Broadway continues to climb

Most productions log gains

By GORDON COX

Broadway continued the upward summer trend launched by the Tonys the prior frame, with most productions logging gains at the box office last week.

Total cume, however, was down, thanks to the spate of closings that often comes after the annual awards hangover dissipates.

"In the Heights" ($950,774), still rising after its multiple trophy wins, managed to climb more than $45,000 to No. 5 in the top 10. Revival winner "South Pacific" ($858,729) also rose by about that much.

Also doing well were "Rent" ($471,925), gaining momentum ahead of its fall closing, and "Legally Blonde" ($786,888), continuing to generate sales out of the production's reality casting skein currently playing on MTV. "Xanadu" ($269,187) gained 10% in biz while "Gypsy" ($904,426) maintained its strong numbers.

Largest gain of the sesh came from nouveau circus show "Cirque Dreams: Jungle Fantasy" ($509, 841), picking up $95,000 worth of steam in its second week on the boards.

Three shows closed Sunday, with "Sunday in the Park with George" ($457,699) logging a healthy final frame. Two other shuttering productions, "Curtains" ($474,261) and "Top Girls" ($226,609), were down somewhat.

With neither "Cry-Baby" nor the successful revival of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" (both which closed June 22) adding coin to the pot, total Rialto tally was down around $550,000 to $20.4 million for 35 productions reporting.

Still, there were few dips at individual productions, and any losses were mostly minor.