Economic crisis isn’t Funny: More shows postponed world wide

 

It seems the current economic climate is hitting theatre harder than initially anticipated, with another musical ‘postponed’ this week. 

It seems the current economic climate is hitting theatre harder than initially anticipated, with another musical ‘postponed’ this week – this time on Broadway. 

The Broadway revival of Funny Girl starring Lauren Ambrose and Bobby Cannavale has been “postponed indefinitely, with producers blaming the economy for the decision”, Broadwayworld.com reported recently. 

“We have made the extremely difficult decision today to postpone our production,” lead producer Bob Boyett said in a statement. “Given the current economic climate, many Broadway producing investors have found it impossible to maintain their standard level of financial commitment. Our desire to produce Funny Girl on a scale it deserves required a capitalization (sic) of $12 million making it one of the most expensive revivals in Broadway history.” 

In recent months Australia has seen the postponement of new Australian musical Strange Bedfellows even before it began rehearsals for the Melbourne season. 

Popular 80s themed musical Rock Of Ages, which played 7 months at the Comedy Theatre Melbourne, has ‘postponed’ it’s scheduled Sydney season at the Theatre Royal this summer and will now finish it’s Australian tour at the Lyric Theatre, QPAC (Brisbane) in December.

Rodney Rigby of Newtheatricals, on behalf of the producing group said, “It has been decided due to the current economic environment, Rock of Ages will reschedule its Sydney season at a later time.”

The situation seems dire, however, as the Theatre Royal is rumoured to be closing or renovations, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. 

Tim McFarlane, the producer of Love Never Dies recently announced that Andrew Lloyd Webber’s blockbuster musical will only play 3 months in Sydney, despite an initial suggestion that the show would play 20 weeks at the Capitol Theatre.

Is ‘boom time’ for musical theatre coming to an end? Will the next wave of productions survive the current economic downturn? If Broadway can’t manage to produce old favourites like Funny Girl in the wake of this crisis, how will the Australian music theatre industry keep its head afloat? 

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Rock of Ages: Sydney Season Postponed

Strange Bedfellows: Postponed

Love Never Dies to play 3 months in Sydney