By Jennifer R Jones | Posted on July 01, 2015 5:59 PM
In The Week Ending June 28, 2015, The Audience Finished Its Run With Record-Setting Figures, Bringing In 1.4 Million Dollars.
“The Audience” Concludes Run With Record Highs
On Sunday, June 28, 2015, The Audience played its final performance on Broadway. Written by Peter Morgan and starring Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II, the show reunited the writer and star of the Oscar winning film The Queen, also dealing with the same subject. This mass recognition of these artists and this story is partially responsible for the excellent success the show enjoyed throughout its run.
In its final week of performances, The Audience earned its highest weekly gross to date, which was $1,425,523. This represented an astounding 118.49% of the show’s gross potential. Prior to this final week, the show’s highest weekly gross was $1,206,318, representing 114.11% of gross potential.
Fans Eager To See Helen Mirren On Stage
Still, it was common for the show regularly to make 108% to 111% of its gross potential. In its final week, the average paid admission was also at an all time high at $163.67. The top ticket price since opening night was $323.00. One major reason the show earned so much money this final week is that it played 8 performances, whereas it had played 7 throughout every other full week of its run.
Still, the increase in percentage of gross potential shows that demand grew even to exceed the added performance, with fans eager to get their final dose of Helen Mirren’s Tony Award winning performance as the Queen of England.
“Amazing Grace” Begins Previews With Low Numbers
In addition, the week ending June 28, 2015 saw the start of previews for Amazing Grace, a new musical with music and lyrics by Christopher Smith, and a book by Christopher Smith and Arthur Giron. This show deals with the origination of the famous gospel song, “Amazing Grace.”
In choosing to begin previews in the height of summer, following the hubbub of the Tony Awards when the world has its eye on the theatre industry, Amazing Grace was taking a big risk that it would fall between the cracks in the distraction of summer vacation. In this first week of five performances, the show brought in $200,392, which represents only 29.21% of its gross potential.
Can Word Of Mouth Save The Show?
With a top ticket price of $197.00, the average paid admission was $57.57. The show stars Erin Mackey, Josh Young, Stanley Bahorek, and Chuck Cooper, who have had success in the world of theatre but are by no means A-list marquee names that can sell tickets for the show.
The show will open on July 16, 2015, at which point the reviews may or may not be able to save the show by spurring positive word of mouth. In any case, the box office figures out of the gate are not very encouraging, but perhaps amazing grace, how sweet the sound, will save this show once word of mouth catches on.
The following are the Broadway ticket sales numbers for the week ending June 28, 2015:
| Show Name | GrossGross | TotalAttn | %Capacity | AvgPdAdm |
| A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER | $605,865 | 6,782 | 93.47% | $89.33 |
| ALADDIN | $1,644,688 | 13,787 | 100.02% | $119.29 |
| AMAZING GRACE | $200,392 | 3,481 | 59.91% | $57.57 |
| AN ACT OF GOD | $955,566 | 7,581 | 94.20% | $126.05 |
| AN AMERICAN IN PARIS | $1,433,433 | 13,288 | 98.93% | $107.87 |
| BEAUTIFUL | $1,054,036 | 8,005 | 97.53% | $131.67 |
| CHICAGO | $597,661 | 7,524 | 87.08% | $79.43 |
| FINDING NEVERLAND | $1,222,133 | 11,996 | 99.70% | $101.88 |
| FISH IN THE DARK | $848,378 | 7,880 | 91.80% | $107.66 |
| FUN HOME | $752,342 | 6,130 | 103.55% | $122.73 |
| HAND TO GOD | $400,070 | 4,879 | 79.00% | $82.00 |
| HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH | $538,365 | 5,594 | 79.36% | $96.24 |
| IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU | $415,180 | 6,079 | 75.09% | $68.30 |
| JERSEY BOYS | $744,540 | 7,527 | 76.62% | $98.92 |
| KINKY BOOTS | $969,479 | 9,579 | 84.09% | $101.21 |
| LES MISÉRABLES | $747,267 | 9,426 | 83.62% | $79.28 |
| MAMMA MIA! | $856,775 | 9,167 | 98.27% | $93.46 |
| MATILDA | $1,117,587 | 11,495 | 100.34% | $97.22 |
| ON THE TOWN | $637,010 | 10,483 | 69.92% | $60.77 |
| ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY | $594,786 | 5,693 | 98.56% | $104.48 |
| SOMETHING ROTTEN! | $1,230,619 | 12,624 | 94.66% | $97.48 |
| THE AUDIENCE | $1,425,523 | 8,710 | 101.85% | $163.67 |
| THE BOOK OF MORMON | $1,524,996 | 8,752 | 102.63% | $174.25 |
| THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME | $973,337 | 8,042 | 98.75% | $121.03 |
| THE KING AND I | $1,174,105 | 8,378 | 100.02% | $140.14 |
| THE LION KING | $2,120,670 | 13,603 | 100.02% | $155.90 |
| THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA | $986,653 | 11,372 | 88.57% | $86.76 |
| WICKED | $2,047,143 | 15,175 | 98.49% | $134.90 |
| WOLF HALL PARTS ONE & TWO | $515,472 | 5,500 | 49.71% | $93.72 |
| Totals | $28,334,069 | 258,532 | 89.85% | $106.66 |
