CMU School of Drama


Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Broadway Box Office Climbs 19% To $26.6M; ‘The Music Man’ Takes $3.4M

Deadline: All but six of the current 22 Broadway productions filled more than 90% of their available seats last week, and most of the ones that didn’t hit that mark came close, according to the first detailed box office figures released this season by the Broadway League.

4 comments:

John Alexander Farrell said...

This is so encouraging to read! I feel like recently all I have been reading and seeing in theatrical news has been the death or downfall of many productions. Of course, this may have to do with the timing of seasons and the Covid impact, but it is discouraging nonetheless. But seeing how well these shows have been doing is exciting, a 19% jump is certainly something to celebrate. Many people predicted that the pandemic would kill "Archaic" theater, and we would see the rise of the film industry and virtual events, while the latter is true, live performance seems to be in a moment of resurrection. In fact, I believe this will make the industry stronger. If we look back in history we can see that art tends to flourish after major events, for example, think about all the expressions inspired by the devastation of WWII. This may be the beginning of an artistic renaissance, and we will be here to retell it.

Philip Winter said...

I am so thrilled to read this, last I read “The Music Man” got pretty terrible reviews and wouldn’t even let critics view the play before the premier. Last semester, I helped Hugh in making numerous hats for “The Music Man” and it was an absolutely wonderful experience. From the work we did on hats and Millinery and from what I can tell from the designs and photos I’ve seen; the costumes look absolutely incredible especially for a Broadway production. The level of effort put into not only the costumes but also the set makes it seem to me at least like an incredible show. I really hope Ill get the chance to see it but, well see if there able to stay around until the summer. With the pandemic almost done with, I really hope Broadway sees an uptick in ticket sales. More people need to go out and see show, especially to support the crafts people and actors that make them possible. At the height of the pandemic Broadway was brought to its knees, but hopefully in the coming months and especially summer it will thrive once more. I also think that critics need to be a little less harsh than they would be normally, everyone is trying to get by in the industry right now, and I think that slandering shows even if deserved to some extent like “The Music Man” doesn’t help anyone right now.

Selina Wang said...

This is such uplifting news to hear! Throughout this epidemic, we’ve been hearing, reading and sharing news of how bad the live entertainment industry has been hit (I say this because I think streaming services kept the recorded section of entertainment going quite well). Although I have not read the first-hand report released by the League, I think the statistics and data shared by this article have shown how well we are coming back (or rather the audiences are coming back). In my Global History class, I am actually preparing a research paper on how the theatre industry has been affected by COVID-19 and so far all the sources I have gathered have not been optimistic. This article, however, brings light to the recovery of the industry, which could be the ultimate turning point. I have also noticed that the 22 shows that are currently running on Broadway are the ones that are best known and most represent Broadway. It is truly touching to see that these shows continue to thrive and welcome audiences back after their temporary break due to shutdown.

EC said...

This is a lovely little business and I hope it thrives and is able to move to an above ground space. As the owner says, a store that wasn’t a bar. I love that it is run by a small community of makers who are genuinely passionate about art inspired by their passion for theater. It’s a great way for people who love theater, but who are not a part of it, to get involved. So often when you buy theater merch, it’s pretty generic and expensive. Or if you buy it online from a 3rd party it’s less expensive, but not genuine. Whereas buying from a fan based creative marketplace you’re not only supporting a small business, you’re supporting people who are genuinely passionate about theater and love the productions. This passion supports creativity, and the making of items that are unique and different from the type of products that are mass produced.