In the world of Broadway, the weeks leading up to the holiday season are crucial for productions, both for financial viability and audience engagement. Last week showed an intriguing juxtaposition of success and struggle across the Broadway landscape. “Sunset Boulevard” emerged as a notable triumph, generating its highest box office earnings to date, while “Maybe Happy Ending” demonstrated a commendable upturn. Other newcomers, such as “Elf” and “A Wonderful World,” opened to substantial audience interest, yet not all productions shared the same fate.
Despite these bright spots, the overall box office performance revealed a decline in attendance for a significant number of shows. Out of 37 productions, a staggering 26 reported decreases in ticket sales, raising questions about the factors contributing to this downturn. For the week concluding on November 17, total ticket sales dropped by approximately 4%, reaching a collective $35 million and impacting attendance, which only slightly fell by less than 1% to nearly 304,368 attendees.
“Sunset Boulevard,” well-regarded for its powerful performances and engaging narrative, achieved a remarkable weekly gross of $1.9 million—an increase of over $44,000 from the previous week. This upward trajectory is especially impressive given the recent drama surrounding the show’s lead actress, Nicole Scherzinger, which threatened its momentum. Meanwhile, “A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical” opened at Studio 54, receiving mixed to positive reviews, while filling about 92% of its seats with a gross of $661,380. Similarly, “Maybe Happy Ending,” featuring the talents of Darren Criss and Helen J. Shen, managed an impressive bounce back, achieving a weekly gross of $458,827, marking an uplifting improvement of over $160,000 compared to its earlier numbers.
However, the stark contrast in fortunes was visible in the debut of “Tammy Faye,” which garnered a lukewarm response from both audiences and critics alike. With only 63% of the Palace Theater’s seats filled during its opening week, and a total gross of $374,371, the show faces an uphill battle in captivating theatergoers.
Yet, it was not all doom and gloom for recent openings. “Elf,” the festive musical inspired by the beloved film, opened with an occupancy rate of 90%, earning just over $510,000. This limited engagement capitalizes on the holiday spirit, and while its earnings were tempered by press night comps, it appears to resonate well with festive audiences.
On the other end of the spectrum, “Swept Away,” which premiered last week at the Longacre Theater, saw a modest attendance of 81%, grossing nearly $427,000. Similar to “Maybe Happy Ending,” its ultimate success will likely hinge on critical reviews as they roll in.
Moreover, “Death Becomes Her,” which will open soon, already exhibits excellent ticket sales. In its buildup, it netted an impressive $1.1 million last week, selling out 96% of the Lunt-Fontanne’s capacity. Other notable productions like “Romeo + Juliet,” featuring a star-studded cast, have seen spectacular attendance, with sales reaching 102% of capacity, while managing to net over $1 million.
The impressive attendance stats do not stop there; several iconic shows such as “Wicked,” “Hamilton,” and “The Lion King” continuously outperform expectations, with full houses and substantial grosses reinforcing Broadway’s standing as a cultural and entertainment powerhouse.
Entering the 26th week of the season, Broadway has experienced a gross revenue of approximately $823 million, marking a positive uptick of around 12% compared to the previous year. Total attendance is also up approximately 11%, reflecting a renewable interest in live theater following the pandemic’s impact. These numbers indicate that while individual productions may fluctuate, the overall trend suggests a thriving Broadway ecosystem.
The current Broadway market exhibits a complex array of outcomes, from triumphant debuts to disappointing openings, all underscored by fluctuating audience engagement. As the holiday season approaches, it will be critical for productions to leverage marketing and audience feedback effectively to sustain the momentum gained and potentially reverse the decline seen in several shows.