Robert Downey Jr. has made waves with his Broadway debut in the highly-anticipated production of ‘McNeal,’ which continues to draw enthusiastic audiences, selling out yet another week at Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theater. The show has impressively grossed $954,624 during its five preview performances. Set to officially open on September 30, ‘McNeal’ is part of a growing lineup of productions that have gained momentum, with ‘Yellow Face’ also showing strong ticket sales at the Roundabout’s Todd Haimes Theatre, where it saw 97% of seats filled and earned $148,415 across three previews.
The excitement is palpable in the New York theater scene as Broadway celebrated a bump in revenues last week, with overall receipts up 7% and several new arrivals winning the hearts of theatergoers. ‘The Roommate,’ featuring the talents of Mia Farrow and Patti LuPone, managed a near sell-out week but was still impacted by a financial setback, dropping $122,322 due to the cancellation of two performances because of Farrow’s Covid-related absence. Marsha Mason stepped in to perform the Sunday matinee, proving the resilience of the show’s team. For the week, ‘The Roommate’ earned $341,559 from three previews and three regular shows.
Fresh on the scene, the newcomer ‘The Hills of California,’ a play by Jez Butterworth and directed by Sam Mendes, has also made its mark, filling 76% of available seats at the Broadhurst and raking in $279,238 over its previews ahead of its opening night set for September 29.
The recent surge in ticket sales has been promising, with four productions reporting full capacity: ‘Hell’s Kitchen,’ ‘McNeal,’ ‘Oh, Mary!,’ and ‘Stereophonic.’ Notable mentions that recorded over 95% attendance include ‘Aladdin,’ ‘Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club,’ ‘Chicago,’ ‘Hadestown,’ ‘Hamilton,’ ‘MJ,’ ‘Moulin Rouge!,’ ‘The Book of Mormon,’ ‘The Great Gatsby,’ ‘The Lion King,’ ‘The Outsiders,’ ‘The Roommate,’ ‘Wicked,’ and ‘Yellow Face.’
As of last week, the 28 productions on Broadway generated a collective gross of $27,262,406, marking a notable increase of 7% compared to the previous week, along with a striking 26% lift compared to the same week last year. The total audience hit 234,635, reflecting a 6% gain week-over-week and a 16% increase year-over-year. Looking at the season thus far, Broadway has amassed $534,274,214 over 17 weeks, showcasing a 7% increase compared to last year, while total attendance stands at 4,280,281, up by around 5%.
These statistics, provided by The Broadway League, illustrate a vibrant Broadway scene replete with excitement and opportunity. For more box office details, one can check the League’s official listings.