Box office plunged over the Independence Day weekend, giving way to fireworks and feasts, racking up just $18,757,116 compared to the previous week’s $21,461,020. That does not compare well to the same week last year of $20,545,154. Undoubtedly, the absence of many productions, mainly plays, that have closed over the past couple of weeks helped to dim the box office glow. There are currently just 24 shows compared to 34 just a few weeks ago.

Five musicals posted million-dollar ticket sales all the same: Wicked at the Gershwin, Billy Elliot at the Imperial, The Lion King at the Minskoff, West Side Story at the Palace and Jersey Boys at the August Wilson. The Norman Conquests at the Circle in the Square was the only production to enjoy an up-tick in sales bringing in $320,397 compared to $315,992 last week. South Pacific at the Beaumont saw the largest drop in sales, a drop of $124,000 from last week.

Eleven productions packed their house at more than 95 percent capacity while the play Mary Stuart playing at the Broadhurst managed to fill only 55 percent of seats.

“The Norman Conquests” producer Sonia Friedman was reported by Variety to say that the trio of plays is approaching the end of its 16-week run and won’t recoup its investment in spite of great reviews and a Tony.

UPCOMING:
Burn the Floor, featuring Latin and Ballroom dance, opens to previews on July 25 at the Longacre, directed and choreographed by world champion dancer Jason Gilkison. Opening night is scheduled for August 2.

A new production of David Mamet’s 1992 play Oleanna will make its Broadway debut at the John Golden Theatre beginning September 29, starring Bill Pullman and Julia Stiles. Doug Hughes will direct.

CLOSING:
If you haven’t caught The Little Mermaid at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre yet, its closing has been announced for August 30. If you fail to see the show on Broadway, you can catch it in a national tour launching in autumn of 2010.

Also closing its doors after September 13 is the puppet-populated Tony Award-winning musical Avenue Q playing at the John Golden Theatre.

Broadway Gross Ticket Sales Week ending July 5, 2009
All data provided by The Broadway League

Broadway Gross Ticket Sales
Week Ending July 5, 2009
Production
(Theatre)		 Weekly Gross Total Atten. Prev. Perf. Total Capacity Avg. Ticket Price Atten. %
9 to 5
(Marquis)		 $675,136 9,671 0 8 1,611 $69.81 75.0%
Avenue Q
(Golden)		 $318,640 4,956 0 8 796 $64.29 77.8%
Billy Elliot
(Imperial)		 $1,351,026 11,369 0 8 1,421 $118.83 100.0%
Blithe Spirit
(Shubert)		 $548,311 7,995 0 8 1,479 $68.58 67.6%
Chicago
(Ambassador)		 $571,015 7,021 0 8 1,080 $81.33 81.3%
God of Carnage
(Jacobs)		 $933,436 8,680 0 8 1,078 $107.54 100.6%
Hair
(Hirschfeld)		 $999,471 10,956 0 8 1,412 $91.23 97.0%
In the Heights
(Rodgers)		 $782,689 10,419 0 8 1,365 $75.12 95.4%
Jersey Boys
(August Wilson)		 $1,101,363 9,719 0 8 1,222 $113.32 99.4%
Mamma Mia!
(Winter Garden)		 $953,712 11,952 0 8 1,498 $79.80 99.7%
Mary Poppins
(New Amsterdam)		 $778,466 11,198 0 8 1,797 $69.52 77.9%
Mary Stuart
(Broadhurst)		 $287,087 5,091 0 8 1,150 $56.39 55.3%
Next to Normal
(Booth)		 $418,644 5,974 0 8 772 $70.08 96.7%
Rock of Ages
(Atkinson)		 $569,432 7,869 0 8 997 $72.36 98.7%
Shrek
(Broadway)		 $853,080 12,686 0 8 1,733 $67.25 91.5%
South Pacific
(Beaumont)		 $745,970 7,519 0 8 1,041 $99.21 90.3%
The 39 Steps
(Hayes)		 $195,972 3,691 0 8 589 $53.09 78.3%
The Lion King
(Minskoff)		 $1,294,159 12,113 0 8 1,654 $106.84 91.5%
The Little Mermaid
(Lunt-Fontanne)		 $809,585 10,382 0 8 1,520 $77.98 85.4%
The Norman Conquests
(Circle in Square)		 $320,397 5,646 0 8 780 $56.75 90.5%
The Phantom of the Opera
(Majestic)		 $873,236 11,390 0 8 1,615 $76.67 88.2%
Waiting for Godot
(Studio 54)		 $549,144 8,336 0 8 1,004 $65.88 103.8%
West Side Story
(Palace)		 $1,253,984 12,639 0 8 1,697 $99.22 93.1%
Wicked
(Gershwin)		 $1,573,163 14,445 0 8 1,809 $108.91 99.8%