1 00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:14,360 Speaker 1: Welcome to Daily Variety, your daily dose of news and 2 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:19,440 Speaker 1: analysis for entertainment industry insiders. It's Monday, October sixth, twenty 3 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:23,280 Speaker 1: twenty five. I'm your host, Cynthia Lyttleton. I am co 4 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:27,320 Speaker 1: editor in chief of Variety alongside Ramin Setuda. I'm in 5 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 1: LA He's in New York, and Variety has reporters around 6 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:34,720 Speaker 1: the world covering the business of entertainment. In today's episode, 7 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:37,600 Speaker 1: we'll talk with Rebecca Rubin for our box office segment. 8 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:41,640 Speaker 1: Taylor Swift was hot at the weekend box office, Dwayne 9 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:45,800 Speaker 1: Johnson and the Smashing Machine not so much. Rebecca breaks 10 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:48,560 Speaker 1: it all down, and then we'll hear from our theater 11 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:52,159 Speaker 1: editor Gordon cox On who made the cut for this 12 00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:56,480 Speaker 1: year's ten Broadway Stars to Watch list. But before we 13 00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:59,160 Speaker 1: get to that, here are a few headlines just in 14 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:01,560 Speaker 1: this morning the you need to know. A new day 15 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:05,480 Speaker 1: begins for CBS News under the new David Ellison regime. 16 00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:09,400 Speaker 1: Barry Weiss has been named editor in chief of CBS News. 17 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:14,800 Speaker 1: Paramount has acquired Weiss's digital media startup, The Free Press, 18 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:18,959 Speaker 1: for an undisclosed price. To her credit, Weiss, in her 19 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:23,040 Speaker 1: memo to CBS News staffers, addressed head on the concerns 20 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 1: that many have with her taking a high perch at 21 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 1: the vaunted news organization. Weiss laid out a list of 22 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:34,840 Speaker 1: ten core journalism values that she believes in in the memo. 23 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:39,840 Speaker 1: Number one was quote journalism that reports on the world 24 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 1: as it actually is end quote. Number ten is quote 25 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 1: journalism that understands that the best way to serve America 26 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 1: is to endeavor to present the public with the facts 27 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:57,600 Speaker 1: first and foremost end quote. Everyone in media, including Variety, 28 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 1: will keep a close watch on CBS US News's content 29 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:05,559 Speaker 1: in the coming weeks. One headline from late last week 30 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:09,600 Speaker 1: you might have missed Mexican superstar Uhennio Durbez and his 31 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:13,240 Speaker 1: wife and family have pulled together an interesting production venture. 32 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:18,720 Speaker 1: They are all reality TV stars in Spanish language media. Together, 33 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 1: the Durbez family has more than one hundred and eighty 34 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:26,040 Speaker 1: million social media followers. That is a very powerful launchpad 35 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:30,519 Speaker 1: for entertainment aimed at Spanish speaking audiences. Interesting to see 36 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:33,720 Speaker 1: the durbez As finding a way to harness that. And finally, 37 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:37,320 Speaker 1: in news that will excite a great many people, Rush 38 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 1: is reuniting Geddy Lee and Alex Liifsen have decided to 39 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:45,040 Speaker 1: soldier on despite the death of drummer Neil Pert in 40 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 1: twenty twenty. All of those stories and so much more 41 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 1: can be found on Variety dot com Right now. Now 42 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 1: we turn to conversations with Variety journalists about news and 43 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 1: trends in show business. If it's Monday, we're talking box 44 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 1: office with Rebecca Rubin, our senior film and media reporter. 45 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:12,960 Speaker 1: Taylor Swift delivered an unexpected windfall to the multiplexes with 46 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 1: her surprise album release party film for the Life of 47 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 1: a Showgirl. Meanwhile, A twenty four stumbled with the debut 48 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:24,880 Speaker 1: of The Smashing Machine. Rebecca Rubin, here we are again. 