The Broadway League recently released box office figures for the just-ended 2023-2024 season, revealing that the total attendance for Broadway productions remained nearly 17% below pre-pandemic levels. Despite this, the 71 Broadway productions that ran from May 22, 2023, to May 19, 2024, managed to gross a combined $1.54 billion. This represents a slight decrease of about 2% from the previous season’s earnings of $1.58 billion. The total attendance for the season was approximately 12.3 million, with about 90% of all available seats being filled.
The figures indicate that Broadway is still struggling to fully recover from the 18-month shutdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The 2018-2019 season, which was the last full season before the pandemic, set a record with a total gross of $1.8 billion and an attendance of 14.8 million. The current numbers show that Broadway has a long way to go before reaching those pre-pandemic levels.
Jason Laks, Interim President of The Broadway League, acknowledged the challenges faced by the industry but also highlighted the positive aspects of the 2023-2024 season. He mentioned that audiences are responding well to the diverse range of productions on Broadway and that the shows continue to provide a unique and dynamic space for both artists and audiences. Laks emphasized that Broadway remains a place where everyone can find something they love to see, despite the lingering effects of the pandemic.
During the 2023-2024 season, there were a total of 71 productions, with 39 of them being new productions. Among these, 21 were musicals (16 original, five revivals), 16 were plays (12 original, four revivals), and two were special engagements. The variety of shows offered throughout the season catered to a wide range of tastes and preferences, contributing to the overall success of Broadway.
In the final week of the season, the 35 shows that were running grossed a weekly total of $36,381,958, which was an increase of about 2% from the previous week and 11% higher than the same time last year. Attendance for the week was 292,642, with 91% of available seats filled. Notable productions that grossed over $1 million for the week included Aladdin, Hamilton, The Lion King, and Wicked.
Overall, the Broadway League’s box office figures for the 2023-2024 season paint a picture of a industry that is slowly recovering from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. While there are still challenges ahead, the resilience of Broadway and the continued support from audiences bode well for the future of live theater in New York City.