Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 3/12/17

[EvanK]

I can't imagine Come From Away has that high a weekly running cost? No huge stars, simple set/costumes, I assume it doesn't require an extensive crew?? It has great attendance so far, the average ticket price just needs to creep up. 

[Clyde15]

I'm sure Come From Aways grosses will creep up. They gave out a lot of comps this week to reviewers and audience members and still grossed over 600K. Hopefully next week will be a better representation but this storm could mess things up.

[qolbinau]

Scarywarhol said: "Fairly auspicious start for War Paint, which I was concerned about looking at all the empty seats at the start of the week. Man, I really did not see Bronx Tale coming and I did not expect it to keep momentum. It's just so...Generic? I so underestimated the appeal. 

 

"

Agree RE: War Paint. They definitely managed to sell A LOT of tickets at the last minute. Hope it can continue in the future! 

[Tag]

Come From Away numbers will skyrocket next week, due to the reviews and the Trudeau visit.

[Capeguy]

Significant Other -- Mostly strong reviews -- the comments here have been very positive. Any idea why this play can't seem to find an audience?

[Valentina3]

Serious competition from bigger shows (especially musicals), no star power at the box office, and as has been discussed before, terrible ad campaign. New plays take some time to build traction as it is. Joshua Harmon, while the playwright of one of the most performed shows in 2014-2015 across America, is hardly a household name. 

[neonlightsxo]

Tag said: "Come From Away numbers will skyrocket next week, due to the reviews and the Trudeau visit."

 

We'll see.

 

[ACL2006]

neonlightsxo said: "Tag said: "Come From Away numbers will skyrocket next week, due to the reviews and the Trudeau visit."

 

We'll see.

Wednesday's show(evening) is sold-out & has been for a few weeks.

 

"

 

[haterobics]

ACL2006 said: "Wednesday's show(evening) is sold-out & has been for a few weeks."

Trudeau is bringing 600 staffers with him, so that helps fill a lot of seats.

[GreasedLightning]

haterobics said: "ACL2006 said: "Wednesday's show(evening) is sold-out & has been for a few weeks."

Trudeau is bringing 600 staffers with him, so that helps fill a lot of seats.

 

"

Butts in seats are butts in seats. 

[ACL2006]

Though it's hard to judge tonight's show, it's nearly sold-out. Though I'm sure some will opt for the ticket exchange. Tomorrow's matinee, plus both shows on Saturday are nearly sold-out, too.

[Liza's Headband]

Who pays for those 600 tickets? The Canadian taxpayers? 

[neonlightsxo]

You really think everyone seeing Come From Away is paying full price?

[GreasedLightning]

neonlightsxo said: "You really think everyone seeing Come From Away is paying full price?

 

"

True. But even if they aren't, the discounts out there aren't all that great. 

[ACL2006]

there's a small post-opening discount still available for COME FROM AWAY. I'm sure Trudeau didn't get all 600 tickets comped, just heavily discounted.

[Tag]

Come From Away numbers have nothing to do with "butts in seats", they have been almost consistently sold out.  It's the discounted ticket prices behind the low(er) grosses.

[neonlightsxo]

Right.

[GreasedLightning]

neonlightsxo said: "Right.

 

"

Okaaaaayyyyy... and??? 

Butts in seats at a discounted price is better than no butts in the seats at all. Discounts expire. Marvelous reviews plus packed houses and the spread of word of mouth will continue to drive up ticket sales... at least one would hope. There's no way to tell except wait and see. 

But if I were a producer, I'd rather have a sold out house and a mediocre gross because of discounts in my final week of previews than a 50% capacity house and a dangerously low gross because of lack of interest (another show on the rocks rings a bell...) Just my two cents. 

ETA: I can think of several shows in recent years that started off timid and went on to be a major succes. So we'll just have to wait and see. 

[Tag]

^Of course.

And ideally, those discounted audience members spread word of mouth.

[neonlightsxo]

Why are you directing your rant at me? I know how economics work. I know.

[GreasedLightning]

Apologies, didn't mean to quote your message. I was just adding to my above comments. 

[EvanK]

And again, with that gross of 600,000+ I can't imagine they are not making money... The shows cost has to be relatively low compared to shows like Wicked, Lion King, Evan Hansen.... etc.

[ethan231h]

Dear Evan Hansen probably doesn't cost much to run.

[EvanK]

^^ I honestly have no clue, just from looks it looked like it was a more technical show, resulting on more crew/technical upkeep. Bad example, but you get my drift. 

[PThespian]

While the Box Office staff, General Manager, Producers, etc. are in the best position to monitor future sales for a show, ushers are well situated to gauge current sales.

Not only do we see how many people are in the theater on any given night, but we also see the faces of the tickets which indicate how much money they cost including if they were comps.

I was talking to one of my friends who works at CFA when I went to see the show last week.

She told me they have been getting a lot of comps (which I suppose is not unusual since they were still in previews at the time). However, she also said that more and more people are coming in with tickets they purchased and that the prices paid for the tickets are also increasing.

I'm not sure whether or not she went so far as to talk to the Treasurer, but she did say that the staff was cautiously optimistic.