‘Phantom’ surpass milestone on Broadway’s

For the week ending Jan. 22, the 23 Broadway productions grossed $25,835,362, down 24%. Capacity was at 94%, up 0.42%. Notably, six shows closed on Jan. 15, which likely contributed to the steep gross decrease.

Broadway, also known as “The Great White Way,” began in the late 19th century in New York City. The first Broadway theater was the Park Theatre, which opened in 1798. However, it wasn’t until the opening of the Palais Royale in 1893 that the area began to see a concentration of theaters, leading to the nickname “Broadway.”

“Phantom,” “Hamilton” and “Funny Girl” were the three highest-grossing productions. Fifteen shows played to 95% capacity or greater while only three shows played to less than 80% capacity.

“Chicago,” which welcomed Jinkx Monsoon to the company last week, grossed $836,318, up 33%. The musical played to 99% capacity, up 25% from the previous week.

“Moulin Rouge!” welcomed back Tony Award-winning original cast member Aaron Tveit on Jan. 17. The musical saw a gross increase of 8% and earned $1,437,416. Attendance was down just 1%, but the production played to 98% capacity.

In its penultimate week on Broadway, “The Piano Lesson” grossed $1,137,877, up 30% from the previous week. The revival played to 100% capacity, up 25%.

“Between Riverside and Crazy,” which just announced an extension through Feb. 19, earned $343,583 last week, up 12%. The production played to 96% capacity, up 5%.

“Pictures From Home” began previews on Jan. 13 at Studio 54; the new play officially opens on Feb. 9. Broadway Week began on Jan. 17 and continues through Feb. 12.

Today, Broadway is known for its large-scale, commercial productions, including musicals and plays, and is considered the pinnacle of the American theater industry.