Once again, the new musical “MJ” broke the house record at the Neil Simon Theatre, indicating a strong overall week at Broadway’s box office.
For the week ending Oct. 9, the 25 productions playing grossed $29,063,457, up 15%, and played to 92% capacity, up nearly 6%.
The three top-grossing productions were “The Music Man,” “Hamilton” and “The Lion King.”
Nearly half of the 25 productions played to at least 95% capacity. Not a single production played to less than 70% capacity.
A handful of family-friendly productions — including “Beetlejuice,” “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” and “Wicked” — saw double-digit gross increases, likely as a result of Yom Kippur and Indigenous Peoples’ Day observances.
“MJ” played to over 100% capacity yet again, and earned $1,765,676, setting another new house record and continuing to excel after the 2022 Tony Awards. Since the June 12 awards ceremony, the musical has consistently grossed at least $1.4 million each week and played to at least 96% capacity.
“A Strange Loop” had a notably stronger week, earning $641,726, up 11%, and playing to 89% capacity, up 9%. But despite the better box office numbers, the Tony-winning Best Musical announced on Tuesday that it will close in January 2023.
“Chicago” also had a particularly strong week at the box office, earning $657,391, up 22%, and playing to 85% capacity, up 11%.
Three productions had their official opening night, including “Cost of Living,” “1776” and “Death of a Salesman,” while three others — “The Piano Lesson,” “Topdog/Underdog” and “Almost Famous” — continued or began previews.
