SHUFFLE ALONG being billed a Revival, Casting, Previews (Prices), etc.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 9/11/15 at 9:54am

I just called Telecharge because tickets go on sale tomorrow and I want to surprise my friend (who LOVES Audra) by getting us tickets to see the first preview on Mon. 3/14 during our spring break trip.  I'm very curious about the show and hope we get the chance to see it. She's also a huge Ragtime fan, but I don't think she knows Brian Stokes Mitchell is in the show.  . Anyway, Telecharge said ticket prices in orchestra would be $159 and mezzanine would be $79-159.  Is that normal for previews? I've heard previews are usually lower than what the full price is after opening, etc. and just wanted to check. Are there usually rush/lottos available for the first preview?

Updated On: 9/11/15 at 09:54 AM

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 9/11/15 at 10:08am

To ask another question... when do tickets go on sale? I know they go on sale tomorrow, 9/12, but what time does Telecharge start selling tickets? I've never bought tickets the day they go on sale before. 

Thanks for any insight! 

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 9/11/15 at 10:21am

KJisgroovy said: "To ask another question... when do tickets go on sale? I know they go on sale tomorrow, 9/12, but what time does Telecharge start selling tickets? I've never bought tickets the day they go on sale before. 

Thanks for any insight! "

The Telecharge operator said around 10am EST. :)

 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/11/15 at 10:29am

"Preview prices" haven't really been used for a long time now. 

 

I can't believe $159.00 is the new standard price. Amazing. 

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 9/11/15 at 10:43am

This has become the trend with preview prices recently. Charge as much as you can at the beginning and see what kind of response you get. 

 

I can basically guarantee you that those $79 seats won't sell out for the first preview (or any of the preview after that) and the orchestra won't be sell out at $159 either. Bid your time and wait for a discount code to come out and/or prices to be lowered. It will happen. 

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 9/11/15 at 10:52am

WhizzerMarvin TrinaJasonMendel said: "This has become the trend with preview prices recently. Charge as much as you can at the beginning and see what kind of response you get. I can basically guarantee you that those $79 seats won't sell out for the first preview (or any of the preview after that) and the orchestra won't be sell out at $159 either. Bid your time and wait for a discount code to come out and/or prices to be lowered. It will happen. "

 

Thanks! You plan on being there to give us a report? How long before the show would you normally buy the tickets, or it just varies?

 

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 9/11/15 at 11:06am

I do hope to be there! :) 

 

It varies show to show how far in advance I will get tickets. If Denzel were in Shuffle Along I would say bite the bullet and be glad you could get away with paying $79. It takes a Denzel, Hugh or Julia to convince me to pay full price too far in advance; crazy buzz like a Hamilton situation does the trick too. 

 

 

 

[macnyc]

Posted: 9/11/15 at 11:18am

I'm going to try to get reasonable tickets at some point. TDF is my big hope. But considering the star power of this thing, I'm not counting on that. Fingers crossed there will be rush and SRO!

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 9/11/15 at 11:18am

WhizzerMarvin TrinaJasonMendel said: "I do hope to be there! :) 

It varies show to show how far in advance I will get tickets. If Denzel were in Shuffle Along I would say bite the bullet and be glad you could get away with paying $79. It takes a Denzel, Hugh or Julia to convince me to pay full price too far in advance; crazy buzz like a Hamilton situation does the trick too. 

That's exciting! Let's hope I can be there, too. Yeah, I wanted to go for it and just get them, but I do wanna wait for a code or discount. Same with She Loves Me. It'll have opened by the time we get there, but these two are on my Must-See List. We'd both like to see Hamilton, but... yeah... lol. $$$  Plus, we want to see the SNL Experience exhibition.  So much to do, so little time and cash. Haha. But I figure being at a first preview is such a fun and interesting experience and we've never been to something like that before. And that cast... oomph! We HAVE to be there! :) We get there the day before, so it's perfect!

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 9/11/15 at 11:38am

http://www.theatermania.com/broadway/news/full-shuffle-along-casting-broadway_74165.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=11sep2015

Full casting has been announced for next spring's starry Broadway production of Shuffle Along, or, The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Follows.

As previously announced, the cast is led by Tony winners Audra McDonald (Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill), Brian Stokes Mitchell (Ragtime) and Billy Porter (Kinky Boots), as well as Tony nominees Brandon Victor Dixon (Motown the Musical) and Joshua Henry (Violet).

The 30-member company will also include Brooks Ashmanskas, Felicia Boswell, Amber Iman, Adrienne Warren, Phillip Attmore, Darius de Haas, C.K. Edwards, Afra Hines, Curtis Holland, Adrienne Howard, Kendrick Jones, Lisa LaTouche, Alicia Lundgren, J.C. Montgomery, Erin N. Moore, Janelle Neal, Brittany Parks, Arbender Robinson, Karissa Royster, Britton Smith, Zurin Villanueva, Christian Dante White, J.L. Williams, Pamela Yasutake, and Richard Riaz Yoder.

