‘Network’ Previews, ‘King Kong’ Opens As Broadway Scores $37M
Bryan Cranston arrived on Broadway to two full houses last week, as the much-anticipated Network played a couple previews at the Belasco Theater and contributed $293,220 to Broadway’s $37,230,401 total for Week 24 (ending Nov. 11).
Overall box office for the 38 Broadway productions reflected a 13% jump in receipts over the previous week, with attendance of 306,015 showing a 9% bump.
While Network, directed by Ivo van Hove and co-starring Tony Goldwyn and Tatiana Maslany, was standing-room-only, with a strong average ticket price of $144, another movie-inspired production might have a tougher road ahead: King Kong opened at the Broadway to pans and $915,800, about 60% of potential. Attendance was strong – 13,269, about 95% of capacity – but an average ticket price of $69 hardly bares teeth. Still, the week included opening night comps and press seats, so way too soon to write this monkey off just yet.
Mike Birbiglia’s The New One opened Nov. 11 at the Cort to a much warmer critical reception but a just-getting-started box office of $178,138, about 23% of potential. Attendance of 6,623 – average ticket price $27 – was 88% of capacity. Word of mouth will be key.
On the other end of the money-making spectrum, Aaron Sorkin’s To Kill a Mockingbird, starring Jeff Daniels, played seven previews to $1.1 million, 93% of potential, with SRO attendance of 10,078.
Other previewers:
The Prom, at the Longacre, took in $323,083 for six performances, attendance at a solid 95% of capacity but receipts at just 40% of potential. That includes a heavily comped Monday performance in which cast and creatives from, among others, Mean Girls, The Book of Mormon and Aladdin were invited – all productions worked on by The Prom‘s Casey Nicholaw. Opens Nov. 15;
The Cher Show, the jukebox musical at the Neil Simon, took in a whopping $1,065,993 for seven performances; 81% of potential, with 9,196 ticket-buyers paying an average $115 and filling 95% of seats.
Departing the roster was The Nap, the Richard Bean comedy at the Friedman, closing its run with $191,064 for the week, about 30% of potential.
Other notables: The Lifespan of a Fact, starring Daniel Radcliffe, Cherry Jones and Bobby Cannavale, held strong at Studio 54, raking in $966,411, with attendance of 7,378 at about 92% of capacity. American Son, starring Kerry Washington and Steven Pasquale, played to houses at about 86% of capacity, grossing $645,364. Jez Butterworth’s brilliant The Ferryman made a cool million at the Jacobs, with 90% of seats filled.
Season to date, Broadway has grossed $835,652,128, up about 17% year-over-year. Total attendance of 6,545,617 is up 7%.
All figures courtesy of the trade group Broadway League.
Related stories
Mike Birbiglia's 'The New One' Delivers: Broadway Review
Broadway's $35 Million 'King Kong' Roars When It Roars, Slips When It Sings: Review
Aaron Sorkin's 'To Kill A Mockingbird' Previews To SRO Crowds; Overall Broadway Box Office Slips
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