As the summer months wind down and the fall season approaches, Broadway has seen a slight decline in total grosses. Last week’s numbers showed a decrease of approximately 10% from the previous week, bringing the total gross to $25,343,599. This decline can be attributed to a variety of factors, including the summer edition of Kids’ Night on Broadway, which offered free performances to children accompanied by a paying adult.
Notable Broadway productions such as The Lion King and Aladdin experienced significant drops in revenue, with The Lion King down $203,453 to $1,904,177 and Aladdin dropping $176,876 to $1,178,408. The absence of a big earner like The Wiz also contributed to the overall decrease in revenue. Despite these setbacks, shows like Oh, Mary!, Stereophonic, and The Outsiders continued to perform well, selling out for the week.
Looking ahead, shows like Once Upon A Mattress, Wicked, and Hadestown are expected to see increases in ticket sales as they approach key dates, such as the departure of Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin on September 14. Redmayne, who has played the role of the Emcee since the revival opened on the West End in 2021, will be leaving the Broadway stage after a successful run.
On the other end of the spectrum, shows like Water For Elephants, The Notebook, and Harry Potter And The Cursed Child saw lower attendance numbers, with capacities ranging from 75% to 76%. Despite these fluctuations, Broadway as a whole is showing positive growth in the 2024-25 season, with total grosses up 6% over the previous year and total attendance up about 4%.
While Broadway may be experiencing a slight dip in revenue during the summer months, there are still plenty of shows that are thriving and attracting audiences. As the fall season approaches, theatergoers can expect to see an increase in ticket sales as new productions hit the stage and popular shows continue to draw crowds.