Broadway ticket sales continued on a slight positive swing for the week ending August 2, although comparing the numbers from the previous reporting period of $19,929,447 to this past week’s $18,766,070, there was a drop of $1,163,377. However, that is for a total of 21 productions currently on the Great White Way, which is down from the usual 31, so the dip actually shows some progress.
It should be pointed out that any comparison between this season’s numbers and the previous season however, will not be an accurate comparison because of a change in the way the Broadway League now reports the numbers. The change was initiated on the week ending May 31, 2009 and the beginning of the 2009-10 season on June 1. Instead of reporting Net Gross and Net Gross Potential, numbers are now based on Gross Gross and Gross Gross Potential, before adjustments are made such factors as credit card commissions and group sales commissions. A change was also made in reporting attendance: instead of reporting Paid Attendance, the League now reports Total Attendance. Going forward, accurate comparisons can be made between the next season 2010-11 and the current season 2009-10, as well as all others in the future.
The difference in reporting numbers is also reflected in the number of productions reporting a million or more in ticket sales. This past week saw Wicked at the Gershwin, The Lion King at the Minskoff, Billy Elliott: The Musical at the Imperial, West Side Story at the Palace, Jersey Boys at the August Wilson, The Little Mermaid at the Lunt-Fontanne, Hair at the Al Hirschfeld, Mamma Mia! at the Winter Garden, Mary Poppins at the New Amsterdam, Shrek the Musical at the Broadway and The Phantom of the Opera at the Majestic in that order for a total of 11 productions. Just one play remains on the boards: The 39 Steps at the Helen Hayes Theatre.
Raising temperatures and excitement is a new special that opened July 25, Burn the Floor at the Longacre. You’ll only have until October 18 of this year to catch it. As its name suggests, it’s a hot dance show featuring choreography by Jason Gilkison and featuring some names that have become known to patrons already by their performances on some television shows: Dancing With The Stars, So You Think You Can Dance and Strictly Ballroom.
If you haven’t caught “Avenue Q” playing at the Golden yet, you’ll have until September 13. It has played for six years; that equates to 2,534 performances and 22 previews, which will make it the 20th longest running show on Broadway on that date.
Broadway Gross Ticket Sales Week ending August 2, 2009
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. % |
| 9 to 5 (Marquis) |
$665,102 | 8,702 | 0 | 8 | 1,611 | $76.43 | 67.5% |
| Avenue Q (Golden) |
$410,259 | 5,334 | 0 | 8 | 796 | $76.91 | 83.8% |
| Billy Elliot (Imperial) |
$1,420,249 | 11,364 | 0 | 8 | 1,421 | $124.98 | 100.0% |
| Burn the Floor (Longacre) |
$259,786 | 6,767 | 6 | 1 | 1,045 | $38.39 | 92.5% |
| Chicago (Ambassador) |
$689,628 | 8,158 | 0 | 8 | 1,080 | $84.53 | 94.4% |
| Hair (Hirschfeld) |
$1,102,148 | 11,311 | 0 | 8 | 1,412 | $97.44 | 100.1% |
| In the Heights (Rodgers) |
$886,956 | 9,954 | 0 | 8 | 1,365 | $89.11 | 91.2% |
| Jersey Boys (August Wilson) |
$1,150,344 | 9,899 | 0 | 8 | 1,222 | $116.21 | 101.3% |
| Mamma Mia! (Winter Garden) |
$1,079,916 | 11,849 | 0 | 8 | 1,498 | $91.14 | 98.9% |
| Mary Poppins (New Amsterdam) |
$1,017,352 | 13,652 | 0 | 8 | 1,797 | $74.52 | 95.0% |
| Mary Stuart (Broadhurst) |
$343,146 | 5,815 | 0 | 8 | 1,150 | $59.01 | 63.2% |
| Next to Normal (Booth) |
$456,333 | 5,736 | 0 | 8 | 772 | $79.56 | 92.9% |
| Rock of Ages (Atkinson) |
$690,585 | 7,928 | 0 | 8 | 997 | $87.11 | 99.4% |
| Shrek (Broadway) |
$1,008,541 | 12,287 | 0 | 8 | 1,733 | $82.08 | 88.6% |
| South Pacific (Beaumont) |
$803,356 | 7,875 | 0 | 8 | 1,041 | $102.01 | 94.6% |
| The 39 Steps (Hayes) |
$248,135 | 3,983 | 0 | 8 | 589 | $62.30 | 84.5% |
| The Lion King (Minskoff) |
$1,467,230 | 13,170 | 0 | 8 | 1,654 | $111.41 | 99.5% |
| The Little Mermaid (Lunt-Fontanne) |
$1,139,162 | 12,030 | 0 | 8 | 1,519 | $94.69 | 99.0% |
| The Phantom of the Opera (Majestic) |
$1,002,059 | 12,594 | 0 | 8 | 1,615 | $79.57 | 97.5% |
| West Side Story (Palace) |
$1,298,546 | 13,319 | 0 | 8 | 1,697 | $97.50 | 98.1% |
| Wicked (Gershwin) |
$1,627,239 | 14,472 | 0 | 8 | 1,809 | $112.44 | 100.0% |