Broadway Grosses Jump 12% as Spring Openings Sell Out
SkimNews Take
Broadway's spring gains lean heavily on recognizable titles—classic revivals and film adaptations—suggesting producers are prioritizing brand familiarity over original work to guarantee turnout.
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- Broadway's 40 productions grossed $43,241,429 for the week ending April 5, up about 12% from the previous week, with attendance of 334,631 (up 14%), and season-to-date grosses of $1,631,266,217 running 7% ahead of last year.
- Dog Day Afternoon opened at the August Wilson on March 30 to fully sold-out performances, but the week's gross fell to $1,041,983 (down $247,766) because four press performances and the opening night were comped.
- Spring newcomers filling 90%+ of capacity included Cats: The Jellicle Ball (98%, $861,807), Death of a Salesman with Nathan Lane and Laurie Metcalf (96%, $928,565), Titanique (96%, $664,021), Becky Shaw (93%, $243,674), Fallen Angels (93%, $452,017), and The Lost Boys (98%, $831,513), while Proof and Schmigadoon! both sold out.
- Joe Turner's Come and Gone, directed by Debbie Allen and starring Taraji P. Henson and Cedric the Entertainer, began previews at the Barrymore at 84% capacity, grossing $992,574 ahead of its April 25 opening.
- Just In Time with new lead Matthew Morrison grossed $745,152 and filled 99% of seats, but the average ticket price collapsed to $156 from $362 the prior week when departing star Jonathan Groff was still in the show.
- Chess dropped to $585,803 and 66% capacity (from 82%) after Lea Michele was out Wednesday through Sunday for a scheduled absence, while Aladdin, The Lion King, and Wicked each added a ninth performance to crack the Top Five earners led by The Lion King at $2,823,250.
Why it matters: The 12% week-over-week jump and 7% season-to-date surplus over last year confirm Broadway's spring is running well ahead of 2024-25, with new titles from Cats: The Jellicle Ball to Joe Turner's Come and Gone anchoring demand — but the data also shows how ticket pricing and star-driven runs swing: Just In Time's average price cratered from $362 to $156 when Jonathan Groff left, illustrating how much of Broadway's revenue depends on a single marquee name.
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