49 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:27,960 Speaker 1: It was a big weekend at the box office because 50 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:32,440 Speaker 1: of two words, Taylor Swift. There's a lot to talk 51 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 1: about with the official release party for her Life of 52 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 1: a Showgirl film that went into theaters this weekend. I 53 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:41,560 Speaker 1: want to start, though, by asking you about because I 54 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 1: think we's established that she is a genius of all 55 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 1: media and the absolute genius of marketing of all time. 56 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 1: Do you think it was smart that she only announced 57 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:53,280 Speaker 1: this two weeks ago, that people hadn't bought their tickets 58 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:56,200 Speaker 1: months in advance, that there was a surprise element to that. 59 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 1: Do you think that drove excitement? 60 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 2: There's definitely an unknown movable quantity if it could have 61 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 2: made even more money had she announced to this a 62 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:07,880 Speaker 2: month ago, put tickets on sale a month ago. But 63 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 2: that being said to have made thirty three million dollars 64 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:16,360 Speaker 2: domestically and roughly forty six million globally in just three 65 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:21,280 Speaker 2: days is a very impressive feat. And that is because 66 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:25,120 Speaker 2: it has been pretty minimally promoted outside of her social 67 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 2: media feeds. It's not like it's had this grand marketing 68 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 2: push from a studio behind it. Again, she partnered with 69 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:36,599 Speaker 2: AMC Theaters to distribute it, and so it does really 70 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 2: speak to her singular power right now to mobilize for 71 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:44,600 Speaker 2: fan base. What movie theater owners have been saying for 72 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:48,479 Speaker 2: years now is that movies that are doing really well 73 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 2: are things that feel like events and you have to 74 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 2: be there you're missing out, and she knows she can 75 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:58,040 Speaker 2: create that kind of environment with movie theaters. 76 00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:00,720 Speaker 1: Tell me, I think we can make a sumptions about 77 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 1: who showed up, but what does the data tell you 78 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 1: about who showed up for this? 79 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:08,240 Speaker 2: I'm sure it's surprised to none that the audience was 80 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:12,919 Speaker 2: mostly women. I think it was about seventy percent female. Again, 81 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:15,840 Speaker 2: no surprise. It was rapturously received and it got a 82 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:19,919 Speaker 2: rare A plus grade on CinemaScore. Unfortunately, there won't be 83 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:23,240 Speaker 2: repeat viewings for the most part, because it's only going 84 00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:26,760 Speaker 2: to be in theaters this weekend, so they won't have 85 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:30,239 Speaker 2: The Arara's Tour, which was her concert film that played 86 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:33,080 Speaker 2: in theaters two years ago, was a huge success and 87 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:36,280 Speaker 2: people went to see that multiple times and it ended 88 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 2: up becoming the highest grossing concert film of all time. 89 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:42,560 Speaker 1: I suspect you will find a very lucrative deal with 90 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:44,920 Speaker 1: the streaming service near you very soon. 91 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 2: In terms of the rollout, Taylor Swift Duff does nothing 92 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:51,280 Speaker 2: by accident, and so I'm sure she thought about the 93 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 2: pros and cons of giving it a longer runway or 94 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:59,239 Speaker 2: having it played in theaters longer. That being said, movie 95 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:02,880 Speaker 2: theater owner always want movies to play in theaters longer, 96 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:06,760 Speaker 2: especially when something is making thirty three million dollars in 97 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:09,720 Speaker 2: North American theaters. That's a significant amount of money. 98 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:12,760 Speaker 1: Rebecca. Let's move on to The Smashing Machine, which was 99 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:14,760 Speaker 1: I think a surprise for A twenty four and a 100 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 1: surprise for Dwayn Johnson. 