Joan Marcus
Despite its Tony nominations, Enron, the Broadway docudrama about the downfall of the Texas energy company, will close Sunday at a loss of between $3.5 million and $4 million. Though the play garnered four nominations on Tuesday, it was shut out of the Best Play category, which is key to boosting ticket sales. Enron opened last month to lukewarm reviews, but only managed 15 performances and 22 previews before its demise. (The Tony nominations worked out much better for Time Stands Still, which did nab a best play nod, and though the play about a photojournalist has already closed, it will be brought back to Broadway in September.) Rave reviews greeted the production of Enron in London last summer, but success overseas often does not translate to box office sales in New York. The play took a big risk with its expensive high-tech set, special effects, large cast, and lack of a big leading star—and that bet proved to be a bad one, which perhaps former Enron president Jeff Skilling can appreciate from his prison cell.