Latest news with #KipWilliams
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘The Picture Of Dorian Gray' Starring Sarah Snook Officially Recoups Its Broadway Investment
The Picture of Dorian Gray has officially recouped its investment, producers announced. The play starring Succession's Sarah Snook in a solo performance was reportedly capitalized at more than $8 million. Producers have not confirmed the capitalization amount. More from Deadline 'Glengarry Glen Ross', 'Dorian Gray', 'Dead Outlaw', 'Real Women Have Curves' & 'Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends' Go Out With A Bang - Broadway Box Office Karl E. Held Dies: A Producer Of Broadway-Bound 'Kowalski' Was 63 'Phantom' Spin-Off 'Masquerade' Sells Out Six Weeks Of Previews In Three Hours; Additional Dates To Be Announced The recoupment announcement comes days after the production's June 29 final performance. The high-tech production reported a record-breaking final-week gross of $2,092,069, the highest weekly take for the production and the first time it surpassed $2 million in a single week. The $2M figure marks the second-highest weekly gross for any show, play or musical, in the history of the Music Box Theatre, topped only by Dear Evan Hansen during the week ending December 31, 2017. Throughout its extended run, Kip Williams' adaptation of the Oscar Wilde novel repeatedly topped its own box office records and holds the distinction of being the only non-musical play to gross more than $1 million in a week at the 104-year-old venue. Previews for the limited engagement began on March 10, with the official opening on March 27. The production arrived on Broadway following a sold-out run in London's West End. Dorian Gray was nominated for two Tony Awards, with Snook, who played all 26 characters, winning in the Leading Actress/Play category (the other win was for Marg Horwell's costume design). The play originated in 2020 at Sydney Theatre Company. The Broadway production was produced by Michael Cassel, Adam Kenwright, Len Blavatnik and Danny Cohen, Daryl Roth, Amanda Lipitz and Henry Tisch. Aaron Lustbader was Executive Producer and Michael Cassel Group the worldwide Executive of Deadline 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery Who Is [SPOILER]? The Latest Big Marvel Reveal Explained 'Poker Face' Season 2 Guest Stars: From Katie Holmes To Simon Hellberg
The Guardian
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Sydney Theatre Company books $10m revenue boost after Dorian Gray production becomes global hit
Sydney Theatre Company has recorded a $10m boost to revenue after its Dorian Gray production became a West End hit, and is poised to reap millions more when it receives a cut from this year's even more lucrative Broadway run. The company's chief executive, Anne Dunn, cited commercial in confidence when asked whether that additional $10m was attributable to the heavy lifting done by Kip Williams' phenomenally successful production, which is now grossing more than $1.6m a week on Broadway and earlier this week earned Snook her first Tony. More than 77,000 people paid to see Australia's stage adaptation of Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray in London's West End last year. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email But the Sydney Theatre Company is remaining tight-lipped about the part the internationally lauded production, which collected Laurence Olivier awards for best costume design and best actress for Snook, played on the company's bottom line in its 2024 annual report, released on Thursday. That report showed the company was still not out of the red but its total deficit shrunk from $1.8m in 2023 to $566,000. Gross revenue from continuing operations, which includes local box office takings and income from touring, licensing and royalty payments, came to $37.7m in 2024, $10m more than the company earned the previous year. After multiple sold-out Australian seasons, heavyweight theatrical production house Michael Cassel Group licensed the rights to the production to transfer Dorian Gray to London and New York. The nature of the deal with STC remains confidential, with Dunn saying only that STC has received royalties and has retained a 'small investment stake' in the production's ongoing life. That investment stake – just under $500,000 paid in 2023 – was secured through the generosity of STC donors, Dunn said. There is no evidence in the 2024 report that the company has stumped up another $500,000 to retain its stake in the Broadway production but Dunn said a further agreement with Cassel was signed early this year. While the generosity of the company's benefactors in 2023 made the global success of Dorian Gray possible, the largesse of supporters in 2024 was comparatively lean, with its fundraising arm earning just $4.86m compared with the previous year's $5.9m. 'It was a challenging start to the year on a number of issues and I think it's a very competitive environment for philanthropic support,' Dunn said. In November 2023, the company saw the departure of two of its board members and threats of cancelled subscriptions after three actors used a curtain call to signal their support for Palestinians in Gaza during a season of Chekhov's The Seagull. The company issued three apologies over the incident and cancelled one performance. While the protest took place in late 2023, its financial impact would not have been felt until the following year. 'It's an impossible question to answer specifically,' Dunn said. 'You're asking me, how much did we not receive? And that's something just we don't know. Philanthropy is something that people gift to the company each year, and some people may have chosen not to. We can't know exactly what they may have given if they had made a different decision.' Contrary to unconfirmed reports that the STC had lost some loyal followers due to The Seagull protest, subscriptions and casual ticket sales were up by more than 10,000 – from 228,847 in 2023 to 239,951 in 2024. Dunn described Suzie Miller's Ruth Bader Ginsberg play, RBG, One of Many, Joanna Murray-Smith's Julia Gillard work, Julia, and the adaptation of Pip Williams' The Dictionary of Lost Words as standout successes. The resonance the STC-commissioned RBG would have with US audiences is obvious but Dunn said there were as yet no formal discussions with the Michael Cassel Group on a follow-up to Dorian Gray's success on Broadway with RBG. 