A double-holiday week on Broadway – the final week of 2023 – saw a surge in box office, with many shows posting record numbers.
Winner of the week? Disney’s The Lion King, which grossed a massive $4,316,629, not only setting a house record at the Minskoff but a Broadway record for the highest single-week gross ever, a big achievement even when noting that the long-running musical played nine performances, as did other productions over the holidays.
Broadway’s final week of the calendar year included both Christmas and New Year’s Eve, with tourists and high ticket prices sending the total weekly gross for the 27 shows to $45,413,789, a 36% increase over the previous week but about 13% lower than last year’s New Year’s Eve week tally when 33 productions were on the boards.
Total attendance for the week ending December 31 was 256,751, a 14% bump over the previous week (but down 18% from last year). About 96% of all seats were filled,...
Winner of the week? Disney’s The Lion King, which grossed a massive $4,316,629, not only setting a house record at the Minskoff but a Broadway record for the highest single-week gross ever, a big achievement even when noting that the long-running musical played nine performances, as did other productions over the holidays.
Broadway’s final week of the calendar year included both Christmas and New Year’s Eve, with tourists and high ticket prices sending the total weekly gross for the 27 shows to $45,413,789, a 36% increase over the previous week but about 13% lower than last year’s New Year’s Eve week tally when 33 productions were on the boards.
Total attendance for the week ending December 31 was 256,751, a 14% bump over the previous week (but down 18% from last year). About 96% of all seats were filled,...
- 1/3/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Yorgos Lanthimos’ Venice Golden Lion Winner Poor Things is here with Searchlight Pictures sewing up nine theaters in four major markets for leg one of the Emma Stone-starring surreal-period-comedy-horror.
The film debuts in NYC and LA as well as San Francisco and Austin (Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar). Lanthimos, Stone and stars Mark Ruffalo and Willem Dafoe join Q&As in New York and tickets have been selling out. Stone hosted SNL last Saturday, joining the exclusive “five-timers club”, and made stops in recent days at Good Morning America, Sunday Today and ABC News Live Prime to talk up the fantastical tale.
Stone plays Bella Baxter, a young Victorian woman mysteriously brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Godwin Baxter (Dafoe) who lives as the doctor’s ward.
The film debuts in NYC and LA as well as San Francisco and Austin (Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar). Lanthimos, Stone and stars Mark Ruffalo and Willem Dafoe join Q&As in New York and tickets have been selling out. Stone hosted SNL last Saturday, joining the exclusive “five-timers club”, and made stops in recent days at Good Morning America, Sunday Today and ABC News Live Prime to talk up the fantastical tale.
Stone plays Bella Baxter, a young Victorian woman mysteriously brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Godwin Baxter (Dafoe) who lives as the doctor’s ward.
- 12/8/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
The 2016 Tony Awards were something of a rout: With its 11 wins, Hamilton was the only new musical to take home any trophies at all. But it wasn’t the only Broadway smash of the season. Waitress, the smaller-scale, utterly lovely adaptation of writer-director Adrienne Shelly’s 2007 film, ran for nearly four years, finally closing in January 2020.
Like Hamilton, Waitress’s composer-lyricist would come to also star in the production: Singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles appeared for three short stints in the lead role, causing the box office to surge each time. When theaters reopened, so, too, did Waitress, in a limited remounting in late 2021, designed in part to allow the cameras to capture Bareilles’s performance. This film was no doubt inspired by the artistic and commercial success of Hamilton’s “pro-shot,” as official films of stage performances have come to be known in the theater community.
As a film, this pro-shot...
Like Hamilton, Waitress’s composer-lyricist would come to also star in the production: Singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles appeared for three short stints in the lead role, causing the box office to surge each time. When theaters reopened, so, too, did Waitress, in a limited remounting in late 2021, designed in part to allow the cameras to capture Bareilles’s performance. This film was no doubt inspired by the artistic and commercial success of Hamilton’s “pro-shot,” as official films of stage performances have come to be known in the theater community.
As a film, this pro-shot...
