The Broadway box office experienced a significant decline last week, primarily due to the departure of Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford from the production of Sweeney Todd. With the absence of these big-name stars and the anticipation of Aaron Tveit and Sutton Foster as their replacements, ticket sales for Sweeney Todd plummeted by over $1 million. This decline in revenue also impacted the overall box office, with a 15% decrease in receipts for the 25 Broadway productions. The first week of the annual Broadway Week 2-for-1 discount promotion played a role in the reduced average ticket price, which further contributed to the decline in revenue. However, despite the decrease in box office earnings, attendance remained relatively stable compared to the previous season.
Sweeney Todd experienced a substantial hit, with a staggering $1,315,747 decrease in revenue. The acclaimed Sondheim musical revival grossed only $795,400, significantly lower than the previous week’s impressive $2,111,147. The departure of Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford, who had limited runs in the production, contributed to this downfall. However, this decline is expected to be temporary, as Broadway favorites Aaron Tveit and Sutton Foster are scheduled to take over the lead roles. Joe Locke will also assume the role of Tobias, beginning on January 31. With the arrival of these new cast members, it is anticipated that Sweeney Todd will regain its popularity and recover from this temporary setback.
Despite the overall decline in box office revenue, more than half of the Broadway productions reported attendance figures at 90% of venue capacity or higher. Shows such as “Juliet,” “Appropriate,” “Gutenberg!,” “Hadestown,” “Hamilton,” “Merrily We Roll Along,” “MJ,” “Moulin Rouge!,” “Prayer For the French Republic,” “Six,” “The Book of Mormon,” “The Lion King,” and “Wicked” all experienced strong attendance. “Merrily We Roll Along” even achieved a sell-out performance during the week, while “Gutenberg!,” “Hamilton,” and “Wicked” came exceptionally close. On the other hand, some productions struggled to fill their venues, with A Beautiful Noise, How To Dance In Ohio, and Purlie Victorious only managing to fill 65% to 63% of their respective seats. These shows are set to close in the coming weeks, which may explain their lower attendance figures.
The Barry Manilow-Bruce Sussman musical, “Harmony,” which recently announced a February 4 closing, experienced a slight increase in revenue, grossing $540,360 and filling approximately 80% of seats at the Ethel Barrymore theater. “Days of Wine and Roses,” a new musical currently in previews at Studio 54, had an attendance of 66% capacity, grossing $417,512. The official opening night for this production is scheduled for January 28.
Despite the recent decline in box office revenue, Broadway has crossed the $1 billion mark for the season, with a total gross of $1,021,222,013 and a total attendance of 8,063,918. This milestone is reminiscent of the previous season, where Broadway achieved the same billion-dollar mark around the same time frame. These figures demonstrate the continued resilience and appeal of Broadway as a significant contributor to the entertainment industry.
The Broadway box office experienced a decline in revenue, primarily due to the departure of Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford from Sweeney Todd. However, this setback is expected to be temporary, as new cast members, including Aaron Tveit and Sutton Foster, are scheduled to take on lead roles. Despite the decline in revenue, attendance figures for many productions remained strong, with over half of them reaching at least 90% of venue capacity. The season-to-date figures reflect the continued success of Broadway, crossing the $1 billion mark once again. As Broadway continues to evolve and present audiences with captivating theatrical experiences, it will undoubtedly rebound from this temporary setback and reaffirm its position as a premier destination for theater enthusiasts worldwide.