Sad last days for 'Call Me Izzy' ?

[Ali Gator]

'Call Me Izzy' was highly touted as the 'comeback' for actress Jean Smart after a 25 years absence from Broadway. In interviews, Smart said she had been offered numerous shows to return to B'way (including an offer from Sondheim to star in a revival of 'Follies' around 20 years ago) but refused all of them for one reason or another. Yet this show 'called out to her' and couldn't say 'no'.  The show went into previews at the end of May, and opened 'the 2025-26  Broadway Season' on  June 12 to great fanfare. Advance ticket sales for opening week were encouraging, but not spectacular. It was advertised as a 'limited run' at Studio 54 Theater, opening June 12 and closing August 17... so hurry and get your tickets NOW! (Tickets ranged from $66 - $275).

Smart, who did her fair share of press interviews to push this play,  got mostly rave reviews for her one-woman performance, but the play itself and the production did not.  Most critics found the story depressing and stale (about spousal abuse in the Midwest), and called it better suited for a 'Lifetime TV' movie - not a stage play for a summer / tourist audience. The staging is pretty bleak - consisting of a chair and a toilet (part of the story takes place with Smart sitting on the toilet writing poetry). As for costumes, Smart is in a red flannel shirt and jeans, with a 'dirty looking red wig' on her head. Rumors have suggested this production was financed for $7.5M, but no one can figure out where the money was spent (no music, no orchestra, no cast, no costumes, no stage design). The show runs for 85 minutes with no intermission. 

After the first week or so, and the reviews and word-of-mouth spread, ticket sales have dropped considerably. At certain performances, the theater has only opened the center orchestra seats and closed off the rest. Often, seating capacity has hovered around 60%. 

This past week, Smart was out with a 'reported knee injury' since July 8. Her standby Johanna Day took the role, and tickets were marked down to the $20-30 range for orchestra seats. Audience members who attended said there were 'less than 100 people' sitting in the theater.  They also said Day was obviously ill - having coughing fits on stage and couldn't deliver her lines. Other times, she forgot her lines and blocking  -  so they had someone step in at the edge of the stage to feed her lines and directions. On their social media page, the producers said Smart would return on Saturday, July 12.  This morning (July 12) the ticket sites say Smart will be out through Wednesday. Looking ahead to ticket sales through this week and beyond, it looks like it's selling at 25% capacity, on average.

 

WILD GUESS but...it looks like the producers / investors/ Smart have negotiated a graceful exit for Smart ('knee injury' sound plausible) and most likely will cut their losses one month in and close the show in a matter of days while Day is still in the production.  Smart will be well-removed from the train wreck, Day will be 'blamed' for the poor box office, and the show will shutter.  Unless they're really risk takers, convince Smart to return to play to an empty house, and see that this show runs its duration through August 17 (a ridiculous move, but..).   

[Ali Gator]

Jean Smart is scheduled to be out through next Wednesday (at the earliest) while her stand-by Johanna Day continues performances, playing to a house averaging 25%. Last week's box office took in around $200,000 with Day on stage all week. Why the producers have not pulled the plug on this yet is beyond reason. Maybe they were waiting for the equally high-profiled Audra MacDonald bomb 'Gypsy' to drop their shoe, first ? 

[Ali Gator]

IN A MAJOR SHOCK, the producers have extended the run of 'Izzy' to August 24, and say Smart is returning on July 22. This weekend's shows which were to star her 'stand-by' Johanna Day, have been canceled. 

Let's see if this really happens. 

[Ali Gator]

In one of the strangest moves in Broadway history, 'Izzy' has not brought down the final curtain yet. Jean Smart has returned, spending all her time sitting on stage as the poor woman can't stand on her legs too long with her injured knee. Audience capacity is at about 35-40% for the week. Producers are insisting the show must go on - through August 24. 

[samhexum]

23 minutes ago, Ali Gator said:

Jean Smart has returned, spending all her time sitting on stage as the poor woman can't stand on her legs too long with her injured knee. Audience capacity is at about 35-40% for the week. Producers are insisting the show must go on - through August 24. 

I have a sneaky suspicion Helen Hunt and/or Tony Goldwyn are behind this.