As summer comes to a close, Broadway has experienced a decrease in total grosses, with last week’s numbers showing a 10% drop from the previous week. The impact of Kids’ Night on Broadway, where 19 shows offered free performances to children, undoubtedly played a role in this decline. Notable shows such as The Lion King and Aladdin saw significant decreases in revenue, with both taking big hits in ticket sales.
Total attendance for the week ending August 25 was 211,342, which was 6% lower than the previous week and 1% lower than the same time last year. Approximately 91% of all available seats were filled during this time, showing a slight decrease from the previous week’s 92% occupancy rate. Some shows like Oh, Mary! and Stereophonic continued to perform well, selling out for the week.
Notable Performances and Future Expectations
Shows like Once Upon A Mattress, Wicked, and Hadestown came close to selling out, with 99% of their seats filled. Cabaret At The Kit Kat Club also had a successful week, bringing in a hefty $1,459,506 in revenue with 98% of seats occupied. As we look towards the future, we can expect to see increases in receipts as performers such as Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin wrap up their final days on Broadway on September 14.
On the lower end of the attendance spectrum were shows like Water For Elephants, The Notebook, and Harry Potter And The Cursed Child, which all had attendance rates between 75-76% of capacity. Despite these lower numbers, Broadway as a whole is still showing growth in the 14th week of the 2024-25 season, with total grosses up 6% over last year at this time and total attendance up approximately 4%.
Broadway’s summer season has seen some ups and downs in terms of attendance and revenue. While some shows continue to thrive and draw in large audiences, others are struggling to fill seats. As we head into the fall season, it will be interesting to see how Broadway continues to adapt and attract theatergoers in a competitive entertainment market.