Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/16/26

Big plummet as expected, summer's over and more and more schools are coming back.

That's a decent start for PARANORMAL ACTIVITY.

Happy trails to Jasmine Forsberg, Abigail Barlow, Mark Ballas, Krysta Rodriguez, and RAGTIME which set one final record at the Beaumont. Shoutout as well to Miles McNicoll (SCHMIGADOON!) who finished his run and is heading back to school, and JUST IN TIME production stage manager Scott Rowen.

I'm surprised RAGTIME didn't announce whether or not they recouped their investment...especially considering they were pretty much sold out for the entirety of the run. Is that even allowed for LCT because it's a non-profit?

Updated On: 8/18/26 at 01:23 PM

CoffeeBreak said: "They did not recoup."

Jeez, I don't think anything can re-coup at this rate. so the 80% recoupment failure rate's gotta be higher now right?

Nettik said: "I also was whelmed by the direction and production of Ragtime in comparison to the two Broadway productions that came before.“



here’s hoping Lear DeBessonet can step up her game for Sound of Music in the spring, especially when it comes to the set!

quizking101 said: "Back to the topic at hand, we are indeed in the dog days of summer. I’m surprised we haven’t heard any more closing announcements coming down, which might seem to me like some theatre owners are being a bit more charitable than normal with their stop clauses, but who knows?"

The impressions I get of the landlords make it seem like they'd never ease up... might be more the case of a thin pipeline and the belief that it's better to have shows losing money weekly, rather than nothing at all. Following JELLICLE's closing, social media is pinning the blame on the Big Three and painting them as stereotypical "Biblical greed, mwahaha" mustache-twirling villains.

I haven't ever met the execs that call the shots in person though.

Updated On: 8/18/26 at 02:36 PM

quizking101 said: "GiantsInTheSky2 said: "“Without that and the aura of it being at Lincoln Center - it's a below average production of the show, with bland direction. You can see similar at a regional theater.”

Friendly reminder that this production won Best Musical Revival, and barely any of the thoughts that come to your head are true. You specifically."

Risking my neck here, but Giants isn’t entirely wrong. I always hung my hat on the fact that Joshua Henry was literally the only part of this production that stood out as memorable for me and the only time it came alive. The rest just felt like a diorama with a full orchestra. The direction felt aimless and dragged the show’s pacing.

Back to the topic at hand, we are indeed in the dog days of summer. I’m surprised we haven’t heard any more closing announcements coming down, which might seem to me like some theatre owners are being a bit more charitable than normal with their stop clauses, but who knows?"

The stop clause is almost never enforced. The theatre owners do not lose money as long as the show is running. It's the production itself that loses.

MemorableUserName said: "GiantsInTheSky2 said: "Friendly reminder that this production won Best Musical Revival, and barely any of the thoughts that come to your head are true. You specifically."

Friendly reminder that awards are not always indications of quality and plenty of undeserving parties win awards, Tonys or otherwise, every year.

And winning Best Revival from the same voters that deemed Sh*ttydoon Best Musical is hardly something to crow about.

"

I mean...sure. In general. But in this specific case, the show won the Best Revival Tony, had enthusiastic support from a strong majority of the critics and sold shockingly well. Because it was produced in a non-profit that already had a season planned for its mainstage, this production was by every metric a success. And I didn't like it all that much, mostly because I find Ragtime as a property to be a very loud tableau vivant more than a gripping night of theater...but I'm weird that way. I'm just not weird enough to claim that this production wasn't a success to the vast majority of stakeholders.

CoffeeBreak said: "GiantsInTheSky2 said: "“Without that and the aura of it being at Lincoln Center - it's a below average production of the show, with bland direction. You can see similar at a regional theater.”

Friendly reminder that this production won Best Musical Revival, and barely any of the thoughts that come to your head are true. You specifically."

There is absolute truth to this. The Ragtime production was not particularly well directed or interesting. (having seen all 3 Broadway productions and 10+ in the regions)The show and cast did the work on this production - not the director. THat's pretty objective. (ask people who worked on it)"

I kinda feel like she only did this to prove she has what it takes to be the new artistic director for LCT..

Agreed. However, in this case, in private the cast of this show (and her others) do not say she was any help - as most have felt quite alone in their process. Says a lot of about the performances in Ragtime that they came as far are they did (time helped, of course).

IT was the show that got these performers to sign on the line for Encores initially - not the director. That I'm sure of.

Updated On: 8/18/26 at 05:26 PM