Broadway Ticket Stories

Now in the twelfth week of the season, the gap between box office ticket sales this year and last year continues to close with there now being less than a one percent difference. Overall, there was $18,623,072 in ticket sales for the week compared to $18,701,222 for the previous reporting period. This continues the rosy outlook over the same week last season of only $17,865,229, all this with Young Frankenstein at the Hilton Theatre still not reporting its figures.

Once again we see familiar names as the leaders of the pack among the 27 productions on Broadway with Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre, The Lion King at the Minskoff, The Little Mermaid at the Lunt-Fontanne, Jersey Boys at the August Wilson, Mamma Mia! at the Winter Garden, and In the Heights at the Richard Rodgers Theatre all pulling in more than $1 million in sales. August: Osage County at the Music Box and Boeing-Boeing at the Longacre continued to post the best returns of the four plays. In their closing week, the musical "A Chorus Line" saw a ten percent drop in attendance, the largest of any production, while the play "Thurgood" saw the second largest increase in dollars at more than $325,000 for the week. Rent at the Nederlander posted the biggest increase of sales at $76,522 for a week's return of more than $640,000.

It was a good week on Broadway as box offices reported $18,701,222 in ticket sales. That’s an increase over both the previous reporting period of $18,593,843 and the same week last year, $18,282,467. Eleven weeks into the new season, box office numbers show an ever-decreasing gap between the previous year and now, just over 1 percent - and closing.

Six shows, Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre, The Lion King at the Minskoff, The Little Mermaid at the Lunt-Fontanne, Jersey Boys at the August Wilson, Mamma Mia! at the Winter Garden and In the Heights at the Richard Rodgers posted more than $1 million in ticket sales. A Chorus Line at the Schoenfeld saw the biggest change from last week to this with an increase of nearly $51 thousand in revenue. Boeing-Boeing at the Longacre saw the largest drop in revenue, almost $33 thousand. Young Frankenstein at the Hilton is not reporting revenues.

The Citi Performing Arts Center (Citi Center) in Boston, MA has signed a new co-booking arrangement with MSG Entertainment (MSGE). The deal will bring additional broad-based performances to Boston’s 3,600-seat Wang Theater starting as early as next season. This collaboration between Citi Center and MSGE comes after years of partnership, including successful performances of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular in 2004 and 2006 at the Wang.

The long-term agreement with MSGE will include many performances that might not otherwise have toured in Boston. As part of the agreement, MSGE will make a one-time $2 million sponsorship contribution to Citi Center which will be used to support projects and initiatives that have direct community impact and benefit.

Box office numbers fared well this past week, pulling in $18,593,843 in ticket sales, down somewhat from the previous reporting period of $18,725,752. Both outshined the same week last season of $18,416,615. Overall, this season's ticket sales have totaled $190,209,610 compared to last season's $193,180,779 at the same point. Despite last fall's strike on Broadway, there is only a 1.5 percent difference in box office gross receipts.

There are currently just 27 productions on the Way including one special entitled Cirque Dreams: Jungle Fantasy at the Broadway Theatre, four plays, and 22 musicals. "Cirque" saw its audience wane a bit, dropping $46,808 in revenue from the previous week. Of the four plays, August: Osage County at the Music Box and Boeing-Boeing at the Longacre continue to hold the lead in ticket sales. The six million-dollar leaders among the musicals were Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre, The Lion King at the Minskoff, The Little Mermaid at the Lunt-Fontanne, Mamma Mia! at the Winter Garden, Jersey Boys at the August Wilson and In the Heights at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. Ten productions saw 95 percent or better attendance, though none of them plays.

The 28 productions currently open this past week held their own with a total of $18,725,752 in ticket sales, experiencing a slight dip over the last week's $19,305,801. Both totals are behind the same week last season of $19,838,011. Young Frankenstein is not reporting its box office grosses.

In the million-dollar range again were six productions, Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre, The Lion King at the Minskoff, The Little Mermaid at the Lunt-Fontanne, Jersey Boys at the August Wilson, Mamma Mia! at the Winter Garden and In the Heights at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. Of the four plays remaining on Broadway, August: Osage County at the Music Box and Boeing-Boeing at the Longacre held the lead in ticket sales.

The bottom line just keeps getting better and better. The gap between last year’s total gross and this year’s has shrunk to less than 1.5 percent. To date for the season it is $152,890,015, compared to last season’s gross at this time of $154,926,153.

Total box office receipts this past week were $19,305,801, outshining the same week last season of $18,697,151 and better than last week’s figures. The numbers for Young Frankenstein at the Hilton continue to go unreported.

It’s week seven of the new season, and the percent of difference in box office sales between last season and this has closed to less than two percent. Overall, this past week saw a dip compared to the previous week; $18,434,166 to $18,880,520. The difference was spread over almost all productions with the only gain in attendance seen by In the Heights at the Richard Rodgers, one half percent.

