Out of town fans of Broadway shows didn’t like congestion pricing’s first week at all.
Receipts were down by $13 million from the previous week, showing steep drop off in attendance. Total was $32.1 mil, down from $45.1 mil for the week ending January 5th.
The only good news is that the total box office was up about $4 million from the same week in 2024.
(Yes, it is now 2025, which seems insane.)
Did the $9 surcharge for driving into the theater district from above 60th St. play a part in the huge decline? Maybe. A few more weeks will make that determination.
Surprisingly, new hit “Sunset Boulevard” played to only a 90% capacity after booming through the holidays. Major legacy musicals like “Wicked” and “The Lion King” were way off, too, although still making millions. “MJ The Musical” was slammed, down to 82% capacity.
Of the newest shows, Audra McDonald in “Gypsy” held its own. That may be because audiences were re-seated from Christmas week when the show was dark because of cast illness.
January is the worst month for Broadway already. Cold or bad weather, holiday hangover, and so doesn’t encourage theatergoers. The congestion pricing certainly doesn’t help as the bulk of Broadway attendance comes from out of town.
