Pittsburgh Arts, Regional Theatre, New Work, Producing, Copyright, Labor Unions,
New Products, Coping Skills, J-O-Bs...
Theatre industry news, University & School of Drama Announcements, plus occasional course support for
Carnegie Mellon School of Drama Faculty, Staff, Students, and Alumni.
CMU School of Drama
Wednesday, October 11, 2023
12 productions break $1 million as Broadway box office sees increase
www.broadwaynews.com: In the first full week of October, Broadway experienced a box office boost. Twelve of the 26 productions currently running grossed over $1 million, with “The Lion King” breaking $2 million.
This article provides some heartening news for the entertainment industry. While this year still has lower gross income than the same week last year, it is a good sign that it is higher than it has been recently. Broadway profits may not be very representative of the larger theater industry, but it is still interesting to examine what trends are found and what types of shows are popular at the moment. I have heard many times that most broadway productions never make a profit, but that when they do make a profit they can make a lot of money. I have also heard that the vast majority of the costs for a Broadway show are not just the tech and actors, but also marketing and other expenses. I will also note that these numbers seem so large in comparison to any other theater that I have heard of. Even the smallest Broadway shows have higher ticket prices and incomes than any of the regional theaters I am familiar with.
This article was exciting to read! I am glad Broadway had a good week and people are starting to fill the houses again! I wish there was more discussion on why this week was more successful and what we can do to continue the trend. When I read articles like this I am always surprised but at the same time not surprised that shows like wicked, hamilton, and lion king stay on top. I have seen all of those shows and they are incredible, but there are some other shows I have seen that I wish would get more attention. However, I do understand that we need those big popular shows to keep Broadway up and running because they bring in a lot of money but some of my favorite shows have been quick to close because not enough people go see them and that has always made me sad.
Throughout and post COVID we have only been hearing about the downturn in ticket sales, and how audiences do not want to go to the theater anymore. This phenomenon is present within theaters small and large alike. So it is exciting to see that not only a few shows, but a large number on Broadway are starting to get more and more tickets and sales. It is very interesting to see how the pandemic affected everyone’s views on going to see live performances, or even to the movies, but now I feel as though everyone is returning to a sense of normalcy. I also wonder if the shift of the sales have been due to the current shows that are running on Broadway, as it seems that in the past few years shows have been put up and closed very close in succession, so hopefully not only the audiences but Broadway itself is finding itself back on more even footing.
I am so glad that the entertainment industry is finally recovering from the hit taken during the pandemic. The financial success of Broadway is important for several reasons. Broadway is a significant contributor to the economy, particularly in New York City. The industry generates revenue not only for the producers, actors, and crew but also for the surrounding businesses, such as restaurants and hotels.. The success of Broadway has a positive ripple effect on the overall economic health of the community. With this said, financial success fosters a thriving and competitive industry. The ability to attract audiences and generate revenue encourages producers and creators to continue pushing artistic boundaries and delivering compelling and entertaining shows. The shows that are making the most money aren’t a shock, these shows are so big that they are attracting an audience outside of the theatre industry. People who have never watched a piece of theatre are going to see the Lion King because its the Lion King. But hey money is money.
I’m so glad to hear that Broadway theater is back to high capacity and gross numbers. It feels as though since COVID halted Broadway, the urgency and excitement about Broadway has faded. Hopefully, these high-capacity houses help bring that urgency back. I do find it slightly discouraging that the works that do well on Broadway are the highly commercialized productions such as The Lion King and Back to the Future. While I totally recognize the appeal and hard work that went into these productions, I wish that new and more innovative works such as Jaja’s Hair Braiding and Here Lies Love got the same buzz. If the Broadway buzz is back, hopefully, the excitement will trickle down into tours and regional theatres where there is so much innovative work going on. Our industry is inevitably changing in the new immersive post-COVID world, but I’m glad to know that we’re adapting well and the public is back and supporting live theatre.
Seeing a layout detailing all the statistics behind shows and their box offices are somewhat intriguing. At CMU, we don’t really concern ourselves with these numbers for multiple reasons, but mainly because we are not trying to make profits from our productions. But as soon as we go into commercial theatre, it’s suddenly all about the numbers (and we can’t really blame them). Reading this article also gave me a little flashback to my freshman year doing my Newsquizzes, and seeing a bunch of articles about the plunge in Broadway box offices. Just yesterday, I attended our performance of A Doll’s House, and I was shocked to see the house nearly full. I was trying to recall whether it was the same in my freshmen year or even sophomore year, and the answer was no. With all kinds of policies (which were needed for everyone’s health and well-being), it was quite some time before the audience was fully back. However, I do have to say, that the average price of some of these Broadway shows is ridiculously high. A nearly $200 ticket is beyond affordable for many people and really limits the access to theatre.
This article made me SO SO SO happy! The entertainment industry, especially the live entertainment industry, got hit so hard after the pandemic. I know that I was scheduled to see Come From Away in New York City in 2020. But, obviously due to the lockdown that was announced, plans changed. When Broadway reopened in 2021, masks and proof of vaccination were required to enter any theater. Now, with all of those parameters lifted, it gives more people opportunities to see productions live. The recent increase in the Broadway box office statistics is so well deserved because the people in the casts, production, and creative teams deserve all the recognition for all the hard work they put into making a show what it is. The first show that I ever saw on Broadway was The Lion King, and it is great to see that they saw an increase in sales. I loved this production and if you have the chance to see it, you should!
