Great article by Sun-Sentinel theater writer Jack Zink in last week's Showtime section detailing an initiative by theaters across the country to invest in a new company that will develop new musicals for Broadway and the road. Among the investors are local venues such as the Kravis Center and Carnival Center. The company, called Elephant Eye Theatrical (love to hear the story how they came up with that name), is considering the TV hit The Addams Family as one of its first ventures. As someone who bankrolled Gilligan's Island: The Musical last season, I'll be curious to see how that one turns out.

Most of the venues investing in this company are located in markets where Live Nation dominates in competing theaters with their Broadway Across America Series (i.e. Boston, Chicago). The investor/theaters can't land the big shows in these markets when up against Live Nation so they are looking to create their own product. It's an interesting concept, but their $8 million capitalization thus far isn't going to last long in NY, where it takes closer to $11 million to debut even one show.

With a national network of theaters already formed many years ago (Independent Presenters Network) to compete against Live Nation, it appears on the surface to be a duplication of effort. Time will tell on this new venture. They have a lot of talent assembled. I will be curious to see what happens at the Kravis Center in the coming years now that they have severed their relationship with Live Nation. Will they still be able to get the big shows? Or will Live Nation start to flex its muscle, using its two remaining venues in South Florida (Broward and Carnival Centers) as leverage to prevent Broadway product from going to West Palm?

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/entertainment/stage/sfl-shjz3pbaug03,0,7579567.column