Broadway Show Ticket Sales Analysis w/e 04/24/2016

Once Again, Broadway Comes Very Close To Where It’s Been

In the week ending April 24, 2016, the collective Broadway industry brought in a total gross that was remarkably close to the total gross from the previous week. This past week, of the 37 shows currently running, the collective gross was $27,121,280, which is a very negligible decrease of only $55,809 from the week before.

With the same number of shows running, certain shows performed better, and certain shows performed less well, but the overall gross remained quite similar. This past week, the average gross per show was $733,008, and the week before it was $734,516. On average, the percentage reached of each show’s gross potential came to 60.23%, down from 63.38% the week before.

New Show "Paramour" Sees Big Increase In Box Office

The average paid admission this past week was $95.84, down from $98.04, and the average audience capacity was filled up to 79.49%, down from 81.16% the week before. Accounting for these small differences, the biggest increase was seen by the new Cirque du Soleil show Paramour, which played six performances this past week as compared to just one the week before.

In effect, that show’s gross went up by $828,168, bringing the total gross this past week to $1,018,942 over just six performances. Hamilton also picked up its slack, bringing in a weekly gross of $1,813,024, which is an increase of $134,404 from the week before. The previous week, Hamilton had actually decreased by $135,035, so now it’s back on track with a gross that represents 135.8% of its gross potential.

“The King and I” Cast Change Impacts Box Office

This past week, the biggest decrease was seen by The King and I, which brought in only $553,790 across eight performances, which is a decrease of $459,367 from the week before. This gross represents just 48.4% of the show’s gross potential. With a top ticket price of $297.00, the average paid admission was only $81.60, and the audience was filled up to an average of 81.0% of its capacity.

The previous week, The King and I brought in $1,013,157, representing 88.48% of its gross potential. The reason for this major decrease is that Ken Watanabe, who was nominated for a Tony Award for his portrayal of the King of Siam, and Kelli O’Hara, who earned a Tony Award for her portrayal of English schoolteacher Anna Leonowens, both completed their tenure in The King and I on April 17, 2016.

Brief Hiatus During Casting Changes

While there are certainly plans to keep this revival afloat with new name talent stepping into the roles, there is a brief hiatus in which other actors are temporarily replacing the stars. From April 19 to May 1, the role of the King of Siam is played by Jose Llana, who also filled in for Ken Watanabe from July 14, 2015 to September 25, 2015, and the role of Anna is played by Analisa Leaming (On the Twentieth Century).

Then, beginning May 3, 2016, the roles will be played by Daniel Dae Kim (“Lost,” “Hawaii Five-0”) making his Broadway debut, and three-time Tony nominee Marin Mazzie (Passion, Ragtime, Kiss Me, Kate). At that point, sales may pick up again, but we may see a slow two weeks for The King and I in the meantime.