Weekly Running Cost?

[Steel Pier Fan]

Posted: 5/12/11 at 5:09pm

Weekly Running Costs of Spider Man? Wicked? Mammma Mia? Phantom? Book of Mormon Lion King?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/12/11 at 5:14pm

These are not necessarily public info although lots of folks here get "inside track" info on the "nut" of a show.

We've been told that way back at opening, (November) Spidey was going at a cool 1 mil a week. I'm sure that it's much higher than that now.

[Steel Pier Fan]

Posted: 5/17/11 at 9:48pm

Does anyone at least know Phantom's running cost, I can't find it anywhere.

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 5/17/11 at 11:18pm

No, but I'm sure someone can make one up for you if you wait here long enough.

I'll start with $600,000.

[fingerlakessinger]

Posted: 5/17/11 at 11:50pm

$600,000 for Phantom??? I am not gonna pretend I have any insider info or anything but my guess that for POTO would be $400,000 maybe (ok or $500,000) hahaha

For WICKED maybe....$600,000

Spider-Man ........ I think that exceeds the National Deficit.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/17/11 at 11:58pm

The Phantom's nut is pretty small because he's so old.

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 5/18/11 at 12:01am

Fingerlake - I had no idea, I picked a random number, haha.

Jordan - I don't think Sir Webber would settle for old, small nuts. I'm thinking he likes them replaced with younger, larger ones.

[spike3]

Posted: 5/18/11 at 8:53am

remember that besides salaries for cast and crew there are many other expenses. The production pays for the house staff,and paper and cleaning supplies for front of house and backstage,theatre rental, rental of lighting and sound equip,and youve got your marketing expenses as well. Plus various and sundry others. As all of these expenses are built into the weekly, a figure can be assumed from these. Happy hunting.

[Steel Pier Fan]

Posted: 5/18/11 at 11:34am

I think Phantom's weekly cost would grow due to inflation right?

[WOSQ]

Posted: 5/18/11 at 12:00pm

Along with growing weekly breakevens are growing ticket prices. I think I paid $45 for a front mezz for Phantom in 1988.

Another factor in a show's running cost is the crew cost. For instance Avenue Q ran forever because of a rock bottom weekly breakeven. It had no extra musicians and just as importantly, nothing flew. They had no flymen expense.

Proof ran over two years partly because nothing in the set had to be moved by a stagehand.

The moment anything moves in a show's scenery, crew costs go up.

[Steel Pier Fan]

Posted: 5/18/11 at 12:12pm

What about Mamma Mia?

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 5/18/11 at 7:15pm

I bid $400,000!

[evic]

Posted: 5/18/11 at 7:40pm

I remember reading that when Phantom opened, it's operating costs were $450,000 a week. I would guess that amount to be $550,000 now. Read that Wicked was &600,000 when it opened and Mama Mia was $500,000. Was told by reliable source that Lion King was $850,000. BOM can't be more than $450,000. And heard that Chicago is $375,000.

[Steel Pier Fan]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 12:44pm

What about Book of Mormon and Memphis?