‘Much Ado About Nothing’ With Tom Hiddleston Sells Out First Broadway Week
Broadway business was off about 13% last week (from the previous week and from last season at this time) – maybe Halloween Saturday pulled away some attention? – with total box office for the 33 shows hitting $29,572,284. Attendance for the week ending November 1 was 251,700, down 4% from the previous week and 9% year-to-year.
Most shows – 26 of the 33 – reported downturns, some considerable in the six figures. Both & Juliet and The Outsiders were down by more than $300,000 from the previous week (to, respectively, $610,232 and $605,946).
Still, four shows managed to buck the trend and sell out:
- A Few Good Men, which opened to mixed reviews, filled all seats at the Vivian Beaumont at Lincoln Center, grossing $1,277,792; that’s down $93,655 from the previous week due to press and opening night comps;
- Hamilton was SRO at the Richard Rodgers, grossing $2,317,475, down about $207,476 from the previous week;
- Buzzy newcomer Much Ado About Nothing, from director Jamie Lloyd and starring Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell, filled the Winter Garden for its first preview, grossing $358,262 for the single performance. Opening night is November 19;
- Other Desert Cities, the behemoth starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Ed Harris, topped the charts with a gross of $2,347,158 (it and Hamilton were the only two shows to break $2M).
Other Desert Cities also topped the ticket price roster, with its average paid attendance at a hefty $301.23. Only two other productions topped the $200 mark: Much Ado About Nothing ($238.36) and Hamilton ($218.03). The overall average paid admission for the 33 shows was $117.49.
Three other shows were in previews last week:
- Wanted, the new musical from Angelica Chéri and Ross Baum starring Solea Pfeiffer and Liisi LaFontaine, was down $115,168 at the James Earl Jones, taking in $508,919 with attendance about 82% of the venue’s capacity. Opening night is November 8;
- Downstate had its first full week of eight previews at the Booth, grossing $275,085 and filling 87% of seats. Opening night is November 15;
- The Fantasticks had its first full seven-preview week at the Hayes, taking in $305,307, with 93% of seats occupied. Opening night is November 16.
Billy Crystal’s 860 had three heavily comped press performances but still pulled in a strong $1,353,611 for seven performances. Attendance was at 99%.
In the 23rd week of the 2026-27 season, Broadway has grossed $726,010,709 season-to-date, down about 8% from last year at this time, with total attendance of 5,929,169 down 3% year-to-year.
All figures courtesy of The Broadway League. For more box office information visit the League’s website.
