Broadway tickets continue to see uneven sales

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.

Enjoying greater than 95 percent houses were: Wicked, Jersey Boys, The Lion King, and South Pacific. November drew the smallest crowds this past week, only filling 45 percent of its capacity.

Cry-Baby tickets were a “Best Value,” charging the lowest average paid admission. On the other end of the scale, Jersey Boys had the highest average at $112 as well as the top ticket price of $351.50.

Heading for Broadway this fall is Vanities, based on Jack Heifner’s 1976 comedy. It’s at the Pasadena Playhouse this summer through September 28. Judith Ivey will direct the Broadway production. The theater will be announced at a later date.

The Grinch hits the road this fall at Baltimore’s Hippodrome and quite likely a Boston run too. It remains to be seen whether or not its bright presence will grace Broadway again this year.

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All data provided by The Broadway League