Yayyy Broadway!!!!

Variety reports that Broadway is back in a big way!
Fueled by holdover hits and a terrific selection of new shows, the 2005-06 season grossed a record $861.6 million, up 12% from the previous season.

Paid attendance broke the 12 million barrier for the first time, hitting 12,003,148 ticket buyers.

Top earners were "Wicked," with $68.1 million; "The Lion King," at $59.3 million; "Monty Python's Spamalot," $53.6 million; "Mamma Mia!" with $48.9 million; and "The Producers" with $40.2 million.

Of the new shows this season, biggest hits were "Jersey Boys," "The Color Purple" and "The Odd Couple."


The percentage of seats filled also hit an all-time record: 81.6%. The number of playing weeks -- sum total of the number of weeks played by each show -- was 1,501, up from 1,494 the prior season but not quite as high as the 2002-03 season, when playing weeks rose to 1,544.


Figures mark a big bounce-back for Broadway, which was hard hit by 9/11. Attendance hadn't neared 12 million since the 2000-01 season, which logged 11.89 million theatergoers.

Season attendance for 2004-05 was 11.53 million, earning $768.5 million.


WOW! That's Terrific! It makes me happy! One reason noted for this is the increase in domestic and foreign tourism in New York City.

NYC IS BACK! Big Apple 1 Terrorist Zilch!

Ticket sales were even strong for hot shows like Julia Robert's "Three Days of Rain" that upped tix prices to $110.

Another indicator of Broadway's robust health is all four of last year's Tony-nominated shows -- "Monty Python's Spamalot," "The Light in the Piazza," "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" and "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" -- are still running.


Hot shows, Revivals, Long Runners and New Shows all doing well! That makes me smile to know that people still enjoy drama and song and dance with melodic lyrics with a live orchestra.
I just read President Bush's address from yesterday. He is an evil man. I needed to smile.