Biz falls; 'Game' 392g
Broadway grosses
That tally still makes for a strong showing for the late-winter sesh, which hasn't gotten above $12.8 million in the past five years, and which in 2001 dropped as low as $10.4 million. But the week's tally of 190,000 theatergoers was below the frame's attendance levels of the past few years.
The only show that rose for the week was Harry Connick Jr. starrer "The Pajama Game" ($391,711), up around $90,000 and playing to more than 100% capacity.
All other shows saw sales slide. Both "The Producers" ($606,259) and "The Lion King" ($1,040,846) sank more than $200,000, while "Mamma Mia!" ($837,810), "Hairspray" ($559,094), "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" "($526,098), "Sweeney Todd" ($446,469), "Rent" ($430,901) and "The Light in the Piazza" ($329,788) were down by more than $100,000.
Heading into a final week of previews before its March 12 opening, "Ring of Fire" ($210,589) has yet to catch fire.
"Wicked" ($1,327,337), as usual, remained top dog on Broadway, while initial B.O. for its West End engagement, set to start perfs Sept. 7, broke £100,000 ($174,948) in its first hour on sale. That production's advance now stands at $2.97 million.
The 19 musicals grossed $11,819,476 for 85.5% of the Broadway total, with attendance of 163,653 for 82.1% capacity.
The five plays grossed $2,000,587 for 14.5% of the Broadway total, with attendance of 27,140 at 78.2% capacity.
Average paid admission was $72.22 for musicals, $73.71 for plays and $72.43 for all shows.
