NEW YORK — They added four new songs, lined up a big theater and psyched up their backers. The producers of "Vanities, A New Musical," originally staged at the Pasadena Playhouse, then announced it was opening on Broadway in February.
But three weeks later, on Dec. 5, the producers issued a second bulletin: The show would not go on during this winter of economic discontent.
This is not a season for new Broadway shows that might make it. Now is a time for sure bets -- dramas starring celebrities and musical revivals with familiar tunes that summon nostalgia for better times.
With tens of thousands of people out of work in the New York area; tourism slipping along with foreign currencies; and long-running shows like "Grease," "Hairspray," "Gypsy" and "Spamalot" closing before the traditional winter slump, opening a new show calls for a magical mixture of star power, deft management and old-fashioned luck.
Sonia Friedman, producer of the Tony-winning "Boeing-Boeing," which is also shutting down in early January, released a statement explaining, "We chose to close the show when the current cast members' contracts all expired and to end on a high note rather than forge through the challenges of January and February in a weak economy."
This winter, Times Square will lose a portion of its vitality at showtime, with many theaters dark and the theater community questioning whether it will come alive in spring.
That's not to say Broadway is dead -- shows scheduled to open after February include "West Side Story," "Impressions" with Joan Allen and Jeremy Irons, and "33 Variations," which stars Jane Fonda and had its start at the La Jolla Playhouse.
But concern about the long-term fallout from the ailing economy is making producers and investors more cautious than usual about what they stage and when.
"Vanities" producer Sue Frost was weighing the economic outlook when she decided to put her show -- which got mixed reviews in Los Angeles -- on hold indefinitely.
"What we had was a small musical with no boffo star names associated with it," Frost said. She was preparing to present the latest version of the show to backers when the stock market crashed in September. The production had secured the Lyceum Theatre and sold group tickets.
She made her decision not to open right after what is traditionally Broadway's busiest time, Thanksgiving week. This year, the week's ticket sales were down 10% compared with last year.
