‘Music Man’ Sets Box Office Record for a Reopened Broadway

Broadway has a brand new field workplace chief: A starry revival of “The Music Man” grossed $3.5 million final week, essentially the most of any present since theaters reopened after the lengthy pandemic shutdown.

The musical, with a solid led by the ever in style Hugh Jackman, is outselling “Hamilton” and each different present, triumphing over tepid opinions because it performs to full homes and sells tickets at top-tier costs.

Information launched Tuesday by the Broadway League confirmed that “The Music Man” had grossed over $3 million for 5 weeks in a row.

The business’s three huge mainstays stay sturdy: Final week, “Hamilton” introduced in $2.3 million, “Depraved” was at $1.9 million and “The Lion King” at $1.8 million.

The field workplace numbers have been the primary for particular person reveals to be publicly launched by the League since March of 2020, and prompt, as anticipated, that the comparatively small variety of largely big-name reveals that survived the Omicron spike of the coronavirus late final 12 months are pretty hardy, and most look like bringing in extra money than they’re spending on a week-to-week foundation. The business faces one other stress take a look at forward, because the variety of reveals will increase; nobody is aware of whether or not there’s sufficient viewers to assist the newcomers in addition to the established productions.

Among the many highlights, in keeping with the brand new data: A revival of the Neil Simon comedy “Plaza Suite” starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick is beginning very sturdy, reflecting the large attraction of the 2 stars, who’re married to one another and haven’t appeared collectively onstage for years. The play, nonetheless in previews, grossed $1.7 million final week, which is a large quantity for a small-cast play in a modest-size venue.

“The Music Man,” which additionally stars the gifted Sutton Foster, had the very best common ticket worth, at $283, and the very best premium ticket worth, at $697. “Plaza Suite” was additionally promoting notably high-priced premium seats, at $549, reflecting Parker’s recognition.

The numbers do present indicators of concern for some reveals. “Tina — The Tina Turner Musical,” performed to homes that have been solely 55 p.c full final week, grossing $778,000. And a brand new musical, “Paradise Sq.,” began sluggish in previews — the present drew giant audiences (it was 97 p.c full) however with unsustainably low ticket costs (it grossed simply $355,000, with a mean ticket worth of $47). And gross sales for reveals together with “Pricey Evan Hansen,” “Come From Away” and “Chicago” have notably softened since earlier than the pandemic.

However there’s additionally excellent news for different reveals. Particularly, the newly launched field workplace knowledge means that “Harry Potter and the Cursed Youngster” has benefited from its resolution to consolidate from a two-part play to 1 half in the course of the pandemic. The present grossed $1.7 million final week; the two-part model had been bringing in round $1 million throughout non-holiday weeks earlier than the pandemic.

By the top of final week there have been 22 reveals operating within the 41 Broadway homes, up from a low of 19 earlier within the 12 months. The typical ticket worth was a wholesome $136, and 92 p.c of all seats have been occupied, though there have been fewer spots to fill general as a result of so many theaters didn’t have reveals in them.