The Broadway League announced last week that the 2008-2009 Broadway season set a new record with sales of $943 million. This season forty-two new shows opened, which is the highest number since 1982-83.
Charlotte St. Martin, Executive Director of The Broadway League, said, “It’s been an inspiring season! As we have proven, if you put on a great show, people will come — even in the midst of an economic downturn. Research has shown that theatre provides escape from everyday life and especially during these tough times, we have given the audiences a reason to see a show.”
Times Square is Covered with Broadway Hits
CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE SLIDE SHOW OF BROADWAY MARQUEES
With five shows grossing over $1 million per week and another ten shows selling over 90% of capacity, Broadway seems to be on a different planet from the economy that the rest of America knows. With unemployment at its highest in twenty-six years, General Motors declaring bankruptcy and banks closing every week, how can Broadway be setting all-time records?
Traditionally, Broadway theater and movies have done well in difficult economic times, supposedly because it helps us take our minds off our shrinking retirement accounts and balancing the family budget. But there is another factor in Broadway’s success – continued high-quality productions that stimulate and entertain. New shows like Billy Elliot, Next to Normal, 9 to 5, Rock of Ages and the revivals of Hair and West Side Story are playing to packed houses. Blockbusters from past seasons, such as Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, Jersey Boys, Lion King and South Pacific continue in SRO mode. Jersey Boys, for example, sold $1,041,387 the week ending 5/24 – 101.1% of capacity!. And it has been selling out for three and a half years since it opened.
Of the eleven hot-ticket shows mentioned above, only two (Phantom and Wicked) have played Salt Lake City. Lion King is coming in 2010. South Pacific was coming in June 2010, but the routing changed and there were no open weeks in the Capitol that could fit the route. Jersey Boys hasn’t come to Utah yet, because of the small seating capacity of the Capitol. Maybe it will get here by 2012, when it is seven years old.
Broadway is bursting with successful shows that Utahns would love to see but cannot because there is no suitable theater available for bookings. It will be a thrill to book all these shows at the planned Utah Performance Center in just a few years.
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