Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 8/3/25- Page 2

[Kad]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 4:22pm

Sutton Ross said: "Cabaret was struggling for a long time and they decided upon a Fall closing date long before the current cast. Very similar numbers most of June, it has nothing to do with the cast who are incredible in the roles. Cabaret was never the hit everyone predicted because people are wanting to see something fun, not depressing."

I've heard from people involved that the decision to close in October was a rather recent one, made earlier this summer. 

Updated On: 8/5/25 at 04:22 PM

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 4:27pm

They decided they wanted to close in the Fall towards the end of May, and it was announced June 18th.

Updated On: 8/5/25 at 04:27 PM

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 4:30pm

Crusty Bagel said: "Why would they keep burning money every week?"

It may benefit ATG to keep the show running longer, even at a loss, being that they are both the landlord and the lead producer (and the production entity is a separate entity than the landlord entity). Closing it even earlier also indicates to agents, managers, and employees that they don’t know what they’re doing, and in a biz of ego and relationships that does mean a little something.

No doubt they hoped to continue with sales levels similar to what they had in June, but last week’s haul was $200K less than their June average, and the average price was down by about $27. But sometimes these numbers are volatile, and it was a bad week all around: only 6 shows increased their haul last week from the week prior.

Updated On: 8/5/25 at 04:30 PM

[quizking101]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 4:40pm

Sutton Ross said: "Cabaret was struggling for a long time and they decided upon a Fall closing date long before the current cast. Very similar numbers most of June, it has nothing to do with the cast who are incredible in the roles. Cabaret was never the hit everyone predicted because people are wanting to see something fun, not depressing.

This doesn’t make any sense to me.

At this point, most people who have wanted to see the production have seen it and it’s up to the producers to cast replacements that either feels like an event (Adam Lambert) or evoke a certain level of intrigue (Orville Peck). While neither truly lit the box office on fire, they did what they could.

Billy Porter is neither an event nor does he invoke intrigue. We know exactly what we are getting with him - a “his way or the highway” interpretation, vocal fry, and an abundance of press tour jabbering while dressed like he was taking over for LaTanya in PURPOSE.

[Crusty Bagel]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 4:55pm

I think he’ll be good in la cage.  He was excellent in jelly’s last Jam.  Enough with the dunking on Billy

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 5:00pm

What doesn't make sense to you? That they tried every single type of casting and nothing lit the box office on fire, so they decided after 14 months (May) on Broadway to close it in October and cast who they could? They realized they aren't getting anywhere near close to their capitalization back so they decided to call it. It's not difficult to comprehend, it happens all the time.

Updated On: 8/5/25 at 05:00 PM

[Crusty Bagel]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 5:03pm

Yeah quizking, maybe you can take over the Jordan Roth role at ATG and set them straight

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 5:17pm

They should recast Billy’s role in La cage now. 

[Timon3]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 5:51pm

La Cage is a hard sell with/without Billy Porter.

[quizking101]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 6:20pm

Timon3 said: "La Cage is a hard sell with/without Billy Porter."

It’s been 15 years since the last production in NYC, and a LOT has changed culturally and in terms of LGBTQ+ representation. I think it might still be an easy sell for the blue hair City Center crowd who want to see a “safe” gay musical. The majority will probably watch to see what they did to make the material not feel like a period piece with very quaint and aseptic depictions of queer love. 

Billy is probably the key factor for the production concept because he can play an overly dramatic and put-upon gay man probably better than anyone out there right now, but also seems to go out of his way subverting the status quo (regardless of if it’s a wrongheaded move). 

Time will tell.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 6:35pm

CoffeeBreak said: "They should recast Billy’s role in La cage now."

I’m still optimistic about his performance in La Cage. On paper it’s a better fit for him. He can go bigger, he can do comedy and improv and mugging to the audience, riffs are appropriate for the performance numbers, and Robert O’Hara is a great director who has worked with Billy before. 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 7:28pm

Sutton Ross said: "Cabaret was struggling for a long time and they decided upon a Fall closing date long before the current cast. Very similar numbers most of June, it has nothing to do with the cast who are incredible in the roles. Cabaret was never the hit everyone predicted because people are wanting to see something fun, not depressing.

Awesome for Mamma Mia which kinda confirms the whole "the world is burning and people want an escape" thing."

If it was any good, that would not matter.  It is sorta (but worse than) Gypsy.  WOM has told people that each is the worst production yet for those classics.  It was depressing just seeing two really lousy versions of genuine Broadway masterpieces.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 8:15pm

Yeah, this version of Cabaret was truly bizarre, and Eddie was a...um....really something. I will forever cherish my memory of dancing with Alan Cumming (what a thrill!) and the very beautiful Michelle Williams being brilliant and heartbreaking.

 

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 8:59pm

It’s crazy to me that they haven’t been able to line up bigger names for Sally to keep CABARET running. Happy I saw it with Orville & Eva who were spectacular.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 9:05pm

Miley Cyrus was supposedly extremely close to signing on, but alas. 

I wish they tried more nontraditional casting. Like gender swapping sally or the emcee. I almost feel like Billy Porter could’ve been a better Sally(his made up backstory for the emcee already matches Sally’s).

[quizking101]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 11:16pm

But unless he was doing Sally in female drag (which, yikes), it would dramaturgically make no sense. To say nothing of the fact that it would railroad Cliff’s arc of struggling with his bisexuality, Sally also gets PREGNANT.

