In the midst of the most historic U.S. election ever, Broadway posted the single most dismal week of the season with totals of just $15,656,656, down from the last reporting period’s $17,209,275. What shot-in-the-arm the election of Barack Obama will bring to the greater economy and to Broadway in particular in the waning days of the Bush administration remains to be seen in the weeks and months to come.
Looking at the total of 31 productions, the leaders in box office ticket sales were Wicked at the Gershwin, Jersey Boys at the August Wilson and The Lion King at the Minskoff, all over a million dollars.
Of the 11 plays, All My Sons at the Schoenfeld led ticket sales followed by Equus at the Broadhurst, although “Equus” suffered a 10 percent decline in attendance.
Three plays showed an increase in box office grosses in spite of the overall malaise; Billy Elliot at the Imperial lived up to expectations, up $116,000 over last week although attendance was actually down 11 percent. Dividing the Estate at the Booth was up $89,000, and Speed the Plow at the Barrymore was up $75,000.
Not weathering the storm is A Tale of Two Cities at the Al Hirschfeld, reported to be closing its doors on November 16 after only six weeks. It was down $93,000 this past week with attendance at only 45 percent capacity, down ten percent over last week. On the plus side, American Buffalo opened to previews at the Belasco. Opening Night is scheduled for November 17.
Best Bargain on Broadway was a ticket to “Dividing the Estate” at an Average Paid Admission of just under $42.
In the awards news, the Tony Awards Administration Committee announced that Awards will be held at Radio City Music Hall June 7, 2009. The committee meets several times during the season. Also of note, the UK 2008 Evening Standard Theatre Awards “short list” of possible nominations will be announced Nov. 7. The winners will be announced at a ceremony at the Royal Opera House in London on Nov. 24.
Broadway Gross Ticket Sales Week ending November 2, 2008
All data provided by The Broadway League
Broadway Gross Ticket Sales
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| Production (Theatre) |
Weekly Gross | Total Atten. | Prev. | Perf. | Total Capacity | Avg. Ticket Price | Atten. % |
| 13 (Jacobs) |
$198,610 | 3,803 | 0 | 8 | 1,042 | $52.22 | 45.6% |
| A Man For All Seasons (American Airlines) |
$245,898 | 4,556 | 0 | 8 | 738 | $53.97 | 77.2% |
| A Tale…Cities (Hirschfeld) |
$303,755 | 5,056 | 0 | 8 | 1,420 | $60.08 | 44.5% |
| All My Sons (Schoenfeld) |
$718,832 | 8,376 | 0 | 8 | 1,052 | $85.82 | 99.5% |
| American Buffalo (Belasco) |
$124,431 | 2,382 | 4 | 0 | 1,018 | $52.24 | 58.5% |
| August: Osage County (Music Box) |
$331,628 | 4,079 | 0 | 8 | 979 | $81.30 | 52.1% |
| Avenue Q (Golden) |
$203,230 | 3,514 | 0 | 8 | 796 | $57.83 | 55.2% |
| Billy Elliot (Imperial) |
$981,223 | 9,516 | 8 | 0 | 1,421 | $103.11 | 83.7% |
| Boeing-Boeing (Longacre) |
$271,106 | 4,627 | 0 | 8 | 1,085 | $58.59 | 53.3% |
| Chicago (Ambassador) |
$448,504 | 6,512 | 0 | 8 | 1,080 | $68.87 | 75.4% |
| Dividing the Estate (Booth) |
$198,239 | 4,761 | 8 | 0 | 780 | $41.64 | 76.3% |
| Equus (Broadhurst) |
$512,716 | 5,824 | 0 | 8 | 1,206 | $88.04 | 60.4% |
| Grease (Atkinson) |
$427,328 | 5,872 | 0 | 8 | 1,072 | $72.77 | 68.5% |
| Gypsy (St. James) |
$539,737 | 8,170 | 0 | 8 | 1,707 | $66.06 | 59.8% |
| Hairspray (Neil Simon) |
$437,803 | 7,590 | 0 | 8 | 1,428 | $57.68 | 66.4% |
| In the Heights (Rodgers) |
$640,915 | 7,737 | 0 | 8 | 1,344 | $82.84 | 72.0% |
| Jersey Boys (August Wilson) |
$1,057,856 | 9,628 | 0 | 8 | 1,222 | $109.87 | 98.5% |
| Mamma Mia! (Winter Garden) |
$955,671 | 11,505 | 0 | 8 | 1,498 | $83.07 | 96.0% |
| Mary Poppins (New Amsterdam) |
$537,385 | 8,615 | 0 | 8 | 1,797 | $62.38 | 59.9% |
| South Pacific (Beaumont) |
$920,519 | 8,296 | 0 | 8 | 1,041 | $110.96 | 99.6% |
| Spamalot (Shubert) |
$389,588 | 5,965 | 0 | 8 | 1,441 | $65.31 | 51.7% |
| Speed the Plow (Barrymore) |
$487,413 | 7,048 | 0 | 8 | 1,058 | $69.16 | 83.3% |
| Spring Awakening (O’Neill) |
$251,705 | 4,122 | 0 | 8 | 1,090 | $61.06 | 47.3% |
| The 39 Steps (Cort) |
$182,134 | 3,544 | 0 | 8 | 787 | $51.39 | 56.3% |
| The Lion King (Minskoff) |
$986,360 | 11,334 | 0 | 8 | 1,654 | $87.03 | 85.7% |
| The Little Mermaid (Lunt-Fontanne) |
$600,202 | 7,642 | 0 | 8 | 1,518 | $78.54 | 62.9% |
| The Phantom of the Opera (Majestic) |
$671,220 | 10,425 | 0 | 8 | 1,615 | $64.39 | 80.7% |
| The Seagull (Walter Kerr) |
$498,712 | 6,462 | 0 | 8 | 947 | $77.18 | 85.3% |
| To Be…Be (Friedman) |
$130,119 | 2,288 | 0 | 8 | 650 | $56.87 | 44.0% |
| Wicked (Gershwin) |
$1,403,819 | 14,255 | 0 | 8 | 1,809 | $98.48 | 98.5% |