101 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:18,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, if it were not for Taylor Swift, this would 102 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:21,400 Speaker 2: have been a really really bleak weekend at the box 103 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 2: office because the Smashing Machine bombed with six million dollars 104 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:31,160 Speaker 2: and heading into the weekend, projections were closer to fifteen million, 105 00:06:31,279 --> 00:06:34,159 Speaker 2: although some thought it might open to eight million, but 106 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:37,200 Speaker 2: it didn't even reach that level. And this is the 107 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 2: lowest opening weekend for Dwayne Johnson of his career. And 108 00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 2: part of the disconnect there, I think is that he 109 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:48,240 Speaker 2: is in a type of role that audiences are not 110 00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:51,280 Speaker 2: necessarily used to seeing him in. He is best known 111 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 2: for family friendly or franchises like Jumanji or Fast and Furious, 112 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:00,360 Speaker 2: and so this role, which is much more in the 113 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:04,360 Speaker 2: art house lane and much more dramatic, was at odds 114 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:06,240 Speaker 2: with how audience did know him. 115 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 1: He's playing a pioneering MMA fighter who dealt with all 116 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 1: kind of brain injuries in the years when this sport 117 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:15,920 Speaker 1: really really was the Wild West for fighters, and it's 118 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 1: a very much it's a very emotional story. Was super 119 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:21,480 Speaker 1: well received in Venice. Do you see any signs that 120 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:23,920 Speaker 1: word of mouth could help get people in Weekend two 121 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:24,680 Speaker 1: or Weekend three? 122 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:28,720 Speaker 2: I would be pretty surprised because it got a B 123 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:33,520 Speaker 2: minus Cinema score, which means audiences were not particularly enthused 124 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 2: with it. And you mentioned it premiered at Venice and 125 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:40,280 Speaker 2: A twenty four, which spent pretty handsomely on this movie. 126 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:42,760 Speaker 2: It as a fifty million dollar budget, which makes it 127 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:46,640 Speaker 2: one of their most expensive films. They've been positioning it 128 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:51,200 Speaker 2: as this art house film. It's a performance by Dwayne 129 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:53,960 Speaker 2: Johnson that could land him in the Oscar Race. But 130 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 2: then when you look at the audience breakdown of who 131 00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 2: actually went to see the movie, it's not the art 132 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:04,160 Speaker 2: house crowd at all. It's men and younger boys, who 133 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 2: are his target demographic for all of his other films 134 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 2: that he releases, and so the audience here was sixty 135 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 2: eight percent. 136 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 1: Mail. I love your analysis, Rebecca tell us about weekend 137 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:18,920 Speaker 1: two for one Battle after another. 138 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:21,920 Speaker 2: I think it's safe to say the studio is probably 139 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 2: hoping for a better hold. Ticket sales declined by fifty 140 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:29,680 Speaker 2: three percent from its debut. It earned roughly ten million 141 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:33,640 Speaker 2: dollars this weekend, which by all accounts is pretty standard. 142 00:08:34,160 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 2: But this movie was very expensive, as we discussed last weekend, 143 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:40,480 Speaker 2: and it needed to have a better hold if it 144 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:44,320 Speaker 2: wants to stick around in Tears and earn enough money 145 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:47,520 Speaker 2: to justify its budget. But what will be interesting to 146 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:51,880 Speaker 2: keep an eye on is international because right now it 147 00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 2: appears to be holding better at the international box office. 148 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:59,559 Speaker 2: Ticket sales were only down roughly twenty percent in overseas markets, 149 00:08:59,679 --> 00:09:02,960 Speaker 2: and so they could make up a bit of ground there. 