Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 11/18/18

[Rob]

Posted: 11/19/18 at 3:08pm

Click below to access all the Broadway grosses from all the shows for the week ending 11/18/2018 in BroadwayWorld's grosses section.

Also, you will find information on each show's historical grosses, cumulative grosses and other statistics on how each show stacked up this week and in the past.

Click Here to Visit the Broadway Grosses...

Up for the week by attendance was: NETWORK (98.9%), BERNHARDT/HAMLET (9.5%), COME FROM AWAY (0.5%),

Down for the week by attendance was: THE NEW ONE (-22.6%), KINKY BOOTS (-18.0%), KING KONG (-15.1%), WAITRESS (-13.8%), THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG (-13.6%), SCHOOL OF ROCK (-13.4%), BEAUTIFUL (-13.3%), SUMMER (-12.9%), ANASTASIA (-12.1%), ONCE ON THIS ISLAND (-10.2%), THE PROM (-7.9%), MY FAIR LADY (-7.8%), THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (-6.5%), THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT (-6.4%), HEAD OVER HEELS (-6.4%), AMERICAN SON (-5.8%), CHICAGO (-5.6%), THE WAVERLY GALLERY (-5.5%), WICKED (-4.2%), MEAN GIRLS (-4.0%), TORCH SONG (-3.6%), THE CHER SHOW (-2.8%), THE BAND'S VISIT (-2.8%), PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL (-2.1%), ALADDIN (-2.0%), THE BOOK OF MORMON (-1.7%), FROZEN (-1.6%), THE FERRYMAN (-0.6%), THE LION KING (-0.5%), DEAR EVAN HANSEN (-0.2%),

Click Here to Visit the BroadwayWorld Grosses...

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 11/19/18 at 3:13pm

Ouchhh, Broadway.

I don’t see how Summer, Once on This Island, or Head Over Heels see much of a future after New Year’s.

[raddersons]

Posted: 11/19/18 at 3:15pm

Best week yet for The Prom, but definitely not turning a profit yet. Fingers crossed it continues to go up from here!

[billyelliotfan123]

Posted: 11/19/18 at 3:17pm

raddersons said: "Best week yet for The Prom, but definitely not turning a profit yet. Fingers crossed it continues to go up from here!"

And their opening night was Thursday so that performance was heavily comped and they still managed to make more than last week. A good sign, Hopefully the reviews helpped

 

[barcelona20]

Posted: 11/19/18 at 3:22pm

billyelliotfan123 said: "raddersons said: "Best week yet for The Prom, but definitely not turning a profit yet. Fingers crossed it continues to go up from here!"

And their opening night was Thursday so that performance was heavily comped and they still managed to make more than last week. A good sign, Hopefully the reviews helpped

The Prom's average ticket price was $57.  No Broadway musical can survive on that.

 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 11/19/18 at 3:34pm

BroadwayConcierge said: "Ouchhh, Broadway.

I don’t see how Summer, Once on This Island, orHead Over Heels see much of a future after New Year’s."

A bit of apples and oranges there. Summer is in murky water but the other two have been pulled down toward the center of the earth by Saltstraumen. One can have a reasoned conversation about Summer, but the other two defy rationality. OOTI didn't have much of a future after LAST New Years lol

[EJ24642]

Posted: 11/19/18 at 3:36pm

BroadwayConcierge said: "Ouchhh, Broadway.

I don’t see how Summer, Once on This Island, orHead Over Heels see much of a future after New Year’s."

Especially with that tweet from Michael Arden I wouldn't be surprised if they announce a closing date soon

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 11/19/18 at 3:49pm

The producers of HEAD OVER HEELS are honestly just irresponsible and reckless at this point. 

[ggersten]

Posted: 11/19/18 at 4:06pm

IdinaBellFoster said: "The producers of HEAD OVER HEELS are honestly just irresponsible and reckless at this point."

Well, it's their money or it's money that was given to them to use likely with few limitations.  Do investor agreement contain clauses to get money back?  Do investor agreements give investors any say in when a show closes?  If not, then the investors gave the producers money with open eyes as to the potential for losing it all.  Conceivably, if a show closes with money in the bank, it gets returned.  And conceivably, the producers may wish to keep the show open if they are receiving a weekly producers cut/fee off the gross so have some incentive to keep a show open.  But, I've never seen the agreements, so this is wild and uninformed speculation.   Hogan and others can speak to these agreements.

 

[anislander]

Posted: 11/19/18 at 4:09pm

EJ24642 said: "BroadwayConcierge said: "Ouchhh, Broadway.

I don’t see how Summer, Once on This Island, orHead Over Heels see much of a future after New Year’s."

Especially with that tweet from Michael ArdenI wouldn't be surprised if they announce a closing date soon"

It's gotta be January 13. It's Hailey Kilgore's last day, and I can't imagine they're going to put the effort into finding a new Ti Moune for a very brief run. 

 

[VotePeron]

Posted: 11/19/18 at 4:12pm

If Davenport was smart, he'd announce closing tomorrow for 1/13, mark up all ticket prices for the rest of the run, and try and make as much as he can. OOTI running for 13 months is remarkable, and something I never thought would've happened. They should be proud.

Updated On: 11/19/18 at 04:12 PM

[Sauja]

Posted: 11/19/18 at 4:13pm

It seems that most years there are at least a few shows wrapping up their runs the first week in January. This year, only School of Rock and The Play that Goes Wrong have announced January closings (other than limited runs that will be ending as scheduled). Am I wrong in thinking it's rather late for closings to be announced? Might this crop of shows that's running into some trouble with their grosses keep on giving it a shot? Or do we think more might yet decide to pack it up at the start of the new year?