The leaders in box office sales were: Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre, The Lion King at the Minskoff, Jersey Boys at the August Wilson, The Little Mermaid at the Lunt-Fontanne and Mary Poppins at the New Amsterdam. Young Frankenstein at the Hilton continues not reporting revenues. Variety estimates the production made about $40 million in its first season. The biggest increase dollar-wise over the previous reporting period was seen by the production of Mamma Mia! at the Winter Garden Theatre.

It’s hard to top the shining financial picture of Broadway two weeks ago; this past week didn’t quite measure up at $18,880,520 compared to $20,412,789. Like in previous years, the decline in sales this past week can be attributed to the Fourth of July weekend. According to Variety, this years drop of nearly $1.6 million from the previous week is the largest difference since 2004.

Even with slow box office sales this past week, the difference in gross receipts for the current season compared to the last has been shrinking. It was hovering around a decrease of 4.5 percent, primarily due to the strike last fall, but now it has crept up to only a 2.3 percent difference from the previous year.

Broadway maintained its summer heat this past week, with total box office receipts of $20,412,789, a tad less than last week's $20,962,855. Both weeks outshined the same week last year of just $19,662,121, even with Young Frankenstein at the Hilton not reporting their numbers.

Best performance in dollar figures was seen for Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre, The Lion King at the Minskoff, Jersey Boys at the August Wilson, The Little Mermaid at the Lunt-Fontanne, and In the Heights at the Richard Rodgers in that order. Looking at the eight plays on Broadway, August: Osage County at the Music Box presented the best numbers, followed by Boeing-Boeing at the Longacre and The Country Girl at the Jacobs Theatre.

This past week saw the first day of summer and hotter numbers on the Way. The box office exceeded not only the previous week's numbers, but also beat out the same week last year: $20,962,855 to $20,428,069.

Racking up the best numbers among the 26 musicals were Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre, The Lion King at the Minskoff, Jersey Boys at the August Wilson, The Little Mermaid at the Lunt-Fontanne, and Mamma Mia! at the Winter Garden in that order. Among the nine plays on Broadway, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at the Broadhurst continues to draw the biggest crowds followed by August: Osage County at the Music Box and Boeing-Boeing at the Longacre. Not reporting revenues is Young Frankenstein at the Hilton.

Another week and another bump up in ticket sales on Broadway, which saw sales jump to $19,059,103. Although a comfortable increase of $819,423 over last week, this week's totals still trail last year's box office take of $20,065,645 for the same week. Judging by the last few weeks' gross receipts, it's likely that sales lagging behind last year's are a reflection of the depressed economy more than the effects of last fall's strike.

Looking at the 35 productions on Broadway, the leaders remain: Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre, The Lion King at the Minskoff, Jersey Boys at the August Wilson, The Little Mermaid at the Lunt-Fontanne and Mamma Mia! at the Winter Garden in that order. This does not include Young Frankenstein at the Hilton, which is not reporting revenues.

True to June trends, it was another slow week on Broadway with total box office receipts of $18,239,680, up from last week's gross of $17,595,100. Last year, the Way was enjoying $20,419,513 for the same week. Young Frankenstein is not reporting financials, but Variety estimates its box office at $868,000.

The high rollers this past week were: Wicked, The Lion King, Jersey Boys, The Little Mermaid and Mamma Mia!

Another in the stream of television and movie productions that are potentially headed to Broadway is television’s newest gal-pal, “Ugly Betty,” according to several published reports. Adapted from "Yo Soy Betty La Fea," a telenovela that achieved international fame, the U.S. show earned 11 Emmy nominations, more than any other comedy series on any network.

Betty Suarez, played by America Fererra, is a most unlikely heroine; not “cool” and not attractive, but the writers have made her character so appealing. With her bangs and braces, she’s the “ugly duckling” that does well, the truth that betrays the lie that beauty is only skin-deep. Will “Ugly Betty’s” legions of fans want to see “her” on Broadway? According to a slip of the tongue by co-star Michael Urie, a Broadway production is under consideration by the powers-that-be at ABC. It’s hush-hush yet who the director, choreographer and composer might be.

Broadway ticket sales for the week ending June 1st were down this week compared to past totals with the total take ringing up at $17,595,100. The sales are very different from the previous reporting period’s $20,770,363 and even poorer than the same period last year of $18,685,895. Top grossers this week were: Wicked, The Lion King, Jersey Boys, The Little Mermaid and Mamma Mia!. Young Frankenstein is still not reporting financials.

On the plus side, there is a growing excitement this award season. Readers will want to be curled up with popcorn and a favorite beverage the night of June 15 for the celebration of The American Theatre Wing’s 2008 Tony Awards. CBS will begin its live broadcast at 8 EST and 7 CST. But that’s still more than a week away; in the meantime, it’s been another week with no previews, no closings, and no gala openings.