- 12/3/2023
- by Dan Rubins
- Slant Magazine
With more than 1,500 performances during its initial 2016-2020 Broadway run, and a subsequent three-month post-Covid-shutdown remount, Waitress: The Musical baked its way into the hearts of theatergoers, and in December folks who didn’t make it to New York City will get a chance to see what the fuss was about: Bleecker Street and Fathom Events have set nationwide special-event screenings for five nights only beginning December 7.
Bleecker and Fathom released a trailer today. Watch it above.
Starring composer-lyricist Sara Bareilles as small-town waitress and pie-maker Jenna Hunterson, the musical, with book by Jessie Nelson, is based on the 2007 motion picture written by Adrienne Shelly. Synopsis: When a baking contest in a nearby county offers Jenna a chance at escape a loveless marriage, the expert baker fights to reclaim a long-forgotten part of herself, and through the support of her fellow waitresses and an unexpected romance, begins to find the...
Bleecker and Fathom released a trailer today. Watch it above.
Starring composer-lyricist Sara Bareilles as small-town waitress and pie-maker Jenna Hunterson, the musical, with book by Jessie Nelson, is based on the 2007 motion picture written by Adrienne Shelly. Synopsis: When a baking contest in a nearby county offers Jenna a chance at escape a loveless marriage, the expert baker fights to reclaim a long-forgotten part of herself, and through the support of her fellow waitresses and an unexpected romance, begins to find the...
- 10/19/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
"When there's a whisk, there's a way." Bleecker Street has revealed an official trailer for the film version of the hit Broadway show Waitress: The Musical, which is coming to movie theaters nationwide in early December. Based on the 2007 movie written by Adrienne Shelly (and starring Keri Russell), the Waitress musical was one of the longest-running shows in recent Broadway history, playing a total of more than 1500 performances at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. It first opened in Broadway in 2016. The show returned for a limited engagement at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre to celebrate Broadway's re-opening in the fall of 2021. The Broadway show stars Sara Bareilles (who also wrote the music & lyrics) as Jenna, who's joined by Drew Gehling, Charity Dawson, Dakin Matthews, Christopher Fitzgerald, Eric Anderson, and Anastacia McCleskey. Jenna is a pregnant, unhappily married small-town pie baker with big dreams. She meets a newcomer to her town and falls...
- 10/19/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
The Tony-nominated Waitress arrives in theaters on December 7, 2023 to kick off a five-day series of screenings. Starring composer-lyricist Sara Bareilles, the Broadway musical is based on Adrienne Shelly’s 2007 film that starred Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, and Jeremy Sisto.
The production entered the record books as the first Broadway musical with a top creative team comprised of four women – book by Jessie Nelson, music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles, choreography by Lorin Latarro, and direction by Diane Paulus. Opening in 2016, the Brooks Atkinson Theatre hosted 1,500+ performances of the musical, making it one of the longest-running shows in recent history.
Bareilles says Waitress changed her life, and composing the music was a gift.
“The film is funny and dark and feminine and irreverent and emotional and so very, very musical,” said Bareilles, recalling watching Shelly’s film for the first time. “I found a piece of myself in each of these...
The production entered the record books as the first Broadway musical with a top creative team comprised of four women – book by Jessie Nelson, music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles, choreography by Lorin Latarro, and direction by Diane Paulus. Opening in 2016, the Brooks Atkinson Theatre hosted 1,500+ performances of the musical, making it one of the longest-running shows in recent history.
Bareilles says Waitress changed her life, and composing the music was a gift.
“The film is funny and dark and feminine and irreverent and emotional and so very, very musical,” said Bareilles, recalling watching Shelly’s film for the first time. “I found a piece of myself in each of these...
- 10/19/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
Following its world premiere at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival, Bleecker Street has acquired the U.S. rights to Sara Bareilles and Jessie Nelson’s “Waitress: The Musical,” which is set for a nationwide release on Dec. 7, the studio announced Wednesday.
