The week ended Jan. 27 was a quiet one on Broadway with only two productions officially making the million-dollar mark, Wicked and Jersey Boys. Variety estimates Young Frankenstein’s unreported ticket sales at about $1.19 million, down a bit from previous weeks. Interestingly, Sunday in the Park with George, in previews at Studio 54, had an excellent turnout with attendance at close to 93 percent, just behind Wicked and Jersey Boys. It opens February 21.
Overall, ticket sales sank to $14,451,085 this past week compared to $16,271,060 in the previous reporting period, a difference of $1,819,975. Spamalot took a 19 percent nosedive in spite of the refreshing Clay Aiken on stage. On a warm note, The 39 Steps had an increase of 15 percent. Attendance was still better this past week than the same period last season, 200,948 compared to 194,268.
Come Back, Little Sheba opened January 24, the first Broadway revival of the play by William Inge, running through March 16 at the Biltmore Theatre. The award-winning actress Epatha Merkerson plays the central character, Lola, in this powerful tale of an empty marriage.
A benchmark was reached last week when the super star of all Broadway musicals, The Phantom of the Opera, played its 8,139th performance at The Majestic Theatre. It has so many superlatives: it has made an estimated $5 billion worldwide, far surpassing the highest-grossing film “The Titanic” which grossed just 1.2 billion dollars. On Broadway, Phantom has played to 12.5 million theatergoers and to more than 80 million worldwide.
CLOSING: The Seafarer playing at the Booth Theatre will close its limited engagement on March 30.
Broadway Grosses: Jan. 21-27
All data provided by The League of American Theatres and Producers
