Broadway box office dips as spring crowds ease, while Daniel Radcliffe breaks into top five

Broadway grosses declined last week as spring break audiences began to taper off and several productions offered complimentary tickets ahead of their official openings, creating a softer week at the box office even as the industry pushes toward the Tony Awards eligibility deadline.

Overall, Broadway grosses were down 10 per cent, while attendance slipped by five per cent, reflecting a changing market as seasonal demand cooled and a wave of new productions continued to enter the mix.

Despite the broader downturn, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child remained the top-grossing production on Broadway, taking in $2.4 million at the Lyric Theatre. Hamilton followed with $1.9 million, while The Lion King brought in $1.8 million. Moulin Rouge! continued to perform strongly with $1.6 million, boosted by ongoing interest in Megan Thee Stallion’s run in the show.

One of the week’s standout box office stories was Every Brilliant Thing, starring Daniel Radcliffe, which cracked the top five for the first time. The production grossed $1.5 million and also posted the highest average ticket price of the week at $198, signalling strong demand for the star-led play.

Last week also marked the openings of several new productions. The Fear of 13, starring Adrien Brody and Tessa Thompson, opened to mixed reviews, while Proof, featuring Ayo Edebiri and Don Cheadle, received a mixed-to-positive critical response. Fallen Angels, led by Rose Byrne and Kelli O’Hara, fared more strongly, drawing largely positive notices. At the same time, six more productions remained in previews, all racing toward openings before the April 27 Tony Awards eligibility cutoff.

Not every show benefitted from the crowded spring marketplace. Among the weaker performers, the new musical Beaches saw its capacity fall to 61 per cent in its third week of Broadway previews, with grosses dropping to $473,027 ahead of its April 22 opening at the Majestic Theatre. The figures suggest the production may need a substantial turnaround once reviews and word of mouth begin to settle in.

Several other productions also felt the pressure of a packed season. Chess slipped to 71 per cent capacity at the Imperial Theatre, while Two Strangers Carry A Cake Across New York played to 69 per cent capacity at the Longacre Theatre. Stranger Things: The First Shadow fell to 73 per cent at the Marquis Theatre, and Death Becomes Her played at 91 per cent capacity at the Lunt-Fontanne.

There were, however, signs of upward movement for some recently opened titles. Cats: The Jellicle Ball continued to build momentum, surpassing $1 million in grosses for the first time, while Death of a Salesman, starring Nathan Lane and Laurie Metcalf, climbed to $1.3 million, suggesting strong post-opening traction for both productions.

With multiple shows still in previews and the Tony cutoff looming, Broadway is entering one of its most competitive stretches of the season. While last week’s overall numbers reflected a market adjustment after the spring holiday rush, the coming weeks are likely to reveal which new productions can convert attention into sustained box office strength.