150 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 2: We've seen a few movies this year that really over 151 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:10,440 Speaker 2: indexed internationally, and if that's the case, Warner Brothers, likely 152 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:12,959 Speaker 2: we'll still lose money on this title, but maybe it 153 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 2: won't be as much if it's able to really leg 154 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:16,280 Speaker 2: out overseas. 155 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:19,920 Speaker 1: Anything else about this weekend that you think is interesting. 156 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:23,160 Speaker 2: One other thing that caught my eye is Disney re 157 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:26,240 Speaker 2: released Avatar The Way of Water and it made ten 158 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:29,880 Speaker 2: million dollars this weekend, which is pretty decent for a 159 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:32,240 Speaker 2: re release of a movie that only came out a 160 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:35,440 Speaker 2: few years ago, and of course they are bringing it 161 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:39,160 Speaker 2: back to stoke excitement for the third Avatar movie, Fire 162 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:42,400 Speaker 2: and Ash, which opens in December. And of course, the 163 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 2: first to each grossed two billion dollars and are two 164 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:48,920 Speaker 2: of the highest grossing movies in history, and so it'll 165 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:52,520 Speaker 2: be really interesting to see if James Cameron can deliver 166 00:09:52,679 --> 00:09:56,439 Speaker 2: another two billion dollar blockbuster, which would be another box 167 00:09:56,480 --> 00:09:57,200 Speaker 2: office record. 168 00:09:57,720 --> 00:10:00,840 Speaker 1: No pressure, James Cameron, thank you ver much. Has always 169 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:07,440 Speaker 1: so much to look forward to. Now we turn to 170 00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:11,600 Speaker 1: Gordon Cox, Variety's longtime editor of Theater, or as we 171 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:15,840 Speaker 1: call it, Legit. Variety is just out with its Ten 172 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:19,560 Speaker 1: Broadway Stars to Watch feature. Gordon talks us through how 173 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:25,280 Speaker 1: he assembled this year's lineup. Gordon Cox, thank you so 174 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:26,120 Speaker 1: much for joining me. 175 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:27,679 Speaker 3: Hi Cynthia, mister be here. 176 00:10:28,679 --> 00:10:32,600 Speaker 1: As always you are our chief course conment for all 177 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:37,079 Speaker 1: things Legit, all things rialto all things Mainstem, all things 178 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:41,000 Speaker 1: Great White Way. That's my strength of synonyms for Broadway. 179 00:10:41,080 --> 00:10:43,120 Speaker 1: And as always, once a year we ask you to 180 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:46,440 Speaker 1: stop and find ten Broadway stars to watch as part 181 00:10:46,440 --> 00:10:49,440 Speaker 1: of that great franchise that we do. Gordon, you have 182 00:10:49,520 --> 00:10:53,400 Speaker 1: this yearly assignment. Where do you start to assemble this 183 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:54,200 Speaker 1: list every year? 184 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 3: Well, I am the team of folks who put this 185 00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:00,800 Speaker 3: list together every year. We've got our ear to the ground. 186 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:03,280 Speaker 3: We're trying to pay attention to the new projects that 187 00:11:03,320 --> 00:11:06,040 Speaker 3: are coming up, the folks that people in the industry 188 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:08,760 Speaker 3: are excited about, or that audiences are excited about, and 189 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:11,360 Speaker 3: so we're sort of on the lookout for these talents 190 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:15,600 Speaker 3: that stand poised to make a splash in this coming season, 191 00:11:15,679 --> 00:11:17,960 Speaker 3: in the twenty twenty five to twenty six season especially, 192 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:20,600 Speaker 3: But or maybe they have just come off some like 193 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:25,400 Speaker 3: giant success that stands ready to launch them into a 194 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:26,880 Speaker 3: new level of the stratospheres. 