"Speed The Plow" Sales Plummet Post-Piven

NEW YORK — Business tumbled last week for the Broadway revival of "Speed-the-Plow," now without the services of Jeremy Piven who abruptly quit the show after saying he was suffering from mercury poisoning.

The David Mamet comedy grossed $326,559, down nearly $160,000 from the previous week, according to figures released Monday by the Broadway League, the industry's trade organization. The show played to about 50 percent capacity at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre.

Piven was replaced by his understudy, Jordan Lage, for eight performances.

Norbert Leo Butz joins the production Tuesday. Butz is in the show through Jan. 11, after which William H. Macy takes over the part through Feb. 22. Mamet's scathing satire about Hollywood also stars Raul Esparza and Elisabeth Moss.

Comments

[daedelus]

I hope this won't put a crimp in Esparza's shoe shopping.

[ciceroette]

Jeremy, Jeremy, Jeremny.... what a disappointment you are! Are you an actor? Apparently, not a real one. Now, you either have mercury poisoning...or you don't ...BUT goodness...are you an actor or not? Geez...if you wanted to bail then, give a performance to end all ..on stage( of course) If you'd collapsed on stage FIRST, and then, when whisked off to the hospital, with the town waiting in anticipation...".what happened, what happened!" Then , you would pull out the "mercury poisoning news." How much more effective, how much more sympathy, maybe even how much bigger the ticket sales as Wm, Macy rides in to save the show! Honestly, some actors show such little imagination, that one wonders....how did they become actors in the first place!

[LeeCalif]

I wish William H. Macy would perform in any play in L.A. I think he's TOPS.

[Fletch17C]

Norbert Leo Butz is a great stage actor, but he isn't well known outside of New York, so his name is not as big a draw as Piven's or Macy's. Still, it would be cool if some of the ticket holders who were hoping to see Piven would see the play with Butz in it. He is very talented and would certainly make it worth their while.

[Eric8869]

Norbert Leo Butz (the worst name in showbusiness) is a great talent. I've seen him do comedy, drama and musicals. They will definately get their moneys worth. In fact maybe more than seeing Piven.

[GayleAlstrom]

I think this whole episode proves that Broadway needs Piven more than he needs Broadway. He probably earns a fraction of the money on Broadway that he can make on TV. If he gets into another play, people might rush to see him in the play before he has a chance to drop out, which they might be expecting. It's obvious now that his presence in the play was what was drawing the big crowds.
gaylealstrom.com

[Eric8869]

Plays don't sell as well as musicals. A name from television or film helps ticket sales. Piven was a TV name - that's all it is. They could put any TV actor in it who is in a hit tv series and make bank. Has nothing to do with Piven himself.

All this shows is that he has no class - ruining a broadway play for the entire cast over an ego trip. He is not sick.

[SabrinaFair]

Hope he didn't have any future broadway aspirations. His name is mud with every producer now.

[nypchung]

i doubt he cares. b'way is dead.

[Eric8869]

WRONG - 2 of the biggest movies this holiday seasons are Broadway plays.

DOUBT and FROST/NIXON.

[crackerjill]

$326,559 a week... that's still a lot of sushi....

[Orphie]

I'm sorry, Jeremy, the people have spoken. They simply don't like you and the mere thought of you has come to provoke outright anger. So, with great regret it is our duty to inform you that your services will no longer be necessary and we'd really appreciate it if you would kindly just disappear. Checkout time is 11am tomorrow; please leave your Actor's Equity, SAG and AFTRA cards at the desk.

[cucumber]

Not really - the people have spoken with their wallets (where it counts in that business) and said they don't want to see the play if Jeremy's not in it.

[Orphie]

C'mon, get with the program! The people on this comment board, Cuke. Those in the know. The movers and shakers. Those who can type and sometimes know how to spell.

[Eric8869]

If they put in Eric Dane or anyone else with a "Name" - the ticket sales would go back up. He's not such a draw.

[3fingerbrown]

This represents a great opportunity to see one of Mamet's foremost interpreters, Wm. H. Macy, in a plum role. I'm going to snap up a couple of tickets after New Year's.

[tgh86]

"You'll never work in this town again!"

[cucumber]

No, what it shows is that if people want to make money, they should hire him again. When he left, they lost a ton of money.

[Eric8869]

Sounds like he made everyone miserable so I'm sure they don't care at this moment.

[jcwtts1]

Mamet's style is a slower more deliberate rhythm than Piven's normal act, but Piven is talented. He's had a lot of recent success but he's been an actor for 20 years. Having read the play I can seem him playing and doing well in it.

[TangoMega]

I agree, Piven is very good, and this is just desserts for some of the comments made by actors after JP left. Downright rancorous... well, guess those guys are just bitter stage actors that apparently nobody wants to pay to see.

-ere'bodee's favorite mega

[Eric8869]

You don't really have a point. People pay to see Names in plays no matter how good or bad.

Get some washed up sitcom stars in a play - it will sell tickets.

The "stage actors" are incredible. Just look at AUGUST OSAGE COUNTY - didn't open with any names. Just Steppenwolf actors pretty much and its a HUGE HIT.

A revival needs names.

[lost in az]

One thing is for sure... I doubt Jeremy will ever be sought after for roles on Broadway after this. Good luck, Jeremy, after "Entourage" ends.

[jcwtts1]

I mean the whole thing about this is people have doubted it from the beginning. How does he prove he is sick? I mean what is the guy supposed to do. People get mercury poisoning. It happens.

[rini]

Yeah.

Apparently, the level was very high. Does he have to show everyone?

The compassion is stunning.

[DrJohnnySkeptic]

After trying to humiliate Jeremy Piven's mercury poisoning by mocking him to the play's audience, Mamet and his cast deserve what they get.

Karma's a bitch.

[rini]

I agree totally. Where are you now, guys??

Still, Mamet's "thermometer" remark was brilliant, if cruel.

[RepugsOut08]

The "thermometer" remark had me in stitches. The thing I don't get, if actors aren't supposed to get sick, why do they have understudies?

[Eric8869]

He's not sick - its a drama queen move which makes this all the more awful that he is sinking the play. He will be persona non grata in the New York theatre scene.

People aren't TV stars forever. He could be yesterdays news. Don't burn bridges in the entertainment world. you may need them on the way back.

[peachfuzz]

Of course sales would drop--Piven is a draw.

[jmby]

Or Christmas happened. Or the latest economic downturn news happened. Get real. Jeremy Piven doesn't drive ticket sales for this show. No TV star ever makes a lasting big difference in box office on Broadway. New York theatre goers are way too sophisticated and jaded for that.

[taxisdaddy]

While I agree that there may be other economic factors at work, that could easily be tested by comparing sales with other broadway dramas for the same period. As for the sophistication of Broadway audiences, I've been a New Yorker and theater-goer for 30 years, and the core audience for Broadway shows is not New Yorkers, it's tourists.

There's no slam intended toward the sophistication of tourists, by the way.

[cloudmaker]

And poor Raul thought they came to see him.

[DS3M]

Hehehe -
He's gonna have no audience for delivering his witty end of show attacks on piven.

[Eric8869]

I'd see Raul in ANYTHING. He is a great talent.