Tom Carto looks at the Overture Center’s 2008-2009 season
The rise of The Lion King
The rise of The Lion King
producers of the shows won’t take them to the smaller markets until they’ve played out in the bigger markets. That’s just the way it is.”
As Overture began negotiations to feature The Lion King, it had to make internal adjustments in order to make room for such a long-running production at
Overture. “The Lion King is going to be at least a 4-5 week run,” Carto said. “We had to make sure we had the time available and work that out with the resident
companies well in advance so that we have the Overture Hall open for that time.” In addition to its own line-up, Overture must also schedule the performances
and events for its 11 resident companies or partners including the Madison Symphony Orchestra and the Madison Repertory Theater.
While the Overture Center’s primary market is typically Dane County and six counties that are contiguous to it, The Lion King expands that market — albeit
temporarily — well beyond those boundaries. “Lion King and something like that will draw from farther out and probably more rural areas too,” Carto said. “It’s just
one of those shows that draw in huge crowds.”
There will be at least 32 performances of The Lion King and it will have a strong economic impact on Overture, but not in the way one might expect. “We’ll
be looking at a $4-5 million gross in sales,” Carto said. “Now the way the Lion King works though is that isn’t really our money. That goes to the producers. Disney
is very careful about how they structure these deals. But we would do very well with the ancillary income that comes in. With that many people in the building
for five weeks — and of course Disney pays us rent and all that — we’ll do quite well. It’s the way those deals are structured that the promoters and the producers
walk away with most of the gross profit.”
In addition to the ancillary income — sales of refreshments and the like — it will also expose the expanded audiences to Overture’s 2009-2010 season
offerings and may spur sales for other productions. And with the possibility of continuous sold-out performances for over a month, nearby hotels and restaurants
should experience increased patronage as well.
And what scale of a production is The Lion King? “There will be 20 53-foot semi-trucks and it takes a whole week to load it in and put up the show,” Carto
said. “Disney especially is so intent on quality and product and everything. There is no stone unturned as to what the product is. It’s a very high-quality show with
incredible production values. So they are very careful to make sure that what people might have seen in New York ten years ago is the same thing that is out on
the road. There is no cost cutting at all when it comes to that. It’s probably more expensive to take it on the road.”
Tickets will not go on sale in the near future. And when they do, they will first be offered to subscribers, volunteers and groups before they offered to the
general public. So now is the time to get involved at Overture.
Next issue: The 2008-2009 season and efforts to be more inclusive.
As Overture began negotiations to feature The Lion King, it had to make internal adjustments in order to make room for such a long-running production at
Overture. “The Lion King is going to be at least a 4-5 week run,” Carto said. “We had to make sure we had the time available and work that out with the resident
companies well in advance so that we have the Overture Hall open for that time.” In addition to its own line-up, Overture must also schedule the performances
and events for its 11 resident companies or partners including the Madison Symphony Orchestra and the Madison Repertory Theater.
While the Overture Center’s primary market is typically Dane County and six counties that are contiguous to it, The Lion King expands that market — albeit
temporarily — well beyond those boundaries. “Lion King and something like that will draw from farther out and probably more rural areas too,” Carto said. “It’s just
one of those shows that draw in huge crowds.”
There will be at least 32 performances of The Lion King and it will have a strong economic impact on Overture, but not in the way one might expect. “We’ll
be looking at a $4-5 million gross in sales,” Carto said. “Now the way the Lion King works though is that isn’t really our money. That goes to the producers. Disney
is very careful about how they structure these deals. But we would do very well with the ancillary income that comes in. With that many people in the building
for five weeks — and of course Disney pays us rent and all that — we’ll do quite well. It’s the way those deals are structured that the promoters and the producers
walk away with most of the gross profit.”
In addition to the ancillary income — sales of refreshments and the like — it will also expose the expanded audiences to Overture’s 2009-2010 season
offerings and may spur sales for other productions. And with the possibility of continuous sold-out performances for over a month, nearby hotels and restaurants
should experience increased patronage as well.
And what scale of a production is The Lion King? “There will be 20 53-foot semi-trucks and it takes a whole week to load it in and put up the show,” Carto
said. “Disney especially is so intent on quality and product and everything. There is no stone unturned as to what the product is. It’s a very high-quality show with
incredible production values. So they are very careful to make sure that what people might have seen in New York ten years ago is the same thing that is out on
the road. There is no cost cutting at all when it comes to that. It’s probably more expensive to take it on the road.”
Tickets will not go on sale in the near future. And when they do, they will first be offered to subscribers, volunteers and groups before they offered to the
general public. So now is the time to get involved at Overture.
Next issue: The 2008-2009 season and efforts to be more inclusive.
By Jonathan Gramling
Part 1 of 2
It has to be a crowning moment for Tom Carto, president and CEO of the Overture Center, and his staff.
The Lion King, Disney’s Broadway smash that has had over 4,400 performances will be coming to Madison. Not
since the Phantom of the Opera in 2004, has such a lavish, big-time production graced Overture Hall.
“It was pretty big to get The Lion King here,” Carto said during an interview with The Capital City Hues
about the production and Overture’s 2008-2009 season. “We’ve been working on that for a long time. We’ve
been a little disappointed that we hadn’t gotten it until then. Mainly we’re a victim of our own geography when it
comes to those big megahit shows because if they’re still in Chicago, Chicago considers Madison a part of its
market area, take it or leave it. Those producers think people will drive from Madison to Chicago to see
something like Jersey Boys. Once Lion King was out of Chicago, it went to Milwaukee and then we got in line for
it. It is what it is. We’ll probably get Wicked shortly after Lion King. So when those big hits come along, we get
them, but we have to stand in line. There is a certain pecking order for those shows, mainly because the
Part 1 of 2
It has to be a crowning moment for Tom Carto, president and CEO of the Overture Center, and his staff.
The Lion King, Disney’s Broadway smash that has had over 4,400 performances will be coming to Madison. Not
since the Phantom of the Opera in 2004, has such a lavish, big-time production graced Overture Hall.
“It was pretty big to get The Lion King here,” Carto said during an interview with The Capital City Hues
about the production and Overture’s 2008-2009 season. “We’ve been working on that for a long time. We’ve
been a little disappointed that we hadn’t gotten it until then. Mainly we’re a victim of our own geography when it
comes to those big megahit shows because if they’re still in Chicago, Chicago considers Madison a part of its
market area, take it or leave it. Those producers think people will drive from Madison to Chicago to see
something like Jersey Boys. Once Lion King was out of Chicago, it went to Milwaukee and then we got in line for
it. It is what it is. We’ll probably get Wicked shortly after Lion King. So when those big hits come along, we get
them, but we have to stand in line. There is a certain pecking order for those shows, mainly because the
Tom Carto has been the president/CEO of the
Overture Center since early 2007
Overture Center since early 2007