Last week, Broadway saw a surge in audience figures, particularly with a slate of newcomers that drew strong attention. Among these newcomers were An Enemy of the People, The Notebook, and The Who’s Tommy, all of which boasted full houses throughout the week. An Enemy of the People, a revival of the Ibsen classic starring Jeremy Strong, Michael Imperioli, and Victoria Pedretti, led the pack with an impressive gross of $1,109,137 at Circle in the Square. Opening night for this production is set for March 18th.
Another standout performer was The Notebook, a musical adaptation of the beloved book and film, which garnered $769,387 in sales at the Schoenfeld Theatre. Opening night for The Notebook is scheduled for March 14th. Meanwhile, The Who’s Tommy made a strong entrance at the Nederlander Theatre, with both preview performances bringing in $345,129. The show’s official opening night is set for March 28th.
Other Notable Mentions
Water For Elephants, which played seven previews at the Imperial Theatre, grossed $723,077 and filled 93% of its seats. The much-anticipated revival of Doubt: A Parable, starring Amy Ryan and Liev Schreiber, also made its debut, raking in $465,133 with attendance at 92% of capacity. Sweeney Todd continued to impress, earning $1,312,391 and boasting a 95% seat occupancy rate.
Despite the success of these newcomers, Wicked emerged as the top earner of the week, bringing in an impressive $1,836,268. In total, the 24 Broadway productions accumulated $24,545,774 for the week ending March 10, representing a 5% increase from the previous week. However, this figure still falls short by about 14% compared to the same period last year. With a total attendance of 204,915 at 91% capacity, Broadway continues to face challenges in attracting audiences.
Season to date, Broadway has amassed a total gross of $1,191,502,256, with a total attendance of 9,492,511. While the numbers remain impressive, there is a noticeable decline in attendance compared to previous seasons. Despite the current challenges, Broadway remains a beacon of creativity and talent, with newcomers and established productions alike captivating audiences night after night.