Broadway Box Office Rebounds as ‘Death of a Salesman’ Sets New Gross Record
The revival earned $2.09 million from seven performances, nearly matching “Hamilton” for the week’s top spot.
Broadway bounced back from its annual July 4 slowdown last week, with both ticket sales and attendance rising across the industry.
Total grosses increased 12 percent compared with the previous week, while attendance climbed 5.4 percent, signaling a broad recovery following the holiday period.
“Hamilton” remained Broadway’s highest grossing production, collecting $2.1 million. Close behind was “Death of a Salesman,” which earned a production record of $2.09 million from only seven performances.
“The Lion King” followed with $1.9 million, while “MJ” brought in $1.7 million and “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” earned $1.6 million.
Several newer productions also posted strong results. “Ragtime,” the Tony Award winner for best revival of a musical, increased its weekly gross to $1.5 million. The production continued to play at nearly full capacity, with an average ticket price of $184.
“The Lost Boys” earned $1.4 million and filled 93 percent of its seats. “Schmigadoon!” crossed the $1 million mark while playing to 97 percent capacity.
“Cats: The Jellicle Ball” recorded a more modest increase, adding about $75,000 to reach $766,808. The revival’s average ticket price rose sharply, from $85 to $100, although capacity declined from 87 percent to 82 percent.
The gain came as producers announced that the musical would close earlier than expected on Aug. 8.
The week also illustrated how casting changes and final performances can dramatically affect Broadway sales.
“Every Brilliant Thing” brought in $485,981 during Tracee Ellis Ross’ run in the lead role, down from $1.1 million the previous week. That earlier total reflected heightened demand for Mariska Hargitay’s final Broadway performances. Despite the drop in revenue, the play maintained a solid 91 percent capacity.
“Dog Day Afternoon,” starring Jon Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, experienced a significant late surge during its planned final week. The play earned $861,712, an increase of more than $350,000 from the previous frame.
Capacity for the production also jumped to 89 percent, up from 73 percent. The closing week boost followed a difficult commercial run for the play, which opened in March and struggled after receiving mixed to negative reviews.
The latest figures suggest Broadway has regained momentum after the July 4 slump, with major long running productions, acclaimed revivals and new musicals all contributing to the industry’s week over week growth.