195 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 1: Do you take notes in the middle of shows, like 196 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:31,880 Speaker 1: watch this person third in the cast or fourth in 197 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:32,520 Speaker 1: the cast. 198 00:11:32,679 --> 00:11:35,400 Speaker 3: I don't do that so much anymore because usually the 199 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:39,079 Speaker 3: standouts are really memorable. I remember there's a woman named 200 00:11:39,360 --> 00:11:43,280 Speaker 3: Adrian Warren who went on to Winningtonia Award for Tina Turner, 201 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:46,079 Speaker 3: and she is a woman who would like stood out already, 202 00:11:46,120 --> 00:11:49,959 Speaker 3: and she was like third lead and shuffle along. It 203 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:52,040 Speaker 3: was really the kind of performance where every single person 204 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:54,600 Speaker 3: in the audience sat up and went, Who's that? That's 205 00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:56,760 Speaker 3: the kind of person we look for, the person who 206 00:11:56,920 --> 00:12:00,480 Speaker 3: just is really a performer or a producer, or any 207 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:03,840 Speaker 3: sort of talent on stage or behind the scenes who's 208 00:12:03,880 --> 00:12:05,199 Speaker 3: doing great work. 209 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:08,840 Speaker 1: Okay, so with a little drum roll please here, Gordon, 210 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:12,320 Speaker 1: will you read off the names of this year's ten 211 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:13,960 Speaker 1: Broadway stars to watch. 212 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:17,800 Speaker 3: This year's cohort is a pretty great group. It's director 213 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:23,840 Speaker 3: Liliana Blaine Cruz, writer Angelica Sharie, actor Hannah Cruz, writer 214 00:12:24,040 --> 00:12:30,520 Speaker 3: Lindsay Farantino, agent Michael Finkel, actor Will Harrison, writer Samuel D. Hunter, 215 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:34,679 Speaker 3: the producers Brian and Dana Lee, the band The Rescues, 216 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:37,480 Speaker 3: and the actor Diego Andros Rodriguez. 217 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:39,760 Speaker 1: Cool again, I know the work that went into that. 218 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:43,080 Speaker 1: Let's talk about the Rescues. That's an interesting choice. What 219 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:43,960 Speaker 1: made you pick them? 220 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:48,680 Speaker 3: Rescues are a band that if you do not know 221 00:12:48,760 --> 00:12:50,960 Speaker 3: their name, you have probably heard one of their songs 222 00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:53,440 Speaker 3: because it's been on everything from One Tree Hill to 223 00:12:53,559 --> 00:12:56,040 Speaker 3: Grey's Anatomy. I was just watching a show on Netflix 224 00:12:56,280 --> 00:12:59,000 Speaker 3: last week and one of their songs showed up. They 225 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:02,320 Speaker 3: are doing their first ever musical project. It is a 226 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:05,640 Speaker 3: brewing musical adaptation of The Lost Boys, the film from 227 00:13:05,679 --> 00:13:08,320 Speaker 3: the eighties, which I'm hearing great things about, by the way, 228 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:11,360 Speaker 3: and it's a vampire story. Very few people have actually 229 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:13,160 Speaker 3: seen it because it hasn't been performed yet. It's been 230 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:15,840 Speaker 3: done in closed room readings. But people are excited about it, 231 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:18,719 Speaker 3: and the Rescues are doing the score for it, and 232 00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:21,240 Speaker 3: I talk to them, you know, for this list got 233 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:23,959 Speaker 3: to know them a little bit, and they are loving 234 00:13:24,160 --> 00:13:26,760 Speaker 3: writing for the theater. They're loving writing for characters and 235 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:31,679 Speaker 3: writing specifically for situations and telling stories through lyrics and 236 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:32,840 Speaker 3: song and sound. 237 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:35,920 Speaker 1: That's a great choice that's not obvious on its face. Listeners, 238 00:13:35,960 --> 00:13:37,480 Speaker 1: We're not going to run down all ten in the 239 00:13:37,559 --> 00:13:40,120 Speaker 1: interest of time, but you can read the entire list 240 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:43,319 Speaker 1: on a writy dot com right now, and it's also 241 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:46,079 Speaker 1: in print as well. Give us a couple of other folks. 242 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:49,280 Speaker 3: We've got the writer Angel Kasheri, who is the book 243 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:52,760 Speaker 3: writer on a new musical called Wanted that is about 244 00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:56,400 Speaker 3: it is. She calls it a fantasticalized version of a 245 00:13:56,520 --> 00:14:01,160 Speaker 3: family story, this story about these dis relatives who were 246 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:05,720 Speaker 3: these two outlaws sisters and the wild West, who ran 247 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:09,000 Speaker 3: around passing for white and breaking laws all over the place. 248 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:12,480 Speaker 3: She's very excited to bring her family story to the state. 