Legendary comedian Don Rickles, who has performed at practically every conceivable venue, will make his Broadway debut with three concerts at The Town Hall in New York October 22-24.

"Mr Warmth" as is he known in the industry, continues to be an active and popular performer on the Las Vegas strip and has numerous dates booked through 2008.

In what has been a bit of an up-and-down season, it’s great to see a continuing growth in the numbers on Broadway for the week ending May 25, in terrific productions, attendance, and dollars. This past week’s box office was $20,770,363, almost a match for the same period last year of $20,922,895 and a jump of $437,367 over the previous reporting period. Currently, there are 36 shows on the Great White Way, 10 of which are enjoying close to 100 percent capacity.

According to The Broadway League, despite the stagehands strike and periodically soft sales, gross ticket revenues nearly reached $1 billion for the 2007-08 season, which ran from May 28, 2007 through May 25, 2008. Ticket sales for the season were $937.5 million, off only slightly from the previous year's gross tally of $938.5 million.

Broadway ticket sales were up in most theatres for the week ending May 18, just in time for the announcement of the Tony Award nominees. Total box office receipts reached $20,332,996, an increase over the previous reporting period of $18,736,548 and in line with the same period in 2007 of $20,736,201. The difference in gross receipts between this year and last year currently remains a steady 4.5 percent lower for this season. It is not likely, due to the strike last fall, to ever catch up.

The biggest draw this past week was Wicked once again, The Lion King, Jersey Boys, Mamma Mia! and The Little Mermaid. Figures for Young Frankenstein are not available. Of the ten plays currently on Broadway, MacBeth is enjoying almost 100 percent full houses followed by Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Les Liaisons Dangereuses. The biggest gain in attendance is seen in Avenue Q, up 22 percent from the previous week and followed closely by Top Girls. No production posted a drop in attendance of more than 1.5 percent.

Along with the storms that moved up the Appalachians to the east coast came a dampening of the climate on Broadway. The box office this past week was $18,736,548, compared to $19,146,988 in the previous reporting period, and both weeks were poorer than the same week a year ago at $20,063,202. However, both Les Liaisons Dangereuses at the American Airlines Theatre and Boeing-Boeing at the Longacre were up 15 percent in capacity. The biggest drop in attendance was Spamalot, by 16 percent, followed by Avenue Q, down almost 11 percent.

Last week was also the week of the 58th annual Outer Critics Circle Awards, which were announced by stage and screen star Sandy Duncan and Tony Award winner Karen Ziemba. South Pacific earned the most awards of the evening, with four wins for Outstanding Revival of a Musical, Outstanding Director of a Musical, Outstanding Actor in a Musical, and Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical.

"Never Give a Saga an Even Break!" Mel Brooks' brand of offbeat, anti-culture humor was all over his movie "Blazing Saddles" in February 1974. He wrote the screenplay with Norman Steinberg and Richard Pryor. Brooks wrote the lyrics and John Morris wrote the music including the theme song of the same name. The film went on to earn the Screen Writers Guild of America (USA) award for Best Comedy Written for the Screen, with three Oscar and two BAFTA nominations. Seen by millions, it set a new standard of humor for generations. Now Brooks is bent on "Blazing" a trail to Broadway.

"Blazing" won't be Brooks' first Broadway musical. That claim to fame belongs to "The Producers," which was adapted from his movie of the same name. To bring "Blazing" to the stage will be a tour-de-force; what works in a movie doesn't always translate to the stage. The film poked fun at bigotry and racism, using bad taste to the point of being screamingly funny. The stage production will need to reflect contemporary language, clichés, and even current events without losing the flavor of the original screenplay or its audience. But given Brooks' success with his latest effort, Young Frankenstein, we can probably trust him to deliver the goods. He even said it on the gold coin pictured in the movie poster for "Saddles": "HI, I'M MEL. TRUST ME."

Broadway ticket sales had its ups and downs for the week ending May 4. Overall, sales were down somewhat at $19,146,988 compared to the same week last year at $19,548,481 and weaker than the previous reporting period, April 27, of $20,335,690. Yet, there were some productions showing modest gains, namely A Catered Affair with attendance up 5 percent to generate $431,153, followed by The Lion King up just over 1 percent for $1,229,650 and tailed by Thurgood up a half percent for $202,134 in its second week. Wicked continues its dominance with 100 percent attendance and the highest gross of any production, $1,439,333.

The show with the biggest drop in box office was Cry-Baby, at 30 percent. The show's gross dropped from $281,794 the previous week to $222,068 this past week. Sunday in the Park With George also saw a drop from $434,512 the previous week to $301,337 this past week, a difference of close to 30 percent.