7 comments:
This article provides some heartening news for the entertainment industry. While this year still has lower gross income than the same week last year, it is a good sign that it is higher than it has been recently. Broadway profits may not be very representative of the larger theater industry, but it is still interesting to examine what trends are found and what types of shows are popular at the moment. I have heard many times that most broadway productions never make a profit, but that when they do make a profit they can make a lot of money. I have also heard that the vast majority of the costs for a Broadway show are not just the tech and actors, but also marketing and other expenses.
I will also note that these numbers seem so large in comparison to any other theater that I have heard of. Even the smallest Broadway shows have higher ticket prices and incomes than any of the regional theaters I am familiar with.
This article was exciting to read! I am glad Broadway had a good week and people are starting to fill the houses again! I wish there was more discussion on why this week was more successful and what we can do to continue the trend. When I read articles like this I am always surprised but at the same time not surprised that shows like wicked, hamilton, and lion king stay on top. I have seen all of those shows and they are incredible, but there are some other shows I have seen that I wish would get more attention. However, I do understand that we need those big popular shows to keep Broadway up and running because they bring in a lot of money but some of my favorite shows have been quick to close because not enough people go see them and that has always made me sad.
Throughout and post COVID we have only been hearing about the downturn in ticket sales, and how audiences do not want to go to the theater anymore. This phenomenon is present within theaters small and large alike. So it is exciting to see that not only a few shows, but a large number on Broadway are starting to get more and more tickets and sales. It is very interesting to see how the pandemic affected everyone’s views on going to see live performances, or even to the movies, but now I feel as though everyone is returning to a sense of normalcy. I also wonder if the shift of the sales have been due to the current shows that are running on Broadway, as it seems that in the past few years shows have been put up and closed very close in succession, so hopefully not only the audiences but Broadway itself is finding itself back on more even footing.
I am so glad that the entertainment industry is finally recovering from the hit taken during the pandemic. The financial success of Broadway is important for several reasons. Broadway is a significant contributor to the economy, particularly in New York City. The industry generates revenue not only for the producers, actors, and crew but also for the surrounding businesses, such as restaurants and hotels.. The success of Broadway has a positive ripple effect on the overall economic health of the community. With this said, financial success fosters a thriving and competitive industry. The ability to attract audiences and generate revenue encourages producers and creators to continue pushing artistic boundaries and delivering compelling and entertaining shows. The shows that are making the most money aren’t a shock, these shows are so big that they are attracting an audience outside of the theatre industry. People who have never watched a piece of theatre are going to see the Lion King because its the Lion King. But hey money is money.
I’m so glad to hear that Broadway theater is back to high capacity and gross numbers. It feels as though since COVID halted Broadway, the urgency and excitement about Broadway has faded. Hopefully, these high-capacity houses help bring that urgency back. I do find it slightly discouraging that the works that do well on Broadway are the highly commercialized productions such as The Lion King and Back to the Future. While I totally recognize the appeal and hard work that went into these productions, I wish that new and more innovative works such as Jaja’s Hair Braiding and Here Lies Love got the same buzz. If the Broadway buzz is back, hopefully, the excitement will trickle down into tours and regional theatres where there is so much innovative work going on. Our industry is inevitably changing in the new immersive post-COVID world, but I’m glad to know that we’re adapting well and the public is back and supporting live theatre.
Seeing a layout detailing all the statistics behind shows and their box offices are somewhat intriguing. At CMU, we don’t really concern ourselves with these numbers for multiple reasons, but mainly because we are not trying to make profits from our productions. But as soon as we go into commercial theatre, it’s suddenly all about the numbers (and we can’t really blame them). Reading this article also gave me a little flashback to my freshman year doing my Newsquizzes, and seeing a bunch of articles about the plunge in Broadway box offices. Just yesterday, I attended our performance of A Doll’s House, and I was shocked to see the house nearly full. I was trying to recall whether it was the same in my freshmen year or even sophomore year, and the answer was no. With all kinds of policies (which were needed for everyone’s health and well-being), it was quite some time before the audience was fully back. However, I do have to say, that the average price of some of these Broadway shows is ridiculously high. A nearly $200 ticket is beyond affordable for many people and really limits the access to theatre.
This article made me SO SO SO happy! The entertainment industry, especially the live entertainment industry, got hit so hard after the pandemic. I know that I was scheduled to see Come From Away in New York City in 2020. But, obviously due to the lockdown that was announced, plans changed. When Broadway reopened in 2021, masks and proof of vaccination were required to enter any theater. Now, with all of those parameters lifted, it gives more people opportunities to see productions live. The recent increase in the Broadway box office statistics is so well deserved because the people in the casts, production, and creative teams deserve all the recognition for all the hard work they put into making a show what it is. The first show that I ever saw on Broadway was The Lion King, and it is great to see that they saw an increase in sales. I loved this production and if you have the chance to see it, you should!
Post a Comment