Broadway grosses took a predictable tumble last week, the first since the Thanksgiving holiday. That doesn't mean things were grim. The 34 currently running shows brought in $42.63 million with seats 89.15% full and average ticket prices at a pretty healthy $146.17. That was a nearly 12% drop from the week prior, but a less-than 8% drop compared to this week last year, which included the Thanksgiving holiday in 2024. Why that's relevant: That 4% positive change in the difference from Thanksgiving to not Thanksgiving last year versus this year means Broadway is doing surprisingly well.
Expectedly, stars are helping that happen. Last week's top grosser was Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which might be a first. Harry Potter film star Tom Felton is currently reprising his screen work as Draco Malfoy in the stage play, which has given the show some of its highest grosses ever. The play brought in just under $3 million last week, at an average ticket price of $226. That newly placed the show below Broadway's favorite of late, Hamilton. Notably, it was the Lin-Manuel Miranda musical's first full week sans the encore run of its Tony-winning original star Leslie Odom, Jr. Don't cry too much for the folks over at the Richard Rodgers though—the show was still the second top grosser last week, with $2.75 million.
The rest of the top five was filled out by Wicked, with $2.7 million; The Lion King, with $2.4 million; and Chess, with $1.96 million. That five-some seems to be turning into our new usual suspects. Chess being one of the season's newest titles is bolstering to see, and hot on its heels are fellow newcomers Mamma Mia! and Art. Suffice it to say, we are still on track for this season to outpace even last season's historic highs. We are, so far, beating the same period from last season by more than 10%, and we're just beginning to see Broadway's busiest annual season.
Take a look at the full report here.
The $1 Million Club (shows that earned $1 million or more at the box office):
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child ($2.94 million)
- Hamilton ($2.75 million)
- Wicked ($2.7 million)
- The Lion King ($2.4 million)
- Chess
- Mamma Mia!
- Art
- Death Becomes Her
- MJ The Musical
- Just In Time
- Aladdin
- Stranger Things: The First Shadow
- Waiting for Godot
- Ragtime
- Oh, Mary!
- Maybe Happy Ending
- The Outsiders
- Moulin Rouge! The Musical
- The Great Gatsby
- Buena Vista Social Club
- The Book of Mormon
(21 of 34 currently running productions)
The 90s Club (shows that played to 90% or higher of their seats filled over the entire week):
- Just In Time (103.03%)
- Hamilton (100.11%)
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (100%)
- Oh, Mary! (100%)
- Ragtime (100%)
- Wicked (100%)
- Art
- Waiting for Godot
- The Lion King
- Moulin Rouge! The Musical
- Mamma Mia!
- Hadestown
- Maybe Happy Ending
- Death Becomes Her
- Buena Vista Social Club
- Aladdin
- The Book of Mormon
- The Outsiders
- Marjorie Prime
- Chess
(20 of 34 currently running productions)
