Broadway is heading into its final pre-Tony weeks doing robust business, with box office for last week up 7% over the previous week, nine shows selling out (including the two most-nominated productions) and ticket-buyers for two nominated musicals shelling out more than an average $200 per seat.
In all, the 35 shows grossed a total $36,011,651 for the week ending June 9, a 16% increase over last season at this time. Total attendance was 291,082, a 4% increase over the previous week and up 14% year-to-year. About 89% of seats were filled.
Among the shows selling out were Stereophonic and Hell’s Kitchen, this year’s most-Tony-nominated productions (each in 13 categories on awards night, June 16). Best Play nominee Stereophonic grossed $872,337 and Best Musical nominee Hell’s Kitchen took in $1,638,208. Average ticket prices for each hovered around the $140 mark.
Two other sell-outs – Merrily We Roll Along and Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club – had average ticket prices far above the $124 overall average. Merrily, which grossed $1,762,019, had the week’s highest average ticket price at $228. Cabaret, grossing $1,899,832, carried an average ticket of $222.28.
Other shows filling their seats were An Enemy of the People ($1,047,796), Hadestown ($870,653), Hamilton ($1,905,404), Mother Play ($685,650) and The Outsiders ($1,101,598).
The two most recent Broadway arrivals were Home, the non-prof Roundabout revival of the Samm-Art Williams play at the Todd Haimes Theatre, opened on June 5, taking in $111,564 for six previews and one regular performance, filling 73% of seats at a bargain $29.70 average ticket. Ben Platt: Live at the Palace, the singer-songwriter-actor’s limited run concert residency, was at 81% of the renovated venue’s capacity, grossing $680,806 with an average ticket of $84.80.
Uncle Vanya rebounded strongly from the previous week when Steve Carell was out sick for five shows. With the star back on stage, the play grossed $1,011,205, up $276,825 from the previous week.
The week’s lowest grossers were The Heart of Rock and Roll ($272,051) and Patriots ($293,233).
Season to date, Broadway, in the third week of the new season, has grossed $104,969,902, with total attendance at 858,581.
All figures courtesy of The Broadway League. For complete box office listings, visit the League’s website.