“Waitress: The Musical” will transform the Tony-nominated production to the big screen for audiences. Bareilles stars as Jenna Hunterson, a waitress and pie maker who finds herself stuck in a small town and loveless marriage. However, when Jenna gets the opportunity to take part in a baking contest outside of her town, she leaps at the chance to change her life.
Alongside Bareilles, “Waitress” stars Eric Anderson, Charity Angél Dawson, Christopher Fitzgerald, Drew Gehling, Caitlin Houlahan, Dakin Matthews and Joe Tippett. Michael Roiff, Barry and Fran Weissler, Bareilles, Nelson, and Paul Morphos serve as producers, with Alecia Parker as an executive producer.
The musical was one of the longest-running shows in recent Broadway history,...
“Waitress: The Musical” will transform the Tony-nominated production to the big screen for audiences. Bareilles stars as Jenna Hunterson, a waitress and pie maker who finds herself stuck in a small town and loveless marriage. However, when Jenna gets the opportunity to take part in a baking contest outside of her town, she leaps at the chance to change her life.
Alongside Bareilles, “Waitress” stars Eric Anderson, Charity Angél Dawson, Christopher Fitzgerald, Drew Gehling, Caitlin Houlahan, Dakin Matthews and Joe Tippett. Michael Roiff, Barry and Fran Weissler, Bareilles, Nelson, and Paul Morphos serve as producers, with Alecia Parker as an executive producer.
The musical was one of the longest-running shows in recent Broadway history,...
- 9/6/2023
- by McKinley Franklin
- Variety Film + TV
Bleecker Street has acquired the U.S. rights to the filmed capture of Sara Bareilles’ Waitress: The Musical.
The film, which made its world premiere at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival, was captured in 2021, during the musical’s run on Broadway at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. Bareilles, who wrote the score to the musical, alongside a book by Jessie Nelson, also stars in the lead role.
Waitress: The Musical is scheduled to be released Dec. 7, 2023, in partnership with Fathom Events. This is the second partnership between Bleecker Street, the studio behind the upcoming Meg Ryan film, What Happens Later, and Fathom Events, after Guy Nattiv’s Golda, which was released with Fathom on August 23 in advance of its wider theatrical release. Bleecker Street is also behind the upcoming films Jules starring Sir Ben Kingsley and Mafia Mamma starring Toni Collette and Monica Bellucci.
Fathom has previously released other filmed musicals, including Bandstand,...
The film, which made its world premiere at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival, was captured in 2021, during the musical’s run on Broadway at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. Bareilles, who wrote the score to the musical, alongside a book by Jessie Nelson, also stars in the lead role.
Waitress: The Musical is scheduled to be released Dec. 7, 2023, in partnership with Fathom Events. This is the second partnership between Bleecker Street, the studio behind the upcoming Meg Ryan film, What Happens Later, and Fathom Events, after Guy Nattiv’s Golda, which was released with Fathom on August 23 in advance of its wider theatrical release. Bleecker Street is also behind the upcoming films Jules starring Sir Ben Kingsley and Mafia Mamma starring Toni Collette and Monica Bellucci.
Fathom has previously released other filmed musicals, including Bandstand,...
- 9/6/2023
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Bleecker Street has picked up U.S. rights to hit musical production Waitress: The Musical, from composer-lyricist Sara Bareilles and Jessie Nelson, following its premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in June. The distributor is teaming with Fathom Events for a December 7 nationwide release of the show, which was captured live onstage in 2021 during its long Broadway run.
Based on Adrienne Shelly’s 2007 indie feature, Waitress: The Musical stars Bareilles as Jenna Hunterson, a waitress and expert piemaker stuck in a small town and a loveless marriage. When a baking contest in a nearby county offers her a chance at escape, Jenna fights to reclaim a long-forgotten part of herself. Through the support of her fellow waitresses and an unexpected romance, Jenna begins to find the courage to take a long-abandoned dream off the shelf.
The film was directed by Brett Sullivan, while Tony Award-winner Diane Paulus directs for the...
