Broadway box office climbs as spring slate takes shape – Deadline

Broadway’s spring season kicked into high gear last week, with seven premiering productions arriving (with more to come over the coming weeks). Overall business remained strong, with the 31 shows grossing a total of $28,818,836. The figure marks a 7% increase on the previous week, a jump largely due to the outstanding performance of recent arrivals such as Funny Girl, Mr. Saturday Night, Plaza Suite and of course, The music man.

Total attendance for the week ending April 3 was 224,053, a 12% increase from 200,731 the previous week, when there were seven fewer productions on the boards. General average Broadway ticket price $128.63.

Two shows officially opened last week: Square Suite, starring Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker, to mixed to positive reviews, continuing its strong business with a gross of $1,288,716 and full houses. The average ticket price was $178.75.

Critics were less enthusiastic for place of paradise, with the musical taking a modest $296,350 for the week, which of course includes critics’ compositions and opening night freebies. Although 91% of the seats at the Ethel Barrymore were occupied, the average ticket price was $41.36.

During its first (almost) full week, funny girl starring Beanie Feldstein took home an impressive $1,263,178 for seven previews, filling all seats and with a solid average ticket of $147.81. The August Wilson Theater revival opens April 24.

Shows whose previews began last week are included The little Prince (filling about 55% of seats on Broadway for six previews, grossing $359,264; opens April 11); Minutes (two previews at Studio 54, $140,970, 80% capacity; opens April 17); How I learned to drive (six previews at Friedman, $221,439, 79% capacity; opens April 19); for girls of color who have thought about suicide/when the rainbow is enough (three booth previews, $101,052, 74% capacity; opens April 20); The skin of our teeth (three previews at ASBL Vivian Beaumont, $59,908, 46% capacity; opens April 25); Mr Saturday night (with Billy Crystal, six previews at Nederlander, $805,619; 87% capacity; opens April 27).

Another newcomer – macbeth with Daniel Craig and Ruth Negga – only played three previews at Longacre before suspending production due to Craig’s Covid diagnosis. Business for these three performances was excellent: full houses, gross price of $527,244 and average ticket price of $167.97; previews are set to resume on April 8, with an opening date set for April 28.

Other recent arrivals have been American Buffalo, filling 86% of seats for a gross of $592,422 and, in non-profit venues, birthday candles ($303,513, 91% capacity) and take me out ($311,997, 87% capacity). take me out opened to rave reviews last night, which the numbers should reflect in the coming weeks).

The music manstarring Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster, showed no signs of slowing down, grossing $3,335,201 and filling houses with an average ticket of $275.

David Byrne’s American Utopia played its final week at the St. James, filling seats and winning a nice parting gift of $1,314,017 in revenue.

Season-to-date, Broadway has grossed $624,184,350, with total attendance of 4,979,976 at about 82% capacity.

The 31 productions grossing numbers on Broadway last week were Aladdin; American buffalo; birthday candles; The Book of Mormon; Chicago; Come from afar; Company; American Utopia by David Byrne; Dear Evan Hansen; for girls of color who have thought about suicide/when the rainbow is enough; funny girl; Hadesville; Hamilton; Harry Potter and the Cursed Child; How I learned to drive; The Lion King; The little Prince; Macbeth; MJ; Minutes; Red Mill!; Mr. Saturday night; The Music Man; place of paradise; The Phantom of the Opera; Plaza Suite; Six; The skin of our teeth; Take me out; Tina; and Bad.

All figures courtesy of The Broadway League.