‘How to Succeed’ in business even as Broadway sales drop

Broadway ticket sales fell another $3 million through the week ending January 15, bringing the cumulative haul to $20.9 million across 29 productions.

January is traditionally a slow sales month on the Great White Way. Despite the slackening sales, not all shows have been suffering during this season’s annual slump.

Weekly receipts have remained high for Broadway’s top draws. Through January 15, “Wicked” pulled in a hefty $1.79 million in ticket sales. Not far behind were “The Lion King” ($1.59 million), “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark” (nearly $1.44 million), and “The Book of Mormon” (almost $1.42 million).

But the biggest surprise may be the revival of “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” now playing at the Hirschfeld. Daniel Radcliffe completed his star turn as J. Pierrepont Finch on January 1, but his successor has kept “Business” boffo.

Darren Criss, doing a three-week stint before Nick Jonas takes the reins, drew audiences to the tune of $1.33 million last week. While that’s 30 percent lower than receipts from Radcliffe’s final performance week (Jan. 1), it’s also 20 percent higher than receipts from the week before Radcliffe left (Dec. 25).

Over the next two weeks, at least five more productions will close their doors — some as scheduled, and others early. But regardless of timing or reason, with each shuttering will come another drop in Broadway’s cumulative ticket sales.

Taking a final bow on January 22 are “The Mountaintop” ($636,651) and “Follies” ($878,826). Afterwards comes the January 29 shuttering of “Relatively Speaking” ($359,460), “On a Clear Day You Can See Forever” ($627,972), and “Chinglish” ($222,233).

But as these shows close, another new production is waiting in the wings. A staging of “Wit” opens January 26 at the Friedman Theatre after three weeks of previews. The show has fetched only modest receipts thus far, including a $208,017 gross through the week ending January 15.

All data provided by The Broadway League.