The Theater District is the one of the most popular tourist attractions in New York City. According to the Broadway League, the 2017-18 season had a total attendance of 13,792,614 and grossed $1,697,458,795, making it the biggest Broadway season of all time.
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The Lion King is the highest-grossing Broadway show of all time.
Since its opening on Nov. 13, 1997, The Lion King has earned $1,539,318,552 and counting. The average ticket price is $104.29, and the top ticket price is $251.25. So far, there have been 8,793+ performances of The Lion King, and it’s drawn raves from publications including The New York Times, which said, “There is simply nothing else like it.” It has earned 70 major theater awards internationally and is the third-longest-running Broadway show of all time.
The top five highest-grossing Broadway shows of all time:
The Lion King - $1,539,318,552
Wicked - $1,250,853,323
The Phantom of the Opera - $1,187,149,409
Chicago - $637,883,825
Mamma Mia! - $624,391,693
The top 5 Broadway shows with the most performances of all time:
The Phantom of the Opera - 12,830 performances
Chicago - 9,155 performances
The Lion King - 8,759 performances
Cats - 7,485 performances
Les Misérables - 6,680 performances
Hamilton has had the most expensive top ticket of all time.
The most expensive ticket for Hamilton was $998, although it is difficult to pin down a price due to resales, lotteries, and other premiums. Overall, it has been described as Broadway’s most expensive show of all time, with an average ticket price of $236.10. Hamilton received a record-setting 16 Tony award nominations, winning 11, including Best Musical.
Springsteen on Broadway has the highest average ticket price of all time.
Average ticket prices for Springsteen on Broadway are $505.89. Rolling Stone describes the historic residency as “an intimate triumph … one of the most compelling and profound shows by a rock musician in recent memory.”
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FAQs
The Lion King sits at the top, with a Broadway gross of $1.9 billion. Dates refer to original Broadway productions, with notes added for future productions that outran the Broadway run. † Background shading indicates shows running in the week commencing 26 April 2024 in Broadway theatres.
What is the highest grossing Broadway play of all time? ›
The Lion King sits at the top, with a Broadway gross of $1.9 billion. Dates refer to original Broadway productions, with notes added for future productions that outran the Broadway run. † Background shading indicates shows running in the week commencing 26 April 2024 in Broadway theatres.
What is the greatest Broadway musical of all time? ›
West Side Story (1957) by Leonard Bernstein & Stephen Sondheim. A modern take on Romeo & Juliet, West Side Story might well be the greatest musical of all time. A shoo-in, then, for our list of best stage musicals.
Which show holds the current record for most Broadway performances? ›
The Phantom of the Opera
(13,981 performances. The original Broadway production closed on April 16, 2023.) Only one musical has outrun every show in the entire history of Broadway, and we all know which one that is.
Which Broadway season has the highest attendance ever? ›
ˆThe 2018-19 season was the highest grossing and best attended season in recorded history. ˆˆThe 2019-20 season was cut short by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic which led to a complete shutdown of Broadway in March 2020.
What was the least successful Broadway show? ›
On Broadway Apr 1988 - May 1988
The musical adaptation of Carrie is perhaps the most infamous failure in Broadway history. The show was such a failure that books have been written about just how terrible Carrie was. The musical was adapted from Steven King's hom*onymous novel, and the classic horror film that followed.
Who owns most of Broadway? ›
The Shubert Organization is America's oldest professional theatre company and the largest theatre owner on Broadway.
What are the 3 longest running Broadway shows? ›
List
| Rank | Title | Opening date |
|---|
| 1 | The Phantom of the Opera | January 26, 1988 |
| 2 | Chicago (1996 revival) | November 14, 1996 |
| 3 | The Lion King | November 13, 1997 |
| 4 | Wicked | October 30, 2003 |
50 more rowsLegends of the Stage: The 15 Greatest Broadway Actors of All Time
- Ethel Merman (1908–1984) ...
- Richard Burton (1925–1984) ...
- Julie Andrews (b. ...
- Zero Mostel (1915–1977) ...
- Angela Lansbury (b. ...
- Patti LuPone (b. ...
- Mandy Patinkin (b. ...
- Audra McDonald (b.
The story of Alexander Hamilton speaks to audiences on so many levels. The motifs of revolution and fighting for one's rights, the power of people coming together to fight for a common cause, a celebration of freedom and democracy, and its messages of hope and perseverance resonate deeply with audiences.
“The Mousetrap” is in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest running play in the world.
What is the shortest running Broadway show? ›
List
| No. | Title | Closing date |
|---|
| 1. | A Place for Polly | April 18, 1970 |
| 1. | Play Me a Country Song | June 27, 1982 |
| 1. | Rainbow Jones | February 13, 1974 |
| 1. | Ring Around the Bathtub | April 29, 1972 |
63 more rowsThe Fantasticks originally opened at New York's Sullivan Street Playhouse on May 3, 1960, and played 17,162 performances before closing January 13, 2002, making it the world's longest-running musical.
What city has the most Broadway shows? ›
Most Broadway shows are musicals. Historian Martin Shefter argues that "Broadway musicals, culminating in the productions of Rodgers and Hammerstein, became enormously influential forms of American popular culture" and contributed to making New York City the cultural capital of the world.
How much money do Broadway actors make? ›
Broadway Actor Salary in New York, NY
| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay |
|---|
| Top Earners | $150,976 | $12,581 |
| 75th Percentile | $50,300 | $4,191 |
| Average | $63,131 | $5,260 |
| 25th Percentile | $32,800 | $2,733 |
Almost all Broadway theatres have no Row I, but there are some holdouts.
How much did Hamilton make on Broadway? ›
$854 million – The gross revenue so far for Broadway performances of “Hamilton,” from 2,674 shows since its 2015 opening. 10 – The number of musicians in the live orchestra of the touring show.
How much money did Phantom make on Broadway? ›
$1.36 billion.
That's how much the Broadway production of The Phantom of the Opera grossed. The show sat 20 million people over its 35-year run.