Billed by producers as a revival, this production will present the landmark 1921 African-American musical Shuffle Along alongside the behind-the-scenes details that led the songwriting team of Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake and librettists F.E. Miller and Aubrey Lyles to create this groundbreaking work. George C. Wolfe directs and writes a new book for the production, which features choreography by Savion Glover.

Mitchell and Porter take on the roles of Miller and Lyles, with Dixon and Henry as Blake and Sissle, and, as previously announced, McDonald as performer Lottie Gee.

Wolfe's creative team includes Daryl Waters (musical supervision, arrangements, and orchestrations), Santo Loquasto (scenic design), Ann Roth (costume design), Scott Lehrer (sound design), Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer (lighting design), and Shelton Becton (musical director).

Previews begin at Broadway's Music Box Theatre on Monday, March 14, 2016 with opening night set for Thursday, April 21.

[Kad]

Posted: 9/11/15 at 11:41am

The producers can bill it any way they like, it's up to the Tony committee to decide whether it qualifies (the "or, The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Follows" certainly doesn't seem like a revival)

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 9/11/15 at 11:46am

Kad said: "The producers can bill it any way they like, it's up to the Tony committee to decide whether it qualifies (the "or, The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Follows" certainly doesn't seem like a revival)"

I agree; the whole concept of the show within the show is interesting. We shall see! 

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 9/11/15 at 11:55am

I don't know.  If FLOWER DRUM SONG can be billed as a revival in spite of the fact of it having a new book by David Henry Hwang, I can see this being considered a revival as well.  

[RippedMan]

Posted: 9/11/15 at 11:59am

Obviously they don't want to compete with Hamilton. So kind of smart for them.

[Falling]

Posted: 9/11/15 at 12:06pm

Has the committee ever denied a request for a show to be considered a revival??? (I am in the camp that thinks this is NOT a revival. This is not comparable to the new book for Flower Drum Song, which, as I understand it, did not change the actual story line. This show is not just a staging of the original Shuffle Along. There is a whole other plot line here about the making of it and the behind the scenes stuff. This appears to be a new piece entirely and should be considered as such-and yes, have to go against Hamilton.)

[Smaxie]

Posted: 9/11/15 at 12:13pm

Apart from being about Chinese immigrants in San Francisco and a few character names in common, the revival of Flower Drum Song bore little resemblance to the book and plotting of the original production.  

[TonyVincent]

Posted: 9/11/15 at 12:14pm

I do not think these names have the bridge & tunnel appeal to sell out the Music Box from opening night.  There's a chance buzz could build if it's good, but I'd be very surprised if every seat in previews sells for full price.  I agree with other posters that you're better off waiting.

[WayTooBroadway]

Posted: 9/11/15 at 12:17pm

Has the committee ever denied a request for a show to be considered a revival?

One of recent memory — ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS trying to petition for play revival (based on the commedia SERVANT OF TWO MASTERS).

Updated On: 9/11/15 at 12:17 PM

[ChiTheaterFan]

Posted: 9/11/15 at 12:24pm

I guess to me whether it should be a revival depends on how extensive these additional details about the making of the show are. It does say they're presenting the original musical. If all they do is add a few small scenes to introduce it or some narration, I can see how they could get away with a revival. 

 

Both categories are going to be tough this year I suspect. I mean this with this cast. She loves me with that cast. Spring awakening with its innovative approach and all the buzz that it's better than the original. Fiddler with Danny Burstein. 

 

 

Then of course on the other side we have Hamilton and some other shows coming in that have yet to be seen but to me are promising. 

 

Oh what an exciting year!!!!!!

[macnyc]

Posted: 9/11/15 at 12:26pm

I think it might be comical which shows eventually petition to be considered revivals. Maybe "On Your Feet" could be a revival because the title sounds a bit like "On Your Toes"? Or maybe Allegiance because everyone can recite the pledge of allegiance.

[ChiTheaterFan]

Posted: 9/11/15 at 12:33pm

Ha ha. Or School of Rock and American Psycho...  Because the movies were shown within the Broadway box. 

Updated On: 9/11/15 at 12:33 PM

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 9/12/15 at 1:00pm

Nice.  lol.

[BwayinVan]

Posted: 11/13/15 at 5:35pm

The show is now on Broadway box. Managed to get a centre mezz row b seat for $111 for the week after opening. This a cast like this one, hard to miss this show.

[RaiseYouUp]

Posted: 11/13/15 at 10:25pm

I have every intention of seeing this show the second week of April. Should I go ahead and get tickets now or wait? Will they be available if I wait until february or march?

[theatreguy12]

Posted: 11/14/15 at 1:42pm

This one is definitely on my list, as well.  That is a helluva cast!  And Savion Glover at the choreographic helm?  Wow!  Can't wait for this one.