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 8/6/25 at 12:11am

Miley was never seriously close to getting involved with this production 

[DiscoCrows]

Posted: 8/6/25 at 1:30am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Crusty Bagel said: "Why would they keep burning money every week?"

It may benefit ATG to keep the show running longer, even at a loss,being that they are both the landlord and the lead producer (and the production entity is a separate entity than the landlord entity). Closing it even earlier also indicates toagents, managers, and employees that they don’t know what they’re doing, and in a biz of ego and relationships that does mean a little something.

No doubt theyhopedto continue with sales levels similar to what they had in June, butlast week’s haul was $200K less than their June average, and the average price was down by about $27. But sometimes these numbers are volatile, and it was a bad week all around:only 6 shows increased their haul last week from the week prior."

Completely completely correct. Obviously the numbers are what really matter at the end of the day but with an LP as bureaucratic as ATG (meaning they aren’t some mom and pop 3 person producing office whose pockets are generally stretched a lot thinner), these optics carry a lot of weight and companies will absolutely invest, or give reasonable credence to them.

[binau]

Posted: 8/6/25 at 3:13am

An incredible amount of seats for Cabaret to sell for the matinee that is starting in less than 12 hours (and of course the main market are all sleeping right now so really it's just a few hours till curtain in real buying time). Including many of the premium orchestra seats which is not a good sign (the pattern for prestige musicals is that they typically have a core market of people who will pay decent money for orchestra but then struggle to sell the mezzanine typically)

The closing date is too far away to get a fan base rush back out to see the show. It would need to be in August. I wonder if we might see a closing notice in the next few weeks, the losses each week are too much. If I recall when people here heard the eye-watering costs for Cabaret when it was first mounted they predicted it would be a failure and I guess they were right. 

Even Gypsy, which has had its share of very strong weeks and hype was simply unsustainable with the costs involved to mount and run. Very hard to escape the harsh cold reality of Broadway economics it seems. 

Updated On: 8/6/25 at 03:13 AM

[Owen22]

Posted: 8/6/25 at 8:59am

Is the only reason "John Proctor" is closing after its limited run because the theatre has already been promised?  Has anyone heard of a theatre transfer? It seems crazy a show that is doing this well is closing completely. There also must be a hoard of young TV and movie actresses who might like a stab at Sadie's role (its a really GOOD role). I mean Purpose is closing too and it's doing good box office, but Proctor is doing better...AND it has a youthful zeitgeist popularity despite losing the Tony.

[quizking101]

Posted: 8/6/25 at 10:21am

Owen22 said: "Is the only reason "John Proctor" is closing after its limited run because the theatre has already been promised? Has anyone heard of a theatre transfer? It seems crazy a show that is doing this well is closing completely. There also must be a hoard of young TV and movie actresses who might like a stab at Sadie's role (it’s a really GOOD role). I mean Purpose is closing too and it's doing good box office, but Proctor is doing better...AND it has a youthful zeitgeist popularity despite losing the Tony."

I don’t think anyone predicted the runaway success of JPITV, and so probably no plan of that nature was considered. The Booth is a very hot house for small productions, and with small theatres at a premium, it seldom stays empty so it makes sense they lined up the next production.

Plus, theatre transfers are hardly cost effective unless there is a true demand for it and they could secure essentially the same production/cast or has awards prospects (see APPROPRIATE)

[Crusty Bagel]

Posted: 8/6/25 at 10:33am

John proctor is the villain just felt like a stupid coming of age movie or tv show I’ve seen many times with all sorts of tropes that have been done over and over again. The young girls screaming about boys in the parking lot. The female teacher ally.  The shy girl who comes out of her shell, the rebellious one, the love torn one.  It’s sap feminism. Give me TEETH any day

Updated On: 8/6/25 at 10:33 AM

[Mr. Wormwood]

Posted: 8/6/25 at 10:38am

I wish John Proctor was continuing. It would be nice to see more open ended plays. Aside from Oh Mary, it's been very rare except for big franchises like HP and ST

Also I feel like JPITV would be a huge draw for school groups in the fall.

Updated On: 8/6/25 at 10:38 AM

[Crusty Bagel]

Posted: 8/6/25 at 10:47am

I mean, they could probably just get the next play coming in to go to the Barrymore which is still vacant, if Proctor still wanted to run. It probably just wants to end on a high note?

[binau]

Posted: 8/7/25 at 2:33am

binau said: "An incredible amount of seats for Cabaret to sell for the matinee that is starting in less than 12 hours (and of course the main market are all sleeping right now so really it's just a few hours till curtain in real buying time). Including many of the premium orchestra seats which is not a good sign (the pattern for prestige musicals is that they typically have a core market of people who will pay decent money for orchestra but then struggle to sell the mezzanine typically)

The closing date is too far away to get a fan base rush back out to see the show. It would need to be in August. I wonder if we might see a closing notice in the next few weeks, the losses each week are too much. If I recall when people here heard the eye-watering costs for Cabaret when it was first mounted they predicted it would be a failure and I guess they were right.

Even Gypsy, which has had its share of very strong weeks and hype was simply unsustainable with the costs involved to mount and run. Very hard to escape the harsh cold reality of Broadway economics it seems.


"

In case people are interested, here is the same seating chart 30 minutes before the matinee yesterday. On the day, they were able to sell most orchestra but struggling with mezz