make no sense at all.

I am curious as to why it makes no sendse and you are so confident that the Toronto run will not take place of the current US tour as that cast was originally set to be the tour.

I suppose it is possible, but I don't see how that could help the company to contain costs. If the company does decide to continue the US tour in some form, I imagine there will be all new contracts with cast and crew, so some people from the current tour might stay on, and others might leave and be replaced by completely new people, or perhaps some from the Toronto cast, but I do not think that the Toronto cast would just replace the one that has been touring. That is what I was talking about when I said it made no sense.

[ERinVA]

Michael Zorek, father of one of the tour's Small Boys, Jeremy Zorek, has made the following post on his public facebook page:

On August 21st, the Billy Elliot Tour will come to an end. While Jeremy and I have only been with the company for two months we have made good friends, seen incredible performances and have been amazed by the dedication and talent of all involved. The experience has been transforming for my nine year old and I can only hope the memories of this summer will last him a lifetime. "All out together, All out as one."

[gpcolo]

I have had some clarification about the cost of housing for the tour. Instead of actually paying for the accommodations, the company provides a per diem for housing, food and transportation, with the child cast members receiving a higher amount in order to cover the cost for a family member or chaperone to travel with the child.

Talking to one of the parents of a cast member, I do know they have one person making all of the travel arrangements for the tour. This keeps everything consistent with all the children and their families staying in one location and the cast traveling together to the next stop. She also mentioned per diem costs were set by Actors' Equity.

I truly hope the official upcoming closing announcement will perhaps include word of a re-birth of the tour early next year, but I am not confident this will happen. It appears instead like they may pack it in and do a wait and see.

[kport]

This is of interest to this thread:

http://luahadar.wordpress.com/2011/07/2 ... -goodbyes/

[dongringo]

This is of interest to this thread:

http://luahadar.wordpress.com/2011/07/2 ... -goodbyes/

"the result is an enormous budget, and even the excellent audience turnout can’t balance it."

How could they have not taken all costs into account before hand? This I do not understand.

[kport]

This is of interest to this thread:

http://luahadar.wordpress.com/2011/07/2 ... -goodbyes/

"the result is an enormous budget, and even the excellent audience turnout can’t balance it."

How could they have not taken all costs into account before hand? This I do not understand.

I think the answer is self evident by the very fact that mega-sized (1800-3000 seat ) theaters were booked. The Tour anticipated a higher number of paying customers each show, and it did not happen. I blame the economy - BETM is a great show and has pulled in good crowds, all things considered. I expect the show hoped that San Francisco (of all places) would brook the trend and fill the seats, and put money into the coffers....but it seems even the most likeliest of cities could not. Having said all that, I think the bean counters never expected the Tour to make huge profits; but to expand the franchise without incurring unsustainable losses. While in Tampa, we commented on the audience size in relation to the number of seats filled in the cavernous Straz; and we shook our heads. So I will bang on again over my hope that a streamlined version of the Tour can be resurrected at some time, once this dreadful economy is righted. As one who has produced plays and fought the accountants, I know a streamlined, traveling version of BETM can work, even worldwide. Just make it rational in scale, limit it to 1200-2000 seat venue; and don't try to replicate the London/NYC concept.

[BEtourfan]

I know a streamlined, traveling version of BETM can work, even worldwide. Just make it rational in scale, limit it to 1200-2000 seat venue; and don't try to replicate the London/NYC concept.

I went to about 30 shows in seven different cities on the tour ... the audiences were all enthusiastic in their applause and ovations. I also thought the houses were pretty full but perhaps not enough. I'm pretty sure the producers have a pretty clear idea up front of expected revenues/expenses, i.e., cast and crew, travel costs, how many tickets at a particular price have to be sold, etc. Not sure what is meant by a streamlined version, but I was very pleased with how this tour production was presented--can't imagine it on a smaller scale, but that's just me.

[kport]

I know a streamlined, traveling version of BETM can work, even worldwide. Just make it rational in scale, limit it to 1200-2000 seat venue; and don't try to replicate the London/NYC concept.

One of the things that's being talked about a lot by fans and stakeholders at the moment is what constitutes a streamlined version and what it could mean. People are concerned that a second rate version could be mounted which could damage the franchise's reputation. Anyway, that's one of the considerations that will have to be taken into account in any future decisions.

One of the things that goes through my head is potential legal liability. If the production is aware at present that they they won't be playing at locations as and when scheduled, would they not be liable for people's costs to make future travel plans, as they're still advertising and haven't announced that anything has changed.

I cannot see any legal liability. Any tickets sold will be refunded; there will no doubt be legal penalties owed to the venues that have been booked to break the contract; no doubt this has been factored in by the bean counters. There will be a lot of mopping up to do.

Among other things, I am a consultant to the cruise ship industry. Both that and theater deal with industries that are mercurial, elective, and non-essential; hence, utterly vulnerable to the market We have massive ships to fill every week. They must sail, full or empty. Bums on seat are vital for survival. So we lower the per diem charge to what is a loss leader (room; meals; entertainment; travel > $75 a day -(try that at Motel 6, South of the Border and McDonalds) and expect to make it up through on board purchases and other income producng measures. It is called the Las Vegas strategy. Get them in as a captive audience first; then soak them.

No one at BETM has seemed to have looked into lowering ticket prices to a point where increased numbers of ticket sales through lower prices will generate more revenue....... than higher prices = lower bums on seats which seems to be the model slavishly followed. Had I been in a position, I would have advocated this for Dallas or Denver as a trial - all seats $25-75 max and aim for a portion of bar/souvenir proceeds based on a higher house. Had the capacity averaged over 75% (which it would at those prices), I would have then tinkered with the price for future venues and come up with a working business model so that the Tour would at least break even. Tampa prices were far higher than SF which indicates a bit of tinkering has happened, so I think there was some acknowledgement that needed follow through.

Unraveling the production and the contracts is going to be expensive. I do not think they explored all alternatives. I am mistified that an announcement has not been made and that tickets are still on sale at several venues. I speak as an investor/stakeholder in Old Vic Productions plc and I am a bit worried. I would like to hear Kevin Spacey's views on this closing and how it is being handled. He knows his stuff.