Broadway witnessed significant box office activity during the holiday week, with multiple shows setting new records.
Box Office Highlights: ‘Stranger Things’ and ‘Harry Potter’
The latest productions of “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” and “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” made headlines by achieving remarkable sales. “Stranger Things” generated a staggering $2.5 million, reaching full capacity at the Marquis Theatre. The average ticket price for this show soared to $173, coinciding with the release of the final season of the popular Netflix series.
Meanwhile, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” grossed $3.7 million. The production featured Tom Felton, known for his role in the Harry Potter film series, drawing substantial interest. Additionally, the revival of “Ragtime” contributed to the box office excitement, garnering $1.6 million and continuing its positive momentum.
Top Performers During the Holiday Week
- Wicked: $4.4 million
- The Lion King: $3.9 million
- Hamilton: $3.76 million
- Harry Potter: $3.7 million
Interestingly, “Hamilton” reported the highest average ticket price at $350. All four major shows—”Stranger Things,” “Harry Potter,” “The Lion King,” and “Wicked”—benefited from an extended nine-performance week, which played a crucial role in boosting their box office tallies.
Comparative Performance
Despite the impressive figures for “Wicked,” its earnings fell short of the $5 million it made during the same week last year, which included Christmas Day and Christmas Eve. Other productions, such as the Jonathan Groff-led “Just In Time,” also saw record-breaking income, earning $1.64 million over eight performances.
General Trends in the Broadway Industry
The overall Broadway market saw a 14 percent increase in box office revenues compared to the previous week. Even shows that reduced their performances to seven still experienced growth, with “The Outsiders” seeing an increase of $222,732. Conversely, the new play “Liberation,” despite receiving positive reviews, struggled, with a capacity drop to 51 percent and a gross of $346,426.
As the industry moves into the final week of December, there is optimism for continued growth and more box office achievements into the New Year.
