Audiences falling for 'Jersey Boys'

Road Grosses

By VARIETY STAFF

NEW YORK -- The road gained more than $2 million -- over 15% -- in Week 26 (Nov. 19-25), bringing the 14-show slate to $15,112,738.

The culprit most responsible for the rise was the debuting San Francisco production of "Jersey Boys," which played seven healthy perfs for a total of $763,910 at the Curran. The other two regional productions of "Jersey Boys" both broke their respective house records, with $1,244,001 in Chicago and $1,436,060 in Costa Mesa, Calif.

But it was a good week all around, with hundred-grand-plus jumps for all three Chicago shows, "Wicked" in Los Angeles (up more than $200,000) and "The Lion King" in Honolulu.

"Monty Python's Spamalot" in Columbus, Ohio, and "The Color Purple" in San Francisco both saw significant drops.

The highest-grossing show on the chart was "Wicked" in Los Angeles, with $1,532,170.

Estimates for last week:

CHICAGO
Jersey Boys (M-3rd Co.) LaSalle Bank Theater ($95; 1,918; $1,213,120) (10/1/06-OE).
PW $1,143,780.
Last (8th) wk, $1,244,001.

The Phantom of the Opera (M) Cadillac Palace Theater ($123; 2,298; $960,993) (10/31/07-11/06/07).
PW, $736,424.
Last (3rd) wk, $889,007.

Wicked (M-2nd Co.) Ford Center ($82; 2,243, $1,224,272) (6/24/05-OE).
PW, $1,007,885.
Last (127th) wk, $1,323,106.

COLUMBUS, OHIO
Monty Python's Spamalot (M) Ohio Theater ($71; 2,747; $1,249,152) (11/5/07-1/4/07).
PW, $886,445.
Last (2nd) wk, $661,379.

COSTA MESA, CALIF.
Jersey Boys (M-2nd Co.) OCPAC ($80; 3,034; $1,448,700) (11/12/07-11/18/07).
PW, $1,420,190.
Last (2nd) wk; $1,436,060.

DAYTON, OHIO
Mamma Mia! (M) Schuster PAC ($73; 2,171; $1,146,184) (11/20/07-11/25/07).
PW, $598,035 in Wilmington.
Last (1st) wk, $581,205.

HARTFORD, CONN.
Wicked (M-1st Co.) Bushnell ($81; 2,710, $1,413,416) (11/14/07-12/10/07).
PW, $1,296,715.
Last (2nd) wk, $1,388,163.

HONOLULU
The Lion King (M-1st Nat.) The Blaisdell Concert Hall ($85; 1,946; $1,315,380) (9/15/07- 12/9/07).
PW, $1,101,295.
Last (8th) wk, $1,228,965.

LOS ANGELES
Wicked (M-3rd Co.) Pantages Theater ($85; 2,703, $1,633,691) (2/10/07-OE).
PW, $1,303,661.
Last (42nd) wk, $1,532,170.

MINNEAPOLIS
The Lion King (M-1st Co.) (M) Orpheum Theater ($60; 2,546; $1,088,004) (9/25/07-11/25/07).
PW, $1,364,795.
Last (5th) wk, $1,371,894.

PITTSBURGH
Avenue Q (M-1st Co.) Benedum Center for the Performing Arts ($61; 2,809; $1,228,220) (11/20/07-11/25/07).
PW, $536,855 in Des Moines.
Last (1st) wk, $863,827.

PROVIDENCE
High School Musical (M-1st Co.) Providence PAC ($65; 2,719, $1,229,988) (11/20/07 - 11/25/07).
PW, $799,942 in Cleveland.
Last (1st) wk, $1,101,657.

SAN FRANCISCO
The Color Purple (M-1st Co.) Orpheum Theater ($207; 2,197; $1,321,097) (10/9/07-OE)
PW, $878,585.
Last (7th) wk, $727,394.

Jersey Boys (M-3rd Co.) Curran Theater ($94; 9,968; $828,737) (11/20/07-1/6/08)
Last (1st) wk, $763,910.