Breaking News: MARY POPPINS to Close on Broadway March 3, 2013; ALADDIN Next at the New Amsterdam Theater?

[ACL2006]

I'll add and say, if anything, keep Poppins their until Labor Day. If Motown tanks, move it to the Lunt or to the Neil Simon if it remains vacant. Poppins still does good business, even during the slow seasons. Aladdin likely wouldn't be ready until Spring 2014 anyway.

[winston89]

The only way Poppins can come close to fitting into another theatre is if they redo the sets and use the touring ones. The show is a big show as far as sets are concerned, and it works in the New Amsterdam because that theatre is a big theatre in terms of backstage space.

[CapnHook]

Is POPPINS' running costs THAT high to justify closing? I would think it could make more money running 1-2 additional years without a loss. Either they have plans to transfer POPPINS, or they just don't want to milk the show any longer and put fresh material on stage.

How much of the score is original? Would it be eligible for Best Score like Newsies was?

[beautywickedlover]

I still miss 'Beauty and the Beast' to this day. Some people said that the show was getting a little dusty, but it has always been a timeless musical. It was very faithful to the film and the new songs were wonderful. Sierra Boggess and Sherie Rwne Scott were the only good things about 'The Little Mermaid'. The whole production was just a mess.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Mary Poppins is probably a fairly costly show to run. You have a pretty large cast, including a good number of children, a good sized orchestra, and a very large crew. In addition their insurance costs are most likely a good deal higher than a lot of other shows due to the flying.

[GlindatheGood22]

Sad. I really loved it when I saw it years ago. Not sure I would have the same reaction now but glad for a good, healthy run.

[bdn223]

I feel bad for Gavin Lee. He has been with the show since it opened in London, opened the show on Broadway, did the tour and then came back to broadway. He just took off for a few month to do Top Hat in London for a few months and was to return to Mary Poppins over the summer. I honestly wonder if Disney will try to bring him back for the final show.

[Jonwo]

I imagine Mary Poppins just makes its running costs during the quieter periods then make money during the holidays.

I'm sure Gavin will come back to do Bert if the show does close, I wouldn't be surprised if Laura Michelle Kelly or more likely Ashley Brown come back as Mary.

[JBroadway]

that wouldn't be very nice for Dromard. He was supposed to go until August, His run would already be drastically cut short if it closes. Do you think they would cut it short even more just to bring Gavin back?

[Blockhead24]

^ no disrespect intended to Lee but I really hope not

[fashionguru_23]

Its possible. Disney brought Donny Osmond back to Beauty And The Beast for the final show, to play Gaston. I could see it happening again.

Also, Kelli O'Hara was brought back for 2 weeks

[KirbyCat]

Could you imagine if Kelli O'Hara played Mary?
Ignore me, this is just my sleepiness talking... but still. Kelli O'Hara.

[Briaansmith]

Kelli O Hara and Disney???

[winston89]

If they contract Dromard and the show is supposed to close, they can pay him what they promised him but still have Lee go on instead. It's not uncommon and done all the time.

However, I still think that until there is some official word from Disney, I am not sure that this is going to happen. After all, The New York Times was basing their report on something that Riedel reported in The Post, and we all know he is so reliable (said sarcastically.) I think that this was poor journalism on The Time's part to not wait for a more official source before reporting it as truth.

[Brian07663NJ]

Anything can happen if you let it.

[EponineAmneris]

Let's all just wait and see IF MARY POPPINS closes and IF ALADDIN takes it's place

I saw a link on YAHOO! about this, too, but yeah... Rumors always get reported as fact before the facts are known.

[little_sally]

If this was just a rumor, don't you think Disney would've come out and killed it by now?

[gstrus2]

If Poppins does leave on March 2, will Disney push to get Aladdin in there before this years Tony's or will they wait until next season?

[Phantom of London]

Disney is such an immense massive organization, that with Mary Poppins they aren't concerned with making such small profits $20.000 - $100.000 a week, means nothing, they rather gamble on Aladdin being the next The Lion King and make $1m a week profit from Broadway + tour + London + other productions.

If the show tanks like Tarzan or The Little Mermaid, then that’s business, Disney is big enough to cover it, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

[ucjrdude902]

Couldn't agree more Phantom. Personally if done right I think this could be a massive hit for Disney. In my opinion it's one of the few Disney movies that is loved by boys and girls. Girls want to be Jasmine and boys want to be Aladdin. Unlike TLM which is catered to one, or Tarzan which is catered to another. If done right, produced well, and from the get go it gets a good buzz it'll work.

This is my issue with Disney when they get 100% invested in something you get pure stage magic, for instance TLK and BATB. But when they half heart do it like Tarzan it flops. My issue with TLM was that it looked like a little more expensive Disney parks show.

I wouldn't mind seeing Disney sign a long lease for the Lunt and it make it another Disney house much like the New Amsterdam has become.

[everythingtaboo]

Still no actual news on this "Breaking News", BWW? Hmph.

Even if it does close, I really can't imagine it closing so early. With all the spring break and school groups that come into town in March through April, it's not like Lion King or Newsies will have enough room to accommodate everyone stuck without a show, it would be a huge disservice.

The whole thing sticks, because now Poppins unfairly has this sword hanging over its head.

[beautywickedlover]

Variety has even reported it.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118064296/

ETA: Now even Entertainment Weekly has written an article about this rumor.

http://popwatch.ew.com/2013/01/08/disney-aladdin-broadway/

[TheatreKid3]

Also, I would like to make the point that, if Disney is planning on bringing HUNCHBACK to Broadway in the near future, I think it should be the show going into the New Amsterdam. It will more than likely be a huge mega-musical like POPPINS and definitely fill the space. I can also see, though, that they might want a more well-known/classic show in their main & largest house as HUNCHBACK's darkness might dampen its youth appeal.

I second the notion on Disney acquiring the Lunt! Lol

[seanmcdona2]

Does it not seem odd to keep a theatre dark for nearly a year? They're talking about closing Poppins in Spring 2013 and opening Aladdin in Spring 2014? Just seems a bit odd to me unless they'v plans to put another small show in for a bit... not likely though

[Blockhead24]

the articles say that they'd be renovating

[everythingtaboo]

This whole thing is out of control. It's all based on this one article. If it's Riedel, it's likely right in some respect, but it's all based on this one article and not one single lick of additional evidence. But everyone is running with it and adding their little bit to it. I for one am shocked.