Dodger Theatricals, the 25-year-old Broadway and Off-Broadway producing organization that recently unveiled a quintet of subterranean performance venues in Midtown, has announced it will pare down its staff and is reimagining its longtime fiscal partnership with the Dutch organization Stage Holding.
A spokesperson, Susanne Tighe, told Back Stage by phone on Monday that Dodger's major players -- Michael David, Robin de Levita, Des McAnuff, Rocco Landesman, and Edward Strong -- were unavailable for interviews. Tighe, however, did provide a written statement.
"For some time Stage Holding and Dodger Theatricals have been discussing the restructuring of their producing partnership," the statement reads. "Their current productions of '42nd Street,' 'Dracula,' upcoming productions of 'Good Vibrations' and 'Jersey Boys,' as well as the new theatre complex Dodger Stages are unaffected by this discussion. With Dodger Stages now open and '42nd Street' counting down, like any company in our business, regrettably when there are fewer shows you need fewer people."
While it remains unclear how the "restructuring" between Dodger Theatricals and Stage Holding, an Amsterdam-based organization headed by impresario Joop van den Ende, will play out, what is clear is that Dodger has some challenges of its own to get through.
In September, it was reported that "Bare," a new musical seen as bolstering the inaugural season of Dodger Stages, had been shelved due to the pullout of a financial backer. The month prior, "Dracula" opened on Broadway to largely negative reviews, placing the organization's newest multimillion-dollar tuner at risk. Last week, the show posted grosses of $313,848, one of its best showings since its opening, yet considered weak for a major Main Stem musical.
On Jan. 2, 2005, Dodger's long-running, Tony-winning revival of "42nd Street" will shutter after a three-and-a-half-year run -- and, according to a Variety report, without recouping its investment. Losing money is uncommon for Dodger Theatricals, which has amassed some 46 Tony Awards and 136 nominations.
The company was founded in 1978 by a group of friends from the Yale School of Drama and began its work at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, later taking up residence at the Public Theater. Its more successful recent productions include "Urinetown," "The Music Man," "Blast!," "Titanic," and the original Broadway runs of "Into the Woods" and "Big River." Dodger Theatricals also owns Dodger Costumes, formerly Eaves-Brooks Costumes, which dates back to the 19th century and contains at least half a million items available for rental.