Broadway box offices continued to increase this week with ticket sales growing to $21,117,855 with close to 87 percent full houses overall. Last week’s gross was $20,663,375 and the same week last season was $19,672,303. Total ticket sales for the season are at $400,294,750, compared to $406,850,644 at this point last season. The gap is closing, from -2.3 percent last week to -1.6 percent this week.

In the million-dollar circle were Wicked at the Gershwin, Billy Elliot at the Imperial, The Lion King at the Minskoff, A Steady Rain at the Schoenfeld, Jersey Boys at the August Wilson, West Side Story at the Palace, Mamma Mia! at the Winter Garden and God of Carnage at the Jacobs in that order. “A Steady Rain” and “God of Carnage” were the only plays that crossed the million dollar threshold. Hamlet at the Broadhurst, starring Jude Law, enjoyed the largest increase, $195,000, over the previous week. There are now 29 productions offered on Broadway: nine plays, two specials and 18 musicals.

Shrek at the Broadway saw the greatest drop in ticket sale dollars from the previous reporting period to this past week, $86,602, with a loss of close to 12 percent in attendance.

Looking further at attendance, After Miss Julie at the American Airlines showed the largest gain, 13 percent over the previous week. A total of nine productions enjoyed 95 percent or better houses, six of those at 100 percent or better.

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Bye Bye Birdie opened at the Henry Miller’s on October 15 to predominantly poor reviews, achieving only 56 percent of its potential gross.

Currently in previews are:

• “After Miss Julie” opening October 22
• Brighton Beach Memoirs at the Nederlander opening October 25
• Finian’s Rainbow at the St. James opening October 29

Please note: Beginning with the week ending May 31, 2009, “Gross” represents Gross Gross and “Attendance” represents Total Attendance. For every week prior to May 31, these numbers represent Net Gross and Paid Attendance respectively. The Broadway League took this into account when comparing this season’s figures to the previous season’s and made adjustments accordingly.

Broadway Gross Ticket Sales Week ending October 18, 2009

All data provided by The Broadway League

Broadway Gross Ticket Sales
Week Ending October 18, 2009

Production
(Theatre)
Weekly Gross Total Atten. Prev. Perf. Total Capacity Avg. Ticket Price Atten. %
A Steady Rain
(Schoenfeld)
$1,239,283 8,672 0 8 1,071 $142.91 101.2%
After Miss Julie
(American Airlines)
$210,808 5,160 8 0 740 $40.85 87.2%
Billy Elliot
(Imperial)
$1,455,524 11,369 0 8 1,421 $128.03 100.0%
Brighton Beach Memoirs
(Nederlander)
$123,346 4,762 8 0 1,201 $25.90 49.6%
Burn the Floor
(Longacre)
$383,378 5,832 0 8 1,044 $65.74 69.8%
Bye Bye Birdie
(Henry Miller)
$551,402 8,293 3 5 1,026 $66.49 101.0%
Chicago
(Ambassador)
$683,045 8,089 0 8 1,080 $84.44 93.6%
Finian’s Rainbow
(St. James)
$360,756 8,587 7 0 1,701 $42.01 72.1%
God of Carnage
(Jacobs)
$1,005,746 8,792 0 8 1,078 $114.39 101.9%
Hair
(Hirschfeld)
$904,648 9,876 0 8 1,412 $91.60 87.4%
Hamlet
(Broadhurst)
$904,914 8,469 0 8 1,174 $106.85 90.2%
In the Heights
(Rodgers)
$761,965 8,943 0 8 1,365 $85.20 81.9%
Jersey Boys
(August Wilson)
$1,160,186 9,900 0 8 1,222 $117.19 101.3%
Mamma Mia!
(Winter Garden)
$1,049,340 11,712 0 8 1,498 $89.60 97.7%
Mary Poppins
(New Amsterdam)
$819,866 12,097 0 8 1,797 $67.77 84.1%
Memphis
(Shubert)
$545,701 10,728 8 0 1,470 $50.87 91.2%
Next to Normal
(Booth)
$468,405 5,714 0 8 772 $81.98 92.5%
Oleanna
(Golden)
$271,157 4,751 0 8 804 $57.07 73.9%
Rock of Ages
(Atkinson)
$638,918 7,398 0 8 997 $86.36 92.8%
Shrek
(Broadway)
$583,404 8,066 0 8 1,733 $72.33 58.2%
South Pacific
(Beaumont)
$798,463 7,756 0 8 1,041 $102.95 93.1%
Superior Donuts
(Music Box)
$352,471 5,408 0 8 991 $65.18 68.2%
The 39 Steps
(Hayes)
$229,125 3,390 0 8 589 $67.59 71.9%
The Lion King
(Minskoff)
$1,373,872 12,975 0 8 1,654 $105.89 98.1%
The Phantom of the Opera
(Majestic)
$948,544 12,307 0 8 1,615 $77.07 95.3%
The Royal Family
(Biltmore)
$268,524 4,613 0 8 650 $58.21 88.7%
West Side Story
(Palace)
$1,073,830 11,304 0 8 1,697 $95.00 83.3%
Wicked
(Gershwin)
$1,554,561 14,472 0 8 1,809 $107.42 100.0%
Wishful Drinking
(Studio 54)
$396,676 6,610 0 8 1,004 $60.01 82.3%