In the final week of 2023, Broadway experienced a double-holiday week that resulted in a surge in box office numbers. Many shows posted record-breaking figures, with one show standing out as the clear winner of the week. Disney’s The Lion King grossed an astounding $4,316,629, not only setting a house record at the Minskoff Theatre but also breaking a Broadway record for the highest single-week gross ever. This achievement is particularly noteworthy considering that the long-running musical played nine performances, as did other productions during the holiday season.
Broadway’s final week of the calendar year encompassed both Christmas and New Year’s Eve, attracting tourists and leading to higher ticket prices. Consequently, the total weekly gross for the 27 shows reached an impressive $45,413,789, reflecting a 36% increase compared to the previous week. However, these numbers were approximately 13% lower than the previous year’s New Year’s Eve week tally when there were 33 productions on Broadway.
During the week ending on December 31, total attendance reached 256,751, marking a 14% increase from the previous week. However, this figure was down by 18% compared to the same period in the previous year. Nevertheless, an impressive 96% of all seats were filled, indicating a strong demand for Broadway shows. The average ticket price for the week was $176.88, which represented a significant holiday boom. This average ticket price reflected a $29 increase from the previous week and an $11 increase compared to the same period last year. Once again, The Lion King outperformed other shows with an average ticket price of $286.61, surpassing the usual front-runner, Merrily We Roll Along, which had an average ticket price of $258.20.
Several other shows also achieved impressive box office numbers, with some setting records and reaching production highs. Wicked grossed $4,003,233 in its nine performances, setting a house record at the Gershwin Theatre and achieving the highest gross in the show’s two-decade run. Aladdin also had a successful week, grossing $2,979,728 in its nine performances and setting a house record at the New Amsterdam Theatre. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child earned $2,718,488, establishing a house record at the Lyric Theatre and breaking the Broadway record for a non-musical production. MJ had a strong week with $2,613,841 in nine performances, setting a house record at the Neil Simon Theatre.
Chicago, the long-running musical, had its highest-grossing week with $1,452,009 in nine performances during its 27-year run. Some Like It Hot grossed $1,398,818 in a week that marked its highest-grossing period before closing on December 30. I Need That set a new house record at the Roundabout Theatre Company’s American Airlines Theatre, generating $905,467. The musical & Juliet achieved a house record at the Sondheim Theatre, grossing $1,784,051 in nine performances. Additionally, Six had its highest-grossing week ever with $1,659,004, setting a house record at the Lena Horne Theatre.
In addition to the aforementioned shows, several other long-running productions continued to thrive at the box office. The Book of Mormon grossed $1,530,926, Hadestown earned $1,114,449, and Merrily We Roll Along achieved $1,995,358 in box office revenue. Moulin Rouge! saw success with a gross of $1,786,154, while Shucked earned $1,050,251. Other notable shows included A Beautiful Noise with $1,114,630 in nine performances, Spamalot with $1,503,187, Hamilton with $2,404,967, Back to the Future with $2,109,424, Sweeney Todd with $2,261,279 in seven performances, and Appropriate with $753,024.
Last week, Prayer For The French Republic entered the Broadway roster with five previews at the Friedman Theatre, earning $264,770. The show is set to officially premiere on January 9, generating anticipation for its future box office performance.
While the overall box office numbers were positive, two shows played to less than 70% of capacity, despite receiving positive reviews. Harmony, the musical by Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman, grossed $555,200 in nine performances, with only 69% of seats filled at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. Purlie Victorious, which garnered critical acclaim as one of the best Broadway productions of 2023, earned $601,535 in nine performances, with attendance at just 59% of capacity at the Music Box Theatre.
Thus far, the 2023-2024 Broadway season has amassed a total gross of $940,307,885. While this figure is approximately 3% lower than the previous year’s numbers at this time, total attendance remains steady at 7,421,232.
The double-holiday week on Broadway in 2023 brought about a surge in box office numbers, with record-breaking performances from various shows. The Lion King emerged as the week’s winner, grossing an impressive amount and setting new records. Despite lower numbers compared to the previous year, Broadway remains a thriving industry with strong demand for its productions. As the season continues, theatergoers can expect more exciting performances and impressive box office figures.