Broadway Show Ticket Sales Analysis w/e 07/17/2016

It Ebbs And Flows - Broadway Is Back On Track!

In the week ending July 17, 2016, Broadway saw an upswing after two consecutive weeks of slow ticket sales. This past week, of the 30 shows that were running in whole or partial weeks, the total collective gross was $27,125,142, which represents an average of $904,171 per show. Of the shows that were also running in the previous week, the total gross went up by $2,974,554.

Almost every single show saw an increase in ticket sales on an individual basis. The only decrease was minor: Fiddler on the Roof went down by $18,269 to bring in a weekly gross of $727,878. However, many shows picked up steam in this hot mid-summer week.

Big Increase For "The Lion King", "Hamilton", And "The Book of Mormon"

Of shows that were running both this past week and the week before, the biggest increase was seen by The Lion King, which went up by $258,412 to reach a weekly gross of $2,513,984. Next, Hamilton went up by $228,944 to reach a weekly gross of $2,282,207, which is 104.4% of its gross potential.

The Book of Mormon also saw a six-figure increase, going up by $164,092 to reach a weekly gross of $1,486,802. Furthermore, On Your Feet! went up by $118,052, Something Rotten! went up by $104,919, The Crucible went up by $102,848, and The Color Purple increased by $100,496.

Two New Shows, Neither Brand New: “Cats” And “Motown”

This past week, two shows came back to Broadway. First, on July 12, 2016, Motown the Musical re-opened on Broadway at the Nederlander Theatre. The pop nostalgia hit first sprang onto Broadway in 2013, when it ran for almost 2 years and recouped its $18 million capitalization, before launching a national tour with plan to come back to Broadway a year and a half later.

Sticking to its plan, Motown came back to Broadway without any preview performances or official opening night, picking up exactly where it left off, except with a leaner production and a different cast. In its first week of eight performances, Motown brought in $424,198, which represents 36.6% of its gross potential.

"Cats" Once Held The Title Of The Longest-Running Show

While there may or may not be as big an audience remaining to see this show as the producers are hoping, with smaller weekly running costs and a bona fide brand presence, Motown should be able to find its legs fairly soon. In addition, on July 14, 2016, Cats began previews at the Neil Simon Theatre, ahead of its opening night planned for July 31, 2016. Cats is a veteran show on Broadway, where it once held the title of the longest-running show, and where it currently now reigns as fourth longest-running show in history.

With high hopes for living up to those expectations, Cats began its first partial week of four performances, bringing in a weekly gross of $603,553. This represents 85.6% of its gross potential, which isn’t bad for an oldie but a goodie that elicits mixed responses from Broadway diehards. With a top ticket price of $197, the average paid admission for Cats was $117.54, and the audience was filled up to an average of 93.6%.