HUGE Discounts on Tempts n Tops on Broadway

[supremester]

Depending on the offer, there are up to 75% off codes available through various sources and account for the majority of the piddly sales so far. They shooda added Mary or Brenda or Martha. Although sales are dismal, all shows will play and wind up 50% off at TKS - however, discounts at The Palace B.O. are now available [[I'm told) just as a walk up - IF you ask. Sounds crazy, but that's what I hear. I've bought discount tix at a B.O. before, but not on an "ask first basis."

[jobeterob]

It's not the 60's and 70's, we should get out and see them while we can; to get modest sales, they would have had to add all those people you mentioned; sad but true. They are from another era

[westgrandboulevard]

That's true, Rob, and 'from another era' should be positively embraced and presented as such.

There's still time for a prestigious promoter to announce :

'The Motown Revue : Live, On Stage
50th Anniversary tour'

presenting
the legendary acts and the original music
which inspired 'Motown : The Musical'

Top of the bill acts could be rotated, and roster could vary on availability of acts to perform in all concerts. If necessary, perhaps even non-Motown artists could be added, as on the original tours.

Most of the heritage Motown acts are still best presented in an ensemble setting, which should attract bookings in larger theatres, and with decent ticket sales. Screens showing archive footage, and images of artists who have passed away. Add-on sales with meet and greet sessions with the audience after the shows, signed copies of CDs, DVDs, books and memorablia.

:):):)

[jobeterob]

They need to hire westgrandboulevard as the promoter!

[copley]

One Top & One Temptation. Sorry but I'd never pay to see that.

[milven]

I thought this was a mistake when it was announced. A show like this does not belong in a legitimate Broadway Theatre - especially The Palace Theatre. It is an oldies show, and not a very good one at that. Just two acts. And they are not charging oldies acts prices. They are charging regular Broadway Show prices. Even with the discounts, the tickets are overpriced. I saw an oldies show last year in NJ with Herman's Hermits, Mary Wilson and about four other acts. Tickets were only $35. Some of these oldies acts try to put on a show alone and fail. Last year, Mary Wilson and the Tops, this year Mary got cancelled in Englewood, NJ because only ten per cent of tickets were sold.

But if the Tops and Tempts were booked further uptown at the Beacon, which is on Broadway - Mariah Carey recently did some shows there - and if they added other Motown legends like Mary, Martha, and a few others and priced it accordingly, it could have been a success as a sort of Motown Revue.

But I wonder how much each act gets when there are five or six acts on the bill and tickets are only $ 35. Then if the act is a group, each member has to split their share. Doesn't seem worth the effort to me.

Mary Wilson and Martha Reeves make a decent living in small venues with scaled down band and singers.

I'm coming across as snobbish and I probably am, but I do not think that this show belongs in the Palace nor should they have a Playbill

8863

By the way, this show does not open for another three days, and then will only run seven performances, so they have to make do with what they have which is the Tops and the Temps.

I just looked and approximately forty per cent of the seats are sold. If they get last minute buyers with the heavy discounts, maybe they will at least break even.

[jobeterob]

This isn't snobbish just real

[supremester]

This gig will make a mint. The Palace was empty so the rental would be doable. The talent cost compared to a standard musical is an eigth. I'm guessing the promoters offered them a package with lodging, travel and perhaps a slight percentage. I doubt that The Tops ever get a piece of the door, but it's possible The Tempts can get it at least in some venues.
I'm guessing that if every seat sold at 25% of the original asking price, the producers would still make a mint. they've been aggressive in their discount techniques and still managed to keep it quiet for the full price sales they could still get. This has been brilliantly managed and could pave the way for a Motortown Revue at The Beacon or any other Broadway house.
I thought this was a mistake when it was announced. A show like this does not belong in a legitimate Broadway Theatre - especially The Palace Theatre. It is an oldies show, and not a very good one at that. Just two acts. And they are not charging oldies acts prices. They are charging regular Broadway Show prices. Even with the discounts, the tickets are overpriced. I saw an oldies show last year in NJ with Herman's Hermits, Mary Wilson and about four other acts. Tickets were only $35. Some of these oldies acts try to put on a show alone and fail. Last year, Mary Wilson and the Tops, this year Mary got cancelled in Englewood, NJ because only ten per cent of tickets were sold.

But if the Tops and Tempts were booked further uptown at the Beacon, which is on Broadway - Mariah Carey recently did some shows there - and if they added other Motown legends like Mary, Martha, and a few others and priced it accordingly, it could have been a success as a sort of Motown Revue.

