Broadway Faltering, Thanks to Recession

Producers are increasingly reluctant to pour money into big Broadway spectacles, the Post's Michael Riedel reports. Investors are pulling out of new shows like Turn of the Century, advance sales are shaky for all but a few productions (Equus, starring Daniel Radcliffe, is doing quite well; Shrek the Musical is not) and raising money has become very difficult. A veteran producer tells Riedel, "The good times are over." And today it's being reported that the upcoming Broadway revival of Godspell, which was to have started rehearsals next week, is now canceled because producer Adam Epstein was short $1 million of the production's $4.5 million cost. Two other shows planned for the fall, Brigadoon and For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf, are also called off. Oh well, there's always Spider-Man the Musical to look forward to!