The fall chill is in the air, and for some shows on Broadway, that always means softness at the box office.
Producers with shows waiting in the wings scour the weekly grosses, place calls to find out how large advance sales are, and begin making discreet inquiries about “theater availability.”
And there’s blood in the water at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, where Harvey Weinstein’s “Finding Neverland” has slipped just enough that a few big musicals looking to come in next season may be circling.
“Finding Neverland” had a robust summer, with weekly grosses exceeding $1 million — not bad for a musical without a single Tony nomination. But lately the grosses have slipped into the $700,000s, a bit too close to the weekly break-even for comfort.
I expect things to pop back up around the holidays — it’s a family show, after all — but January, February and March are brutal months for big musicals that aren’t runaway hits. And Matthew Morrison, who’s a draw as J.M. Barrie, is off that pirate ship in February.
Some upcoming musicals might fit nicely into the Lunt-Fontanne next season.
Trying out in Chicago later this year is “Gotta Dance,” based on the delightful documentary about a senior citizen cheerleading team. Directed by Jerry Mitchell (“Kinky Boots”) and starring four terrific vets — Georgia Engel, Stefanie Powers, Lillias White and André de Shields — the musical generated good buzz in workshops.
“The Bandstand,” a sweet show about World War II veterans who form a dance band, is also aiming for Broadway after trying out at New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse. Andy Blankenbuehler, whose choreography is, along with Renée Elise Goldsberry, one of the few things I can bear in “Hamilton,” is directing. Theater owners are heading to New Jersey to check it out.
And then there’s the masterpiece of the lot — “The SpongeBob Musical.”
I nosed around to see what’s going on at “Finding Neverland,” and got punched in the nose by Harvey himself — figuratively punched, I add, because he gave me an earful.
“Once again you’re doing what you do best: speculating and writing fiction,” he bellowed as fast as my little fingers could type. “Only three weeks we didn’t do a million dollars — the Jewish holidays, the pope came to Manhattan, there was the United Nations [General] Assembly. I couldn’t get around town!
“You’re stirring up trouble,” he added, warming to his monologue. “You’re having your usual wicked fun at my expense. Well, ‘Finding Neverland’ is no ‘Wicked’ — but you���re no S.J. Perelman!” (S.J. Perelman? I never even thought of myself as Minnie Pearl.)
Harvey and his enablers went on to point out that “Finding Neverland” has a $6 million advance, which gives it a bit of a cushion. He said the advance has held steady since the opening night.
I replied that it would be better if it were growing. I scored a point there, as he acknowledged.
But he’s got a plan for the show, which he says will run at least three years on Broadway, recoup its $15 million in “52 weeks,” and play everywhere from England to Asia.
First off, Kelsey Grammer, who played Captain Hook, is coming back in the new year. Grammer left the show in June because, I’m told, he wanted the summer off. The excellent Terrence Mann replaced him, though Weinstein never took down Grammer’s photos on the front of the theater. I guess Harvey’s bringing him back to prove that there is indeed “truth in advertising.”
Grammer’s always an added bonus to a show, plus I loved him in the revival of “La Cage aux Folles” a few years ago — but I don’t think he’ll be a gigantic draw in the winter.
Harvey disagrees. He thinks Grammer will help bring in adults who love “Cheers.”
“We’ve been running as a family show,” he says. “But we have to start crossing over. Adults love this show, and we have to figure out how to get them in on a Tuesday night without their kids.”
Grammer, he says, is part of that strategy. But he also knows he needs another teeny-bopper idol like Morrison to play J.M. Barrie.
One name on the list is Chris Pine, the “Star Trek” kid.
I suggested Zayn Malik, late of the band One Direction. When his name comes up in a group of teenage girls, they scream and then faint.
“Don’t you think he’s too young?” Harvey asked.
“Put a beard on him, and he’ll be fine,” I said. Harvey laughed.
Weinstein is fighting for his show — and he’s not taking any sniping from me lying down.
My hunch is that he’s got some tough sailing ahead during the winter, but if he can find the right teen idol to pair with Grammer, he can sail through the summer and keep the Lunt-Fontanne under lock and key at least until next fall.
And if “Finding Neverland” manages to keep “SpongeBob” at bay, I hope “Finding Neverland” runs longer than “Wicked.”