Show business struggling to find business

The global economic crisis is having its impact on the world of show biz. With people losing their jobs they barely have enough to make ends meet. Those people that would ordinary be watching broad way shows in theatres are now worrying about a gloomy looking tomorrow.

Jamison Scott, a Broadway performer says regarding his performance in the Broadway classic “Grease” “Originally the producers said they wanted it to run at least five years.” Much to their dismay the production was only performed for a year and a half and then had to be shut down.

Grease is not the only show that has been shut down short of expectations. It joins a list of nine other would-be have-been popular shows that were shut down last Sunday. Four more are likely to be shut down this week. Amongst the shows that have shut down, some have been initiated by the producers themselves so as to prevent future losses. Others have been forced to shut down while the producers had no such intentions.

Scott explained “And they just said ‘due to the economic crisis, we’re not seeing a lot of future ticket sales and we’re going to be ending the show.” Generally though, the post New Year’s season sees a slight slump in business but at difficult times like these not many people would want to pay a hundred dollars or more for a good sear in the theatre. Hence the show cannot go on.

Patti Lupone, the leading star of the classic Broadway “Gypsy” said “What would you spend $130 on? A tank of gas? Food? Or a Broadway show that you don’t know whether you’re going to enjoy or not.” Lupone has even secured a Tony Award for her performance in the “Gypsy.” In an interview she said “I mean I’m out of work next week.” The show will be shutting down two months earlier than it was scheduled for.

Every show has its own costs but the prices of everything are sky rocketing. In 1975 producers had to incur a $1 million cost to open “A Chorus Line” at the Broadway. When the same show was put up last year it cost the producers $8 million. With the expenses mounting up and the money running short show business is finding it hard to run as a sustainable business.