But I wonder how much each act gets when there are five or six acts on the bill and tickets are only $ 35. Then if the act is a group, each member has to split their share. Doesn't seem worth the effort to me.

Mary Wilson and Martha Reeves make a decent living in small venues with scaled down band and singers.

I'm coming across as snobbish and I probably am, but I do not think that this show belongs in the Palace nor should they have a Playbill

http://soulfuldetroit.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=8863&stc=1

By the way, this show does not open for another three days, and then will only run seven performances, so they have to make do with what they have which is the Tops and the Temps.

I just looked and approximately forty per cent of the seats are sold. If they get last minute buyers with the heavy discounts, maybe they will at least break even.

[westgrandboulevard]

Following on from Jobeterob's comment...

Here in the UK, it is indeed 'real' that we have had regular tours of the UK for about 15 years, specifically featuring the music of Motown.

The original shows featured Edwin Starr with his band and featured vocalists, followed by 'Dancing In The Streets' [[sic) tours, first with Edwin/Martha/Mary [[2000), Edwin/ Martha/Freda [[2002) and then Martha alone [[2004), all with Edwin's terrific band 'The Team' and great supporting vocalists. The show then went on to complete an extended season in London.

Since then, countrywide tours have continued, generally on an annual basis, featuring unknown but very talented young black vocalists. They put on a very good show which entertains those who simply enjoy the music, many of whom were too young or not even alive to buy the records back in the day. The shows play in good theatres, and must do at least reasonable business, otherwise the tours would not continue.

'The Magic Of Motown' tour played at one of the theatres in my home town [[Bournemouth Pavilion, 1500 seater) on October 10 this year, and the separate 'Magic Of Motown Reach Out Tour' played in the neighbouring town [[Poole 'Lighthouse' concert hall, which can seat between 1500-2500 people, and there is no more than 5-10 miles between the two theatres!) with a performance which took place on the following day! Both received good reviews and ticket sales, generally priced at £16-£25, and some at £30. There are always discounts for senior citizens and students. The music still plays to all ages.

Add to that, 'The Magic Of Motown' tour had already played the same Poole theatre in May this year and, also looking forward, national tour dates for at least one of the shows are booked and being promoted right through to December 2015. There is no reason to feel that a UK tour of 'Motown : The Musical', following a London season in summer 2015, would not be at least as successful.

I don't recall reading reports and reviews on SDF of many similar Motown revue tours in the US, especially any which feature original acts/artists, which is puzzling and disappointing. Motown music is still very popular with many here in the UK, but it almost seems that [[apart from Motown : The Musical') it has been largely overlooked, if not actually forgotten in the US. In London this summer, The Velvelettes [[there, John, I gave them a mention :)) appeared with Brenda Holloway.

This situation does seem curious, as 'Motown' is now an entry in at least the British English dictionaries if not the American English editions, and is said to be the only record label to date to warrant that achievement.

If that is indeed true, it does suggest a missed marketing opportunity, especially not to more regularly feature at least some of the original acts together live, on stage, in a touring revue while it is still possible to present one, even if some group acts do now feature singers who were not in the original line-ups.

'Motown: the Musical' appears, at least by some accounts, to be the story of Motown largely through the story of Berry Gordy and Diana Ross, yet I heard Martha [[whose mere presence on stage to this day epitomises the spirit and heart of Motown as much as anyone) say, in a recently viewed clip of an interview, that she rarely appears on stage in Detroit......

[theboyfromxtown]

They need to hire westgrandboulevard as the promoter!

Hear Hear!

[milven]

Evidently this show is going to tour.
They are scheduled to appear March 5th at BergenPAC. for one night only. It is a good sized venue and tickets aren't cheap. I've seen Gladys and Diana there.Good seats for the Tempt and Tops are going for about $ 130. And I have to admit that I am surprised that about 80 per cent of the seats are already sold out without discounts and not much publicity. That's pretty good. I compared The Whispers and Manhattens, who are performing there together on Feb 13 with cheaper tickets and their show is about 30 per cent sold out. This is where Mary WIlson was cancelled last month when ticket sales were only about ten per cent.

Temps and Tops opened at THE PALACE last night. I wonder how they are doing there.

[milven]

Temps and Tops opened at THE PALACE last night. I wonder how they are doing there.

Smark just posted a review of the show

http://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?13344-Review-of-Tempts-Tops-Broadway-show