It's still wait-and-see if the hard work by the "Freaks" -- devoted fans of the Broadway musical Side Show -- will pay off.

The show closed Jan. 3 after 31 previews and 91 regular performances. Producers were scheduled to meet the week of Jan. 4 to consider reopening the show in April or May to take advantage of possible Tony Award nominations. A spokesperson from producer Emanuel Azenberg's office told Playbill On-Line (Jan. 13) that no decision about reopening had been reached and could not give a time frame for such a decision to be made.

Nevertheless, the New York Post reported (Jan. 13) that the show is looking more and more likely to reopen, with unnamed inside sources saying "It's a go!" The Post story asserted that the show's creators are strongly behind a reopening, but that investors who lost some $7 million on the show were not convinced to spend more money to reopen.

A spokesperson at Azenberg's office confirmed to Playbill On-Line an earlier New York Post story saying the show is considering reopening in time to cash in on possible Tony Award nominations. "It's not officially happening," the spokesperson said. ". . . We're still telling people [in the cast] not to get their hopes up."

One obstacle was removed when a booking for the Richard Rodgers Theatre, where Side Show played, was cancelled. Production spokesman Jonathan Schwartz said the sets and costumes for Side Show had not, as of Jan. 13, been removed from the theatre.

Among remaining obstacles: Financing and advertising the reopening. Keeping the cast together.

A spokesperson for Azenberg said the get-out-the-word effort by the "Freaks" had a definite effect on the box office during the show's final two weeks, with ticket sales rising from 50 percent of capacity to 85 percent in the show's final week.

One question for the Tony Awards committee: If the show reopens, will it be eligible for both Best Musical and Best Revival?