“Glengarry Glen Ross” has returned to the Broadway stage for a third time. Written by David Mamet, the dramatic performance has won Tony, Oliver, and Pulitzer Prize awards in the past.
The Broadway revival stars Al Pacino, along with John C. McGinley, David Harbour, Richard Schiff, Jeremy Shamos, Bobby Cannavale and Murphy Guyer. The performance marks the 30-year anniversary of the play, originally written in 1982.
“Glengarry Glen Ross” tells the story of a Chicago real estate office. The determination to achieve the American dream is the center of the storyline, and shows just what lengths people will go to in order to remain ahead of their co-workers. “Always be closing…There is no room for losers in this office, and only ‘closers’ will get the good Glengarry sales leads. They’re learning first hand that in business, someone always has to pay,” reads the show’s description at Glengarrybroadway.com.
Pacino is not new to the storyline; he starred in the 1992 film adaption, which was directed by James Foley. In the film, Pacino played the younger star, Rick Roma; in the musical he plays the role of the older real estate agent Shelly Levine. The play made its debut on Broadway in 1984, and returned to the stage for a second run in 2005. Before making its debut in New York City, the show also ran in London and Chicago.
David Mamet drew his inspiration for the script from his personal experiences in the real estate business. “I sold worthless land in Arizona to elderly people,” he told the San Diego Reader. “This play is very much about work and about how one is altered by one’s job,” Mamet said.
The New York Times reported that the performance is already doing well in the box office. “The production… took in $703,775 for its first four preview performances at the Schoenfeld Theatre last week, or about 119 percent of the maximum possible gross (which does not include premium ticket pricing) – a huge percentage normally enjoyed by blockbuster musicals on Broadway like ‘The Book of Mormon’ and ‘Wicked,’ and rarely by straight plays.” The average ticket price paid for the preview performances last week was $164.47. The most expensive ticket available had a price tag of $350. The only Broadway show with a higher average ticket price last week was “The Book of Mormon,” with $189.13 as its average price.
“Glengarry Glen Ross” is among several revivals to open recently on Broadway including, “Annie,” “The Heiress” and “Scandalous.” Last week “Annie” grossed $733,956 and “The Heiress” took in $507,850. “Scandalous” performed seven preview shows last week, with a smaller gross of $241,613.
Previews for “Glengarry Glen Ross” began on October 19, drawing large crowds to fill the audience immediately. The play will open officially on November 11 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, 236 West 45 Street, New York, NY. The revival performance will make a limited run of ten weeks. Tickets are expected to sell quickly.
