Broadway shows in New York attracted bumper crowds in the 2018-19 season, helping to generate record revenues of $1.829bn.
The Broadway League, the trade association that represents the industry in New York and across North America, said that total attendance reached 14.77 million in the 52-week 2018-19 season. The total represented a 7.1% increase on the 2017-18 figure of 13.79 million across a 53-week period.
There were 1,737 playing weeks in 2018-19 – a significant increase on the 1,624 recorded the previous season – while gross revenue increased by 7.8% year-on-year.
Attendance, gross takings and playing weeks have all increased year-on-year on Broadway since the 2016-17 season, with revenues having doubled in the past 10 years.
The Broadway League’s president, Charlotte St. Martin, cited the fact that more than half of all Broadway tickets are now priced below $101 as evidence that the industry is becoming more accessible.
“Broadway has never been more appealing to so many different people ranging from kids to grandparents and everyone in between,” St. Martin said.
“This substantial growth in attendance clearly reflects the large variety of offerings including long running shows, new hit productions and stories relevant to our society today.”
There were 38 productions on Broadway during the 2018-19 season, including 21 plays, of which 14 were original; 13 musicals – 11 of which were original; and four special engagements.
In December, To Kill a Mockingbird, the adaptation by renowned screenwriter Aaron Sorkin of Harper Lee’s classic novel, became the highest-grossing American play in Broadway history by bringing in $1.702m in box office receipts in the final week of the year.
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