The Tony Award-winning revival of Company will play its final Broadway performance at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on Sunday, July 31, producers said in a surprise announcement today.
Producer Chris Harper said in a statement tonight, “It remains the honor of a lifetime to bring Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s masterpiece to Broadway in Marianne Elliott’s Tony Award-winning reimagined production. It is a testament to the dedication of everyone who works on the production that we have withstood all the challenges that Broadway has faced over the last two years to share this show with our amazing audiences.
“We have six more weeks of performances to celebrate our astonishing cast, orchestra, and crew at the Jacobs Theatre and we are delighted to be planning a touring production to bring Company to audiences across North America soon.”
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The North American tour of Company is planned for the 2023-2024 season. When the Broadway production ends its run on July 31, it will have played 300 performances, including 32 previews.
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The production received five Tony Awards – more than any other musical this season – including Best Musical Revival, Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Patti LuPone), Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Matt Doyle), Best Scenic Design of a Musical (Bunny Christie). Marianne Elliott also received the Tony for Best Director of a Musical, her third Tony Award, making her the most honored female director in Broadway history.
But despite the Tonys and generally strong reviews, the musical did not catch on with audiences in the way that, for example, A Strange Loop or MJ have in recent weeks. In the week following the June 12 Tony Awards, Company filled only 77% of its available seats, grossing $727,178. That figure marks an uptick of $86,881 from the previous week’s box office, a comparatively small surge next to the box office boosts for other Tony winners like A Strange Loop (which jumped $168,998 to $845,303 and filled 99.8% of seats) and MJ (up $216,921 to $1,660,978, filling 99% of seats).
Mask or no mask, it looks like Patti LuPone won’t be getting paid by Chris Harper after all. The audience, or lack thereof, just corrected her argument!
Does this explain why Broadway Theater mask mandate is being lifted—in order to placate audience goers??
As for me, the elimination of the mask mandate will discourage my attendance, sadly
Please don’t be discouraged from attending. You’re welcome to wear your mask, and enjoy the Shows, please😇
Just a sign that Broadway audiences these days aren’t very sophisticated. Sondheim is not their cup of tea for many.
I just finished rereading Sondheim’s chapter in his “Finishing the Hat” and both of you nailed the problem.
It’s not the work, it’s the audience.
Never has been. He’s just about the greatest there was, but his work is pretty cerebral, and he doesn’t write big catchy pop tunes. The masses will always prefer “Defying Gravity” and “You Can’t Stop the Beat” to “Send in the Clowns” and “A Little Priest”. Even Into the Woods, arguably his most accessible work, ran for less than two years.
Definitely a sign that Broadway’s going to shut down again because of COVID.
Nonsense.