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‘Miracle Worker’ Keeps the Faith
By PATRICK HEALY
After saying on Friday that the Broadway revival of “The Miracle Worker” might close unless ticket sales improved, the lead producer of the show said on Tuesday that it would continue running even though the box office remained slow over the weekend.
The producer, David Richenthal, acknowledged in an interview that he could not point to any hard evidence since Friday that ticket sales had or would pick up. Rather, he said, he and his investors had huddled this week and decided to give the show a chance to catch on through buzz among theatergoers, after critics weighed in with mixed reviews last week.
“I believe in this show, and the audiences leap to their feet every night, and I believe that word of mouth is going to make this show a hit,” Mr. Richenthal said. “Fortunately my investor group believes in the show as well and has decided to stand by it and see if word of mouth does kick in.”
According to weekly box-office data released by producers, “The Miracle Worker” grossed $186,559 last week — about 13 percent more than the previous week, but only 26.3 percent of the maximum potential amount that it could have grossed. It was one of the weakest financial performers on Broadway last week.
Mr. Richenthal said he would not impose a deadline on the production to yield results in ticket sales, but rather would continue to assess the show’s financial health each week. He and his investors are hoping that new marketing strategies, like discounts for families, as well as spring vacations and group bookings from schoolchildren would help ticket sales.
“The Miracle Worker,” starring the Academy Award nominee Abigail Breslin (“Little Miss Sunshine”) as Helen Keller and Alison Pill as Annie Sullivan, opened March 3 at the Circle in the Square Theater. Ben Brantley, writing in The Times, called the production “sadly pedestrian.” Some other critics said that the show — with its subject matter, two-hour running time, and 7 p.m. weeknight curtains — was ideal family fare.
Ms. Breslin, Ms. Pill and other members of the creative team are scheduled to make television and public appearances this week, and Ms. Breslin has shot a commercial that will be used online, Mr. Richenthal said.
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/..._medium=twitter
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2010 - THEATRE - The miracle worker |
