Broadway Producers “Cautiously Optimistic” As Attendance Holds Steady Against Coronavirus Concerns; Stage Door Selfies Might Be A Problem Though
Broadway producers are “cautiously optimistic” as attendance figures for final week present little, if any, speedy affect from the worldwide coronavirus scare.
Charlotte St. Martin, president of the Broadway League commerce group representing producers and theater house owners, stated in a convention name with reporters this afternoon that she was “even a bit shocked” with at the moment’s field workplace figures indicating a rise in complete Broadway attendance final week over the earlier week.
“I look very rigorously on the 12 months over 12 months” figures, St. Martin stated, “and historical past says final week and the week earlier than are two of the historically worst weeks we have now yearly” partially attributable to winter climate and households gearing up for spring break. She indicated final week’s figures had been encouraging, “however we all know it might probably not be [like] this each week.”
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In accordance with the League’s weekly field workplace report launched at the moment, complete attendance for the week ending March eight was up 2% from the earlier week, from 244,515 to 253,453. The latest determine, nonetheless, represents 30 productions versus the 28 from the earlier week. Averaged out, the per-show attendance was down a small 3%.
The 30 productions grossed a complete $26,700,956 final week, up about 2% from the earlier week’s tally.
The League doesn’t compile statistics on advance ticket gross sales, however St. Martin stated she’s heard “blended responses” anecdotally, with some producers reporting declines and others not. St. Martin stated she is conscious of some faculty teams cancelling upcoming Broadway visits.
Final week, the League launched a press release on behalf of producers and theater house owners indicating that Broadway productions had been acting on schedule – no virus-caused cancelations – and that theaters had been being scrubbed and sanitized greater than the standard each day cleanings. Patrons feeling sick are urged to trade their tickets for future performances, or search refunds from the purpose of buy.
Different precautions are additionally being taken: Backstage visits to forged have largely been curtailed, and a few productions have already nixed stage door meet & greets with the general public. For these productions and actors persevering with the autograph signings and selfies, Sharpie markers are being supplied so performers needn’t deal with the pens supplied by followers. Actors are being advised to signal Playbills with out truly touching or holding the packages.
Along with extra hand sanitizers accessible to patrons, gentle drink cups should not being re-used for intermission refills, with new cups supplied.
As for doable worst case situations – a quarantine or industry-wide shutdown – St. Martin stated such excessive measures can be made by native, state or federal edict, not together with particular person venues or productions canceling performances attributable to a forged or viewers member with a recognized publicity to the coronavirus. Although the potential of livestreamed performances has been the topic of some hypothesis, St. Martin stated it will be “very tough” for productions to go that route attributable to value and current union guidelines.
For now not less than, final week’s field workplace figures are providing some trigger for optimism or reduction. Viewers enthusiasm for current Broadway arrivals actually helped fill seats. The much-anticipated The Lehman Trilogy bought out its first preview on the Nederlander Theatre, grossing $188,126, about 109% of potential (opening evening is March 26), and director Marianne Elliott’s new manufacturing of Firm took in $779,588 for six previews, with attendance of 6,279 at 102% of capability on the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. The musical revival starring Katrina Lenk (The Band’s Go to) and Patti LuPone opens March 22.
Six, the high-energy pop musical about Henry VIII’s wives, performed to nearly full homes on the Brooks Atkinson. Even with press comps, the manufacturing grossed $884,878, 84% of potential. Six opens March 12. Diana, the Princess Di musical on the Longacre, performed solely six previews (one efficiency was canceled when actress Erin Davie – who performs Camilla Parker Bowles – suffered a vocal damage), with attendance of 5,448 at about 86% of capability. Opening evening is March 31.
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, starring Laurie Metcalf and Rupert Everett with Joe Mantello directing, performed its first six previews on the Sales space, filling about 94% of seats for a gross of $344,818. The revival opens April 9.
The only opener final week was Woman From The North Nation, the Conor McPherson-Bob Dylan musical on the Belasco, crammed 80% of seats, with press and opening evening comps serving to to maintain receipts of $477,388 at simply over half of b.o. potential.
In all, 12 of the 30 productions noticed attendance of 98% of capability or extra: A Soldier’s Play, Come From Away, Firm, Pricey Evan Hansen, Hadestown, Hamilton, Harry Potter and the Cursed Baby, Moulin Rouge!, Six, The Ebook of Mormon, The Lehman Trilogy and West Facet Story.
Season so far, Broadway has grossed $1,358,648,521, down about 5% 12 months to 12 months. Whole attendance stands at 11,137,787, off about 2% from final 12 months right now. The slight downward comparisons have been constant for the reason that early summer time months.
All figures courtesy of the commerce group Broadway League.
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