Broadway Sees Highest Grossing Season on Record
The gross totals are up 23 percent from last season, and, significantly, the numbers also come in above Broadway's 2018-2019 season, which had held the record for $1.83 billion in gross revenue and had been the benchmark against which Broadway was measuring its post-pandemic recovery. Broadway first overtook the 2018-2019 season grosses in early May.
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In the prior two seasons, Broadway grossed $1.54 billion and $1.58 billion respectively. The 2019-2020 and 2021-2022 seasons were both shortened due to the pandemic. The 2024-2025 season began May 20, 2024 and ended May 25, 2025.
Attendance for the 2024-2025 season came in at 14.66 million, below the 14.77 million from the 2018-2019 season, suggesting that increased ticket prices played a part in the higher grosses this past season. Average ticket prices were up 3 percent from last season and up 4 percent from the 2018-2019 season. While Broadway League president Jason Laks celebrated the grosses achievement, he also underlined the trend.
'As we look to next season, we have to be sober about the challenges Broadway faces. We can't be satisfied with 2019's definition of success anymore. With rising costs hitting every facet of production, it is becoming harder and harder to bring live theatre to the stage. Shows today have an ever-shorter window to get on their feet. The investment that fuels Broadway is something we can't ever take for granted,' Laks said in a statement.
Among the high earners this season, Good Night, and Good Luck yet again broke its own record for highest weekly gross for a play on Broadway, bringing in $4.2 million last week and playing to more than 100 percent capacity at the Winter Garden Theater. The average ticket price for the play was $337.59. The play is currently scheduled to end its run June 8.
The next highest earners last week were Othello, starring Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, with $3.3 million and the highest average ticket price of $398, and Glengarry Glen Ross, starring Kieran Culkin, Bob Odenkirk and Bill Burr, which earned $2.7 million across a nine-performance week. Wicked and The Lion King rounded out the top five, with $2.3 million and $2 million respectively.
Overall, Broadway grosses were up 7 percent over the prior week, as the industry races toward the June 9 Tony Awards ceremony and as many shows, including several best musical nominees Death Becomes Her (up $229,324) Maybe Happy Ending (up $87,044), Dead Outlaw (up $62,530) and more saw boosts in their grosses over the prior week.
Call Me Izzy, a one-woman show starring Jean Smart, also joined the boards last week, playing two previews at Studio 54 and playing to 94 percent capacity.
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