249 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:14,920 Speaker 1: It sounds like a very different spin on Annie Get 250 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:15,480 Speaker 1: your Gun. 251 00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:18,640 Speaker 3: Per Yeah, exactly. And then we've got someone like li 252 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:21,080 Speaker 3: Leanna Blane Cruz, who is a director who has been 253 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:23,440 Speaker 3: on Broadway once before. A few years ago, she did 254 00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:26,080 Speaker 3: a production of Thornton Wilder's The Skin of Our Teeth, 255 00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 3: which is surreal and very strange, and some people loved 256 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:31,360 Speaker 3: that production and some people were less excited about it 257 00:14:31,400 --> 00:14:34,360 Speaker 3: because it's a weird show to do. I was one 258 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:36,120 Speaker 3: of the folks who loved it. And she is now 259 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:39,560 Speaker 3: making what I think will be a really big Broadway 260 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:44,520 Speaker 3: splash with a new musical adaptation of Purple Rain that 261 00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:47,560 Speaker 3: she is working on with Brandon Jacobs Jenkins, who is 262 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:51,840 Speaker 3: the Tony winning MacArthur winning playwright. He's one of our 263 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:54,240 Speaker 3: best play rights And if anyone is going to do 264 00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:58,840 Speaker 3: something really interesting with Purple Rain and this reimagining of 265 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:01,000 Speaker 3: the film story to be branded, and it's going to 266 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:01,560 Speaker 3: be Lilliana. 267 00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:04,280 Speaker 1: Who's on this list? How about among the actors on 268 00:15:04,360 --> 00:15:05,120 Speaker 1: the list? 269 00:15:05,840 --> 00:15:08,800 Speaker 3: Well, there is a woman named Hannah Cruz who's an actor. 270 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:11,720 Speaker 3: She has played Angelica on the Hamilton National Tour. She 271 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:14,440 Speaker 3: made her Broadway debut in kind of a featured role 272 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:18,480 Speaker 3: in Suffs. Recently, but in more recent months she has 273 00:15:18,520 --> 00:15:22,560 Speaker 3: gotten these two roles that really seem poised catapult her 274 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:25,720 Speaker 3: career to New heights. She got cast in the very 275 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:29,160 Speaker 3: starry Richard link Later film version of Merrily We Roll Along, 276 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:32,040 Speaker 3: which is, you know, one of those durational filming things 277 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:33,840 Speaker 3: that she'll be working on for the next fifteen years 278 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:36,240 Speaker 3: and we'll see it in twenty forty. 279 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 1: He loves those long, long running movies. 280 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:43,040 Speaker 3: And similarly, she is playing a notable role in the 281 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:48,000 Speaker 3: upcoming and very exciting revival of Chess on Broadway. Chess 282 00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:52,120 Speaker 3: is sort of a beloved written by the two men 283 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:55,600 Speaker 3: who wrote most of the music for Abba. It flopped 284 00:15:55,640 --> 00:15:58,240 Speaker 3: on Broadway. It has what many people consider it to 285 00:15:58,280 --> 00:16:01,240 Speaker 3: be one of the best Broadway scores that we've got, 286 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:04,400 Speaker 3: and so it's very exciting to have that show back 287 00:16:04,440 --> 00:16:06,360 Speaker 3: for people who love it like me. And it's got 288 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:09,440 Speaker 3: a great cast with Leah Michelle and Aaron Tavate, and 289 00:16:09,840 --> 00:16:13,240 Speaker 3: Hannah is joining them in this story about the Cold 290 00:16:13,280 --> 00:16:15,720 Speaker 3: War and about Chess, and about of course there's a 291 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:18,720 Speaker 3: love triangle or really a love quadrangle. It's an exciting 292 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:20,920 Speaker 3: project to be a part of and that, plus I 293 00:16:20,920 --> 00:16:23,720 Speaker 3: feel like the Legcalator project are really setting her up 294 00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:26,800 Speaker 3: to go on to do some really exciting things. 295 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:30,280 Speaker 1: You are making me excited about the upcoming Broadway season. 296 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:32,320 Speaker 1: Let me step back and ask you, Gordon. You've covered 297 00:16:32,320 --> 00:16:35,320 Speaker 1: Broadway for so long, how is the business doing in 298 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:37,880 Speaker 1: the big picture. Since we all know the pandemic took 299 00:16:38,160 --> 00:16:40,400 Speaker 1: a huge goal, how would you say the mood and 300 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:43,160 Speaker 1: the feeling on Broadway is right now here in twenty 301 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:43,720 Speaker 1: twenty five. 302 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:49,200 Speaker 3: In some ways, Broadway is doing the best it's done 303 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:52,080 Speaker 3: since the pandemic. Last year we had a huge season 304 00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:56,080 Speaker 3: with Broadway. Gross's attendance got close to, but not quite 305 00:16:56,080 --> 00:16:58,520 Speaker 3: the record that was set in twenty eighteen twenty nineteen, 306 