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Wall Street’s troubles don’t trip up Broadway ticket sales
In spite of an erratic market on Wall Street this past week, Broadway had a positive bounce of close to $2 million. This week saw totals of $15,646,163, compared to the pale total of $13,763,550 last week. For the season, things are looking good too with this season bringing in $304,568,414 so far compared to just $301,519,304 for the same time last season.
Seeing the biggest percentage of increase in its audiences is Spring Awakening at the O’Neill Theatre, 9 percent over last week followed by The Phantom of the Opera at the Majestic enjoying an increase of 8 percent. A Man For All Seasons at the American Airlines Theater saw the biggest change in gross earnings, up more than $118,000 from last week followed by Spamalot at the Shubert with a jump of more than $78,600. Only the Lion King at the Minskoff saw a significant drop in ticket sales of $18,000. A Tale of Two Cities at the Hirschfeld saw an 8 percent drop in attendance followed closely by Avenue Q at the Golden with a 7 percent drop.
Looking more closely at the big money makers, just three productions took in more than a million dollars this past week with Wicked at the Gershwin, Jersey Boys at the August Wilson, and “The Lion King” at the Minskoff each crossing into seven figures. In attendance, four productions posted 95 percent or better houses.
The best buy on Broadway was a ticket to see [title of show] with an average paid admission of just $46.43. “Jersey Boys” posted the highest at $114.85 and the top ticket price of $350 per ticket.
A slew of new productions undoubtedly spurred the interest of theatergoers. It was Opening Night for “A Tale of Two Cities” on Sept. 18 with other productions that are in previews being:
– Equus at the Broadhurst scheduled to open Sept. 25
– The Seagull at the Walter Kerr scheduled for Oct. 2.
– 13 at the Jacobs scheduled for Oct. 5.
– “A Man For All Seasons” scheduled for Oct. 7.
– To Be or Not to Be at the Friedman scheduled for Oct. 14.
– All My Sons at the Schoenfeld scheduled for Oct. 16.
Broadway Gross Ticket Sales Week ending September 21, 2008
All data provided by The Broadway League
Broadway Gross Ticket Sales | |||||||
| Production (Theatre) | Weekly Gross | Total Atten. | Prev. | Perf. | Total Capacity | Avg. Ticket Price | Atten. % |
| 13 (Jacobs) | $203,326 | 4,105 | 8 | 0 | 1,042 | $49.53 | 49.2% |
| A Man For All Seasons (American Airlines) | $259,116 | 4,800 | 8 | 0 | 740 | $53.98 | 81.1% |
| A Tale…Cities (Hirschfeld) | $387,945 | 6,431 | 4 | 4 | 1,420 | $60.32 | 56.6% |
| All My Sons (Schoenfeld) | $478,235 | 5,138 | 5 | 0 | 1,052 | $93.08 | 97.7% |
| August: Osage County (Music Box) | $453,813 | 5,241 | 0 | 8 | 979 | $86.59 | 66.9% |
| Avenue Q (Golden) | $293,068 | 4,724 | 0 | 8 | 796 | $62.04 | 74.2% |
| Boeing-Boeing (Longacre) | $381,491 | 5,960 | 0 | 8 | 1,085 | $64.01 | 68.7% |
| Chicago (Ambassador) | $469,233 | 6,802 | 0 | 8 | 1,080 | $68.98 | 78.7% |
| Equus (Broadhurst) | $631,313 | 6,719 | 8 | 0 | 1,206 | $93.96 | 69.6% |
| Grease (Atkinson) | $434,369 | 6,122 | 0 | 8 | 1,072 | $70.95 | 71.4% |
| Gypsy (St. James) | $686,469 | 10,087 | 0 | 8 | 1,707 | $68.05 | 73.9% |
| Hairspray (Neil Simon) | $404,397 | 7,428 | 0 | 8 | 1,428 | $54.44 | 65.0% |
| In the Heights (Rodgers) | $816,875 | 9,073 | 0 | 8 | 1,344 | $90.03 | 84.4% |
| Jersey Boys (August Wilson) | $1,136,055 | 9,892 | 0 | 8 | 1,222 | $114.85 | 101.2% |
| Legally Blonde (Palace) | $432,876 | 8,303 | 0 | 8 | 1,691 | $52.13 | 61.4% |
| Mamma Mia! (Winter Garden) | $986,369 | 11,734 | 0 | 8 | 1,498 | $84.06 | 97.9% |
| Mary Poppins (New Amsterdam) | $514,965 | 7,709 | 0 | 8 | 1,797 | $66.80 | 53.6% |
| South Pacific (Beaumont) | $913,774 | 8,311 | 0 | 8 | 1,041 | $109.95 | 99.8% |
| Spamalot (Shubert) | $494,410 | 6,866 | 0 | 8 | 1,441 | $72.01 | 59.6% |
| Spring Awakening (O’Neill) | $357,104 | 5,873 | 0 | 8 | 1,090 | $60.80 | 67.4% |
| The 39 Steps (Cort) | $237,249 | 4,634 | 0 | 8 | 787 | $51.20 | 73.6% |
| The Lion King (Minskoff) | $1,079,025 | 12,266 | 0 | 8 | 1,654 | $87.97 | 92.7% |
| The Little Mermaid (Lunt-Fontanne) | $683,057 | 8,834 | 0 | 8 | 1,518 | $77.32 | 72.7% |
| The Phantom of the Opera (Majestic) | $731,526 | 10,541 | 0 | 8 | 1,615 | $69.40 | 81.6% |
| The Seagull (Walter Kerr) | $369,609 | 6,043 | 8 | 0 | 947 | $61.16 | 79.8% |
| [title of show] (Lyceum) | $121,417 | 2,615 | 0 | 8 | 914 | $46.43 | 35.8% |
| To Be…Be (Friedman) | $134,559 | 2,681 | 8 | 0 | 650 | $50.19 | 51.6% |
| Wicked (Gershwin) | $1,391,903 | 14,249 | 0 | 8 | 1,809 | $97.68 | 98.5% |
| Xanadu (Hayes) | $162,616 | 2,907 | 0 | 8 | 596 | $55.94 | 61.0% |
