With the insanely busy Broadway spring season nearing peak production – only one musical, Dead Outlaw, has yet to begin previews – most shows felt the heat of competition last week, with 29 of the 39 productions reporting slips in box office grosses from the previous week.
Even so, most of the productions, particularly the more recent arrivals, were enjoying the rising tide nonetheless, with Just In Time starring Jonathan Groff as Bobby Darin selling out Circle in the Square and hitting a sweet high note of $901,973 for its first seven previews. Take that, all you Dream Lover naysayers. Who is Bobby Darin, indeed. He’s Jonathan Groff, that’s who. The musical officially opens April 26.
Let’s take a look at some other recent spring arrivals.
- Glengarry Glen Ross, the well-received Mamet revival starring Kieran Culkin, Bob Odenkirk and Bill Burr, took a dip but stayed strong overall with a $1,789,575 take in its first full week of post-opening performances at the Palace, standing room only.;
- Good Night, and Good Luck, the George Clooney historical drama that opened at the Winter Garden to mixed-to-favorable reviews last week, proved its imperviousness to critics by doing standing room business and scoring the second-highest gross of the week: $3,135,536 and the second-most expensive average ticket price of $250.68. The only show that outdid it on both counts was Othello starring Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal ($3,179,908 and $382.94);
- Promising indeed is Stranger Things: The First Shadow, filling 96% of seats at the 1,596-seat Marquis and grossing $676,923 with just four previews. Opening night is April 22;
- Probably too soon to predict hit or miss for Boop! and Smash, with the former taking in $398,040 for six previews and one regular performances, and the latter at a healthier $892,618 but still around the 89% capacity mark. Opening night for Smash is April 10;
- The Last Five Years, starring Adrienne Warren and Nick Jonas opened at the Hudson to mixed reviews but good crowds: 97% of seats were filled, and the gross was $714,000;
- Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends, in previews at the Friedman and starring Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga in a revue of the master’s works, filled 99% of seats and grossed $523,082 for seven shows;
- John Proctor Is The Villain, starring Sadie Sink in a revisionist Crucible, sold out the Booth, with its eight previews grossing $370,701;
- Pirates! The Penzance Musical, the non-prof Roundabout Theatre Company’s production of Rupert Holmes’ new adaptation of the Gilbert & Sullivan classic starring Ramin Karimloo, Jinkx Monsoon, David Hyde Pierce and Nicholas Barasch, sold out its first four previews at the Haimes, grossing $222,957. Opening night is April 24;
- Floyd Collins, in previews at Lincoln Center’s Beaumont, took in $509,731 for seven previews (opening April 21) and Real Women Have Curves: The Musical began previews at the James Earl Jones, grossing $371,495. Opening April 27.
In all, Broadway’s 39 productions grossed $42,361,129 for the week ending April 6, a slip of 3% from the previous week and up 7% over last year at this time. Last week’s attendance was 322,960 up 4% over the previous week and 6% over last season.
About 91% of all available Broadway seats were filled, with an overall average ticket price of $131.17.
Season to date, Broadway, in the 46th week of the 2024-25 season, has grossed $1,572,470,958, up about 19% over last year at this time, with total attendance of 12,280,963 up 17%.
All figures courtesy of The Broadway League. For complete box office visit statistic the League’s website.