00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:01,560 Speaker 3: and so that's something to be excited about. People were 307 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:04,080 Speaker 3: excite go see shows. A lot of the big story 308 00:17:04,119 --> 00:17:07,320 Speaker 3: plays attracted a whole lot of money, like people, and 309 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:09,520 Speaker 3: a lot of buzz. So there were projects that people 310 00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:12,440 Speaker 3: were very excited about. But at the same time, an 311 00:17:12,440 --> 00:17:16,639 Speaker 3: ongoing thread and this has been a concern since the 312 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:21,439 Speaker 3: end of lockdown and has really grown in prominence in 313 00:17:21,520 --> 00:17:24,199 Speaker 3: terms of how many people are talking about it and 314 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:26,840 Speaker 3: how many people are struggling with it. The idea that 315 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:29,639 Speaker 3: the Broadway business model is getting harder and harder to 316 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:32,680 Speaker 3: make work as costs continue to go up and up. 317 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:38,399 Speaker 3: How do you balance biking ticket prices with concerns about accessibility. 318 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:42,879 Speaker 3: People are starting to realize that there are some ways 319 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:46,600 Speaker 3: of working that have endured over decades at this point 320 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:50,080 Speaker 3: that have kind of codified and seemed to be really 321 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:54,000 Speaker 3: just making it harder and harder for a Broadway show 322 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:55,240 Speaker 3: to make money. 323 00:17:55,280 --> 00:17:58,240 Speaker 1: And let's never forget these are the hardest working people 324 00:17:58,280 --> 00:18:01,640 Speaker 1: in show business shows a week. It is a very 325 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:04,680 Speaker 1: hard gig. But boy, there is just nothing better when 326 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:06,840 Speaker 1: you come out of a great Broadway show and you're 327 00:18:06,960 --> 00:18:09,639 Speaker 1: just a tripping down the theater district. That's when you 328 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:10,320 Speaker 1: know you're alive. 329 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:14,080 Speaker 3: I agree wholeheartedly. I think that's what we're celebrating with 330 00:18:14,119 --> 00:18:15,800 Speaker 3: this with our Business a Broadway event? 331 00:18:15,880 --> 00:18:19,400 Speaker 1: Have we yet, listeners? While you are playing this, Variety 332 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:22,679 Speaker 1: will be hosting its annual Business of Broadway Breakfast in 333 00:18:22,760 --> 00:18:25,919 Speaker 1: New York. Gordon Cox, Brent Lang and others will be 334 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:29,560 Speaker 1: there celebrate the ten Broadway stars to watch the list, 335 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:33,040 Speaker 1: and we will even have a visit from Alex Winter 336 00:18:33,119 --> 00:18:35,840 Speaker 1: and Keanu Reeves to talk about their new production of 337 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:39,320 Speaker 1: Waiting for GOODO and some other fun stuff. So can't 338 00:18:39,320 --> 00:18:42,520 Speaker 1: wait to hear all about it. Gordon, as always, thank 339 00:18:42,560 --> 00:18:44,320 Speaker 1: you for working so hard on Behalf of Ready. 340 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:44,919 Speaker 3: Thank you. 341 00:18:51,119 --> 00:18:54,240 Speaker 1: As we close out today's episode, here's a few things 342 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:58,359 Speaker 1: we're watching for I'm working from Midtown Manhattan this week 343 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:01,920 Speaker 1: because Variety is hosting a few events time to Advertising week. 344 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:05,359 Speaker 1: I'm looking forward to connecting with great sources that I 345 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:07,800 Speaker 1: don't get to see all the time, and there is 346 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:12,639 Speaker 1: no better time in the city than early October. Variety's 347 00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:17,199 Speaker 1: International Festival's team is producing digital dailies at the Iber 348 00:19:17,359 --> 00:19:21,000 Speaker 1: Series conference in Madrid and at the Rome Media Market 349 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:25,760 Speaker 1: this week before we go. Congrats to Josh Silverman, the 350 00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:30,200 Speaker 1: Mettel executive, has joined Paramount's Guidance as president of Global 351 00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:35,560 Speaker 1: Products and Experiences. Silverman was a Marvel and Disney executive 352 00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:39,360 Speaker 1: before he joined Mattel in twenty twenty two. Thanks for listening. 353 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:43,000 Speaker 1: This episode was written and reported by me Cynthia Littleton, 354 00:19:43,359 --> 00:19:48,040 Speaker 1: with contributions from Rebecca Rubin and Gordon Cox Stick Snick's 355 00:19:48,119 --> 00:19:51,120 Speaker 1: hick Picks. Please leave us a review at the podcast 356 00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:54,080 Speaker 1: platform of your choice, and please tune in tomorrow for 357 00:19:54,160 --> 00:19:56,000 Speaker 1: another episode of Daily Variety.