Originally posted by teridtiger Just a heads-up for any theatre considering Neil Simon - *ALL* of his shows now cost $125.00 per performance for the rights.   VERY cost-prohibitive for our 60 seat non-profit theatre company.  :(

Thanks for the heads up.  We recently did Odd Couple (at the old rate) and I would say this crosses the rest of his catalogue of the list for us.

Actually, according to his book "Rewrites," Neil Simon no longer owns the stage rights to "Barefoot in the Park." Very early in his career, he sold those along with another property, namely "The Odd Couple" (which is why both were later made into TV shows).

Although he still owns the stage rights to "The Odd Couple", he never made a single dime off the TV series.

That's probably why he charges so much for his stuff now.

So what does a typical show run these days in royalties?  Around $60?

Id have to second the suggestion of Don't Hug me or A Don't Hug Me Christmas Carol (although probably too late for the latter).

Phil just licensed the musicals to Samuel French, so the prices went up, but you will pack them in every night. 

here are some photos from our production of DHM

http://www.actorsinc.org/gallery/DontHugMe

And we are currently producing the Christmas Carol version.

Other blockbusters?  Well, most shows that make $$$ are kids shows, Bye Bye Birdie or High School Musical come to mind easily.   Drama - you might get a good crowd with A Few Good Men, or if you want to be real controversial, Doubt.  

The most successful musical we ever did was "Chicago" followed closely by "Beauty and the Beast", my favorites though are "Lucky Stiff" and "Suds" which is a cute retrospective of 60's music. As for plays if you don't mind a little controversy "Dark Of the Moon" was so successful, we are remounting it this season. You have to get past the dialect, but after you read through it once, read it again, it always gives me shivers!