Based on Adrienne Shelly’s 2007 indie feature, Waitress: The Musical stars Bareilles as Jenna Hunterson, a waitress and expert piemaker stuck in a small town and a loveless marriage. When a baking contest in a nearby county offers her a chance at escape, Jenna fights to reclaim a long-forgotten part of herself. Through the support of her fellow waitresses and an unexpected romance, Jenna begins to find the courage to take a long-abandoned dream off the shelf.
The film was directed by Brett Sullivan, while Tony Award-winner Diane Paulus directs for the...
- 9/6/2023
- by Diana Lodderhose
- Deadline Film + TV
In hindsight, it’s quite amazing that anyone could watch Adrienne Shelly’s final film as a director and see it as anything but a movie. It was a good one, a simple story about a small-town woman who falls pregnant by her abusive lover and complicates matters by having an affair with her gynecologist. Starring Keri Russell, the film was funny, romantic, frankly feminist and pulled no punches when it needed to, and its modest success of the box office made it all the more tragic that Shelly, murdered in her own apartment by a construction worker in 2006, would never make another.
Taking that and putting it on the Broadway stage was probably not on anyone’s bingo card, yet this production — directed by Diane Paulus with music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles, and book by Jessie Nelson — sails by, even though it adds 40 minutes of running time to Shelly’s slender story.
Taking that and putting it on the Broadway stage was probably not on anyone’s bingo card, yet this production — directed by Diane Paulus with music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles, and book by Jessie Nelson — sails by, even though it adds 40 minutes of running time to Shelly’s slender story.
- 6/14/2023
- by Damon Wise
- Deadline Film + TV
Twenty years after the fan-favorite Disney Renaissance film debuted in 1997, legendary composer Alan Menken revealed that he was working on a stage adaptation of "Hercules," the tale of a young man on his road to becoming a hero and finding out where he belongs in the world. Reunited with lyricist David Zippel, the Disney Legend created a number of all-new songs to compliment a book by Kristoffer Diaz and Robert Horn for the latest musical from the House of Mouse.
A few years later in 2019, the production made its world premiere at the Delacorte Theater in New York City's Central Park with a stellar cast that featured Jelani Alladin, who originated the role of Kristoff on stage in "Frozen," as Hercules, Tony Award winner James Monroe Iglehart of "Aladdin" on Broadway as Phil, star of NBC's "Smash" Krysta Rodriguez as Meg, and, instead of revisiting the character that he...
A few years later in 2019, the production made its world premiere at the Delacorte Theater in New York City's Central Park with a stellar cast that featured Jelani Alladin, who originated the role of Kristoff on stage in "Frozen," as Hercules, Tony Award winner James Monroe Iglehart of "Aladdin" on Broadway as Phil, star of NBC's "Smash" Krysta Rodriguez as Meg, and, instead of revisiting the character that he...
- 2/24/2023
- by Ben F. Silverio
- Slash Film
A new musical written by Anna Deavere Smith and featuring music from the Ella Fitzgerald songbook is currently in development. Ella: An American Miracle will receive an Aug. 25-Sept. 21 work session, with Tony-winner Dee Dee Bridgewater and Charity Angél Dawson portraying the iconic singer at different points in her life.
The work session will conclude with a private industry presentation. A production timeline was not disclosed.
“Composers wanted Ella Fitzgerald to sing their songs because listening to her, they knew how their songs were supposed to be sung,” said Smith in a statement. “A jazz singer, a scat singer, she also famously both sang and defined the American song book. To say she had humble beginnings is a profound understatement. She sang America through some of its most discordant times. She was America’s love song. She was an American miracle.”
Bridgewater, a Tony winner for 1975’s The Wiz, will...
The work session will conclude with a private industry presentation. A production timeline was not disclosed.
“Composers wanted Ella Fitzgerald to sing their songs because listening to her, they knew how their songs were supposed to be sung,” said Smith in a statement. “A jazz singer, a scat singer, she also famously both sang and defined the American song book. To say she had humble beginnings is a profound understatement. She sang America through some of its most discordant times. She was America’s love song. She was an American miracle.”
Bridgewater, a Tony winner for 1975’s The Wiz, will...
- 8/25/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
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