Attendance for Broadway‘s just-ended 2023-2024 season held roughly steady with last year even as it remains nearly 17% below pre-pandemic levels, according to box office figures released today by the Broadway League.
The year-end stats indicate that the 71 Broadway productions on the boards from May 22, 2023, to May 19, 2024, grossed a combined $1.54 billion – $1,539,278,706, to be exact- with total attendance at about 12.3 million (again, to be exact: 12,287,708).
The dollar figure represents a very small slip in box office tallies from last season – about 2% from the $1,577,586,897 in 2022-2023. Total attendance was up less than a percentage point from last season.
This year’s total attendance indicates that about 90% of all available seats were filled, compared to last year’s 88%. Average ticket price for the season just ended was $125.27, about 2% lower that last season’s $128.43.
While roughly even with post-pandemic figures, the numbers continue to indicate that Broadway has yet to make a full recovery from the 18-month Covid shutdown. Figures for the 2018-2019 season – the final full season before Covid hit – was a record-setting total gross of $1.8 billion, with attendance of 14.8 million.
In a statement, Jason Laks, Interim President of The Broadway League, said, “The 2023-2024 Broadway season was another wonderful year, with attendance of 12.3 million and Broadway shows grossing $1.54 billion dollars. Audiences are responding to the incredible variety of plays, musicals, and specials that we have on Broadway.
“Broadway,” he continued, “continues to provide a dynamic space for audiences and artists to explore diverse worlds and narratives together and remains a place where everyone can find something they will love to see.”
In all, the 2023-2024 season included 71 productions, 39 of which were new productions. Of those 39, 21 were musicals (16 original, five revivals), 16 were plays (12 original, four revivals), and two were special engagements.
During the final week of the season, the 35 shows currently on the boards grossed a weekly tally of $36,381,958, about 2% greater than the previous week and about 11% higher than last year at this time. Attendance was 292,642, with 91% of available seats filled and a jump of 6% year-over-year.
Productions grossing more that $1M for the week ending May 29 were Aladdin, An Enemy of the People, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club, Hamilton, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Hell’s Kitchen, Merrily We Roll Along, MJ, Moulin Rouge!, The Great Gatsby, The Lion King ($2M), The Wiz, Uncle Vanya, Water For Elephants and Wicked.
All figures courtesy of The Broadway League. For complete box office listing the League’s website.