I went the first week of previews before I went away for thanksgiving since I thought the run would be pretty much sold out by the time I got back to NYC.
I have never seen Katie on Broadway, but I didn't enjoy her on Dawson's Creek, and don't really think she is a big star, apart from being on cover of gossip magazines. And Leo, although a Tony winner, doesn't sell tickets either.
I agree^. She seems a competent enough actress whose biggest claim to fame was marrying Tom Cruise and Dawson's Creek (which was 20 years ago?). I don't think she was ever a draw at the movie box office, so I wouldn't have expected that people would have cared all that much about her being on b'way in a play they never heard anything about.
And Norbert - as much as the bway community might love him, no one else knows him.
Norbert is like Boyd Gaines. Lots of respect and Tonys, but not a box office draw on his own.
And Katie isn't a big TV star or movie star like the second Mrs. Cruise, who can and does sell tickets on name alone.
Katie's a tabloid star now. She would do better to go back to TV where people who are curious about her can tune in for free instead of shelling out $100 to see her in a bad play.
Love Norbert, mildly negative on Holmes, but let's pin this failure where it belongs - Rebeck. Surely there are talented women playwrights out there who deserve to be produced?
Someone said in the preview thread that Rebeck's stuff is just easy to license, which is why it gets produced, and I am starting to believe that's the reason.
I think Katie Holmes isn't the "I'll pay to see her!" star that producers anticipated. I know All My Sons recouped, but that's a famous play and Holmes starred alongside three other name actors.
On her own in an unknown property she's just not much of a draw. And then, of course, there's the fact that the play is terrible. That trumps anything else in my book.
At the time that she did All My Sons, I think she was more of a curiosity. People wanted to see how Mrs Tom Cruise fared. Also, as others have mentioned, Katie hasn't had a hit movie in ages and she's off TV. People seem to respect her as an actress, but that doesn't necessarily mean they'll pay top dollar to see her. I admire her for doing plays and I hope she does more; maybe next time she'll do something smaller, Off-Broadway, and hopefully good.
joined:5/3/03
Posted: 12/27/12 at 07:13pm