The troubled American production of the British hit Bombay Dreams will close in Broadway on January 1, 2005. The show -- the first Indian-themed musical on Broadway -- began on April 29.
It has been grossing a few thousands above the $400,000 weekly break-even at the cavernous Broadway Theatre for more than six weeks.
Though the weekly attendance of about 8,000 people is a decent number for an average show, it was not enough for Bombay Dreams, which, at $14 million, was one of the most expensive shows on Broadway.
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The musical has grossed about $20 million -- peanuts for a high profile show.
Only a few current shows, including the $16 million Wicked, a smash hit, were costlier than Bombay Dreams.
Each year, just about 10 percent of Broadway shows recoup their investment, and some do so only when the show goes on the road or opens in other cities.
The New York producers of Bombay Dreams say they have plans to take it on the road. Originally, the musical was to open in Toronto and then come to New York but the SARS outbreak in the Canadian city in 2003 mandated a change of venue.
"We are so proud of the Bombay Dreams production that has played on Broadway and all those who have been involved with it," said Elizabeth Williams, one of the two lead producers of the Broadway production. "We look forward to bringing the production to theatre-goers around the country with a national tour that will begin in 2005 or 2006."
Conceived by Shekhar Kapur and Andrew Lloyd Webber and directed by Steven Pimlott, the London show ran for two years. Pimlott also directed the Broadway version. Anthony Van Laast and Farah Khan choreographed both shows.
The producers had hoped that the casting of American Idol star Tamyra Gray as Priya, the idealistic movie director, in the A R Rahman musical would give it a big boost, and lead to the casting of bigger names once Gray's contract was over. But that did not happen.
The box-office rose by just about five percent following Gray's induction. Worse, there was hardly any media attention for her.
Many people who had seen the show earlier preferred Gray's predecessor Anisha Nagarajan.
There was little chemistry between Gray and lead actor Manu Narayan, they said.