Oregon festival booms while Simon's 'Memoirs' goes bust on Broadway

Broadway can't hold onto Neil Simon, but Oregon is going full steam ahead with Shakespeare and friends.

It was sad to read that the revival of Simon's "Brighton Beach Memoirs," lauded by critics, had closed after just nine performances. An L.A. Times story blamed the producers: "The reason “Brighton Beach Memoirs” closed early and “Broadway Bound” was aborted in previews was, not surprisingly, all about money. As dated as Neil Simon’s plays are -- and let’s face it,  they were almost dated back when they were written, though it didn’t stop them from being hits -- what was even more dated was the producer’s business plan."

Other stories blamed the fact that the show could boast no big Hollywood names in a season when Jude Law, Hugh Jackman, Daniel Craig and Sienna Miller are all on Broadway stages.

How then to explain the booming success of the annual Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Oregon?

With the recession cutting back travel and entertainment spending, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival was anticipating a tough 2009 season — so much so that it cut the budget $1 million and actors tripled-up on roles, The Associated Press reported.

But the repertory theater today reported record attendance of 410,034 — 89 percent of capacity for the three theaters — and revenues of $17,098,115.

Executive director Paul Nicholson called the turnaround "astonishing," and credited loyal festival patrons.

Among the most popular plays of the season were a modern adaptation of a 250-year-old Italian farce, "The Servant of Two Masters"; the quirky "Dead Man’s Cell Phone," and the classic American musical, "The Music Man."