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 11/19/18 at 4:27pm

VotePeron said: "If Davenport was smart, he'd announce closing tomorrow for 1/13, mark up all ticket prices for the rest of the run, and try and make as much as he can. OOTI running for 13 months is remarkable, and something I never thought would've happened. They should be proud. Thank u, next."

The show has been losing money since it opened and honestly the production didn’t engage me much, but it did overcome the odds to win the Tony for best revival (which considering its completion, it deserved) and it has provided audiences some modicum of enjoyment and the cast and staff with steady employment for over a year, even if that is a byproduct of poor management decisions by the producers.  

 

 

 

 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 11/19/18 at 4:27pm

Five plays doing spectacular business, one doing good business (American Son), one doing much better than I ever expected (Waverly Gallery) and I am thrilled.  Although I think that Harry Potter and To Kill A Mockingbird are pretty unique, that still leaves a good number; if a decent number of forthcoming plays do well, this season may make it easier to produce non-musicals for awhile.  The fact that there is not a single exciting musical scheduled IMO to open for the rest of the season (other than maybe Tootsie, based on initial Chicago reviews) certainly helps.

I am sure that the availability of so many options, certainly a rarity for a long timeframe, is hurting Torch Song.  I do not remember...is Torch Song a non-profit production?  If not, the producers must be a little uneasy.  Such a shame; while I thought it showed some creaks that it did no-show 30 plus years ago,at leasts I remember, it was still an excellent production with solid performances.

 

[EJ24642]

Posted: 11/19/18 at 4:28pm

Sauja said: "It seems that most years there are at least a few shows wrapping up their runs the first week in January. This year, only School of Rock and The Play that Goes Wrong have announced January closings (other than limited runs that will be ending as scheduled). Am I wrong in thinking it's rather late for closings to be announced? Might this crop of shows that's running into some trouble with their grosses keep on giving it a shot? Or do we think more might yet decide to pack it up at the start of the new year?"

I don't think it's too late to announce as January is just under six weeks away. Also, shows have announced closings with only about two weeks to spare, so it's not unlikely. 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 11/19/18 at 4:33pm

VotePeron said: "If Davenport was smart, he'd announce closing tomorrow for 1/13, mark up all ticket prices for the rest of the run, and try and make as much as he can. OOTI running for 13 months is remarkable, and something I never thought would've happened. They should be proud."

If there is one thing that has been proven time and again, it's that Ken Davenport doesn't do what is best for his shows (or his investors) -- he does what is best for Ken Davenport.  Don't forget that for every week his shows run, he collects multiple fees (producer fee, GM fee, etc.).  The fact that he needs to find a fresh batch of new investors for each of his shows is very telling. 

[Sauja]

Posted: 11/19/18 at 4:36pm

A good point, EJ. I just somehow feel like January closings are usually announced earlier, but you're right--there's ample time for shows to make their decisions.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 11/19/18 at 4:39pm

Some shows have announced January closing dates around this time of year.

- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory announced a January 14 closing on November 15.

- Dames at Sea announced a January 3 closing on November 23.

- The Humans announced a January 15 closing on December 1.

- Chaplin announced a January 6 closing on December 3.

- Evita announced a January 26 closing on December 11.

- Ragtime announced a January 3 closing on December 28 (though in 2009, this was a far different climate).

So, it's not unprecedented to wait until late November to announce a January closing. But it is a dumb choice if a show like OOTI is indeed closing January 13, because you waste lots of seats that people would have been inclined to purchase knowing that a final performance is imminent.

Updated On: 11/19/18 at 04:39 PM

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 11/19/18 at 4:45pm

How does this work exactly? Can Davenport line his pockets as long as he wants even as the show hemorrhages money or can he be forced to close the show by other producers/investors?

[AnnieBlack]

Posted: 11/19/18 at 5:03pm

Does this mean that Oklahoma is getting Circle in the Square for the Spring? (i hope) 

[billyelliotfan123]

Posted: 11/19/18 at 5:07pm

Is Oklahoma looking to transfer?

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 11/19/18 at 5:09pm

IdinaBellFoster said: "The producers of HEAD OVER HEELS are honestly just irresponsible and reckless at this point."

I would imagine that HOH is waiting until after they perform on Thursday’s broadcast to announce a closing date because a) they’re hoping for a post-Thanksgiving uptick in sales and b) it would be kinda depressing to be announced as the soon-to-close show right before they perform (although it might put some more butts in seats if the general public likes what it sees and knows time remaining to see it is limited). 

Updated On: 11/19/18 at 05:09 PM

[Daddy Warbucks]

Posted: 11/19/18 at 5:18pm

An interesting number this week is that King Kong went -15.1% in attendance, but +$102k in gross and broke $1m for the first time.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 11/19/18 at 5:25pm

billyelliotfan123 said: "Is Oklahoma looking to transfer?"

 

According to the people of the Broadwayworld message board, every popular Off-Broadway production is looking to transfer to the Circle in the Square.

[VotePeron]

Posted: 11/19/18 at 5:57pm

JBroadway said: "billyelliotfan123 said: "Is Oklahoma looking to transfer?"

According to the people of the Broadwayworld message board, every popular Off-Broadway production is looking to transfer to the Circle in the Square."

 

Thanks for the laugh, JBroadway!

An Oklahoma! transfer would be incredible - it's my favorite thing I've seen on stage in 2018. And Best Revival would be theres, no questions asked. They could probably get a really solid run out of that. Wow. Way to get me going on something that won't ever happen.