'Friends' breakup set for Feb. 15
Ephron legiter to close after 96 performances
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"Imaginary Friends," Nora Ephron's retelling of the scribes' famous feud, will close Feb. 15 after 20 previews and 76 regular performances. It opened Dec. 12 at the Barrymore Theater, with Cherry Jones and Swoozie Kurtz playing the literary divas. Jack O'Brien directed. The play marked Ephron's Broadway debut.
"Imaginary Friends" contained several original songs by Marvin Hamlisch and Craig Carnelia, who had previously collaborated on the ill-fated "Sweet Smell of Success." Billed as a play with music, "Imaginary Friends" employed an ensemble of nine musicians, which helped to push the show's breakeven to about $300,000, a lofty number for any drama. Most plays have a weekly nut at between $175,000 and $200,000.
On the review front, "Imaginary Friends" induced bicoastal whiplash. San Diego critics gave "Imaginary Friends" a warm reception in its pre-Broadway tryout at the Old Globe in October. Gotham reviewers were chillier, handing the show mixed to downbeat notices.
Hard times for producer
It has not been a friendly season for USA Ostar Theatricals, the sole producer on "Imaginary Friends." Bill Haber's legit org was also lead producer, with Bob Boyett, of the recently shuttered "Dance of the Vampires," Broadway's biggest financial loser to date. It closed Jan. 25 after a short run.
On a brighter note, Ostar is part of the producer team on the current revival of "Man of La Mancha," which has operated well above its breakeven since opening in early December.
In addition to lackluster reviews and an abnormally high weekly nut, "Imaginary Friends" has suffered from an abundance of competition this winter. No fewer than seven shows opened on Broadway in December, creating a crunch of 31 productions on the boards. In recent years, the post-holiday market has contained between 20 and 25 shows.
This week, the Broadway revival of "Oklahoma!" advertised a spring closing.
'Tuesdays at Seven'
Most Broadway shows have been experimenting with an early curtain of 7 p.m. on Tuesday this winter. Susan Lee of Serino Coyne and Chris Boneau of Boneau/Bryan-Brown, spearheaders of the program that's now in its fourth week, say it's too early tell whether it's sparked biz. "It's kind of apples and oranges."
Comparisons to a year ago may not be valid. January 2002 was warm, now it's cold. The city's subsidized ticket program "Spend Your Regards to Broadway," introduced in response to Sept. 11, aided ticket sales last winter. And there were 10 fewer shows running a year ago.
One thing is for certain.
Thesps prefer the 7 p.m. curtain. "The actors I've talked to love it," said Alan Eisenberg, executive director of Actors' Equity.
