B’way brought in record bucks, but struggles remain

It may be the best of times and the worst of times for Broadway, according to industry watchers. Not because there’s an adaptation of A Tale of Two Cities starring Michael Fassbender playing all 24 characters scheduled to hit the Great White Way, but because there very plausibly could be.

Ticket sales for the Broadway season that just ended on May 24 exceeded $1.9 billion, a new record. But the theatrical genre is in “this is fine” territory:

• That total relied on fans flocking to see big-name movie stars tackle roles in plays. A revival of Every Brilliant Thing, a one-man play starring Daniel Radcliffe, for example, was one of the most successful shows of the season.
• But “successful” is subjective—it was considered a “big win” when the play officially recouped its investment in early May. Only three of more than 24 productions did so this season, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Meanwhile, the art form that put Broadway on the map—original musicals—are increasingly risky and costly for investors. Of the 35 productions that opened this season, 12 were musicals, and only six were considered original. And of the four nominated for best new musical at last night’s Tony Awards, three were based on movies or TV shows.

Big picture: The Broadway League thinks the surge in ticket sales means that consumers are still willing to splurge on experiences. See all this year’s Tony winners here.—HVL