'But we can certainly see there would be some market appeal,' she said. The Michael Cassel Group did not respond to the Guardian's request for comment. Reflecting on Dorian Gray's overseas triumph, Dunn insisted STC had no regrets about partnering with commercial producers instead of going it alone and reaping the lion's share of the handsome profits. As a government-funded arts organisation, it was not the company's role to embark on risky overseas commercial ventures, she said. 'And taking a show to Broadway and the West End is a very risky proposition. As a not-for-profit theatre company in Australia, what we specialise in is generating new shows … It's about doing the work on creative development and giving space [for] these incredible shows' In 2024 STC received $2.58m from the federal government through Creative Australia and a further $574,000 from Create NSW, which contributed just 6.7% of the company's annual revenue. 'That makes us the most highly leveraged of the not-for-profit arts companies in the country,' she said. The Sydney Theatre Company will announce its 2026 season on 15 September.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sarah Snook Doesn't Know How Cate Blanchett Would Turn 'Picture Of Dorian Gray' Into A Film, But Would Love To Help Her Try
Sarah Snook, who won a Tony Award for Best Performance By a Leading Actress in a Play for The Picture of Dorian Gray, is stumped about how it would ever be turned into a film. That's the aim of Cate Blanchett's Dirty Pictures, as Deadline was the first to report in 2024. The vision of the current stage adaptation of Oscar Wilde's novel sees her playing 26 different roles in a highly stylized production, which took London by storm before heading to Broadway. More from Deadline Deadline's Tony Awards Live Blog Cynthia Erivo's Original Song Provides Lively Opening To Tony Awards As She Earns A Standing Ovation How To Watch Sunday's Tony Awards: Red Carpet, Preshow & Cynthia Erivo-Hosted Ceremony Asked for the latest on the Blanchett-backed film adaptation during an appearance in the Tonys media room Sunday, Snook replied, 'I have as much idea as you do about where that is.' She continued, 'I don't know how this gets turned into a film. It's a particularly complex piece to do as a theater show. I mean, dramaturgically it holds up and I think Kip [Williams, the show's director] would be an incredible director for that project. If she were able to take part in the film version, Snook added, 'it would be a dream come true, but who knows?' The Succession alum was asked about the theater accomplishments of its cast and creative team since the series wrapped its HBO run in 2023. 'It's such a special group chat,' she said. 'We're all big theater nerds deep down. It's been really nice to have that revealed and shared with each other.' The ritual of being a Tony nominee, and now winner, was a new experience for Snook. 'I didn't even know Tony season even existed!' she laughed. 'You end up seeing all of the people who are nominated with you for other shows. … It's really nice because you get to meet the person who is creating art at the same time as you are.' Sarah Snook, a #TonyAwards winner for her performance in 'The Picture of Dorian Grey,' was asked backstage about Cate Blanchett's production company acquiring film rights to the stage adaptation — Deadline (@DEADLINE) June 9, 2025 Best of Deadline 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery 'Stick' Soundtrack: All The Songs You'll Hear In The Apple TV+ Golf Series
ABC News
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Sarah Snook wins Tony award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in The Picture of Dorian Gray
Australian actor Sarah Snook has won a Tony award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for The Picture of Dorian Gray. The play marked Snook's Broadway debut. "This is an intimidating room full of incredibly talented people," Snook told the crowd upon accepting her award. Stars including George Clooney, Cynthia Erivo, Ben Stiller and Keanu Reeves were present at the awards ceremony. "Thank you so much for this," Snook said. Snook thanked her team, and people associated with the show. "It's billed as a one person show and I don't feel alone in any night that I do this show," Snook said. "There are so many people on stage making it work and so many people behind the stage making it work." Snook singled out director Kip Williams who is also nominated. She also thanked her husband Dave Lawson "for keeping the family together". Snook is on her way to EGOT status — when a performer has won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony. Snook already has an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role in Succession. The Picture of Dorian Gray was nominated in six categories, with seven Australians recognised. Australian Marg Horwell has also won for Best Costume Design of a Play.
The Guardian
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Sarah Snook wins best actress at Tony awards for The Picture of Dorian Gray
Sarah Snook has won the Tony award for best actress in a play for her performance in all 26 roles in The Picture of Dorian Gray, the Sydney Theatre Company one-woman show that has become a Broadway hit. 'This means so much for a little Australian girl,' she said, from the podium, thanking her husband for 'holding down the fort and keeping our family together.' The show marks the Australian actor's Broadway debut, after having also performed the show in London's West End, for which she won an Olivier award last year. Snook took over the role from actor Erin-Jean Norvill, who originated the performance to acclaim in Australia between 2020 and 2022. 'It's about concealing and revealing, putting on masks, taking off masks,' Snook told the New York Times. 'It's about having your soul be seen.' On Sunday, New York Times critic Elisabeth Vincentelli wrote, 'When I left The Picture of Dorian Gray all those weeks ago, I said to whoever would listen on Eighth Avenue that they might as well start engraving Sarah Snook's Tony right then and there. I will claim this one for my clairvoyant skills.' The play, directed by former STC artistic director Kip Williams, has been widely praised by critics and was nominated for six Tonys this year. On Sunday night, Melbourne-based costume designer Marg Horwell also won the costume design category for Dorian Gray, but the show lost out in the lighting, sound and scenic design categories. Williams is also nominated for best director. After the success of Dorian Gray on Broadway, Williams is set to stage his one-woman production of Dracula there, with Wicked star Cynthia Erivo playing all 23 roles.
